Improved over previous EMI mastering
935324
Previn was a master of orchestration, and I've always enjoyed his conducting on these performances, which date from the mid-1970s, and are 5 star in my book. Unfortunately the original EMI recordings, which are somewhat distant and congested, did not serve him well. The sound lacked the brilliance which Previn's deft orchestration truly needs in order to shine. (Check out his fine work on the otherwise less than stellar My Fair Lady motion picture soundtrack album.) This 2014 and 2016 masterings on this set are a distinct improvement.

Note also: take with a grain of salt the blurb on the back cover that Sleeping Beauty is presented "in its entirety" for the first time on CD. Well, OK, In order to fit the performance on 2 discs instead of the 3 presented here, the previous EMI release cut about about 5 minutes from this 160 min. long recording, which I suspect neither you, I, Previn, nor Tchaikovsky himself would notice.
4962863
i previously owned the audio engine a2+, sold it because the sound was flat, lacked treble, mid sounded muddled, had to adjust the eq immensely to make it sound decent. The inclines in comparison is definitely a step up. What a noticeable improvement in all areas of the sound. I did not have to adjust the eq at all, and this is how it should be. The angle of the inclines also lines up perfectly to the ears, which is a huge bonus. No big complaints about the speakers, tiny hissing sound when its on and I have your ear right next to it. The sound overall is fantastic, esp the sound stage. Best bang for the buck imo
939352
The remastering of Karajan's 1947 conducting of Beethoven's Ninth has improved the sound. Much has been said about this recording (see the notes by the Santa Fe Listener and also mine). What I suggest is that - if you are new to historical recordings - you download one of the tracks, listen to it carefully, and if you like it buy the cd. The MP3 doesn't always do justice to these recordings because it compresses considerably, and lower the sound quality. This is an excellent reading of the Ninth by Karajan. There is also another one now available on ORFEO with the Vienna Philharmonic but the sound quality is not very good.
391265
I was skeptical as to whether it was worth buying this album again, as the previous CD sounded good enough to me.

I was wrong. Right from the first side, everything is clearer and more detailed.

The remastering becomes very apparent on "Across The Border"; the brass section break is clear and distortion-free, and the final orchestral slide is breathtaking.

I could argue with the bass levels at a few points. "Sweet Talkin' Woman" is a little bass-heavy at one point, and "Standin' in the Rain" is a little muddy until the second chorus--but to be fair, that just means it sounds like the previous release. Lacking personal access to the master tapes I'm willing to believe that's how it should have sounded.

Things get better again for "Summer and Lightning". "Mr Blue Sky" isn't amazingly improved, perhaps because it has always received careful attention in previous remasterings.

Improvements in the second half of the album are less noticeable, but still welcome.

On the down side, there are (still) a few fadeouts in the high end of the right channel of "Night in the City", but the tape dropout/fadeout at the end of "It's Over" is removed. The transient peak towards the end of "Standin' in the Rain" is still there.

Overall, well worth the upgrade, unless you're prepared to spring $25+ for the Japanese import.
4484220
Please note that this is not a review of the album but a comparison of the Japanese SHM 2009 minisleeve version against the Standard CD 1987.

This is my first SHM (Super High Material) CD and I am mightily impressed. What is difficult to know is whether this huge audio improvement of the SHM versus the 1987 version is because of remastering by Isao Kikuchi or because of the material the CD is made from, or a combination of both?

For Rabin detractors, the audio improvement won't change their dislike of this album, but for those who still like albums of this period of Yes, then picking up a SHM version is recommended. I managed to obtain a brand new copy here in New Zealand for $10. I would hesitate paying the exorbitant prices I have seen for these SHMs both new and second-hand.

I have read that SHMs are supposed to have a similar quality to that of a SACD. My initial reaction would be to query this - yes, the sound is greatly improved with a warmer, louder bottom end and more definition to the treble - but SACD quality, I think not.

Having said that the sound is so much better than the 1987 version that it is like hearing this album as if for the first time. The SHM sounds far more dynamic with the light and shade of the songs coming through. Alan White's drums are much warmer in this mix and as already said, Squire's bass is now audible and even pronounced in places. The first time I listened the SHM 'Rhythm of love' I was stunned at the detail and power of the bass. This is the single most dramatic improvement of the SHM against the 1987 version. Secondly the detail and separation of voices is noticeable whereas I was always disappointed with some of the 1987 CD production where the tracks sound compressed.

'Shoot High, Aim Low' I've always liked but now it is amazing as the silences and space seems cleaner yet still driven by that hypnotic Alan White groove. You hear delicate shimmering sounds from the guitar and keyboard sounds in the distance that I never noticed before. Alan plays rim-shots on his snare towards the end of the track that unless you're listening to the SHM version, it isn't audible. A quality track that is now special because of the SHM. Beautiful.

