garymd Posted November 18, 2003 Share Posted November 18, 2003 Yesterday I purchased a used Sony SCD-C555ES SACD player. I only own 2 SACDs (DSOTM and Telarc's 1812 Overature). I haven't used it upstairs yet but did hook it up downstairs. So far I'm most impressed with the quality of the non-SACD CDs. DSOTM was nice but wasn't a huge improvement, same with 1812. I did find the non-SACDs to really sound better than my old player. The real test is when I bring it upstairs with my scott/cornwalls. Any must-haves? I'm looking for recommendations. I'll give a better review after I hear it on my better system. I say better because until I get the right woofers in my altecs, there are issues. I may have one new woofer very soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark1101 Posted November 18, 2003 Share Posted November 18, 2003 Hey Gary, Mind me asking what such a toy runs these days? You said that your existing music collection sounds better, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrot Posted November 18, 2003 Share Posted November 18, 2003 I'm surprised at your results. What kind of music do you like? The best SACD classical recordings across the board are on the Channel Classics label and the Pentatone label. Pentatone is distributed by Telarc in the US, but Channel Classics you'd probably have to order online. I received Mahler Sym. No. 2 Kaplan/Vienna Philharmonic yesterday, and it is a mind-boggling performance and recording. Mahler No. 6 on Telarc is also practically perfect. This piece is not for the timid and no low-watt amps need apply. If you want some '60s music, I got Donovan's Storyteller SACD yesterday too, and it is the best these recordings have ever sounded. The Rolling Stones Beggars Banquet and Let It Bleed hybrids are excellent. All the newly remastered Bob Dylan SACD/CD hybrids are excellent. Possibly most improved is Bringing It All Back Home. You could also check out Oh Mercy. You can pick these up easy as pie at Best Buy or Circuit City. Miles Davis In A Silent Way is excellent, particularly the multi channel layer. The multi channel layer is made from the original tape recording, instead of a mixed-down master, and eliminates an almost unbelievable amount of hiss. Not noise reduction, just from using a far superior source. I have *never* heard this big of a difference before. There are so many *excellent* recordings on SACD, you'd have to have a lot of disposable income to buy them all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted November 18, 2003 Author Share Posted November 18, 2003 I really shouldn't have reviewed it yet. I'll wait until I bring it upstairs where my system is more comparable to most of yours. Everything sounded better. Grateful Dead, Pink Floyd, Miles Davis, Cannonball Adderly, Norah Jones, The Doobie Bros., Buddy Rich, James Taylor, etc. It's just a better player than my other POS. This originally retailed for $1700. Later, sony dropped it to $800 to move them out but most websites/reviews still show the $1700 retail. I bought it from a coworker of my wifes who just upgraded to the 777ES ($2600 retail). This one only does CDs and SACDs. Nothing else. It's built well (25lbs) and has a 5 cd changer. The reviews say it's one of the only changers worth owning. I won't tell you what I paid but there's one on Audiogon right now for $600. One review I read said if you can get one for under $700, jump on it. I got lucky and got a great deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted November 18, 2003 Share Posted November 18, 2003 That is a VERY good sounding deck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PKuziel Posted November 18, 2003 Share Posted November 18, 2003 Steely Dan's "Gaucho" on SACD is awesome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeavyDistortion Posted November 18, 2003 Share Posted November 18, 2003 Gary, I'm glad that you are enjoying the 555ES SACD/CD player. Some of my favorite SACDs are: Blood, Sweat & Tears - "Self-Titled" 2nd LP Carole King - "Tapestry" Original Stereo Only SACD Santana - "Caravanserai" Japanese SACD Santana - "Abraxas" Jeff Beck - "Blow By Blow" Rolling Stones - "Beggar's Banquet" Stevie Ray Vaughan - "Couldn't Stand The Weather" The Zombies - "Greatest Hits" Miles Davis - "In A Silent Way"/"Jack Johnson" Japanese SACD Deep Purple - "Machine Head" Import SACD T. Rex - "Electric Warrior" Import SACD Mike Oldfield - "Tubular Bells" Import SACD Billy Joel - "The Stranger" Ed Hurdle HeavyDistortion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted November 18, 2003 Author Share