Elvis SACDs in stock: Elvis is Back and 24 Karat Hits

Acoustic Sounds is showing the Analogue Productions hybrid SACDs Elvis is Back and 24k Hits! are in stock. They are called "hybrid" as they have both a redbook CD and SACD layer. Has anyone picked these up? Anyone know what sources were used? Did AP remaster in the digital domain using Sony's existing DSD transfers that Anesini used for the Complete Elvis box? Or did AP actually get access to the original analog master tapes and make their own A/D transfers specifically for this project?

A 2011 Hi-Fi News review which appears to refer to a vinyl release suggests AP may have gotten access to the actual analog tapes. Can anyone confirm what sources were used for the SACDs -- original tapes or Sony's DSD files? Here are the links to the SACDs on Acoustic Sounds:

http://store.acousticsounds.com/d/84861 ... tereo_SACD

http://store.acousticsounds.com/d/84860 ... tereo_SACD

i think i'll pass

i think i'll pass

Thats no surprise

Thanks for posting. Are these available anywhere else than Acoustic Sounds? Their shipping charges a bit steep.

Would love to read reviews on them.

I hope somebody on this board will make the purchase. My blu-ray will play these in SACD. Maybe these will turn out to be the best sounding Elvis CD's ever. I hope so.

I've heard that Oppo makes a good universal player with SACD playback capability: http://www.oppodigital.com/blu-ray-bdp-103/

Thanks for posting. Are these available anywhere else than Acoustic Sounds? Their shipping charges a bit steep.

Would love to read reviews on them.

The same guy that owns Analogue Productions owns Acoustic Sounds. So the AP label SACDs are offered on his own website (Acoustic Sounds) first. A few months later they usually show up on Amazon.com reseller merchants for a few dollars less.

I've heard that Oppo makes a good universal player with SACD playback capability: http://www.oppodigital.com/blu-ray-bdp-103/

I have an Oppo BPD-93.

I've heard that Oppo makes a good universal player with SACD playback capability: http://www.oppodigital.com/blu-ray-bdp-103/

I have an Oppo BPD-93.

How do you like it?

Oppo's have gotten good reviews. It was one of the players I considered last year when I upgraded my system. Eventually I ended up getting Cambridge 650 universal player which got excellent reviews specially on its musical abilities. I collect SACD's so sq was a major factor in the decision. It was in the same price range as Oppo. I can recomended it or it's this years counterpart 651.

http://www.whathifi.com/review/cambridg ... azur-650bd

Oppo and Cambridge both quality players. Marantz, Denon and Nad all have machines at that price point to but the reviews I've read (HI Choice, Hifi New) seem to favour the Oppo or Cambridge. I believe the Oppo can stream music as well from computer/NAS Drive etc.which is another bonus.

I assume that these two disks will be true 24/96 recordings? I ripped the 30 No 1's DVD A to my hard drive (24 bit Flac FILES) and the stereo mix sounds great via my laptop/DAC. I'd certainly be interested in these if taken from the analogue master tapes. In fact I'd love to see the complete masters available in 24/96 format. Perhaps on a portable storage devise like the Beatles masters.

My Universal player packed in unfortunately so I couldn't play my small SACD/DVD A disks anymore. I just got some software and ripped them instead so at least I can now play the stereo mixes through my DAC.

cheers Jamie

I've heard that Oppo makes a good universal player with SACD playback capability: http://www.oppodigital.com/blu-ray-bdp-103/

I have an Oppo BPD-93.

How do you like it?

I like it a lot. It had a top review in Home Theater mag. That is why I went for it.

Acoustic Sounds is showing the Analogue Productions hybrid SACDs Elvis is Back and 24k Hits! are in stock. They are called "hybrid" as they have both a redbook CD and SACD layer. Has anyone picked these up? Anyone know what sources were used? Did AP remaster in the digital domain using Sony's existing DSD transfers that Anesini used for the Complete Elvis box? Or did AP actually get access to the original analog master tapes and make their own A/D transfers specifically for this project?

