SACD s to die for

I don't think I can get 10 yet but here are a few:

Eric Bibb (both his SACD's on Opus 3)
Music Sacra (Opus 3)
Chesky Sampler (Chesky)
Freddie Cole (Telarc)

Virgil Thomson, The River/The Plow That Broke the Plains, Vanguard Classics. Stokowski conducting music for two Depression-era film documentaries. Very Americana. An early '60's analog recording...clean, quiet, dynamic.

Duke Ellington, Blues in Orbit, Mobile Fidelity (a 2500-disc production run). Duke's crew was "alive" for this session.

A hearty second on the Opus 3 Music Sacra by the Erik Westberg Vocal Ensemble. Choral, soprano sax, and organ music from the 16th century to the present. Recorded in analog in 1995 and 1996 with apparent loving care. Gorgeous acoustic.

Al DiMeola, John Mc Laughlin, Paco deLuca, "Friday Night in San Francisco," Sony. A live '70's concert by three guitar virtuosi. Electric.

Red Rose Music sampler. Recorded in DSD by Mark Levinson in his store. Typically one or two "guest" performers per number, all music except for two vocal recitations. Great example of what DSD does for piano, bass, guitar, voice, and sax (you have to hear Chico Freeman).

Aaron Copland, "Appalachian Spring"/Morton Gould, "Spirituals for String Orchestra," Vanguard Classics/Everest. Another early '60's analog recording beautifully done. IMO, Walter Susskind's reading here of "Spring" is better than Copland's own.

Is it just me or does the sacd of 'kind of blue' kinda blow? and i dont mean in like a Kerouacian 'blow, daddy, blow!' kinda way. i mean in, like, you know... sucks.

It's better than the redbook but doesn't live up to what sacd promises. they smoothed out the bass and gave it a broader soundstage but really jacked up the tape hiss.

Spend your money on the 180 vinyl. it's a shame. oh well.

Yes, it is a disapppointment.

I keep waiting for the floodgates to open and the new SACD titles to come pouring out. It ain't happening.

The Red Rose is the best sounding of the SACDs I've heard, but it's such simple stuff, how could they miss?

Kind of Blue,Miles Davis
Appalachian Journey,YO-YO MA
Can't Stand The Weather,SRV
BluesQuest,Audioquest hybrid,various

I gree with Kubla, the KoB SACD can't hold a candle to the 180 gm vinyl pressing. Tony Overwater's "OP" SACD is one of the best I've heard, great sonics and music. It's on Turtle Records.

--Mahler Symphony No. 2, on Delos, a 20 bit pcm recording that still sounds superb; also, the latest Delos SACD release with the Shostakovich String Symphony is also excellent

--Audioquest Blues Sampler

--the Lyrinx recording of Musique Francais for clarinet and piano

--Appalachian Journey, Yo Yo Ma et al

--Bach Goldberg Variations, Perihia (I cannot spell his name, sorry!)

--the Hyperion recording of French string trios with the Florestan Trio

--Gaudeamus, Sacred Feast on dmp.

The Telarc Dukas and Hovahnnes discs are pretty good as well. I just got their 1812 Overture disc, will listen this weekend (could not resist, I'm a sucker for the sonic spectaculars once every 10 years or so!). Thanks for the Opus 3 recommendation, I was considering it but wasn't sure about the content--it sounds very interesting.

Here's my list:

Blood, Sweat & Tears
Flim and BBs, Tricycle
Jay McShann, What a wonderful life.
Santana, Abraxas
Oldfield, Tubular Bells
Armstrong Plays Handly
Doug MacLeod, Whose Lies and Unmarked Road
Rebecca Pidgeon, The Raven
Ellington, Blues in Orbit
Oscar Peterson, A Very Tall Band
Kenny Loggins, Greatest Hits
Carole King, Tapestry

Thanks all. I agree that many of the smaller lable stuff (Opus, Chesky, etc.) are quite good. Please fell free to add to the lsit as you hear new releases.

I am however very disappointed in what Sony has done with some of their re-releases of the classic rock I grew up with. For exapmple, I expected better sound from Boston and other releases which I bought. And I remember the Moblie Fidelity cassettes of Carole King sounded better than the SACD -- too bad MF is gone! In retrospect, I quess there's only so much you can squeeze out of those 70's recordings -- it just seems odd that Sony would go this route after investing so much in the making of such damm good hardware.

Lornecherry,

Music Direct (amusicdirect.com) has purchased the Mobile Fidelity equipment, inventory, name, and rights, and plans to resurrect Mobile Fidelity from the grave. I do not know when. I saw the announcement about one month ago.

By the way, I agree something went wrong with Carole King's voice in Tapestry, but the music sounds fine. I still love the album. Thanks for not picking on me.

By the way, in my opinion Music Direct is the best source of SACDs. Just search on SACD. Good selection and generally the lowest price. Service is the best.

I also understand that all of MoFi recent remastering were in DSD. Too bad that they went out of business. I bet by now we would have seen 10 or more SACDs from them rather than one.