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SACD/CD Question

I've got a question for you SACD guys. I don't have SACD, but have a high-quality two-channel system. I recently bought my first so-called hybrid compatible CD/SACD, a Sony recording, made live in the Berlin Philharmonie in 2002, of the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto played by Arcadi Volodos, with the Berlin Philharmonic under Seiji Ozawa. I have no idea what this one sounds like on an SACD system, but on my two-channel system the orchestral sound is just conspicuously AWFUL! This was all the more surprising to me because I'd earlier bought the same pianist's performance of the Rachmaninoff Third Piano Concerto, also recorded live, in the same hall, in 1999, with the same orchestra under James Levine, also on Sony (but with a different recording engineer), and this one's NOT a hybrid compatible CD/SACD but a plain stereo CD, and it sounds just fine. Can anyone shed some light on what is going on here? I'm reluctant now to buy any more so-called hybrid compatible CD/SACD discs after getting burned.
texasdave

Showing 4 responses by kr4

kr4's avatar
kr4
3,704 posts
 
1. As Metralla says, there's no reason to buy hybrid SACDs for the CD layer if you are not going to get an SACD player in the near future.

2. The differences between those various releases on the same label is not the medium but the mastering.

Kal
kr4's avatar
kr4
3,704 posts
 
There's no assurance that the CD layer is superior to a contemporary Redbook release. If you want to compare hybrid CD layer with previous/older issues, that's another story.

Kal
kr4's avatar
kr4
3,704 posts
 
You wrote: "Without any corroborating evidence, I must mention that in the print media I noticed a story that said these bi-discs would have intentional degradation of the
sound quality of the old format, another said that the player would degrade the old sound."

Sure. There are many reports. Just remember to pay attention to the first four words.

Kal
kr4's avatar
kr4
3,704 posts
 
Aceto-

My response was only meant to underscore your point that, although such allegations have been made by many, there is no evidence that such has been a policy for any label. I did not intend to admonish or criticize you.

Kal
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