Artykuł Dire Straits <br /> On every street pochodzi z serwisu Cleartone.

Dire Straits Communique Mobile Fidelity 2 x 180G 45rpm

Reference-Level Detail, Depth, Soundstaging, Balance, and Presence: Communiqué Has Never Sounded Better

The performances on Dire Straits‘ Communiqué are so smooth and effortless, they were originally criticized for replicating the blueprints of the band’s breakout debut. Time, however, has a way of changing perspectives and exposing the truth. More than 35 years after its original release in June 1979, Communiqué rightfully takes its place as the group’s most underrated record – a nine-track set spiked with engaging storytelling, relaxed vibes, and deceiving simplicity.

Mastered from the original master tapes and pressed at RTI, Mobile Fidelity’s 180g 45RPM 2LP set of Communiqué elevates Dire Straits‘ sophomore album to an even higher plane. Recorded in the Bahamas by Muscle Shoals veterans Barry Beckett and Jerry Wexler, the songs benefit from a laidback approach that makes guitarist/vocalist Mark Knopfler and company’s stellar playing seem even more fluent – particularly when experienced on this collector’s 45RPM version, on which the wider grooves allow for more detail retrieval and deeper musical insight.

Knopfler’s mesmerizing guitar textures and composed vocals appear as if they’re right in front of you, holding court amidst expansive soundstages and deep-black backgrounds. Details, imaging, and presence are on a level associated with the finest audiophile recordings. You’ll be hard-pressed to find another LP with cleaner, pinpoint-accurate tones. Mobile Fidelity’s LP also brings into transparent view Knopfler’s seemingly perfect intricate lines as well as the simpatico accompaniment from his band mates. Whole, lively, and balanced, the bass and drums arrive with a solidity rarely heard on albums of this era. Communiqué has truly never sounded better.

Of course, the audiophile sonics mean little if the artistic content is lacking. Needless to say, Dire Straits‘ technical perfectionism and creative elan prevail throughout. Knopfler’s penchant for sketching cynical characters is further developed on moody tracks like „Where Do You Think You’re Going“ and „News,“ while Wexler’s presence at the boards ensures the band keeps the rhythms extra tight. The quartet’s low-key blues and swampy, Southern-styled grooves turn every song into an exercise in understated virtuosity.

Refusing to give into excess, magnetic tunes such as „Lady Writer“ and „Angel of Mercy“ split a fine line between insinuating and insisting. The group shows off a combination of control, virtuosity, and tunefulness that harkens back to a rock n‘ roll’s classic period while also pointing the way ahead. Need indisputable evidence of Dire Straits‘ compositional strengths? Cue up the closing „Follow Me Home“ on this pressing and get lost amidst the peacefulness of the gentle surf and chirping crickets that frame the song. Heavenly.

Artykuł Dire Straits <br />Communique <br /> Mobile Fidelity 2 x 180G 45rpm <br /> Dieses Produkt ist nicht aktionsberechtigt. pochodzi z serwisu Cleartone.

The performances on Dire Straits‘ Communiqué are so smooth and effortless, they were originally criticized for replicating the blueprints of the band’s breakout debut. Time, however, has a way of changing perspectives and exposing the truth. More than 35 years after its original release in June 1979, Communiqué rightfully takes its place as the group’s most underrated record – a nine-track set spiked with engaging storytelling, relaxed vibes, and deceiving simplicity.

Knopfler’s mesmerizing guitar textures and composed vocals appear as if they’re right in front of you, holding court amidst expansive soundstages and deep-black backgrounds. Details, imaging, and presence are on a level associated with the finest audiophile recordings.

Of course, the audiophile sonics mean little if the artistic content is lacking. Needless to say, Dire Straits‘ technical perfectionism and creative elan prevail throughout. Knopfler’s penchant for sketching cynical characters is further developed on moody tracks like „Where Do You Think You’re Going“ and „News,“ while Wexler’s presence at the boards ensures the band keeps the rhythms extra tight. The quartet’s low-key blues and swampy, Southern-styled grooves turn every song into an exercise in understated virtuosity.

