SPOTLIGHT Sony Japan 7" Mini-LP Hybrid SACD Series - Comprehensive List of Multichannel Titles

[surround.sound.enthusiast]

I was hoping that Sony Japan would get going with these quicker than just doing them as 50th anniversary editions but given the elapsed time here, that doesn't seem to be the case. They were a bit late with reissuing the first album, but the SACD of Abraxas was 50 years to the month of the original LP release.

If that holds for the remaining titles, you can expect Santana III in September of this year, and then Carlos Santana and Buddy Miles! Live! in June of 2022 followed by Caravanserai in October of that year.

It's also possible that the release schedule has simply just been slowed by COVID, as all the quad tapes for these albums are held in the US in vaults controlled by Iron Mountain that have all but been shut down by social distancing regulations for the last year.

Getting a Sony Japan release of "Carlos Santana and Buddy Miles! Live!" would be a itty-bit of a bummer, as we were lucky enough to already get it released through Dutton-Vocalion. But you know what, I'd buy a double of it anyway to keep the Santana range complete. It'd be excellent to see a new 7 inch reissue sometime soon.

 

[steelydave]

Getting a Sony Japan release of "Carlos Santana and Buddy Miles! Live!" would be a itty-bit of a bummer, as we were lucky enough to already get it released through Dutton-Vocalion. But you know what, I'd buy a double of it anyway to keep the Santana range complete. It'd be excellent to see a new 7 inch reissue sometime soon.

I agree, but if they're doing them to coincide with 50th anniversary dates, it's not like it'll be pushing anything else back as a result. I have no idea if they'll do that one or not, I just made an educated guess based on the fact that they did the self-titled Jeff Beck Group (aka the "orange" album) as one of those 7" releases barely a year after Audio Fidelity released the quad mix on SACD in the US, so it seems like previous reissues aren't an impediment to them choosing to do a title.

 

[quicksrt]

Yes, Jaoan 7” of Carole King, Billy Joel, and Herbie Hancock are repeats as well of previously issued quad on SACD. But I pray Carlos and Buddy, and the also mentioned Thrust are not again also repeated.

We really need to move forward with no bum selections, not too many repeats, and all choice prime picks. It’s so late in the game, but not too late.

 

[surround.sound.enthusiast]

I agree, but if they're doing them to coincide with 50th anniversary dates, it's not like it'll be pushing anything else back as a result. I have no idea if they'll do that one or not, I just made an educated guess based on the fact that they did the self-titled Jeff Beck Group (aka the "orange" album) as one of those 7" releases barely a year after Audio Fidelity released the quad mix on SACD in the US, so it seems like previous reissues aren't an impediment to them choosing to do a title.

Good point. Sony Japan does seem to do their own thing, and gladly so, because we've been getting some great 7 inch releases from them.
I ended up buying both of those Beck's in the end to keep the Beck 7 inch set complete, despite that I had already had the Audio Fidelity version.

 

[Mcallister]

Any word if Santana III will be released from Sony Japan in this 7” quad SACD format? September 71” was original release date, anniversary imminent…..

 

[quicksrt]

very much hope so. That and the next Santana album as well. Trying not to think too much about it, and have it suddenly just appear!!!

 

[FunHouse1970]

John Mclaughlin & Mahavishnu Orchestra : Birds Of Fire
Release Date : 27/10/2021.

 

[par4ken]

John Mclaughlin & Mahavishnu Orchestra : Birds Of Fire
Release Date : 27/10/2021.

I already have the Audio Fidelity SACD, so I think that I will pass on this one, unless someone confirms that it has markedly better sound.

 

[edisonbaggins]

I already have the Audio Fidelity SACD, so I think that I will pass on this one, unless someone confirms that it has markedly better sound.

Will be interesting if they get the channels right too.

 

[quicksrt]

Will be interesting if they get the channels right too.

They may have been printed in wrong assignment on the 4-chan tape. I suspect that to be the case since other masters have things screwy (differently) as well. Was the SQ LP and Q8 as should be and / or expected?

 

[sjcorne]

They may have been printed in wrong assignment on the 4-chan tape. I suspect that to be the case since other masters have things screwy (differently) as well. Was the SQ LP and Q8 as should be and / or expected?

To recap - the front channels of the SACD are reversed in comparison to the SQ LP & Q8. The LP & tape have the violin in the left channel, guitar in the right channel, and keys in the 'phantom' front center (matching the original stereo mix). There's also a swirling drum solo at the beginning of "One Word" that moves in a circle clockwise around the listener. The AF SACD has the guitar on the left, violin on the right, and keys in the center. The "One Word" drum solo now moves in a "X" pattern instead of a circle.

