U2 on SACD?

The Seventh Taylor · Joined: 17 Aug 2007 Posts: 401

According to reports here and there, Universal Music Group was to release this June a "two-disc Joshua Tree 20th Anniversary Collectors' Edition, with Disc One featuring the original 1987 album, digitally remastered with bonus tracks, likely to be B-sides such as Spanish Eyes, Walk To The Water and Race Against Time, and perhaps some outtakes. Disc Two is a DVD with the album remixed in DTS/Dolby Digital 5.1 & PCM stereo, plus promo video clips. In the UK, Disc One is reported to be in multichanned hybrid SACD."

Sounds like an excellent idea in the same shape as the Depeche Mode and Genesis releases but it's August now and I haven't heard anything else about this. Does anybody know more about it?

culabula · Joined: 22 Aug 2007 Posts: 50

First I've ever heard about it. I'm not a fan at all but I would buy this in a heartbeat.
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The Seventh Taylor · Joined: 17 Aug 2007 Posts: 401

Well, the 20th anniversary reissue is here now in various incarnations but nowhere is the term 'SACD' or 'Super Audio CD' mentioned.

Follow the press release here to an overview here to the details here.

D-Mode 5.1 · Joined: 19 Aug 2007 Posts: 34

No SACD news sadly but Under A Blood Red Sky has been remastered and remixed in 5.1 for release on DVD and a some special editions on CD and heavy vinyl plus a box set.

See official U2 announcement.

By the way, what on earth is 'virgin vinyl'? Are regular LPs made from recycled material instead?

Brandon B · Joined: 14 Oct 2007 Posts: 392

dannyjl · Joined: 23 Oct 2007 Posts: 27 Location: japan

I think virgin vinyl is a very high quality (read expensive) material used nowadays for audiophile pressings. I also think that most Japanese LP's used something like this. I remember back in the late 70's / early 80's I bought Japanese pressings of most of the Genesis LP's from the Genesis fan club @ about $20 a piece. This was years before cd's were out.

If you check some high end music stores they sell LP's pressed with 200 gram vinyl and these pups go for about $40. Lots of classic music and classic rock out on these as many believe vinyl is superior to the cd.

Brandon B · Joined: 14 Oct 2007 Posts: 392

Japanese records were (are) made quite nicely, but man they were expensive. I have all of Genesis' older albums on British Charisma imports that I picked up in the early 80s. Unfortunately, my turntable is part of second system to which I gave the speakers away and now have to build a new set. Which as fast as I accomplish hobby related stuff at home, means I won't get to listen to them for probably another year.

The SACD store in Akihabara in Tokyo someone here pointed me towards also carried a lot of vinyl. I didn't partake as I don't really want to continue down that road indefinitely, but there was some very tempting stuff in there. When I do get one of these Genesis albums on SACD, it will be interesting to compare the two.

The Seventh Taylor · Joined: 17 Aug 2007 Posts: 401

They still do. I was there again just over a month ago.

The latest craze there is SHM-CD. They had allotted an entire rack to it on the ground floor. I don't get it.

Brandon B · Joined: 14 Oct 2007 Posts: 392

Forgive my ignorance, what's SHM CD?

Super high mmmmmm . . . .?

I was actually in the store when the nutjob ran down and knifed a bunch of people in June. Came out to bedlam in the streets. Took an hour until I met up with my friend who is Japanese to explain to me what had happened.

The Seventh Taylor · Joined: 17 Aug 2007 Posts: 401

Brandon B · Joined: 14 Oct 2007 Posts: 392

Gonna have to put that up there with the green pen. Redbook CDs aren't transparent enough for the laser to read without errors, so they needed a new material? I think maybe you're right, it's "super high marketers".

The Seventh Taylor · Joined: 17 Aug 2007 Posts: 401

Exactly: just put it right up there with CDs kept in the freezer.

Brandon B · Joined: 14 Oct 2007 Posts: 392

Well, I found something interesting talking to one of our audio engineers. It seems these are largely produced from a mastering studio of JVC's that is rather fanatical about equipment quality and source material.

So there is very likely a difference to these discs, but it is almost certainly the care taken in mastering them, not clearer plastic. So if you were interested in the music they were offering, it might be worth checking one out.

The Seventh Taylor · Joined: 17 Aug 2007 Posts: 401

The Seventh Taylor · Joined: 17 Aug 2007 Posts: 401

I just saw this 'advertised' at the bottom of the page:

"U2 SACD, Japanese, ultra-rare!" [eBay]

Of course, as soon as I saw the picture I knew this thing wasn't Japanese but Chinese, and not an SACD but some fake, most likely RBCD. As it turns out, it's not even The Joshua Tree but U2 18 i.e. the singles collection!

The description gets totally confusing with terms like "DVD Audio" and "dual disc". The confusion may be sincere and the guy may not have a clue what he's talking about but surely he must have acquired the disc before selling it?

Sure enough, the disc has all the familiar labels the Chinese like to stick on it: DSD, XRCD, HDCD, and so on.

My advice: Stay far from it! (Except if you're after it for its mere curiosity)