Anyone heard the new Moody Blues SACDs yet?

I got a chance to listen to all of the SACDs. I agree with Theo in that they all do seem to be a little "forward" in the stage - as if the levels were all "amped-up". That said, it is extremely clear and captivating. I am a little less enthusiastic about the 5.1 mixing. I've never been a fan of putting specific instruments - especially electric guitar - in the rear channels. Some songs sound great in 5.1 on these dics but most don't IMO. Not wanting to toggle back and forth each time I listen, I prefer hearing it in stereo. Besides, the stereo versions are so clear and full, they already sound like they are in surround.

Anyway, if you're a Moody Blues fan, these are a must own. I haven't had a chance to compare these with my MoFi's yet, which I will do for fun, but I am pretty certain I will be selling the MoFis on eBay.
-Tony

In Search of the Lost Chord--It's a shame this is not in 5.1. I had it on the quad reel to reel and have the quad 8 track. Back then they sounded great. The rest are the best sacd multi channels I've heard--most of the others have noise in the rear channels-the next best is the Stones Sympathy for the devil. As far a front channel goes--don't miss it a bit. For music, I'm not big into center channels.

Mike

The Moody Blues' music pretty much got me into audio. There is so much music to hear - not "just songs" - if that makes sense. I got home late last night and they were on my doorstep. I can't wait to get home tonight, wait for everyone to go to sleep and give these a listen!

FWIW: All of the discs I ordered from the Elusive Disc are stamped "Made in Germany". For those who bought them off Amazon.UK, I wonder if those were made in Germany as well. If so, I'd guess they are the same source.

Yeah the Moody Blues,they just don't write em like that anymore. It's sad, kids today don't know what they are missing.

I got my set from Amazon.UK on Friday and have been very impressed. I've mainly been sitting back and enjoying them, but I did a couple of quick comparisons on Threshhold and Children's Children of the SACD and CD layers and with my redbook Threshold, and there's no comparison -- the SACD layer of both have more depth, subtlety of tone, spatial info, pretty much better in every way. Days of Future Past is the one that has grabbed me the most in terms of sound quality so far. I've been a Moodys fan since around 1970 and have heard lots of versions of these albums and my gut impression is these are the best I've heard yet. I'm hoping if these sell well maybe SACD reissues of classic rock albums will continue at least in Europe.

I'm listening to To Our Children's right now and it is quite an improvement over the CD. I ordered it from England. It was actually less expensive from amazon uk and in stock well before the US versions.

Thanks Lazarus,

I see now - re-reading the posts above - that it is only the one "In Search of..." that's not in 5.1. Still, I agree Legend of a Mind would have been great in 5.1 as would "The best way to travel":-)

I'm hoping they arrive soon. I was too cheap to have them ship Priority mail and went with the "media mail". I should still get them sometime this week.

Trey - only ONE of them isn't in multichannel, the rest of them are!

i'll be doing a full review of them in the upcoming weeks. i'll be covering the music, 2-channel, and multichannel mixes of each. and i'll be starting with On the Treshold. . . .

if you have any interest, see my previous review here on the 'Gon for an idea of what format i'll be using. i want to have time to get to know them intimately 1st, and i plan on doing the Depeche Mode SACDs 1st.

but fret ye not, all but one have 5.1 mixes. (although the center is sparsely used)

It is dissapointing to hear they aren't in 5.1 as the articles I had read over the last several years (it seems) indicate. In fact here is the latest press release:
http://www.superaudio-cd.com/news/newsitem.php?id=120

I guess they are referring to the "Deluxe versions" which I'm not sure I purchased (???). I'll hold on to my MoFi versions until further notice.

MoFi, I'm just clinging to those younger years of long long ago! By the way just spoke with all the big three Sellers Acoustic Sounds , Elusive Disc and Music Direct and it appears that they were all mis-lead by the distributer in that "In Search of the Lost Chord" was represented to them as 5.1 whne in fact it is only 2 channel.

I have two on order and will probably get all.

I received mine and am listening to them one by one and find that they seem to have more information or at least are mixed more forward. I was very disappointed in finding that "In Search of the Lost Chord" was only 2 channel and not 5.1 as advertised. Elusive Disc did confirm that they too were mis-lead by the distributer and had thought it was 5.1 as well. I did also find that "On the Threshold of a Dream" would not play in my Ayre C5XE but it looks to have surface defects. Elusive Disc is replacing it. Other than that I think they are a good investment. The bonus tracks are interesting and only in two channel but enjoyable as well. Really wanted to hear "legend of a mind" in surround though. I have checked with the other sellers to check if maybe there are two versions of these discs, but I doubt it.

Audiogon Member Theo is like the Moody Blues dude to ask. I know he has them all.

Treyhoss,

Go to AA....many discussions in the past week :-)

Paul

I recently ordered from Elusive Disk as well. Anxiously waiting.