MFSL Eagles Self-Titled

This is a review of the new hybrid MFSL SACD of the Eagles’ eponymous debut ... CD layer only. There is a lot of good here, but some bad as well.

The Good - airy, shimmering top end. Great detail in voices (especially background vocals), guitars (particularly the acoustics), and banjo. Of note is lots of microdetail in the banjo parts, which is a real revelation and a testament as to just how amazingly good Bernie Leadon is as a musician. Also, a nice and wide soundstage which allows the music to breathe. No compression that I can discern. Generally, a nice EQ, except for the drums and bass as discussed below.

The Bad - drums and bass guitar volume is low generally, making them sound somewhat veiled, recessed, and resulting in a lack of weight to the music. I don’t know whether that’s just baked into the tapes. This is particularly audible on "Take it Easy," but it does improve somewhat on other tunes like "Peaceful Easy Feeling." Another slight tweak of the knobs to the right and they likely could have gotten these elements situated perfectly overall.

In sum, I think that this is a big improvement for the S/T over other versions. Certainly, it is the best I have heard.