A 2011 Hi-Fi News review which appears to refer to a vinyl release suggests AP may have gotten access to the actual analog tapes. Can anyone confirm what sources were used for the SACDs -- original tapes or Sony's DSD files? Here are the links to the SACDs on Acoustic Sounds:

http://store.acousticsounds.com/d/84861 ... tereo_SACD

http://store.acousticsounds.com/d/84860 ... tereo_SACD

The description doesn't mention the source but it's likely the analog master tape prepared by Steve Hoffman for the DCC releases of these two titles back in the 90's (pre-dating both the Sony-BMG merger and subsequent use of DSD as well as the subsequent masters restoration project at the Sony Studios, NY). In other words this will likely be a high-resolution version of a vintage mastering.

Acoustic Sounds is showing the Analogue Productions hybrid SACDs Elvis is Back and 24k Hits! are in stock. They are called "hybrid" as they have both a redbook CD and SACD layer. Has anyone picked these up? Anyone know what sources were used? Did AP remaster in the digital domain using Sony's existing DSD transfers that Anesini used for the Complete Elvis box? Or did AP actually get access to the original analog master tapes and make their own A/D transfers specifically for this project?

A 2011 Hi-Fi News review which appears to refer to a vinyl release suggests AP may have gotten access to the actual analog tapes. Can anyone confirm what sources were used for the SACDs -- original tapes or Sony's DSD files? Here are the links to the SACDs on Acoustic Sounds:

http://store.acousticsounds.com/d/84861 ... tereo_SACD

http://store.acousticsounds.com/d/84860 ... tereo_SACD

The description doesn't mention the source but it's likely the analog master tape prepared by Steve Hoffman for the DCC releases of these two titles back in the 90's (pre-dating both the Sony-BMG merger and subsequent use of DSD as well as the subsequent masters restoration project at the Sony Studios, NY). In other words this will likely be a high-resolution version of a vintage mastering.

Then I would quickly lose interest.

i think i'll pass

Thats no surprise

nope. not a big fan of compilations

Acoustic Sounds is showing the Analogue Productions hybrid SACDs Elvis is Back and 24k Hits! are in stock. They are called "hybrid" as they have both a redbook CD and SACD layer. Has anyone picked these up? Anyone know what sources were used? Did AP remaster in the digital domain using Sony's existing DSD transfers that Anesini used for the Complete Elvis box? Or did AP actually get access to the original analog master tapes and make their own A/D transfers specifically for this project?

A 2011 Hi-Fi News review which appears to refer to a vinyl release suggests AP may have gotten access to the actual analog tapes. Can anyone confirm what sources were used for the SACDs -- original tapes or Sony's DSD files? Here are the links to the SACDs on Acoustic Sounds:

http://store.acousticsounds.com/d/84861 ... tereo_SACD

http://store.acousticsounds.com/d/84860 ... tereo_SACD

The description doesn't mention the source but it's likely the analog master tape prepared by Steve Hoffman for the DCC releases of these two titles back in the 90's (pre-dating both the Sony-BMG merger and subsequent use of DSD as well as the subsequent masters restoration project at the Sony Studios, NY). In other words this will likely be a high-resolution version of a vintage mastering.

Then I would quickly lose interest.

LRay, what's the reason? Was their something wrong with the work done by Hoffman with the original master tapes?

cheers Jamie

Acoustic Sounds is showing the Analogue Productions hybrid SACDs Elvis is Back and 24k Hits! are in stock. They are called "hybrid" as they have both a redbook CD and SACD layer. Has anyone picked these up? Anyone know what sources were used? Did AP remaster in the digital domain using Sony's existing DSD transfers that Anesini used for the Complete Elvis box? Or did AP actually get access to the original analog master tapes and make their own A/D transfers specifically for this project?

A 2011 Hi-Fi News review which appears to refer to a vinyl release suggests AP may have gotten access to the actual analog tapes. Can anyone confirm what sources were used for the SACDs -- original tapes or Sony's DSD files? Here are the links to the SACDs on Acoustic Sounds:

http://store.acousticsounds.com/d/84861 ... tereo_SACD

http://store.acousticsounds.com/d/84860 ... tereo_SACD

The description doesn't mention the source but it's likely the analog master tape prepared by Steve Hoffman for the DCC releases of these two titles back in the 90's (pre-dating both the Sony-BMG merger and subsequent use of DSD as well as the subsequent masters restoration project at the Sony Studios, NY). In other words this will likely be a high-resolution version of a vintage mastering.