Posted November 18, 2003 Thanks Ed. You da man! BTW - I won't give up your identity. She hasn't noticed it yet. Great thrift shop find! Gaucho is one of my favorite SD lps. That'll be tops on my list. Love those Babylon Sisters. Thanks for all the recommendations everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisK Posted November 18, 2003 Share Posted November 18, 2003 ---------------- On 11/18/2003 10:18:53 AM garymd wrote: Yesterday I purchased a used Sony SCD-C555ES SACD player. I only own 2 SACDs (DSOTM and Telarc's 1812 Overature). I haven't used it upstairs yet but did hook it up downstairs. So far I'm most impressed with the quality of the non-SACD CDs. DSOTM was nice but wasn't a huge improvement, same with 1812. I did find the non-SACDs to really sound better than my old player. The real test is when I bring it upstairs with my scott/cornwalls. Any must-haves? I'm looking for recommendations. I'll give a better review after I hear it on my better system. I say better because until I get the right woofers in my altecs, there are issues. I may have one new woofer very soon.---------------- Gary, I recently bought a store demo (Magnolia) Sony SCD-C222ES SACD player. I totally agree in regards to regular cd playback improvement. I have about 18 SACD's and almost every one sounds very nice. For me, it's about 95% of what I get out of vinyl, with regular cd being about 80%. So far, SACD appears to be something I can completely live with. So much so in fact, I have greatly slowed down my vinyl purchases and I'm concentrating on looking for SACD's. The only problem being the dearth of titles available. My buddy joshnich was the person who recommended the 222 to me and currently has his unit at sacdmods.com for some upgrading. I'm sure he'll let us know his impressions when he gets it back. BTW, I received a reply from sacdmods.com regarding some mod questions and while he mentioned that the 222 was a great unit and would benefit greatly from his mods (big surprise), he specifically mentioned the 555 as being a monster player after his treatment. As far as what albums sound good to me... Dvorak, nos. 8 & 9 - George Szell Debussy, Poulenc, Saint-Saens - Midori (violin) Chopin, Etudes Ops 10, 25 - Perahia (piano) AKUS, Live George Strait, Honkeytonkville Steely Dan, Gaucho among others.... Regards, Chris PS THANK YOU VERY MUCH for the GD tape. I received it last week and now all I have to do is re-hookup my cassette player to my system. I have some thing in the mail for you. Thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rigma Posted November 18, 2003 Share Posted November 18, 2003 PAULPARROT, Is this the SACD you are refering to? http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00006GO7T/qid=1069178540/sr=1-4/ref=sr_1_4/102-0012535-6406536?v=glance&s=music Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrot Posted November 18, 2003 Share Posted November 18, 2003 Yes sir, that is the one. The multi-channel mix is bold. The surrounds are not just for ambience, but have direct music coming from them. The original stereo mix is also on this SACD, if that is what you seek. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted November 18, 2003 Author Share Posted November 18, 2003 ---------------- On 11/18/2003 1:06:12 PM ChrisK wrote: ---------------- On 11/18/2003 10:18:53 AM garymd wrote: Yesterday I purchased a used Sony SCD-C555ES SACD player. I only own 2 SACDs (DSOTM and Telarc's 1812 Overature). I haven't used it upstairs yet but did hook it up downstairs. So far I'm most impressed with the quality of the non-SACD CDs. DSOTM was nice but wasn't a huge improvement, same with 1812. I did find the non-SACDs to really sound better than my old player. The real test is when I bring it upstairs with my scott/cornwalls. Any must-haves? I'm looking for recommendations. I'll give a better review after I hear it on my better system. I say better because until I get the right woofers in my altecs, there are issues. I may have one new woofer very soon.