So why not 5 stars for this remaster if I think the audio is so improved? That's easy. The 5 bonus tracks including an extended version (silly studio grooves) of 'Love will find a way' and trashy dated remixes of 'Rhythm of Love'do more than spoil the album - it wrecks it for me. I know I don't have to listen to this drivel, but having them added at the end taints the whole remaster so much that I nearly took off two stars! Note on the other SHM Yes remaster, '9012 Live The Yes solos' there are two brand new tracks from their live performance that were amazing. That's what I call a bonus.

So those who liked the original album and can get your hands on the SHM for a fair price - definitely worth getting. For those who hated it before...you'll just hear what you loathed better :)
317947
satisified, but would prefer the creatives - seperate bass & treble knobs
4343889
I did find it for a better price at my local Micro Center store

I recently purchased the Bose Companion 20 multimedia computer speakers and I've had them long enough to know what they are capable of reproducing from my HP laptop's headphone jack. Audio from movies and videos of TV programs I watch sounded good and the audio from the commercials especially were great. All except my music, mostly Rock, Pop, R&B and Smooth Jazz from the 70's, 80's & 90's. Much of the music lacked fidelity and the bass was muddy and undefined. I recently started to re-digitized my CD collection with Winamp in FLAC, which was an improvement.

I figured that the DAC in the laptop maybe sub par, so I purchased the Sound Blaster X-Fi HD USB sound card. First I noticed that the bass was well defined, having more of a bounce than a muffled thump. The highs were much better, Gerald Albright's sax screams in his rendition of "So Amazing" and I also notice that background instruments like cymbals, chimes and conga drums appeared better defined. But most of all, the fidelity of the sound was better at lower volumes, I didn't have to crank the volume to hear all the instruments, much to the delight of my neighbors. After all their amplified computer speakers.

Improved reproduction of 160kbps wma from Rhapsody and 256kbps purchased mp3.

The software installed without problem, the Creative Entertainment Console most useful feature is the THX TruStudio PC which offers dynamic shaping of the sound.

The sound card does crash when I insert my Seagate external hard drive, sound jumps to the internal speaker, don't know what's up with that.

The Sound Blaster X-Fi HD has a noticeable better frequency response. I'm not a audiophile, but I have been listening too the same music for decades as records, CD's then mp3's across different systems. With better sound reproduction comes the realization that some albums were not mixed very well, especially audio quality downgrades by mp3s and portable devices. I now appreciate the digital remastered versions of music I like, they pull out the sounds that only a high end system could reproduce.

Pro: Sleek design, great audio reproduction, good controls
Con: The audio improvement in not dramatic, does takes some time to appreciate. You have to know your music.

Would recommend to a friend
3509526
The sound quality of "Let It Be Naked" is 1000 times better than the original "Let It Be" disc or LP.  The overall clarity and the bass sounds are better than any other Beatle's CD I've heard.  Many people think this is the Beatles worst album.  If so, it's better than 90% of the other rock music out there.  I like it as most of the songs are not worn out from radio play.  Chatter between songs has been omitted and a cool, different version of "Don't Let Me Down" that I've never heard before has been added.  I would suggest they remaster their whole catalog like this cd.  Quite the improvement.
1888714
Original Pressings were Half Speed Mastered. New repressing noisy, i've tried two and it's just not the greatest with massive surface noise.
3197591
I recently reviewed the Victrola reissue of this symphony by Hector Berlioz in glowing terms while awaiting delivery of this Japanese remastering.  The remastered version certainly sounds different, better in most every way.  I'll try to take you through some of the differences that I was able to discern.

First of all, the remastering seemed to define the instruments more distinctly, almost giving the impression of a closer-miked recording. Where the original gave the listener a broader perspective of the orchestra, the remastering gave each instrument section greater focus.  At times you lost and missed the original effect of the orchestra en mass.  The effect was a bit reminiscent of what I hear in Michael Tilson Thomas recordings of Mahler with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, recordings that seem rather unnatural to me.  Perhaps someone else with more knowledge of orchestral recording techniques can explain this to me.  Anyway, by the conclusion of the second playing, I really liked the improvements in sound save for times of almost too much sizzle in brass and strings.

One definite advantage of the remastering that I appreciated, was the greater definition of brass and percussion.  The brass had more bite, almost too much.  Tympani were just plain palpable and perfectly defined.  Sometimes the violins were, as in the case with the brass, a bit too edgey in in a few passages.  The tubular bells were pristine and as beautiful as I have ever heard them.  Wow.  Attacks seemed much sharper than in the original recording.  The background was blacker, enough so that you could hear some shuffling (of shoes???) in the violin section.  I don't recall being able to hear that in the Victrola reissue.  Overall, what you hear is the audible equivalent of the sharper image from of a new pair of glasses.  Yeah, ear glasses.

One of significant changes heard with the remastered version was that the left channel was definitely at a higher volume level that the right channel.  This was easily altered.  Curiously, the violins were coming more from the left speaker than from the left soundfield.  Thus, they didn't help fill the middle, and you got more of a binaural soundfield effect.  Not that there was no middle

The question is whether or not you should spend the extra money to purchase the remastered version.  I think the answer is a definite yes.  If I had tone controls, however, I would have elected to turn down the treble a notch.  This is a hot recording.  Other than that and the L-R imbalance easily changed by balance control or the volume control like I have on my McCormick preamp, this is a very successful remastering of THE definitive performance of the Symphonie Fantastique.
135720
Prior to purcase I searched high and low to find a product review(and I was sorely dissapointed not finding any) specific to the remastering and whether they were full lenght-albulm versions and I can profess this checks both these boxes.