Refusing to give into excess, magnetic tunes such as „Lady Writer“ and „Angel of Mercy“ split a fine line between insinuating and insisting. The group shows off a combination of control, virtuosity, and tunefulness that harkens back to a rock n‘ roll’s classic period while also pointing the way ahead. Need indisputable evidence of Dire Straits‘ compositional strengths? Cue up the closing „Follow Me Home“ on this pressing and get lost amidst the peacefulness of the gentle surf and chirping crickets that frame the song. Heavenly.

Artykuł Dire Straits <br />Communique <br /> Mobile Fidelity <br /> SACD Hybr pochodzi z serwisu Cleartone.

Mastered from the original master tapes, Mobile Fidelity’s numbered-edition SACD version of Dire Straits features natural tonalities, superb balances, you-are-there imaging, deep-black backgrounds, and pristine clarity. Even if you’ve heard this album hundreds of times before, you’ve never experienced it with such lifelike sonics and premium richness. This collector’s set immerses you within the smoky, laidback atmospherics of every song. This is how all discs should sound.

Crucial to every arrangement, Mark Knopfler’s winding guitar lines emerge with supreme transparency and multi-hued textural detail. His intricate playing comes across as if it’s being transmitted via his 60s-era Fender Vibrolux amplifier placed right before you. The cleanliness, dimensions, and live feel are that good. Rhythms skate and swirl; percussive effects resonate with crispness and attack; the leading edges of notes naturally decay.

Dire Straits‘ strong, well-edited batch of original material further enhances the overall enjoyment and makes the record one whose pleasures go far beyond the organic sonics. Just as Knopfler’s narratives pour forth with poetic and surrealist texts, the musical settings – an intoxicating combination of easygoing shuffles, back-hall boogies, and pop-honed ballads – mirror the old-fashioned soulfulness inherent in the classic recordings of the late 50s and early 60s. The lyrics are equally captivating.

Drawing from his time as a youth in Newcastle, Leeds, and London, Knopfler invests tunes with an autobiographical slant and emotional connectivity that become obvious the moment he opens his mouth to sing. „Down to the Waterline,“ „Wild West End,“ and „Lions“ all feature colloquial touches that add to their reach. By extension, „In the Gallery“ functions as a tribute to Leeds sculptor Harry Phillips (father of future Knoplfer collaborator, Steve Phillips) while the record’s breakout smash, „Sultans of Swing,“ pays homage to struggling bar bands.

Through it all, Dire Straits performs with a subtle cool and clever poise that no band ever matched. Just how good is the chemistry? Bob Dylan heard the quartet and invited Knopfler and drummer Pick Withers to play on Slow Train Coming. But even Dylan himself didn’t hear Dire Straits sound this magnetic back in its original heyday. Now, everyone can.

Artykuł Dire Straits <br />Dire Straits <br /> Miobile Fidelity SACD Hybr pochodzi z serwisu Cleartone.

 

Die SHM-CD (Kurzform für Super High Material Compact Disc) ist eine Compact Disc, bei der der konventionelle Polycarbonatträger durch ein neuartiges Material ersetzt wurde. Erfunden wurde dieses Material 2006 von Universal Music Japan und JVC bei dem Versuch, besonders transparente LCDs herzustellen.

Der Hersteller stellt vermeintliche Vorteile heraus, die sich schon beim Gießen des modifizierten Polycarbonats bemerkbar machen sollen. So lasse sich das flüssige Material präziser auf den Stamper auftragen, zudem wirbt man mit einer Verringerung möglichen Jitters beim Auslesen der CD.

