[Mike]

My wife and I were recently on an overnight trip in Yamanashi Prefecture (Japan) in the Town of Isawa; famous for its hot springs. Whenever we visit this town I always check out a used Book/CD shop that often has little gems buried amongst the junk. Anyway, I was checking out the Carpenters section and noticed a CD I had not seen before – “Carpenters Live at the Palladium”. So, of course I picked it up for the sum of 950 yen (about $10.00). The disk is in minty fresh pristine condition (looks like new!). The front and back paperwork is perfect, although it is missing the Japanese liner notes. Even the case is in good shape but I replaced it with a new one anyways. I’m listening to it as I type this and for a live album it sounds great.

Well, I just wanted to share what I consider to be a great score!

All the best,
Mike

[Harry]

Nice pickup Mike. LIVE AT THE PALLADIUM was one of two live albums taht Carpenters released (the other was LIVE IN JAPAN). Neither were ever officially released in the US, so we American fans have had to rely on imports all these years.

Both live albums were recently re-released in Japan in SHM-CD format and with mini-LP jackets, so I guess some fans are turning in their old copies and replacing them with newer ones.

Harry
_________________
...Preserving The Sound Online...

[Mike]

Harry, I guess one would think I’d know about the Palladium reissue, being that I live in Japan, but I didn’t. However, if the SHM-CD version sounds better than what I picked up, it must sound absolutely incredible; because the one I found sounds great!

Mike

Still feeling lucky none the less.

[Mike]

Man, listening to this CD for the first time, I find the inclusion of “Warsaw Concerto” a real treat. I'm familiar with this song mainly because it’s heavily used in the soundtrack for the movie “Sea Wolves”. The movie (British WWII adventure flick) is a favorite of mine, and now I guess I’m really showing my age.

Mike

[SakuraSYayoi]

There were threads we talked about Live at the Palladium. I made a couple of topics and David made one.

SHM-CD to be released again in April 2010.
Different information floating around, April 2nd, April 3rd, April 27th.

There is no information at Universal site & their shop sites so far.

I have seen pre-order pages of most albums, except Christmas Portrait and as time goes by.

Original albums from Ticket to Ride to Lovelines, Live in Japan, Live at the Palladium and An-Old Fashioned Christmas.
Limited
Paper sleeves
SHM-CD.


My father's friend moved to Isawa, my father used to go to Isawa to see him.

I don't know the movie, but I heard Warsaw Concerto on Far East Network(AFN now) in 70s.
On Feb 4th this year the TV station, which aired Live at Budokan in 1974, featured Karen for 17 minutes. It included interview with Richard last year and in 1974 at Chin-zan-so and Karen at Chin-zan-so. Interview with Karen has aired in UK in these a few years. I have watched Richard's one on TV for the first time. It may not be rare for you to have VHS Live at Bodokan. But I don't have the VHS. Some parts were cut off when the DVD was released.
I have seen the Bodokan video at fan club event. It had Warsaw Concerto from speakers at rehearsal. Who played the concerto? Richard's Live at the Boston Pops, the soundtrack from the movie or another?

Sakura

[SakuraSYayoi]

Old threads;
SHM-CD Live In London UICY94228 limited Aug 26, 2009
http://www.amcorner.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10052

LIVE IN LONDON, 2009 SHM-CD release
http://www.amcorner.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10385

[Mike]

Thanks for the links, Sakura-san, great info. From what I read I think I’ll stick with my old used disk because I prefer good sound over fancy packaging. Of course both are preferable.

BTW: We visit Isawa about 4 times a year. The town is just a few kilometers away from Katsunuma – it's the Napa Valley of Japan; and I do enjoy wine!

Best regards,
Mike

[davidgra]

As someone who has both the original and the new SHM-CD version of LIVE AT THE PALLADIUM, I'd say you're safe sticking with the copy you bought. This album was not remastered for SHM-CD, and the sound quality is essentially identical.

I will admit to loving the new packaging, but if you don't care about that, then there's no need to get another copy of it.

David

[SakuraSYayoi]

The material of SHM-CD looks clearer than the material of normal CD.
http://shm-cd.co-site.jp/factory/index.html Scroll down to the last photo.
http://shm-cd.co-site.jp/about/index.html
However only persons who have good ears and good audio enjoy the sound of SHM-CD.
I think I can hear the sound of SHM-CD at good stereo like I enjoyed 40/40 at small music hall of Yamano Gakki in Ginza last April.
You can read Bernie's comment. But Richard's comment was translated into Japanese. Mike may understand Richard's?

Old topic: Richard and Bernie Grundman are on SHM-CD site
http://www.amcorner.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10169
http://img.barks.jp/image/review/1000048911/580.jpg

I had guessed Harry and David would tell the difference of SHM-CD and normal CD, but only a few A&M members have enjoyed the quality of SHM-CD.

Sakura

[davidgra]

The thing about the supposed sound quality increase of SHM-CDs is really all hype. Physically, there's no way for a disc made of different materials to "sound" better, because the sound isn't contained in the disc -- only ones and zeros are actually contained within the disc.