Sound to me in essence is the most important-and I can safely attest that this product has clear,balanced sonic tones minus the harshness attributed to the over-compression when old recordings are "enhanced" and set in motion by the dynamic range on newer productions.

The track listings though presented are set in various combinations from the 60's down to the early 80s though the majority center on my comfort zone of the 70s in various suggestions of rock genres with a booklet respldent with details on the chart,year and track making the sound.

Also what was sadly amiss is THE one thing I asked time and again:the country of manufacture(both from third-party merchants and various look-up sites)and am rightly pleased the manufacturings done in the US of A though my inhibitions were prefaced with the dubious eclat of Madacy however now I'm not disconcerted to say I plummed for the right combine of sound,price and music arrangment-albulm versions remastered to full glory!

P.S. I'd asked for more bass to take it thru to my ears exacting search but I'll settle in to for what's on offer and give it a high-five!!!
3401896
I bought this to replace my 5 year old Pioneer which sounded OK but they hadn't worked out the Sirius connection right.  I also wanted the USB/Ipod input.  As soon as I installed the unit I realized that this unit was a major improvement over the old unit.  The sound is crisp and excellent - it is clearly better than the previous unit. There is an MP# sound expander which actually seems to work.  The USB cable works perfectly and controls my son's ipod to boot.  I have a 32GB flash drive in it right now with 93 folders full of music.  I can put it on random for all 2000 songs.  The display is a marked improvement over before and I can see the channel, time and the song name all at the same time (previously this didn't work right on Pioneer units). They solved the "function" problem. The graphics available are also tasteful. I also noted that they fixed a major problem - previous units had very bright controls that glared at night.  This unit is subdued with quiet lighting of the controls.  Thus it looks really great especially at night.  The only negative is that with so many options it can get a bit complex. I would rate this with six stars if there were that many as I am that pleased with it.
703540
The packaging is first rate and really cannot be topped.  The sound (I have the SHM version) is better than Complete Recordings, although it is not a great leap forward.  Much of that has to do with how well the earlier box set sounded; there was not a whole lot of room for improvement.

As best I can tell SHM is not a new remaster but an improved means of manufacturing.  The CD-player's laser can pick up more on SHM than on standard CDs, or some such.  Whatever that means, the sound of the LZ discs is warmer and fuller than on earlier pressings.  The background noise in Whole Lotta Love (all of that extra stuff going on in the middle section) has greater detail.  The guitar intro on Evermore is crisp.  That type of thing.  TSRS sounds better even than the reissue from 3 years ago, which was a pleasant surprise.

But if anyone is expecting a sonic revelation on par with the Stones SACD re-issues they will be disappointed.  Although it does top Mothership, which just sounded too loud, too in your face, when Zep has always been about texture.

So whether this set is worth $150 for the US version or $250 for the Japanese one is probably not even worth debating.  It is really for those handful of folks who want the best packaging and the best sound circa 2009, and who want a collector's item that will demand a higher price once it goes out of print.
3603855
Sounds every bit as good as my big rackmount AES/EBU DACs for work, but is much easier to carry-around and use. Haven't heard a hint of EMI or RFI, unlike the built-in sound hardware on some of the machines I've used it with.
3543288
UPDATE: (07-03-2013) This is the older model of the E9 and I actually liked it better than the new model I bought. The newer model removes the small 3.5mm input so you are stuck with a 1/4" input which I didn't have. I had to buy a converter cable which didn't work with the unit, as if a solid connection couldn't be made inside the 1/4" input hole. Not sure if the unit was defective or the cable was. This older model you are viewing now works just fine and kept me satisfied well over a year until I ended up selling it because I dint use it anymore. Was used to power Sony XB-700s, Sony XB-1000s, & beats by dr dre. All were power more than enough and could reach extreme audible levels. As for clarity, it sounded good to me but I'm no expert. To the average person these will be wonderful, to a music engineer, no.

Overall, its a nice amp for headphones.

Pros: Solid structure, nice finish and appealing to look at. Controls and smooth and easy to use such as the volume.

Only cons: Its somewhat large and requires external powerful supply. Would be nice if it ran off usb power.
1881935
Slightly more clarity and dynamic range than the standard A&M CD. Probably due to the 24bit mastering.
This short review is of the SACD release and not the standard CD as amazon does mix it's reviews.
1401109
If you have a good sense of timing and want to write your grooves from scratch you can get a MIDI pad (I went with the Akai LPD8) and create layer on layer to whatever groove line you want to hear. The quantize function allows it to be corrected from imperfect but the hit does have to be pretty close to where you want it.  So with this option it becomes a broader spectrum tool. Excellent sounds. Metal Machine expansion is outstanding for metal/progressive drum sounds.