 

[JonUrban]

Here's the new 'Side View' of them all. Interesting that the 'Birds of Fire' pressing number pre-dates many other titles that had already came out. It's also the only one with skimpy packing and inserts

 

[FunHouse1970]

Toto IV 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition [Cardboard Sleeve (7 inch)]

Release Date : 2022/08/03
Number : SICP-10139
EAN : 4547366562927

 

[FunHouse1970]

Carlos Santana & Buddy Miles Live! SACD 4.0/2.0ch [Limited Edition] [Cardboard Sleeve (7 inch)]​

Release Date : 2022/09/21
Number : SICP-10141
EAN : 4547366571844

 

[Rickenbacker]

Wowsers!
I had no idea these were a thing until today.

I love the packaging, too.
I guess I need to see what I can hunt down on discogs.

 

[quicksrt]

Wowsers!
I had no idea these were a thing until today.

I love the packaging, too.
I guess I need to see what I can hunt down on discogs.

Do you like classic rock and legendary albums, and 70’s quad done really well?

Then I suggest you grab first Jeff Beck “Wired” all three Santana titles especially III, and Miles Davis “Bitches Brew” for starters.

Those are exclusive quad mixes to the Japanese 7” series of SACDs. “Some” of the other titles offered are found on other issued discs in quad and 5.1.

Sony is imo issuing the best quad titles right now for quality and choice titles. Best packaging in the industry too. And the most expensive discs as well.

They are slow to release each one but that’s fine, it makes them easier to budget for.

The next Santana disc is going to be quadraphonic reissue of the year. Stay tuned.

 

[Rickenbacker]

Do you like classic rock and legendary albums, and 70’s quad done really well?

Then I suggest you grab first Jeff Beck “Wired” all three Santana titles especially III, and Miles Davis “Bitches Brew” for starters.

Those are exclusive quad mixes to the Japanese 7” series of SACDs. “Some” of the other titles offered are found on other issued discs in quad and 5.1.

Sony is imo issuing the best quad titles right now for quality and choice titles. Best packaging in the industry too. And the most expensive discs as well.

They are slow to release each one but that’s fine, it makes them easier to budget for.

The next Santana disc is going to be quadraphonic reissue of the year. Stay tuned.

Funny you should say that - Santana III is the one that intrigues me.

I wonder why Sony didn't release these quad mixes when the SACD format was launched. Perhaps it would have helped it catch on.
I'm curious if it was considered, or if it was just an oversight.
Oh well. At least they're doing it now.

 

[quicksrt]

Funny you should say that - Santana III is the one that intrigues me.

I wonder why Sony didn't release these quad mixes when the SACD format was launched. Perhaps it would have helped it catch on.
I'm curious if it was considered, or if it was just an oversight.
Oh well. At least they're doing it now.

Well, they were not able to release everything at once. And they did look at what they had in quad format and choose a bunch of them, and get several good ones on the SACD format. Jeff Beck, Isleys, O'Jays, and some others were quad mixed and then released on SACD. Perhaps they had Santana in mind for a later batch once the format caught on and more titles were demanded by the public. But the format did not catch on right away enough for them to do that.

Once you grab your favorites from the Japan series, you need to run (and not walk) over and grab a nice handful of the Audio Fidelity SACDs that were issued from older quad tapes as well, if you have not yet looked around at that series (all out of print, but available on the used market). Billy Cobham "Spectrum" is one of the collector's favorites and it fetching higher than normal prices. Alice Cooper "Muscle of Love", Loggins & Messina "Full Sail", Blue Oyster Cult, Sly and the Family Stone "Hits" a couple of Earth Wind and Fire albums that define what quad can do at its best. I guess it depends on if you like Rock, R&B, and Jazz / Rock Fusion which titles you might want to get. I like all of those genres. Then also for quad on SACD you must get some of the Dutton Vocalion titles as well. My favorites for quad mixing and overall top sound quality from D/V would be both their Return to Forever and Earth Wind and Fire SACDs (still in print I believe).

I'm a big fan of older quad, and 70s artists. So I like these titles a lot, and feel we were very lucky to eventually get them.

 

[FunHouse1970]

Santana - Caravanserai :​

• RELEASE DATE : 2022/11/30
• NUMBER : SICP-10142
• EAN : 4547366577266

 

[vegas]

I think we need to update the first post with the titles list.