Carpenters finally on SACD

[Achim]

Now isn't that good news !
At least Richard is said to be working on new surround mixes for 21 Carpenters tracks to be released on SACD (on www.richardandkarencarpenter.com) . Of course this means another compilation but in the best possible sound quality. I hope Universal is going to release the whole back catalogue in this format even if I have to buy 'em all again for the third time (vinyl included). In the seventies they already had quadrophonic mixes released I think for the Horizon LP but since quadrophonic wasn't to survive this remained a rarity.
In July 2004 Steely Dan's back catalogue will be released on SACD and this is great because "Gaucho" sounds superb in this format.
You can hear (and the same surely goes for the Carpenters stuff) how much care was taken to make these recordings sound good.

Achim from Germany

 

[Rudy]

Steely Dan's releases have been cancelled.

 

[Achim]

Why that ???

 

[Jeff]

The burning question? How much would a mid-upperline system cost to play SACD's? I would like to know how many pennies to set aside.

Thanx,

Jeff

 

[PJ]

1994 -25th Anniversary provided 21 track (UK) & 16 track (USA) Interpretations album with several requested unissued tracks

2004 -35th Anniversary -Richard is completing 21 track SACD set ....ideal release to include 2 / 3 unreleased tracks ....perhaps some extras cut from As Time ....project for lack of space / different choices ?

Richard could include 10-12 Carpenters classics , 6 album favourites and 3 unissued cuts ideally :

1 TV outtake / 1 jingle or advert track & 1 studio outtake

Perhaps :

Good Vibrations / Comin' Thru The Rye (Karen / John Denver 1976 duet )....I would prefer live Carpenters version

Morton's Potato Advert 1970

Thank You For The Music 1978

Sound will be excellent .....ideally extras with a few surprises

Peter

 

[CarpentersToYou]

I think Quad stuff would be excellent for this! Does anyone else? It would be a perfect reason for them to release it! It would sound great!

 

[Harry]

My suspicions are that the new SACD/DVD-A disc will essentially be a hits compilation. It would be nice if something extra were thrown in, but I'm betting that the "extra" will be the improved/expanded sound on the old familiar tracks.

Harry
NP: radio at work

 

[Brasil_Nut]

Steely Dan's releases have been cancelled.

Bummer!

Jon

 

[andywithaz]

Does anybody have any idea of when the SACD/DVD-A s will be release and is it a definite thing. It could wind up being delayed for years like Rich's Christmas album. But since this is a Carpenters compilation maybe not. Wishing and Hoping...

 

[Rudy]

No release date until Universal officially announces it. It's one thing for RC to do the multichannel mixes; it's another to get the disc sent to production, marketed, shipped, etc. I'm not holding my breath. Given Universal's recent NON-release of many titles, and the recent cancellation of Steely Dan and, I think, a pivotal Eric Clapton title or two, I would not hold my breath to see this released. Heck, Sony co-invented SACD with Philips and Sony hasn't had any recent releases, other than the remastered Dylan hybrids. The only trump card is that Univer$al treats Carpenters as a "cash cow"...if they think they'll move some copies, they'll do it. But the fact that they killed the Steely Dan releases for the time being makes me wonder where their loyalties lie.

Player-wise, you can probably find good deals on the Pioneer DV563A. Toshiba just announced a universal player in the same price range, which should be available in June. I have the Pioneer Elite DV45A--great player so far, but it's more than twice what the 563A costs. From there, you end up having to buy separate players for DVD-A and SACD, or around $800-$1000 for the next level of universal player (Marantz, etc.). Thing is, you'll need an existing multichannel setup to hear the surround portion, which would mean a receiver or preamp with the required six inputs (five channels plus subwoofer).

 

[AM Matt]

I got the June ICE magazine yesterday (which has Brian Wilson on the cover) & it said tentatively scheduled for July are vault releases by Steely Dan (including the first 6 SACD's) ! Wonder if that is true?? Matt Clark Sanford, MI

 

[andywithaz]

I actually think that Universal will release the SACD and DVD-A. Rudy said that Universal treats the Carpenters as a cash cow. That may be true but I think that Universal might have been testing the Carpenters market with the signed CD thing on eBay.

So since some CDs sold for astronomical prices, I honestly believe that Universal will release the discs sometime.

...having a good point, online...

 

[Rudy]

I got the June ICE magazine yesterday (which has Brian Wilson on the cover) & it said tentatively scheduled for July are vault releases by Steely Dan (including the first 6 SACD's) ! Wonder if that is true?? Matt Clark Sanford, MI

Nope...cancelled. The releases were listed on Universal's site, but were just recently removed in the past two weeks. They were already delayed from June. And even in that listing, "Aja" wasn't included. (It was rumored the multitracks for two of the songs were "lost", which meant they could not do a multichannel disc of those titles...but Aja WAS on a prior June release schedule.) A release of the rest of those Dan titles would have given the format a boost, IMHO. But now, there's no idea if they're cancelled permanently, or delayed, or what the story is.

