Alison Krauss & Union Station- Live SACD

Rob Babcock · « **on:** 28 Oct 2003, 04:45 am »

After spending the day listening to this double disc SACD set, I can honestly say it's vaulted to near the top of my SACD list, just fantastic in every way. Great sound, awesome performance, great music. I'd actually not heard her until I bought her newest CD, New Favorite. (I'd say it's now one of my new favorites!).

For those who haven't heard her, her music is sometimes called "New Grass"; basically this is bluegrass music with some smooth, pop influences. Some of her music veers off somewhat into the area of flat out country, but not too many tunes do.

Krauss is the producer for Nickel Creek, and their music has some great similarities. And both boast very good sound quality, too.

MaxCast · « **Reply #1 on:** 28 Oct 2003, 11:40 am »

Thanks for the info, Rob. This SACD is on my Christmas list.

flintstone · « **Reply #2 on:** 28 Oct 2003, 06:34 pm »

Yep, if you like this kind of music (I do)...this is one of the best recordings I've listened to on my system. Saw her on PBS a few weeks back, very good! I have a couple more of her sacd's and the sound quality on these are first rate also.

Dave

Ears · « **Reply #3 on:** 1 Nov 2003, 10:36 pm »

Dave, do you own a red Ford Lightning?

Beezer · « **Reply #4 on:** 2 Nov 2003, 01:51 am »

Based on the liner notes, it looks like this one was recorded using DSD technology. I'd love to see more of that!

Beez

flintstone · « **Reply #5 on:** 2 Nov 2003, 12:51 pm »

No I don't Ears, I see your from Grand Rapids. Great town! My brother moved there about 15 years ago and I have a great time when I visit.

Dave

John Casler · « **Reply #6 on:** 2 Nov 2003, 03:22 pm »

Quote from: Rob Babcock

After spending the day listening to this double disc SACD set, I can honestly say it's vaulted to near the top of my SACD list, just fantastic in every way. Great sound, awesome performance, great music. I'd actually not heard her until I bought her newest CD, New Favorite. (I'd say it's now one of my new favorites!).

For those who haven't heard her, her music is sometimes called "New Grass"; basically this is bluegrass music with some smooth, pop influences. Some of her music veers off s ...

Cracked the CD open last night and made it through the first disc.

I'd have to say, that I'm very encouraged as to the potential of this medium. The quality of sound and the soundstage, imaging and placement was excellent.

Ears · « **Reply #7 on:** 2 Nov 2003, 06:50 pm »

Quote from: flintstone

No I don't Ears, I see your from Grand Rapids. Great town! My brother moved there about 15 years ago and I have a great time when I visit.

Dave

I had to ask as there was a Dave who goes by Flinstone on the Lightning boards that used to come over this way to race at Mid Michigan Motor plex and US131 Motorplex whith are local group.

Anyway, if you like the material, Steve Earle's Guitar Town and Joe Satriani's Strange Beautiful Music are also both as good sonically as Allison Krauss.

flintstone · « **Reply #8 on:** 2 Nov 2003, 08:34 pm »

They call people from Flint (Flintstones) sometimes over on this side of the state..so I went with that name! Yep, I have the Steve Earle disc. I'll check out the Satriani first chance I get, thanks for the heads-up.

Dave

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #9 on:** 2 Nov 2003, 08:40 pm »

Satch's Strange Beautiful Music is great on SACD, with a pretty good mix, and of course, the music is fantastic (as I've already commented elsewhere, I think Engines of Creation is a better album, but the SACD is stereo only- pretty flat & lifeless compared to the MC mix of Strange...).

I love Alison Krauss' voice, and I'm really starting to like the newgrass music style. I think Bela Fleck has a DVD-A out there somewhere, and I may have to get it. In that same stye, Chris Thile has a new SACD called Not All Who Wander Are Lost; it's a really good one, too, although only stereo.

flintstone · « **Reply #10 on:** 2 Nov 2003, 09:25 pm »

Someone on the Audiogon forum said that the David Eliad multichannel disc is very good, I've not listened to it yet but he did say it was in the bluegrass style of music.

David Elias wrote an artical about the recording session that is an interesting read. http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue9/eliasdsd.htm

Sorry, David Elias...not David Eliad

Dave

Doug_B · « **Reply #11 on:** 3 Nov 2003, 06:19 pm »

Quote

Bela Fleck has a DVD-A out there somewhere, and I may have to get it. In that same stye, Chris Thile has a new SACD called Not All Who Wander Are Lost; it's a really good one, too, although only stereo.

Bela (and friends) have "Tales of the Acoustic Planet Part II" out. It has only a multichannel track. Although different instruments generally play on different channels, giving that "in-the-band" feel, I think it works quite well for this music. Besides the music, the photos on the disc and in the liner notes reinforce the feeling that you're sitting in the living room with these guys while they're playing. I think the compositional aspects of the tunes on this album are great. I am less thrilled with the actual audio quality, though; I actually engage the tone controls on my controller with this disc (which forces A->D and D->A conversions) to turn up the treble. Bottom line - I listen to this album a lot.

As for Chris' SACD, excellent audio quality. Getting into the tunes more and more with each listen.

Doug

mca · « **Reply #12 on:** 4 Nov 2003, 01:22 am »

The great thing for me about SACD and DVD-A is that it has been sounding so good, I've been branching out to try new music that I would not normally listen to. The Allison Krause disk is one of them, and it sounds fantastic

A couple other SACD's that I picked up lately that sound great are Beck-Sea change and B.B. King - Reflections. Another disk I picked up is a pop band called Toy Matinee, I think it originally came out in the 80's. It is supposed to be out on both DVD-A and DTS. I was able to pick up the DTS version off ebay and it sounds GREAT, but the DVD-A version is supposed to sound even better, if you can find it!

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #13 on:** 4 Nov 2003, 02:36 am »

That Beck SACD is awesome, both with regards to sound quality and the quality of the music. Brilliant effort all around.

I agree with you; my lust for MC sound and the relative lack of MC versions of the stuff I normally listen to has led me to branch out into things I wouldn't normally buy.

razorfish · « **Reply #14 on:** 28 Nov 2003, 06:29 pm »

I've actually been meaning to pick up this CD (though it may be the DVD-A version). I wanted to tell all of you of another AMAZING, KICK-ASS REFERENCE-QUALITY CD. Make sure you get the DTS version (unless your system's got the mustard to upconvert or present CDs in their purest state) of Lyle Lovett's, Joshua Judges Ruth. I can't say enough about this CD. I throw it in every chance I get. Also worth checking are Diana Krall's "Live in Paris" (DVD-A); DMP (label name) "Sacred Feast" in SACD (hybrid) and, of course, Eagle's Hell Freezes Over (DTS)

JFT.....just for thought

raze

Ears · « **Reply #15 on:** 5 Dec 2003, 05:31 pm »

Anyone heard the new Elton John "Goodbye Yello Brick Road" sa-cd yet?

Another upcoming release that I must have is Genisis "Trick of the Tale" which is not being released until the first quarter of 04 I believe.

I have this one on vinyl only whith no tt so it can't be released soon enough for me.

It seems the SA-CD selection is getting better and better imo.