LaserDisc Database :: View topic - New SONY Japan Quad releases in great packaging

I always love seeing these reissues, they make the owners of the first issue CD pressings or MFSL pressing dump their collection and buy these, then I can pick them
up cheap and make money off of them as they are always better and clearly transferred from the master tapes without too much adjustments that the audio guys think are correct.

I've always been interested in SACD and also it's later sibling MQA.

My XDP-300R does MQA so should be okay? I agree though, it does look like a bit of scam. However if it really is MQA that Tidal are using for their Tidal Masters, then I have to conclude that it sounds really good and there is a significant difference in quality, on Tidal at least.

I have heard several excellent sounding albums in Tidal Master quality on Tidal.

But MQA on CD when SACD or Hi-Res options exists makes very little sense.

My OPPO 205 is supposed to be MQA-ready but I could never get the MQA decoding to turn on, CD or file.

Author:	admin [ 13 Aug 2018, 05:42 ]
Post subject:	New SONY Japan Quad releases in great packaging
Hello! I didn't realize SONY Japan was trying to go the SACD Deluxe way recently: Miles Davis: b**ches Brew QUAD SACD Carlos Santana: Lotus (3-disc Japan release) Beck, Bogert & Appice Jeff Beck - Blow By Blow Jeff Beck Group - Rough And Ready Jeff Beck - Wired Not cheap though! Julien

Author:	forper [ 13 Aug 2018, 10:15 ]
Post subject:	Re: New SONY Japan Quad releases in great package
beautiful stuff

Author:	rein-o [ 13 Aug 2018, 16:07 ]
Post subject:	Re: New SONY Japan Quad releases in great packaging
I always love seeing these reissues, they make the owners of the first issue CD pressings or MFSL pressing dump their collection and buy these, then I can pick them up cheap and make money off of them as they are always better and clearly transferred from the master tapes without too much adjustments that the audio guys think are correct.

Author:	admin [ 14 Aug 2018, 04:18 ]
Post subject:	Re: New SONY Japan Quad releases in great packaging
rein-o wrote: I always love seeing these reissues, they make the owners of the first issue CD pressings or MFSL pressing dump their collection and buy these, then I can pick them up cheap and make money off of them as they are always better and clearly transferred from the master tapes without too much adjustments that the audio guys think are correct. Well, technically LOTUS was only released as a 2-CD SACD by Audio Fidelity. Only Japan got the 3-CD/3-SACD release. I received (within 24h of ordering, it's amazing) the b**ches Brew 4.0 SACD today. I missed the 2002 Japan SACD 2ch re-release with the extra track and only got the 1999 20-bit CD remaster with the extra track as well. I hope the SACD 4.0 upgrade will prove to be worth it! Julien

Author:	teddanson [ 12 Apr 2020, 09:03 ]
Post subject:	Re: New SONY Japan Quad releases in great packaging
I've always been interested in SACD and also it's later sibling MQA. I don't think my Panasonic UB820 can play SACD or MQA though so it's put me off buying and discs to try them out. I have the gear to play the stuff though, and it's hard enough getting something cheap that will decode MQA. I'm toying with the idea of buying some SACD/MQA discs though just for ripping and playback from my NAS or DAP. Would that work? Are SACD discs like MQA in that the files are encoded elsewhere on the disc, other than that it just plays back as redbook? Failing that I (reluctantly) subscribe to Tidal HiFi as apparently their 'Tidal Masters' are all MQA encoded. My phone can decode Atmos, Dolby 360 and MQA for those and they all sound epic apart from Dolby 360. Take a listen to a 360 track if you can (you'll need the right cans for Tidal to recognise it and play back), specifically older tracks. Modern stuff is fine, it's composed and mastered for Dolby 360. Old stuff sounds like they grabbed the tape master and pulled apart each individual track from the board and threw it in different directions to give it the 360 sound. The end result, to my ears anyway, sounds really disjointed and overly separated. Basically it just sounds really obvious if that makes sense? Take a listen and see. For new stuff, it's excellent, especially some classical stuff where the violin solo it running circles not just left and right but to the front and back of your head too. It's really weird but great! Sorry for completely derailing the thread.

