SHM Universal Japan SACDs

MJC, did you listen to the Repertoire (3,000 copies made sticker) version of Octopus (redbook format)? That recording was one of the high water marks for me in redbook. I'm curious how you feel it does, or would, compare to the SHM-SACD of the same title.

Mr. Fripp1,

Thanks to your reply I decided to purchase the last remaining Repertoire Octopus CD at my local Amazon dealer. I have reason to suspect that Repertoire has given Octopus the deluxe treatment due partly to your assessment and the fact that I enjoy Repertoires version of Renaissance-Scheherazade. Although it exhibits much of what we have come to love and hate about the Redbook format I think it is the best digital version available, at least until someone decides to master a proper high-resolution rendering. I will post my comparisons of the two Octopus discs soon… I hope.

On a different but related subject, I question the “Limited Edition” assertions found on some recordings; you mentioned that the Repertoire disc has a “3,000 copies made sticker.” I doubt it would still be available on Amazon close to 3 years after its release, and the SHM-SACD discs remain available.

Perhaps I am wrong and or cynical.

All the best,

MikeC

MJC, PLEASE do a comparison and report back. It would be hugely appreciated. Thanks.

Hi Fripp1,

Regarding the comparison of the two Gentle Giant-Octopus discs, the sound is quite different. On reflection, I am amazed at how an identical performance can be depicted in such a dissimilar way.

The Repertoire disc is much louder so on first assessment the SHM-SACD disc sounded lifeless but compensating for the disparity in volume revealed an amazing transformation. The SHM-SACD disc exhibited three-dimensional information and warmth not revealed by the Repertoire CD and the bass was greatly improved on the SHM-SACD as well. On the top, it seemed the sky was the limit. A very free and open audio spectrum remained for the artists to reproduce their aural images. In contrast, the CD sounded compressed, as if an attempt was made to control the wildly fluctuating dynamics of the original recording.

At realistic volume levels, the SHM-SACD produced scarcely a trace of listening fatigue but the same cannot be said of the Repertoire CD; after just a few songs I grew tired of listening to it at such high volumes.

I remember purchasing a 45-rpm single of a John Lennon song, it was either “Instant Karma” or “Cold Turkey” and stamped on the label were the words, “Play Loud”. This is good advice in the world of SHM-SACD.

All the best,

MikeC

Interesting. In addition to my own reaction to the Repertoire Octopus, I've heard several of my music friends rave about the same redbook edition both when I played it and when they purchased it. That your own reaction could be so emphatic upon hearing the differences suggests not so much that the redbook version is poor, but rather that the SHM SACD is so outstanding.

Clearly a good news/bad news thing! It calls for purchasing a few SHM SACD versions of my favorite titles. Oh good. %^U

Thanks for your commitment and your report.