Search - Tchaikovsky, Cincinnati Pops, Kiev Symphony Chorus :: Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture etc. / Kunzel, Cincinnati Pops (Multichannel Hybrid SACD)

Really Great Cannons!

ALK | Houston, TX United States | 08/28/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"First, let's start out by admitting this was meant to be a demo disc. Since the LP was invented, Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture has been used to show how close audio reproduction is getting to "perfection" - whatever that is. This 6.0/5.1-channel SACD does not disappoint. The cannons are so realistic that my dog was arching her head to try to figure out where the sound was coming from (the only other time that happened was in the "barking" sequence of the remastered "Hey Bulldog"). Since cannons come out of all four corner speakers, it made quite an interesting scene. My multichannel SACD player directed the low bass to the LFE channel - make sure to set your bass management properly on your multichannel SACD player, such as the Sony SCD-CE775, before playing the disc. The equalization and levels are very consistent with other multichannel SACDs. The orchestra sounds very realistic, as you would expect with a multichannel SACD. The orchestral recording is designed to surround the listener rather than have discrete points, unlike the cannons. In addition to the 1812 Overture, the disc also contains a number of Tchaikovsky's other works. At the end of the multichannel SACD are 6 tracks of test tones for help in balancing the SACD player. I found the LFE track to be invaluable and better than the player's test tones. The voice used to introduce each tone is sure to bring a smile to any face. The reason the 1812 SACD is listed as a 6.0/5.1-channel disc is that the orchestral part of the disc contains an "upper center" channel output instead of LFE output. This really isn't a problem as long as the disc is played with the multichannel SACD player's bass management set properly and the subwoofer's (LFE) low pass filter is enabled. The test tones, however, are output in 5.1 channels, which allows the disc to setup a normal 5.1-channel system. If I had a choice I would have made the whole disc 5.1-channel to avoid confusion, but Telarc didn't ask me.The disc also contains a CD layer, for playing stereo output on a regular CD player. The multichannel SACD is easy to use, unlike DVD-Audio discs. The player's internal LED display shows the name of the disc and the name of each track as it is played.
Basically, it works just like an enhanced CD. Overall, the multichannel SACD test tones would make this disc a must have by themselves. On top of that is some of the most realistic sounds yet available for the home audio system. A "must have"! Note : Some earlier version of this multichannel SACD may have been stereo only. The multichannel SACD has Telarc catalog number SACD-60541."

Great Cannons....But Where is the Music?

Mark Krendel | Phila, Pa | 08/21/2002

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This disc was among those on my list for when I finally got my hands on an SACD player. I was very excited when I finally put it in and pressed play.Then I was a little disappointed. The orchestra seemed dull....almost far away in the mix. The volume on the recording is very low, and I found myself turning up the volume just to hear the detail in the strings.What's more, I found the perfomance a wee bit uninspired. Maybe a little too slow for my tastes. (My favorite recording of the 1812 is Claudio Abbado and the Cleveland Orchestra....now that would make a truly great SACD)Then came the cannons....wow! But, far far too loud when compared to the rest of the mix. The orchestra and chorus are practically drowned out by them, and I also found myself having to turn down the volume at that point just to avoid speaker damage. The cover does warn you to be aware of the volume when the cannons blast, but had the orchestra been mixed a little louder, i would not have had my volume up past the usual point where all music has depth and power, thus necessitating me to turn it drastically down just for the cannons.I determined that a safe level for my system was around 66....but when i listened from the beginning at that volume setting the orchestra and chorus were far too soft to be heard clearly.All in all, I just felt that the balance between the sounds was poorly engineered. It seems as though Telarc was more interested in the exploding cannons than in the quality of the music.This disc is great to show off your system and have some fun blowing things up, but it is hardly a great recording of great music.Let's just hope someone else gets it right next time around."

Standard Stereo Demo Disc - Improved Version

David C. Canfield | Upstate NY, USA | 05/18/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Telarc International made recording history in 1978 when they used digital audio technology to record the 1812 Overture. With its live cannons and phenomenal dynamic range, it quickly became a favorite demo disc in many audio stores, and the ultimate test for my new CD player and system.The advent of multi-channel discrete surround sound and high-definition audio recording systems such as 24/96 PCM and the DSD system, with its frequency response extending beyond 100 kHz and the availability of Super Audio CD and DVD-Audio, were enough to coax Telarc to create a new recording of the 1812. The new recording is even more taxing on your sound system than the original.Deciding to release the recording on the latest DSD recording equipment, the music, Civil War-era cannons, and the church bells were captured in different venues. The recording is mixed to include optional height information using the LFE channel. Telarc's height information is used to drive a pair of elevated side, preferably dipole, speakers. The height information does add to the overall effect, particularly with the cannons. Even without the height effects, this is a great demo disc, one I demo frequently for myself when my wife is out of the house - the pictures are straightened before she returns!"