Hoffman gave this info a few years ago when these releases were first announced.

Don't know if this is a secret or not but the "Elvis 24 Karat Hits" album that I compiled for DCC back in the 1990's is coming out again on vinyl (12" 45 RPM) and SACD dual layer by Acoustic Sounds/Analogue Productions. "Elvis Is Back" (as wonderfully engineered by Bill 'DC to light' Porter in RCA-Victor's "Nashville Sound Studio B") is going to be reissued on both as well.

I will be doing the "Elvis 24 Karat Hits" remastering at AcousTech/Record Tech with Kevin Gray, from scratch again and it looks to be a bear of a job. Great music though.

Something to look forward to if you like Elvis. Also, the great "Elvis Is Back" album (his first album after the army) will be mastered at Sterling in NY from the "dash 1" stereo first generation tapes, flat (L2WY-1967-1 and L2WY-1968-1). Same tapes I used for the DCC. I think the DCC metal parts for the vinyl were reused somewhere in the world for a current pressing of "Elvis Is Back" so the old DCC is still available as well. The new AP version should be a different approach than my old DCC tube cutting so we'll see what happens!

Acoustic Sounds is showing the Analogue Productions hybrid SACDs Elvis is Back and 24k Hits! are in stock. They are called "hybrid" as they have both a redbook CD and SACD layer. Has anyone picked these up? Anyone know what sources were used? Did AP remaster in the digital domain using Sony's existing DSD transfers that Anesini used for the Complete Elvis box? Or did AP actually get access to the original analog master tapes and make their own A/D transfers specifically for this project?

A 2011 Hi-Fi News review which appears to refer to a vinyl release suggests AP may have gotten access to the actual analog tapes. Can anyone confirm what sources were used for the SACDs -- original tapes or Sony's DSD files? Here are the links to the SACDs on Acoustic Sounds:

http://store.acousticsounds.com/d/84861 ... tereo_SACD

http://store.acousticsounds.com/d/84860 ... tereo_SACD

The description doesn't mention the source but it's likely the analog master tape prepared by Steve Hoffman for the DCC releases of these two titles back in the 90's (pre-dating both the Sony-BMG merger and subsequent use of DSD as well as the subsequent masters restoration project at the Sony Studios, NY). In other words this will likely be a high-resolution version of a vintage mastering.

Hoffman gave this info a few years ago when these releases were first announced.

Don't know if this is a secret or not but the "Elvis 24 Karat Hits" album that I compiled for DCC back in the 1990's is coming out again on vinyl (12" 45 RPM) and SACD dual layer by Acoustic Sounds/Analogue Productions. "Elvis Is Back" (as wonderfully engineered by Bill 'DC to light' Porter in RCA-Victor's "Nashville Sound Studio B") is going to be reissued on both as well.

I will be doing the "Elvis 24 Karat Hits" remastering at AcousTech/Record Tech with Kevin Gray, from scratch again and it looks to be a bear of a job. Great music though.

Something to look forward to if you like Elvis. Also, the great "Elvis Is Back" album (his first album after the army) will be mastered at Sterling in NY from the "dash 1" stereo first generation tapes, flat (L2WY-1967-1 and L2WY-1968-1). Same tapes I used for the DCC. I think the DCC metal parts for the vinyl were reused somewhere in the world for a current pressing of "Elvis Is Back" so the old DCC is still available as well. The new AP version should be a different approach than my old DCC tube cutting so we'll see what happens!

Please note that Steve Hoffman nor Kevin Gray actually ended up doing the mastering for the re-releases. I think the new mastering will be used for the SACD's and not those done by Steve Hoffman and Kevin Gray (unfortunately).

Edit: just checked. The SACD's will be "Mastered By George Marino at Sterling Sound".