The ones and zeros are processed by a digital-to-analog converter in whatever device you're using to play the CD. Any CD player that is working properly and has a clean disc inside it will correctly read all the ones and zeros. Even if not all the ones and zeros are read properly, the player will still be able to play back the data correctly because CDs have built-in redundancy to allow for error-correction.

So the ones and zeros on a regular CD are played back exactly the same way as the ones and zeros on a SHM-CD.

The hype about SHM-CDs being "clearer" is just that -- hype. Unless a regular CD is made of defective plastic, it is clear enough for a laser to read each pit correctly. Marking the edges with a green marker doesn't make the sound any better, either, by the way...

SHM-CDs might have one advantage over traditional CDs -- they might last longer. If the material is more "archival," then it's possible the discs may resist corrosion or adhesive failure longer. But I have CDs that I purchased as early as 1984 that still work perfectly well 26 years later, so I'm not exactly seeing a problem with durability.

So unless you're using a defective CD player or your discs are dirty/scratched/scuffed, there won't be any physical difference between the way the ones and zeros are read on a regular CD vs a SHM-CD.

This doesn't get into the issue of MASTERING. A disc that is better mastered will indeed sound better than a disc that wasn't mastered as well. A tweak of the EQ can make the trebles brighter, or the bass more prominent, or the lead vocal stand out more. This is why you hear a noticeable difference in sound quality in some of the recent releases, like THE ESSENTIAL COLLECTION and 40/40.

But a SHM-CD of LIVE AT THE PALLADIUM most likely contains exactly the same ones and zeros as an older version of the album -- it wasn't remastered, so there's very little chance that the original 2-track master was taken out of the vault in California (or wherever) and sent over for a new analog-to-digital transfer.

Here ends my lesson on the nature of the CD.

David

[davidgra]

P.S. I hope I didn't burst anyone's bubble about the vast superiority of SHM-CDs. If it makes you feel better, I was the little kid who wouldn't clap for Tinkerbell. I guess that makes me a pure skeptic.

(I go to Walt Disney World an average of 25 days a year, and I still can't stand Tinkerbell, by the way.)

[SakuraSYayoi]

Yes, the same ones and zeros.
The quality of sound depends on clearness of material when the ones and zeros are read, I thought. Everyone who heard glass CD, praised sound of glass CD. But glass CD is still expensive and fragile. I have read the A&R man of 40/40 produced another artist's glass CD, but I don't think he plans glass CD of Carpenters.

SHM-CD is clearer than normal CD, but most people who bought SHM-CD don't think they would replace all the CD's to SHM-CD's.
So you don't have to buy SHM-CD.


The good thing about SHM-CD releases is out-of-print or albums never released as CD are released in Japan, speaking of other artists.

I haven't seen Live at the Palladium CD at real store for long time. It's good to see SHM-CD original albums, Live in Japan, Live at the Palladium and An-old Fashioned Christmas at shelf of CD shops.

Even if SHM-CD was not created, 40th anniversary box might be released. I don't think re-releases of winter of 2009 and spring of 2010 were planned.
When young fans started to collect Carpenters CD's, they complained they couldn't find original albums. Now they can find Carpenters original albums at shop.

Universal Music Japan make our generation buy SHM-CD.
Probably thanks to Olivia's schedule, Olivia projects are suspended, Universal are planning SHM-CD of 40/40, 40th anniversary box and about 10 albums of Olivia Newton-John. Not real 40th anniversary for Olivia. And the plan will have bonus tracks and bonus DVD from '70s TV appearances.

They can sell SHM-CD more expensive than normal CD, though some of us think they could sell SHM-CD cheaper. It's good that CD/SHM-CD's are still available, when music industry is going to focus on download.

Sakura

[Harry]

If there is any advantage to SHM-CDs, it would be in the realm of sounding good in no matter what player you choose. CD players DO vary in their quality, their ability to read and correctly interpret those ones and zeros, and their ability to translate them to analog sound.

If you play your discs on multiple players - car players, boomboxes, the DVD player in the den or bedroom, then you *might* be able to claim that an SHM-CD does indeed sound better.

I swear that in my car, the SHM-CD of 40/40 sounds brighter and cleaner than the standard version or many other Carpenters CDs. But I said the same about ESSENTIAL COLLECTION. It wows me when I play it in the car - not so much difference is heard at home in the main CD player.

Harry
_________________
...Preserving The Sound Online...

[Mike]

If I didn't have a CD and I had the option of buying SHM-CD or a non-SHM-CD, I'd likly go with the SHM-CD.

Also, if I had an old CD that was either a collectors item or what I considered a poor quality and I had the opertunity to get a reissued SHM-CD, I would. I did this with the Sergio Mendes Atlantic records reissues and I think the quality (in this case) of the new SHM-CDs is significantly superior.

I'm not rich, but when it comes to music... I'll pay more if I can get better quality.

Mike

[Mike]

[SakuraSYayoi]

Thank you, Harry & Mike.

And SACD on normal player also sounds better than CD. Because of material?

Sakura