Disraeli Gears [Hi-Res CD (MQA x UHQCD)] [Limited Release] Customer Reviews

What a treat to be able to take a trip back in time and listen to this great piece of music as I did for the first time over 50 years ago, in mono. I find myself listening to both versions every time I play it.

Why buy Hi Res CD when you can buy LP The Abbey Road Half Speed Mastreing? You don't even have to scratch your head.

Great CD Cream - Disraeli Gears, very clear and very good sound, I love it, it is the best sound for this album. I recommend this CD to everybody, it is a good value in my collection.

There have been many formats for this 1967 release. In Australia it was initially only available as a stereo record and because it was recorded quickly the stereo mix was very right and left symptomatic of the mixes of that period. It was a release in the greatest year of record history and became an instant classic. Because the drums were mixed right, vocals middle and guitars left it was an album filled with superb musicianship and great songs but tended to lack bass volume and impact. I now have several CD versions of this recording including the standard SHM, Platinum Mono/Stereo set. Of these the Platinum stereo is by far the best on the market at the moment. The mono version on the same disk which was a rarity addresses some of the mix issues but is quite muddled by comparison. So I have always felt that the bass was too low in the overall mix and the bass drum buried underneath the sound on the far right. So when I saw the new UHQCD offering I took the plunge to see what I would think of the new format and treatment of a favorite but older recording. So here goes! On my regular but excellent CD and stereo equipment I am really comparing the CD format only but that then becomes a fair assessment. Overall of the 4 CD's of the new format I am road testing this is the one that has least difference to the Platinum disk which is the current benchmark. I found the bass to be slightly fuller by a measure ( but now the sound of the bass drums are much more punchy) and the detail of the various instruments to be more silky and sophisticated. On this version there is more instrumental nuances and the the voices more natural and clearer in the mix. OK so on balance it is now the best version of this CD on offer but I would not throw away the Platinum as it still sound great and has a wonderful balance overall. Now for the slight negatives. I found the jewel case and plastic jacket to be not as professional as most other mini-releases by CD Japan. I think that with the new standards being set that the packaging should be also of the highest standard. The presentation of the Platinum CD is superb and is the standard to reach for new HQ releases. I'm sure CD Japan will tweak the standards as the format becomes more popular.