Police - EBYT SACD review.

Steve.EX · 19-04-2003, 2:07 AM

I have only had this two days but have listened to the multichannel version, 2 channel version (sacd) and compared them both two the newest standard cd releases of the various tracks.

Showing my age here but i have always had a sneeking respect for some of the Police stuff - not particularly the Do Dp Do Da Da Da/Don't Stand So/popular stuff but Spirits/King of Pain/Wrapped i can listen quite happily too.
Which ever "layer" you choose the is no escaping the rather lo-fi nature (IMHO) of it all, which is equally if not more evident on sit-up-and-beg cd releases which presumably is given to age/cost/desired sound? of the age.
It is however a "cleaner" showing and generally i felt much more harmonious and even handed? (generally easier to listen too?).
All good there then.
The real (pleasant) surprise for me came when listening to the multichannel mix. Can i say that as of yet i am to be convinced of multichannel mixes and have in general found these to be a bit of a "fairground ride" in lots of noises coming from lots of speakers, even the recent Pink Floyd release i felt while certainly enjoyable was a little "too much" in parts on the rear channels. This particular release very much reminds of applying TMS to 2 channel sources in that it is very subtle and you may be forgiven for thinking that there is nothing coming from the center/rear speakers, that is of course until you turn them off. The extra speakers are very much subtle and offer only the slightest extension of what is happening on front left/right, it simply opens and deepens the soundstage with a deft /slightest touch.
Who knows i might even get to like this "lots of speakers" music after all.
If the Police holds any attraction for you at all then (AGAIN IMHO ONLY!!) this SACD is not at all bad (absolute hifi recording/fidelity asides)
And it only cost 14.99 as well!!

Steve.

*Rachael Bitchlist* · 19-04-2003, 9:57 AM

I've only listened to my copy in stereo so far. M/C music has to compete for theatre time against DVD & LD for me and I watch alot of DVD and LD. I have SACD on my stereo too and I listen to more music there. The stereo SACD program sounds sort'a uneven because it is. Hey, it's a greatest hits album. I'd call the stereo SACD track average at best, proably a wee bit worse. I've heard way older material on SACD like the Stones and the Zombies that sounded better to me. I'll have to give the M/C track a shot sometime. Maybe they put the effort there? Your review makes it sound like maybe they did? Best wishes!

Steve.EX · 19-04-2003, 1:14 PM

Rachael.
I wholeheartely agree.
It is hardly the finest example of the format BUT then it's only doing what it can.
I have yet to hear anything of the earlier Police's material that i would call anything but lo-fi regardless of medium.
Reckon it's worth a go on multichannnel playback though.

Regards

Steve.

*Rachael Bitchlist* · 20-04-2003, 9:19 AM

Steve, I aggree that the Police seem like they were not always well recorded. I know they weren't. I have an I.R.S. Records two LP sampler. The very early Police are on it and one of them, was it Stewart Copeland (?), performed as Klark Kent. All the I.R.S. stuff is kind'a rough sounding. Me, I like it that way. I get sick of computer purr-fect music, if you know what I mean. I like that garage sound.

Anyway, in the age of vinyl, I never thought the Police sounded better recorded till GHOST IN THE MACHINE and SYNCRONICITY. So, the SACD really didn't suprise me or disappoint me, in stereo. I certainly didn't buy it with really high, unrealistic expectations. It would be a nice suprise if the M/C mix turns out to be entertaining.

So far, I'm rather suspicious of the sound quality of Universal's releases. A couple of the ones I've bought are rather dismal. Bon Jovi and Quincy Jones are the standouts there. They both sound rather muffled for lack of a better adjetive. They just don't sound natural. The Beck and Ryan Adams discs sound pretty good but none of the Universal discs really sound outstanding IMO.

It seems like other labels are getting more mileage out of their master tapes than Universal. The Gettz & Gilberto disc and Muddy Waters sound rather average. Compared to other label's performance, Universal's seems a bit shakey, all in all.

I've been thinking of buying the Gene Harris disc on their Verve Jazz label. I'm anxiously awaiting a Manfredo Fest release too! I don't think I have any Verve stuff yet...? They're getting 2 or 3 bucks more for the Verve discs. I hope that means they'll master them a bit better? Hopefully...! I have to confess labels like Groove Note, DMP, Opus 3, Zoe, Rounder, Chesky, Analogue Productions, AudioQuest, Telarc, and even Sony have spoil't me. I think I know how good SACD's should/can sound. I've been collecting them for over 3 years already.

Universal is bringing up the rear in my book...so far...Sony had some weak stuff in their early dayz, to be fair. High standards have been set IMO. We'll see???? Best wishes!

gringottsdirect · 20-04-2003, 3:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Rachael Bitchlist
I have an I.R.S. Records two LP sampler. The very early Police are on it and one of them, was it Stewart Copeland (?), performed as Klark Kent. All the I.R.S. stuff is kind'a rough sounding. Me, I like it that way. I get sick of computer purr-fect music, if you know what I mean. I like that garage sound.

Kollected Works ( 1995 ), bundling together Klark Kent stuff, particularly their biggest hit 1980 " Don't Care ".
Contractual problems meant the band performed on Top Of The Pops wearing cheap Jimmy Carter masks to hide their Police identities.
Klark Kent were