LaserDisc Database https://forum.lddb.com/

New SONY Japan Quad releases in great packaging https://forum.lddb.com/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=7983	Page 1 of 2

Author:	admin [ 12 Apr 2020, 12:32 ]
Post subject:	Re: New SONY Japan Quad releases in great packaging
teddanson wrote: I've always been interested in SACD and also it's later sibling MQA. Skip MQA, it's bordeline of a scam on CD, it's lossy and sounds like crap if the MQA decoder doesn't turn on. Makes only a little bit of sense on streaming to pack extra information in more quiet moments. I managed to find Carlos Santana's Lotus and Jeff Beck - Blow By Blow second hand and bought a new copy of Miles David: Live Evil Julien

Author:	teddanson [ 12 Apr 2020, 20:27 ]
Post subject:	Re: New SONY Japan Quad releases in great packaging
My XDP-300R does MQA so should be okay? I agree though, it does look like a bit of scam. However if it really is MQA that Tidal are using for their Tidal Masters, then I have to conclude that it sounds really good and there is a significant difference in quality, on Tidal at least.

Author:	admin [ 12 Oct 2020, 07:04 ]
Post subject:	Re: New SONY Japan Quad releases in great packaging
Few more, focusing on Santana these days: https://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B08GB52MD4/ https://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B08JY8B82S/ https://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B08DBJNVGV/ Julien

Author:	elahrairrah [ 13 Oct 2020, 18:58 ]
Post subject:	Re: New SONY Japan Quad releases in great packaging
teddanson wrote: My XDP-300R does MQA so should be okay? I agree though, it does look like a bit of scam. However if it really is MQA that Tidal are using for their Tidal Masters, then I have to conclude that it sounds really good and there is a significant difference in quality, on Tidal at least. MQA seems like a worse version of HDCD. Only problem is, MQA sounds A LOT worse without if you don't have an MQA encoder. I wouldn't bother as I can't imagine the quality would be that much better for the price it costs for the hardware.

Author:	admin [ 30 Nov 2021, 18:45 ]
Post subject:	Re: New SONY Japan Quad releases in great packaging
2 more releases! Hopefully the wrong quad mix from the 2015 Audio Fidelity release will be fixed for Birds of Fire! Birds Of Fire SA-CD Multi Hybrid Edition [Limited Release] [Cardboard Sleeve (mini LP)] [SICJ-10015] Santana III SA-CD Multi Hybrid Edition [Limited Edition] [SICP-10138] Julien

Author:	confederate [ 26 Jan 2022, 21:16 ]
Post subject:	Re: New SONY Japan Quad releases in great packaging
teddanson wrote: My XDP-300R does MQA so should be okay? I agree though, it does look like a bit of scam. However if it really is MQA that Tidal are using for their Tidal Masters, then I have to conclude that it sounds really good and there is a significant difference in quality, on Tidal at least. I have a Tidal subscription and I bought a new Project Pre Box S2 Digital MQA capable DAC a couple of weeks ago. Yes, MQA does look like a bit of a scam HOWEVER some of the Tidal masters that I heard on Tidal sound clearly superior to their CD counterpart. They are sometimes the best digital versions available in my view. In many cases if there is no SACD or hires version of an album out there the MQA Master version is often not always the best available option. R. Kelly's album "R." sounds like sound quality on Tidal and is a clear upgrade to the CD version. I have heard several excellent sounding albums in Tidal Master quality on Tidal. Given that MQA is a lossy format it sounds very good given how compressed the data is. I have also heard some Japanese MQA CDs through my new DAC and they sound really really good.

Author:	admin [ 27 Jan 2022, 02:25 ]
Post subject:	Re: New SONY Japan Quad releases in great packaging
confederate wrote: I have heard several excellent sounding albums in Tidal Master quality on Tidal. On streaming it makes sense to find a way to pack a little more quality in the limited bandwidth. But MQA on CD when SACD or Hi-Res options exists makes very little sense. My OPPO 205 is supposed to be MQA-ready but I could never get the MQA decoding to turn on, CD or file. It might eventually die like HDCD when the next generations of DACs won't bother paying the fees for it as it doesn't generate enough incremental sales. Julien

Author:	admin [ 30 Jun 2022, 17:21 ]
Post subject:	Re: New SONY Japan Quad releases in great packaging
One more release in August: TOTO IV 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition Attachment: IV.jpg [ 111.53 KiB \| Viewed 4670 times ] Julien

Author:	rein-o [ 01 Jul 2022, 17:55 ]
Post subject:	Re: New SONY Japan Quad releases in great packaging
Oh God TOTO, I just saw a special on morning news about them, I'm shocked that doesn't come with a can of hot cheeze..........