---------------- Gary, I recently bought a store demo (Magnolia) Sony SCD-C222ES SACD player. I totally agree in regards to regular cd playback improvement. I have about 18 SACD's and almost every one sounds very nice. For me, it's about 95% of what I get out of vinyl, with regular cd being about 80%. So far, SACD appears to be something I can completely live with. So much so in fact, I have greatly slowed down my vinyl purchases and I'm concentrating on looking for SACD's. The only problem being the dearth of titles available. My buddy joshnich was the person who recommended the 222 to me and currently has his unit at sacdmods.com for some upgrading. I'm sure he'll let us know his impressions when he gets it back. BTW, I received a reply from sacdmods.com regarding some mod questions and while he mentioned that the 222 was a great unit and would benefit greatly from his mods (big surprise), he specifically mentioned the 555 as being a monster player after his treatment. As far as what albums sound good to me... Dvorak, nos. 8 & 9 - George Szell Debussy, Poulenc, Saint-Saens - Midori (violin) Chopin, Etudes Ops 10, 25 - Perahia (piano) AKUS, Live George Strait, Honkeytonkville Steely Dan, Gaucho among others.... Regards, Chris PS THANK YOU VERY MUCH for the GD tape. I received it last week and now all I have to do is re-hookup my cassette player to my system. I have some thing in the mail for you. Thanks again. ---------------- Chris, No casstte in the car? Trust me when I say it'll sound much better there. You know how some of those old recordings are. I love the harmonies from that era though. Mark1101 just sent me a couple DPs (24 & 25). 24 is from '74 and I really love that show. I still think '77 was their best year but I've listened to so much from that time frame it's nice to hear something different. Ed, I want to give you an official welcome to the forum. I know you've been lurking for some time now. It's time to join in with the rest of us lunatics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeavyDistortion Posted November 18, 2003 Share Posted November 18, 2003 Ed......"I want to give you an official welcome to the forum. I know you've been lurking for some time now. It's time to join in with the rest of us lunatics." Thanks, Gary; I'm sure that I will chiming in once in a while. Ed Hurdle HeavyDistortion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRBILL Posted November 18, 2003 Share Posted November 18, 2003 I also recently bought one, too. My reaction is the same as yours. My old stuff came alive. It was like washing a dirty window. I wish I had done something sooner, but ignorance is bliss. Like you, I'm watching for recommendations. FATHER BILL+ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrot Posted November 18, 2003 Share Posted November 18, 2003 If anyone is looking for classical SACD reviews, the best site is highfidelityreview.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No Disc Posted November 18, 2003 Share Posted November 18, 2003 This site is also worth checking out... http://www.sacdinfo.com/ - tb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted November 18, 2003 Author Share Posted November 18, 2003 Right now Steely Dan's "Royal Scam" (regular CD) sounds pretty amazing. More detail then I've ever heard before. I'm liking this player a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeavyDistortion Posted November 19, 2003 Share Posted November 19, 2003 "Right now Steely Dan's "Royal Scam" (regular CD) sounds pretty amazing. More detail then I've ever heard before." Gary, What version of "Royal Scam" did you listen to? It's been remastered several times, and to my ears the original MCA (Manufactured in Japan) CD is the smoothest, warmest sounding version of "Royal Scam". I've got the original MCA CDs of all of the Steely Dan titles, except for "Pretzel Logic" and "Gaucho", and they do sound awesome with tubes through Cornwalls. FYI, the original Steely Dan CDs were mastered by Roger Nichols directly from the original master tapes, with no added EQ and/or compression, which from what I understand, was used on the later remastered CDs. Also, Steve Hoffman of DCC fame, also mastered the very early versions of both "Katy Lied" and "Aja" for MCA, and they sound just as good, if not better than the Nichols' CDs. Ed Hurdle HeavyDistortion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul cbc Posted November 19, 2003 Share Posted November 19, 2003 Gary, Glad your enjoying the player. Acouple of my faves on Sacd: Alison Krauss & Union Station-"New Favorite" Cannonball Adderly-"know what i mean" Sonny Rollins-"Way out West" paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted November 19, 2003 Author Share Posted November 19, 2003 Ed, Royal Scam is the only new SD CD I own. All the others I purchased many years ago. I'll have to check but I don't think this was a remastered copy, at least it didn't say so on the CD. BTW - I checked my Mars Hotel CD we discussed and it is the 1989 silver version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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