Acoustic Sounds is showing the Analogue Productions hybrid SACDs Elvis is Back and 24k Hits! are in stock. They are called "hybrid" as they have both a redbook CD and SACD layer. Has anyone picked these up? Anyone know what sources were used? Did AP remaster in the digital domain using Sony's existing DSD transfers that Anesini used for the Complete Elvis box? Or did AP actually get access to the original analog master tapes and make their own A/D transfers specifically for this project?

A 2011 Hi-Fi News review which appears to refer to a vinyl release suggests AP may have gotten access to the actual analog tapes. Can anyone confirm what sources were used for the SACDs -- original tapes or Sony's DSD files? Here are the links to the SACDs on Acoustic Sounds:

http://store.acousticsounds.com/d/84861 ... tereo_SACD

http://store.acousticsounds.com/d/84860 ... tereo_SACD

The description doesn't mention the source but it's likely the analog master tape prepared by Steve Hoffman for the DCC releases of these two titles back in the 90's (pre-dating both the Sony-BMG merger and subsequent use of DSD as well as the subsequent masters restoration project at the Sony Studios, NY). In other words this will likely be a high-resolution version of a vintage mastering.

Hoffman gave this info a few years ago when these releases were first announced.

Don't know if this is a secret or not but the "Elvis 24 Karat Hits" album that I compiled for DCC back in the 1990's is coming out again on vinyl (12" 45 RPM) and SACD dual layer by Acoustic Sounds/Analogue Productions. "Elvis Is Back" (as wonderfully engineered by Bill 'DC to light' Porter in RCA-Victor's "Nashville Sound Studio B") is going to be reissued on both as well.

I will be doing the "Elvis 24 Karat Hits" remastering at AcousTech/Record Tech with Kevin Gray, from scratch again and it looks to be a bear of a job. Great music though.

Something to look forward to if you like Elvis. Also, the great "Elvis Is Back" album (his first album after the army) will be mastered at Sterling in NY from the "dash 1" stereo first generation tapes, flat (L2WY-1967-1 and L2WY-1968-1). Same tapes I used for the DCC. I think the DCC metal parts for the vinyl were reused somewhere in the world for a current pressing of "Elvis Is Back" so the old DCC is still available as well. The new AP version should be a different approach than my old DCC tube cutting so we'll see what happens!

Please note that Steve Hoffman nor Kevin Gray actually ended up doing the mastering for the re-releases. I think the new mastering will be used for the SACD's and not those done by Steve Hoffman and Kevin Gray (unfortunately).

Edit: just checked. The SACD's will be "Mastered By George Marino at Sterling Sound".

George Marino is dead, so that must have been one of his last jobs

George Marino is dead, so that must have been one of his last jobs

Could be. Check out the album cover in the background of the pic in this piece.

http://loudwire.com/legendary-studio-en ... ng-cancer/

The sources used by Hoffman back in the 90s have been brought into question in the past.

The sources used by Hoffman back in the 90s have been brought into question in the past.

Interesting. Did they not use the masters for the 1990s DCCs?

The sources used by Hoffman back in the 90s have been brought into question in the past.

Matthew, brought in to question in what way?

Cheers Jamie

The sources used by Hoffman back in the 90s have been brought into question in the past.

For Elvis is Back! Hoffman used the original mastertapes. For the 24 Karat Hits he also used the original mastertapes, but a few songs were not available from original mastertapes. He also remixed the song Devil in disquise. Hoffman has been open about his sources so there is no secret there.

Both Hoffman releases is still the best Elvis has ever sounded in my opinion.

The sources used by Hoffman back in the 90s have been brought into question in the past.

For Elvis is Back! Hoffman used the original mastertapes. For the 24 Karat Hits he also used the original mastertapes, but a few songs were not available from original mastertapes. He also remixed the song Devil in disquise. Hoffman has been open about his sources so there is no secret there.

Both Hoffman releases is still the best Elvis has ever sounded in my opinion.

I think the Heatbreak Hotel original mastertape was bought back by Ernst at the end of the 90's. So that would be one that might not have the best sound on 24 Karat Hits.

I hope someone makes the plunge and gets these pretty soon so that we can be informed on how good they are or aren't.