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Far better than CD version. Focus of instruments and soundstage is outstanding, a real audiophile recording. A recording with warmth, a vinil-like sound. After hearing this SACD you'll want to through your CD version away.
With all of their most popular songs except for a couple, this album is jam-packed with great music. One of my favorite-of-all-time albums.
Well recorded, IMHO. Very enjoyable listening to this SACD in stereo. If you like the Dire Straits at all, I suggest you buy this.
If you can get past Mark Knopler's vocals (sorry), this is a SACD to die for. There is just ONE rock SACD that surpasses this as a system showoff, and that is Steely Dan's "Gaucho". Spacious sound stage, incredible depth, crystal clean from bottom to top, and Sting's vocals on "Money For Nothing" is just the icing on the cake. First rate production on every level. (that is until they finally release "Aja" in SACD. What's up with that).
Well, I had an old cassette copy of this back when it was originally released, and I recall that this was the first major album digitally recorded.At the time, even on the less-than-LP standard audio found cassette, my brother and I both thought it sounded dramatically crisper than all other cassettes we had ever heard.Fast forward to the 21st century, and digital technology has progressed to explore the wonders of SACD 5.1 sound, and I was nearly speechless as I listened to an album that sounded quite familiar to me, but had so much more detail and space.This one actually pulls off the nearly impossible feat of making a great studio album sound very much like a full concert experience.Simply incredible, and it doesn't hurt that there is not a single weak track on the album, from the opening tongue in cheek and buzz of "Money For Nothing," to the beautiful "Why Worry," to the utterly sublime and dark title track, this already killer album gets new life.The thunder roll at the beginning of the title track crackles all around, jumping to the two rear channels, leaving me nearly shell shocked, then Knopfler executes one of the most powerful pieces of guitar work, somehow taking its strength from its gentleness.Trust me, folks, Mark can PLAY, and then you get lyrics so thoughtful and moving as to stand up against nearly anyone else.On a technical note, this is a hybrid SACD, which means you get the best of both worlds with a disk that will allow you to get the full 5.1 surround experience on your home SACD system, then take the same disk and play it on your car stereo, and the standard stereo version is just as good or better than the CD only version of this album.As far as I am concerned, I would give away or sell my old stereo version, then RUN and grab this one instead.Thumbs up to Amazon, too, as they did not surprise me at all by having this in my hands well within the promised week after I ordered.Get it, turn down the lights a bit, then listen, and prepare to be amazed.
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