Author:	signofzeta [ 02 Jul 2022, 16:22 ]
Post subject:	Re: New SONY Japan Quad releases in great packaging
I liked Toto as a little kid, sorta grew out of them as I got into metal and acid house. Now that I’m older I honestly appreciate them more, at least the first album. Toto are goofy but they do know a lot about music and now that I know more about music I appreciate them in new ways. HOWEVER, see that up there does fulfill the prophecy/cliche saying that super high end boutique releases are almost always stuff you never want. The same is true of SACD, DSD, as it was from Mobile Fidelity LPs and gold CDs. It’s all…Blind Faith and Steely Dan with some jazz I’ve never heard of…it’s so rarely anything that actually deserves the treatment, more like whatever is all set to go legally.

Author:	elahrairrah [ 26 Aug 2022, 15:34 ]
Post subject:	Re: New SONY Japan Quad releases in great packaging
I'm confused then with it comes to MQA and the 205. You can't play MQA CDs, only files? That's kinda dumb. Bordering on useless. Especially if you bought any MQA CDs. Even though I have two devices with support MQA, I'm still going to avoid it. I mean, when the creators are being so tight-lipped about what the format/codec/container, whatever they deem to classify it as, doesn't want anyone to do any testing with it, just to trust them--red flags are an understatement. I'll stick with 24 bit 192 or 96 or DSD from HDTracks, unless the inexplicable situation occurs when they get an album I want that's only in MQA. On a side note, Meridian, the snake oil salesmen behind MQA, are they the same Meridian who made the Meridian Lossless Packing scheme for DVD-Audio?

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Author:	admin [ 02 Jul 2022, 13:06 ]
Post subject:	Re: New SONY Japan Quad releases in great packaging
rein-o wrote: Oh God TOTO Kind of have a sweet spot for TOTO. Great musicianship, studio work, mix and Jeff Porcaro was a mean drummer still studied/copied to this day. But I also like similar bands like Steely Dan or The Alan Parsons Project Julien

Author:	teddanson [ 02 Jul 2022, 14:40 ]
Post subject:	Re: New SONY Japan Quad releases in great packaging
admin wrote: Steely Dan Throw in Weather Report too maybe? Teen Town is my favourite, but only when they played it live. There'sa great version in awful quality on Alphabet's streaming platform. Jaco Pastorius plays out of his skin on it! Only Victor Wooten comes remotely close to Jaco Pastorius when it comes to bass players imho. Teen Town is always so much better when they play it faster live. Not keen on the slower album version.

Author:	rein-o [ 04 Jul 2022, 01:00 ]
Post subject:	Re: New SONY Japan Quad releases in great packaging
Well I am a fan of my Joe Jackson Night and Day MFSL CD. Its a really great pressing. Bought Heavy Weather as I do love Teen Town but just couldn't get into the rest.

Author:	admin [ 26 Aug 2022, 06:34 ]
Post subject:	Re: New SONY Japan Quad releases in great packaging
admin wrote: But MQA on CD when SACD or Hi-Res options exists makes very little sense. And this is where things get confusing! HDTracks just announced thy are welecoming (sic!) MQA... Attachment: MQA-HDTracks.jpg [ 66.73 KiB \| Viewed 4172 times ] Ex: Money For Nothing (2022 Remaster) 44.1kHz - 16bit => $15.98 MQA => $18.48 96kHz - 24bit => $18.48 192kHz - 24bit => $23.98 So they are basically positioning MQA as an equivalent of 96kHz-24bit, price-wise? => https://www.headphonesty.com/2021/05/tidal-mqa-golden-sound-debate/ admin wrote: My OPPO 205 is supposed to be MQA-ready but I could never get the MQA decoding to turn on, CD or file. After re-reading the documentation + forums about this, it seems that the OPPO 205 can only read and decode MQA when paying a file via the USB DAC and with the DAC firmware updated to USB-0118. No wonder I couldn't get MQA decoder to turn on when playing a MQA CD or a MQA file from a HDD via USB. Also, you will need to use WASAPI instead of ASIO to stream MQA files. Quite unhelpful and makes buying anything physical with MQA pointless on this player. Julien