The only new Universal title I've purchased recently is Diana Krall's newest album. Other than that, there hasn't been much new released on SACD at all.

FWIW, that Pioneer player I mentioned is now no longer in production--it is being replaced by a newer version:

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pna/press/release/detail/0,,2076_4313_95269012,00.html

Good deals on open box DV563As have been spotted. I would recommend going for the newer model though--there were some firmware issue with some DVD-Audio discs on the 563A. (The players could be upgraded for free by a service facility, but it would have been a hassle.)

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

It's mentioned on the new Carpenters site that Richard is keeping very busy in recording sessions at Capitol Studios.

Just out of curiosity where is Capitol Studios? In CA? Would this be close to the old A & M studio where he & Karen would go to record?

I know that A & M studios are no more and I was thinking how Richard now does his work in a different place, don't you think that must be strange & well hard for Richard, knowing that the place he & karen would record is gone & he can't go back. Do you think it's the same for him in a whole new area..etc...working on new Carpenters stuff, releases.

 

[Rudy]

Yes, there's a Capitol Studios in L.A., where Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Peggy Lee, etc. would have recorded at. A lot of history (and "ghosts in the halls") there. Chances are Capitol may be one of the few studios set up for mixing to 5.1 surround.

 

[Jeff]

Aside from the HOLLYWOOD sign, the unique configuration of Capitol Records welcomes me to L.A. The structure appears to be something like a a stack of 45's on a phonograph spindle. You can see this at www.hollywoodandvine.com.

Jeff

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

So how does this stuff work, do you think????

Does Richard bring his master tapes into Capitol Records to work on this new SACD? I guess this is just technical stuff but none-the-less I;m still intrigued.

So say Richard has his set of 21 tracks that he has picked from, where is the source that he gets this from, are all these 21 tracks on a say...Master-Tape? That he owns at his house in a safe? Or does he just takes different masterCD's from all these difference 21 tracks & then lay down a new master tape.

I know I sound naive but indulge me I'm confused. There are so many different mixes that Richard has done over the years (especially with regard to the top hits) and the 21 are surely bound to be their top hits.

 

[Rudy]

Usually, they'd take a multitrack to whatever studio they're working at. Capitol has 5.1 surround mixing capabilities. Diana Krall's newest album was mixed there as well--I just got the SACD of it a couple of weeks ago, and it does have a multichannel mix.

 

[Brasil_Nut]

Back when the original Capitol Records building was constructed, circular architecture was all the rage. As such, when a large chain built one of their upper class "hotels" in Brentwood, the building resembled the Capitol building to a tee. Not a duplicate, but very similar in design -- at the opposite end of Sunset Blvd.

Jon

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

I just got back from seeing the new movie, "The Day After Tomorrow" Wow what a suspenseful movie. During one of the scenes they showed the circular Capitol Records buidling. I immediately thought about this thread & how Richard was working there on the new CD.

But then something happen to the building....eek!!! I won't say anymore.

Awesome movie.

 

[abbett]

he could record at old a&m, now henson. they have the old recording studios still set up to record. he could still record in that studio if he wanted to. but since he's probably doing more mixing than recording, that may be why he is at capitol.

 

[close2u]

Richard has been recording at Capitol for some time now -- even back before the A&M Lot was sold (1999). He recorded his PIANIST, ARRANGER, COMPOSER, CONDUCTOR album there at (Capitol) Studio A in 1996-97. Then in 1999 he did most of the extra recording for AS TIME GOES BY there, too. I remember somewhere he said he preferred the sound he was able to achieve there at Capitol.

Randy

 

[Jeff]

I'm not studio wizard Bernie Grundman so I have some questions. Are the instruments, over-dubs and lead vocal etc...all on separate tracks? Is that how they're split up and transformed into 5.1? Aside from clarity, another speaker and sub, what is the major difference between this format and Quad? From here, any idea what the next new and improved format will be?

Jeff

 

[Rudy]

Can't really describe surround, other than to say they attempt to place sounds within a 3D space. Sounds aren't pointed directly to specific speakers, but rather a "phantom" location between them, much like today's stereo recordings do. (Not 60's recordings where instruments were often panned left, right or center.) If you want more information on surround sound (and quad), check out our member JonUrban's >Quadraphonic Quad< website.

If RC is working with a good engineer and has some good ideas on where to place the sounds, this could be a really pleasing surround experience IMHO.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Along the same lines.....I'm sure I'm not the only one unfamilar with this format.

Questions, questions questions....

* Do you think I will be able to tell much difference in my car, as this will probably be the most frequent used place for this new CD?

* Sounds like I need to purchase a separate sound system to receive full benefit of this new format?

* Will I be able to extract any of these phantom sounds using my current 5.1 dolby digital surround sound system?

...concerned about yet another format, online....