News

Audiophiles will get a rare opportunity to discover the similarities and differences between SACD reproduction and the real thing at this year's Home Entertainment 2003 show in San Francisco. Diversity Records, Ltd. has announced it will record two performances by its artists at HE2003 on June 7 (1–4:30pm).

The groups are the modern jazz band Ecstasy In Numbers and the electro-acoustic folk-rock Kevin Jones Band. Diversity's Paul Weitzel has been doing live recordings for over 20 years and says the final discs will be multichannel hybrid releases on the SACD format.

Weitzel explains that the live event will be documented using the new Genex Audio GX9000, which is capable of recording eight tracks of DSD. He adds that EMM Labs will supply its ADC8 and DAC8 converters and Cable Research Labs will provide all of the power cables and microphone cables—"about $45,000 worth"—in addition to Tube Research Labs microphones and power supplies, as well as a couple of Pacific Pro Audio PPA-1 mics to capture room ambience.

"We are very fortunate to feature guitars and basses by two of America's premier luthiers, Jeff Traugott and Rick Turner," says Weitzel. Traugott's client list includes guitarists Alex DiGrassi, Martin Simpson, and Charlie Hunter; Turner's includes Lindsey Buckingham, David Crosby, and Colin Hay. Weitzel adds, "Their guitars are known to make better-sounding recordings."

Weitzel, also part owner of Fidelis Records, is excited at the opportunity of recording at HE2003. "Though many people buy SACDs, most never see any of the gear that's used to record in SACD/DSD. All of the manufacturers that are coming forward to lend a hand and equipment also believe in this project. HRS (Harmonic Resolution Systems) is bringing their remote location recording equipment rack, among other isolation and damping devices. Bob Bantz, owner of Elusive Disc, Diversity's worldwide distributor, will play mandolin on a few songs. There's a good chance that there'll be a surprise guest sitting in—a customer of one of the luthiers."

Weitzel is pretty confident that he'll have some sellable music from the event, available for purchase in the autumn. "Both bands never really miss any notes. Ecstasy In Numbers is a modern jazz trio, I'm making them do more covers of audiophile classics, note for note, and will release some of their wonderful originals later. Kevin Jones Band is a folk-rock band. A reviewer called him Seattle's version of Jackson Brown. Another said he sounds like Bruce Hornsby."

According to Weitzel, Diversity only does live recordings of real performances using no compression, limiters, equalizers, or added reverb. "I know that converting from analog to digital and back just plain sounds better through DSD conversion than PCM. I've tried all of the 'best' equipment and formats, it is clearly superior."