Review by Quint June 23, 2011 (4 of 4 found this review helpful)
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Performance: Sonics: |
Initially I wasn’t interested in buying this Japanese SHM-SACD, but when my 2003 hybrid SACD stopped reading track one, “Mambo Sun,” I realized I’d better scoop up the SHM quickly, before it went out of print. I’m glad I did. I managed to do a comparison between the hybrid and the SHM (excluding track one, of course). It was interesting. Honestly, I couldn’t decide which I liked more. On the hybrid, Bolan’s voice just sounded “bigger,” whereas on the SHM it was a tad leaner and more sharply focused. They were pretty equivalent in terms of soundstage width/depth, but the Japanese definitely had an edge in resolution, revealing little details in the mix more easily than the hybrid. It was also a tad less compressed, so you could REALLY juice the wick. In fact, the SHM-SACD really didn’t start coming alive until you gassed the volume. That wasn’t the case with the hybrid. At any rate, I can’t really declare a flat-out winner, but I can say this: this SHM-SACD is AT LEAST as good as the rare and vaunted hybrid, and perhaps better. Bolan’s vocals ARE leaner and less textured, but maybe that’s how they sounded on the mastertape. Who knows? But, regardless, I think this one’s a winner.
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