It's digital, you know...Please note: Here's a post that will interest the Steely Dan completist collector or HiFi afficionado who's spent
Looks like that classic 1977 album Aja is about to get another release this summer thanks to Japanese interest in a disc system that first saw the light in 1999; Super Audio Compact Disc (SACD).
It was available in three different versions. Single layer or Double layer that wouldn't play on your old CD player but on your dedicated SACD player as well as a few SACD-compatible DVD players. And then there's the Hybrid that fit a single layer SACD with a standard CD layer that make it playable on an ordinary CD player.
Most buyers continued buying ordinary CD's until it was time to move on to downloads, but apparently the SACD format is getting another push in Japan with a number of titles announced.
And the fairly-successful-in-Japan Super High Material-CD (SHM-CD) technology will be used in this new batch of SACD records.
The interesting thing is that the new release of Aja - set for June 23 - will be from a "New 2010 DSD Transfer from the Analog Tapes".
Will they be able to tweak some hitherto unheard nuances from the master tapes? I guess the only way to get the answer is to order a copy. And find some equipment that will play that SACD.
The story continues...
And for all you non-Steely Dan interested readers here's a list of upcoming SACD releases as found in this forum thread:
"Who's Next / The Who" - New 2010 DSD Transfer from the Analog Tapes
"461 Ocean Boulevard / Eric Clapton" - New 2010 DSD Transfer from the Analog Tapes
"Every Good Boy Deserves Favour / The Moody Blues" - New 2010 DSD Transfer from the Analog Tapes
"Aja / Steely Dan" - New 2010 DSD Transfer from the Analog Tapes
"Synchronicity / The Police" - 2003 A&M SACD DSD master
"Velvet Underground and Nico / Velvet Underground" - New 2010 DSD Transfer from the Analog Tapes
"Live At Fillmore East / Allman Brothers Band" - New 2010 DSD Transfer from the Analog Tapes
"What's Going On / Marvin Gaye" - From the 2008 Mobile Fidelity DSD master
"Layla" / Derek & The Dominoes - New 2010 DSD Transfer from the Analog Tapes
"Let It Bleed / The Rolling Stones" - From the 2002 ABCKO SACD
My SACD disc of Gaucho is one of the best discs I have. If Aja turns out as good I will be very happy!
ReplyDeleteGraeme: A problem still is - and correct me if I'm wrong - that with the multitrack tapes for the songs Aja and Black Cow supposedly still missing, they have to mix this from the same source as the latest remaster on CD.
ReplyDeleteWill be interesting to hear what added goodies they might be able to add soundwise to the SACD release.