Es gibt keinen Test, der die Werbeaussage für das Meteria belegt: Die Zeitschrift Stereo sagt in einem Artikel immerhin, dass die getesteten CDs mit diesem Material besser oder anders abgemischt wurden. Insofern ist die Überschrift des Artikels in der Zeitschrift „Stereo“ nicht durch den Test belegt.^[1] Die Japanische Zeitschrift erklärt die Technik und meint, das ein Audio-Signal zu kleinerem Jitter Führt „Cleaner audio signals reduce jitter and the effects of birefringence.“. Nun ist es aber ein Jitter auf den Bits, die erst zu einem Audio dekodiert werden müssen, nicht durch besseres Audio erklärbar.^[2]

Da es sich nur um eine Änderung des verwendeten Materials handelt und die CD-Player sich auf die Transparenz verschiedener Materialien adaptieren, sind SHM-CDs in jedem normalen CD-Player abspielbar. Auch greift dieselbe Fehlerkorrektur wie bei CDs.

(wikipedia)

Artykuł Dire Straits <br />Making Movies <br /> SHM-CD Japan pochodzi z serwisu Cleartone.

Cinematic Landscapes and Intricate Passages Sound Sublime: Mastered from Original Master Tapes, Features Audiophile Dynamics

Making Movies marks a magnificent turning point in Dire Straits‘ career. Considered by many fans to be the group’s most complete album, the 1980 set witnesses leader Mark Knopfler greatly expanding his songwriting palette and setting his storytelling amidst more complex, involving arrangements. Dire Straits also benefits from crucial contributions from Bruce Springsteen pianist Roy Bittan and the departure of rhythm guitarist David Knopfler. The songs spark with a mélange of poetry, passion, and cohesion that engages the senses and begs to be experienced again and again.

Mastered from the original master tapes and pressed at RTI, Mobile Fidelity’s 180g 45RPM 2LP set of Making Movies breathes with reference-caliber airiness, spaciousness, dynamics, and separation. Produced by Jimmy Iovine and Knopfler, the record – which contains many Springsteen-esque elements – features the cleanliness and clarity that have long been Dire Straits trademarks. The extra-wide 45RPM grooves on this edition provide previously unattainable detail, information, and soundstaging. This is what audiophile recordings are all about.

You know you’re in the presence of sonic greatness as soon as the first few seconds of the opening „Tunnel of Love“ pass, as the introductory passage built on organ and piano – new additions to Dire Straits‘ palette – intertwine with the unmistakable coil-spring twang of Knopfler’s guitar. The three-dimensional, full-bodied presentation of the latter instrument on this Mobile Fidelity LP is alone worth the price of admission. Crisp, rich, and balanced, the analog sound brings Knopfler’s Fender Vibrolux and Music Man HD130 amplifiers into your room. The romanticism of Bittan’s piano, precision timekeeping of drummer Pick Withers, and steady roll of bassist John Illsley come across with similar potency, scale, and verve.

Always more about the whole than the sum of their individual parts, Dire Straits demonstrate that while Knopfler is the lynchpin, this record is a true band effort. Bittan’s role cannot be overstated. His melodicism poetically complements Knopfler’s subtle staccato rhythms and more than makes up for the exit of David Knopfler. Expansive and cinematic, the aptly titled Making Movies puts a premium on interrelated subjects (love, relationships, heartbreak) and deep-seated emotions that play out in heartfelt lyrics, intense singing, and epic frameworks. Everything clicks.

The album’s power isn’t lost on Iovine, who later told Rolling Stone: „The right people were in the room together. It really was making a record in the pure sense of the term. The whole thing sounds like one song. But you what that is? That’s the writing, the guy who wrote it. He wrote the album like that; he wanted to make the album like that.“

Indeed, the first five tracks – „Tunnel of Love,“ „Romeo and Juliet,“ „Skateaway,“ „Expresso Love,“ „Hand in Hand“ – comprise a mini-suite united by theme, harmony, and spirit. Every member of the newly configured Dire Straits has a say in the shaping of the material. There’s not a note out of place. Iovine and Knopfler’s standout production puts it over the top.

Artykuł Dire Straits <br />Making Movies <br />Mobile Fidelity <br />2LP 180G 45 rpm <br /> Dieses Produkt ist nicht aktionsberechtigt. pochodzi z serwisu Cleartone.