Drawn to all things... Ian Shaw

[Haselsh1]

Drawn To All Things
The Songs of Joni Mitchell
Ian Shaw


I bought this Hybrid SACD some time ago and have been giving it a serious listen just recently. Although it is a hybrid disc the ordinary CD layer is not that ordinary being as it is, HDCD. My prime CD player is an Original 2008F HDCD player so can really show this layer up for what it is... simply stunning...! Ian Shaw's voice is very closely miked and, I would say, with a valve microphone. The recording quality is astonishing. The instruments are precisely recorded and placed with everything being of stunning quality.

The SACD layer is just as good as the HDCD layer but is merely different in it's presentation. This layer is not quite so forceful and glassy being a lot more soft in the general presentation. Despite the general ideas and comments about SACD, I like it and prefer it to standard CD but the improvement over HDCD I think is minimal.

For anyone who likes very intimate, closely miked jazz, this disc is a near must. Linn Records AKD276.

[Spectral Morn]

Drawn To All Things
The Songs of Joni Mitchell
Ian Shaw


I bought this Hybrid SACD some time ago and have been giving it a serious listen just recently. Although it is a hybrid disc the ordinary CD layer is not that ordinary being as it is, HDCD. My prime CD player is an Original 2008F HDCD player so can really show this layer up for what it is... simply stunning...! Ian Shaw's voice is very closely miked and, I would say, with a valve microphone. The recording quality is astonishing. The instruments are precisely recorded and placed with everything being of stunning quality.

The SACD layer is just as good as the HDCD layer but is merely different in it's presentation. This layer is not quite so forceful and glassy being a lot more soft in the general presentation. Despite the general ideas and comments about SACD, I like it and prefer it to standard CD but the improvement over HDCD I think is minimal.

For anyone who likes very intimate, closely miked jazz, this disc is a near must. Linn Records AKD276.

Hi Haselsh1

I agree brilliant album. He has a wonderfully warm voice and does real justice to Joni's songs. I think however that the SACD aspect will really shine more with a better SACD player (at least thats what I have found). HDCD is very good, I have a MSB Link Dac mk3 for that side of things. I particularly like the 30th anniversary HDCD of King Crimsons first album In the Court of the Crimson King....magic. However in my set up as good as HDCD is (over and above CD) the SACD sound I get with my Marantz SA 7 is better. Ian Shaw's second album is good too but I think his first is his best so far.

Regards D S D L-----Neil