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  Roxy Music: Avalon
  Roxy Music
Track listing:
  1. More Than This
2. The Space Between
3. Avalon
4. India
5. While My Heart Is Still Beating
6. The Main Thing
7. Take A Chance With Me
8. To Turn You On
9. True To Life
10. Tara
  Single Layer
Recording type:
Recording info:

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Submitted by maddrocker
Related titles: 7 show all

Roxy Music: Avalon      

Reviews: 1

Review by analogue February 5, 2015 (13 of 13 found this review helpful)
Performance:   Sonics:
1982/10 tracks/ 37 minutes

I am a huge fan of the original sacd released a tad over a decade ago. This new Shm Sacd pressing is a great listen also.
What made the original sacd so good was the remixing involved. Back in the day this release was a big deal.....a historic album getting the sacd/dsd treatment in both multichannel and stereo. I cannot vouch for the multi track version but the stereo portion was awesome and still is. Its obvious that the engineers behind the previous sacd wanted to convey a certain sound and basically lead the listeners where they wanted them to go emotionally. This 1982 album is still historic for its sultry multitrack recording and features a remarkable sound scape of sound and music that was both visceral and almost illusionary in its scope. This album was the one grabbed by most guys when they wanted to........shall we say become romantically intermingled with their women pals.

Vinyl lovers have been bragging for many a year that they, and only they possessed the correct mix, atmosphere and sound. I don't know about this. I don't own the vinyl.

This new Shm Sacd is flat transferred with no studio razzle dazzle at all. With the volume turned way up (no compromises here...it must be) the real beauty of the original recording is conveyed..........and I would argue finally heard. With the volume level raised very high the listener is met with a very wide and alluring soundstage, clarity so clear that its like a shallow mountain stream.........and a gorgeous expansive feel where if the listener stands up one could feel as if one could fall into the mix. The total transparency is shocking. Very impressive.

I have to be intellectually honest here as well. The original sacd has a mix to die for. It is not audiophile per se.......no...Hifi mixes never are. What this remix does is create very addictive sound that is both alluring and oddly fatiguing as well. I liken it to a sugar rush...drinking to much chocolate milk. When I hear the original sacd I am reminded of how much I like chocolate milk and wait for the eventual crash when the sugar rush is ended. thus............THE ORIGINAL SACD IS addictive........a sonic opiate by design.
The new Sacd clobbers the listener with total transparency but without the aforementioned remixing. I am very impressed with the new version. With no mixing consoles or equalizers between the tape player and the Dsd recorder it makes for the purest sound and transfer. This is precisely why we have flat transfers. The original sacd keeps its place close to the speakers while the new sacd floats from the speakers to the listening position and covers the listener with a blanket of lush sound.

Both sacds are great in what they give. Heck own both of them. The original sacd favored a mix that highlighted the relationship between vocals and certain instruments. Its more forward sounding and ever so pinched compared to the new sacd which is wide and large in the sonic picture window feel. Its more lifelike and alive sounding.........again less Hifi more audiophile in every way.

Highly recommended. Packaging is small vinyl album cover akin to Mofi. Great for storage and space saving. Frustrating for some.

A terrific Shm Sacd
Play this one as loud as you are willing to....its worth it. Shut off the lights..........get your gal....................just sayin'.

Musical Viagra.

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