Layla SACD coming 10/26

Postby **lukpac** » Wed Sep 15, 2004 3:48 pm

Looks like this one is finally happening. Same day as the Disraeli Gears and 461 Ocean Blvd DE's and the 461 and Slowhand SACDs.

http://www.highfidelityreview.com/news/ ... r=14874047
http://consumers.umusic.com/sacd/future.html

Patrick M · Postby **Patrick M** » Wed Sep 15, 2004 4:00 pm

The MoFi is definitive!

Postby **lukpac** » Wed Sep 15, 2004 6:08 pm

It is pretty good, actually. Although the pre-remaster Polydor is fine too. Haven't heard the remaster enough to comment.

Andreas · Postby **Andreas** » Thu Sep 16, 2004 2:27 am

A comparison between the old Polydor, the MFSL and the remaster ("Eric Clapton remasters") would be interesting. I only have the latter, and I think it sounds fine, given the limitations of the mix. The remaster does not have any characteristics of a (bad) modern remaster. It has plenty of hiss (not distracting), a very warm sound, no boost on the top end, and is not too loud either.

J_Partyka · Postby **J_Partyka** » Thu Sep 16, 2004 8:45 am

Andreas wrote:A comparison between the old Polydor, the MFSL and the remaster ("Eric Clapton remasters") would be interesting.

I agree. I only have the MoFi, and an early US vinyl pressing. It's been way too long since I've played the vinyl to remember much about what it sounds like, but I like the MoFi well enough. I used to own the remixed CD, and in this case I definitely prefer to hear the original mix.

Postby **lukpac** » Thu Sep 16, 2004 9:03 am

I've got a couple of Atco pressings. I'd have to go back and listen again, but I seem to recall them both sounding kind of thin compared to the CDs.

The MFSL and Polydor (2 CD) are a little different, but I don't think it's anything earth shattering. I'd say the MFSL sounds a tad more "refinied" in places, if that means anything. The Polydor does seem to be a tad sloppy in a couple of places; the count-off for It's Too Late is missing, for example. Nothing huge, though.

I don't own a copy of the remaster, just CDs like "Cream of Clapton" and "Blues". I've also got Layla on Rock of the 70's, but the last time I listened I liked the MFSL and Polydor better. The differences were really fairly minor, though.

Andreas · Postby **Andreas** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 2:38 am

Just to clarify: The newest remaster features the original mix.

Andreas · Postby **Andreas** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 6:43 am

I did compare the old Polydor 2CD-set (Polydor - 823 277-2, made in Germany, no mention of Dennis Drake or RSO) against the most recent remaster ("Eric Clapton Remasters"), and the differences are smaller than expected. Hiss level, overall loudness, tonality are not much different. But there is a hint of a busy, exaggerated sound on the drums and vocals that make the remaster sound less pleasant. At high volumes, it always seems as if these elements jump out, while on the Polydor set, it sounds more balanced. Not a night-and-day difference, but my preference for the old Polydor set is clear. Sorry to be so un-technical and un-scientific with my review.

Interesting: On one track (I think it was Have You Ever Loved A Woman), the remaster has an addtional intro of two or three seconds with studio chatter.

Postby **lukpac** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 8:45 am

Is that HYELAW or It's Too Late (as mentioned above)?

Ryan, you got the SACD, right? Ever listen to it? I still haven't picked it up.

Rspaight · Postby **Rspaight** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 9:01 am

Yeah, I got it from yourmusic.com for five bucks. (This is my opportunity to start a baseless rumor that all BMG-sourced SACDs have a 1/2dB boost at 8kHz and a "fuzzy" upper bass due to glass-master errors. You heard it here first.)

At the moment I don't recall it being hugely different from the "Clapton Remaster" version, but it's been a while (and I ditched the remaster, so the question is moot for me at this point).

I'm snowed under with work at the moment, but I'll bump it up against the MoFi when I get a chance.

Ryan

Andreas · Postby **Andreas** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 9:05 am

lukpac wrote:Is that HYELAW or It's Too Late (as mentioned above)?

You're right, it's It's Too Late. I did not read your post above.

Are there other signs of sloppiness on the old Polydor? Any dropouts, shortened fades etc. that I missed?

Postby **lukpac** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 9:16 am

Andreas wrote:Are there other signs of sloppiness on the old Polydor? Any dropouts, shortened fades etc. that I missed?

Not that I've noticed to this point, no. I haven't sat down and A/B'd the whole thing, though.

Ryan, listen to the 5.1 mix yet?

Rspaight · Postby **Rspaight** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 9:25 am

Argh, SACD 5.1 mixes. I'm convinced that Pat Robertson has told God to punish me (for something, anything) by not allowing me to listen to SACD 5.1 mixes.

It is scientifically impossible to set up a Sony NS-500V to correctly listen to 5.1 SACDs with a small speaker/sub setup. Just impossible. I could go into gory detail about this, but it's too depressing. Suffice it to say that the damn thing is defective in that regard, but works like a champ in most others.

So I replaced it with a Pioneer at one point, and it could be persuaded (with much configuration) to play them acceptably. But it had typical Pioneer problems (barfing on random DVDs no other player in the universe has problems with), so I gave up on it.

Then I got that Samsung I talked about in another thread. The component video outs finally gave up the ghost. So I got another one. It had the *exact same problem.* So I returned it, and put the Sony back in the rack.

Between all of this, the Layla 5.1 mix never got played. (I did check out a couple of the Elton Johns, though, which I got through the same yourmusic deal, and those were lots of fun.) Perhaps someday I'll be able to report on that.

Ryan