So Jonathan, assuming what Andre said is correct, that validates my original question and what my ears told me to be true. Does this mean that Gus had nothing to do with this project or does he work for George Marino?
JTinn-I'm glad you think it's ridiculous. I paid $24 for a DSD that sounds just like the 24/192 PCM version I bought from HD Tracks. I'm confident that the original source was the tape, but what digital stages it went through on the way to becoming the DSD I'm not so sure. The DSD version of Teal For the Tillerman doesn't sound like the rest of my DSD collection in terms of sounding like great analog. Chad's LP version blows the DSD file in the weeds.
I found the original thread where Gary put up the samples. I listened to a few songs off side 1, I can see where people are coming from, it's not the most natural sounding record. There are others on another audiophile forum that thought the AP SACD disc was not great.
I have no idea of the provenance of the tapes used by HDTracks when they released their version. We all know that Chad sourced the real, no BS master tape for his LP release and I just checked his site and there are no other digital versions besides the DSD version for sale.
The SACD is still available. Chad said in a video (RMAF maybe?) that he plans to offer LP, SACD and DSD downloads for their reissues since people like all different flavors.
I found the original thread where Gary put up the samples. I listened to a few songs off side 1, I can see where people are coming from, it's not the most natural sounding record. There are others on another audiophile forum that thought the AP SACD disc was not great.
The SACD is still available. Chad said in a video (RMAF maybe?) that he plans to offer LP, SACD and DSD downloads for their reissues since people like all different flavors.
It might still be available, but apparently it's not a true DSD recording. We need truth in advertising people. I don't want to pay $25 for a 'DSD' which in fact came from a PCM recording of an analog tape.
It might still be available, but apparently it's not a true DSD recording. We need truth in advertising people. I don't want to pay $25 for a 'DSD' which in fact came from a PCM recording of an analog tape.
It might still be available, but apparently it's not a true DSD recording. We need truth in advertising people. I don't want to pay $25 for a 'DSD' which in fact came from a PCM recording of an analog tape.
I did it with my ears which is why I called this 'DSD' into question in the first place. To my ears, PCM has a signature sound and DSD has another sound. PCM sounds exactly like what I always thought digital sounds like. DSD sounds much more like analog than PCM digital. If you want to fool me with a PCM file labeled as being DSD, it better sound like analog and not PCM.
This is the problem I have with buying audio, weather sacd or downloads . I just want to know the real quality of the product . I have hundreds of cd,s that is rock or whatever that I kinda new when I was buying it was eng going to be good. But I accepted that for the fact it was music I wanted to have from when I was younger. The more recent say past 10 years is music I just want to be good. Most of it is not music I even like and learn to like it, cause it is supposed to be a quality recorded album. I just wish there was an accurate website to rTe music quality.
It appears that JTinn was right, Andre was wrong, and I was wrong. JTinn gave me the email address of Gus Skinas. I asked Gus about how the DSD file of Tea for the Tillerman was made for Chad's website. Gus told me that it did not go through any PCM conversions and he is responsible for creating this DSD file. I think the confusion with George Marino is that he did an earlier SACD of Tea for the Tillerman which did go through a PCM process.
I still don't like the sound though. I played it again last night and although it sounds pleasant and clean, it doesn't sound 'right' at my house. If you compare the sound of Steven's voice on the DSD to the LP, something is amiss. Steven's voice has much more bass range on the LP. When you listen to the DSD version, it sounds like someone cut off his onions and damn near turned him into a soprano. The lack of range to his voice on the DSD consequently hurts the dynamic range of his powerful singing. The DSD version is Cat Stevens Lite compared to the full-strength Cat Stevens from the LP. And when I say LP, in this case I mean Chad's release.
It appears that JTinn was right, Andre was wrong, and I was wrong. JTinn gave me the email address of Gus Skinas. I asked Gus about how the DSD file of Tea for the Tillerman was made for Chad's website. Gus told me that it did not go through any PCM conversions and he is responsible for creating this DSD file. I think the confusion with George Marino is that he did an earlier SACD of Tea for the Tillerman which did go through a PCM process.
I still don't like the sound though. I played it again last night and although it sounds pleasant and clean, it doesn't sound 'right' at my house. If you compare the sound of Steven's voice on the DSD to the LP, something is amiss. Steven's voice has much more bass range on the LP. When you listen to the DSD version, it sounds like someone cut off his onions and damn near turned him into a soprano. The lack of range to his voice on the DSD consequently hurts the dynamic range of his powerful singing. The DSD version is Cat Stevens Lite compared to the full-strength Cat Stevens from the LP. And when I say LP, in this case I mean Chad's release.
Then can Gus explain why George Marino is listed as the mastering engineer for SACD AND the download? See link above.
"Mastered by George Marino at Sterling Sound. Authored for download by Gus Skinas."
"I think we've gotten something quite a bit better than what was originally issued," Marino says. "I think this version is much more representative of what was on the tape. And that's not a criticism of what was originally done." - George Marino
Every SACD George Marino mastered lists a PCM stage. There is no "earlier" version of the SACD that I am aware of and there is ONE SACD for sale
on the AP site..the Marino version.
I just sent Gus another email. This shouldn't be that difficult. Gus had told me yesterday that they had made a new master from the tape and that it didn't go through any PCM process.
