Texas Flood vs. Texas Flood

PolkThug

When I first wrote about the SRV Texas Flood SACD, I talked about how great it sounded, which it does. But, I've never heard the "regular" CD version before. Well, while I'm at Target buying ROTK, I notice the "digitally remastered" Texas Flood CD for 9.99, so I buy it for a little shootout.

SACD Texas Flood vs. "Digitally Remastered" CD Texas Flood

Round 1
I play each CD one at a time and listen from my "listening position." My impressions were that the SACD sounded better, more "fuller" sounding. However, for this test I know which CD is playing. This is too easy, so then I go for the blind test.

Round 2
Now I'm listening from about 2 feet away from the right speaker. I don't know which disc is playing (the area of the Denon which tells the media type is blocked from my view). I keep flipping back and forth between the two discs and nothing really jumps out at me.
So then I really focus on specific parts of songs. I try to listen for what I think is the most "natural" sounding of the two. Well guess what? I pick the regular CD 3 times in a row as the one that sounds the most natural.

Round 3
{future} I need someone else working the controls so I can stay in the regular 'listening position'.

Conclusion:
I could tell a difference between the two, however I couldn't identify one as being better. The album was recorded in 1983, so maybe a 'digitally remastered' CD version is as good as it gets. I need to do the round 3 test.

Regards,
PolkThug

HBombToo

when you find the comparison tracks I'll come over and help with the measurement phase :cool:

HBomb

PolkThug

Originally posted by HBombToo
when you find the comparison tracks I'll come over and help with the measurement phase :cool:

HBomb

Cheers!

PolkThug

Originally posted by HBombToo
when you find the comparison tracks...

I read that people could tell a difference on the Tin Pany Alley bonus track, so I'll save that one for a second shootout.

I found this post on a different website:
"With most of the program material we couldn't tell the difference between the two disks. The only difference I noticed with any regularity was a slightly increased sharpness of high transient sounds such as rimshots and cymbals. If there was any difference in guitar, vocals, bass, ambience or spaciousness, we couldn't hear it.

There are other albums that I own both a CD and SACD of where I can identify significant differences. In fact, with the multi-channel SACDs that I've listened to, the sound quality is magnificent. This disk just isn't one of them."

Regards,
PolkThug

wlrandall

You wouldn't happen to also have it on vinyl would you? I've recently been listening to some old LPs and comparing them to their digital counterparts. Although the CDs have more clarity and punch, they lack the harshness that I now hear that so many others are talking about. Might make an interesting three way comparison...

Danny Tse

Have you guys see this thread at Steve Hoffman's website on SRV's SACDs??

therockman

Originally posted by Danny Tse
Have you guys see this thread at Steve Hoffman's website on SRV's SACDs??

I posted in that thread over at the Steve Hoffman forum. I have both of the Stevie Ray Vaughn SACDs and I feel that the sonics is superior to the digitally remastered CD. I also have these titles in the old CD versions from the 80's, and these sound WAY better than the digitally remastered CDs. I also have these titles on black vinyl and they sound WAY better than the digitally remastered CDs. My list of best to worst sounding SRV titles, including Texas Flood is:


1. SACD, it is by far the smoothest.
2. 1980's CD release, they probably used the original source tapes with no unnatural eq.
3. The black vinyl, they used the original source tape but the vinyl pressing is not great. (I don't listen to vinyl anymore.)
4. The digitally remastered CDs. I own all of the SRV digitally remastered CDs and they all sound VERY BAD, but I sure do like the bonus material.


For the true SRV lover, buy the original CDs, you can not beat the beautiful, smooth sound. For the collector, get the digitally remastered CDs, you can't beat the bonus material. For the connoiseur, get the SACDs, they can not be beat.


Rocky Bennett

PolkThug

Did you do any blind testing? I even own an '83 Fender, and I thought the DR CD sounded more natural than the SACD under blind conditions, lol.

Regards,
PT

therockman

To tell you the truth, yes, me and my friends did blind testing on these SRV SACDs, we listened to them when we were all blind-drunk. And I am not kidding. By compareing the different digital versions when everyone is drinking, and only one person knows which one is playing, is the usuall way that I do sonic comparissons between different versions of the same title. It usually works out well enough.

PolkThug

Well....

I totally botched this test. The sound was going through the optical cable all the time, so, no SACD.... argh.... Oh well, I'll get it right next time, as soon as I find time to test.

Regards,
PolkThug

therockman

Polk Thug, That seems to be my problem right now, not enough time to compare things and report back. But I am looking forward to your report because I love to hear other people's findings so that I can scamble to double check my findings.


Rocky

PolkThug

Yeah, I've got a full-time job, a part-time job, and I go to school on Monday nights (MBA). I'm gonna need some help with these tests, I was literally fumbling around with my Denon with my eyes closed, trying to be as objective as possible, lol.

Tour2ma has some cables headed my way, so I'm gonna have some fellas over soon for a shootout.

Regards,
PolkThug