The main purpose of this guide is to provide reviews of discs I own. The reviews are based on the quality of the sound to me. Not everyone has the same opinion but there should not be many discrepencies. I will add comments and observations that some may find helpful.

**NEW!!! I have made an update to include relative values. This is based on what I see in the market and what I've paid. I say relative because there is no price guide so anyone can decide what to sell it for. The prices listed are for near mint and sealed.

First let's define the terms.

DVD-AUDIO- provides HI RESOLUTION, (HI REZ), Multi Channel Surround Sound, (MCSS), or HI REZ STEREO sound if you have DVD-Audio capabilities or DD5.1 or stereo for most any dvd player. A few can provide DTS sound. Some have video content, lyrics, photos, bios, etc, although to get ALL of it you need a DVD Audio player. Some of it will show on any DVD player.

DTS Music Discs- provide DTS, regular stereo, (DTS is a higher resolution but not as much as DVD-Audio's or SACD's). These DO NOT require a DVD-Audio player but your DVD player and A/V receiver must have DTS capabilities. The front of your units should have the logos/symbols somewhere.

DUALDISC- a two sided disc. One side is regular stereo, the other is HI REZ MCSS. Think of it as being two CD's glued together. Although I have not had any problems, I've read some players have trouble playing them because of the thickness, especially Panasonic. The cd side will play on any DVD/CD player but the HI REZ MCSS sound can only be accessed with a DVD-Audio player.

SACD (Super Audio Compact Disc)- OK, there are SACDs with MCSS sound only that will only play in an SACD capable player. There is a hybrid SACD THAT can be played on any cd player but only the HI REZ stereo or MCSS can only be accessed with an SACD capable player. I don't know if there are single layer only SACDs in HI REZ stereo or not but it would seem logical.

These have been around for years but are mostly out of print. There was a lack of consumer interest because of the need for special expensive players. Now that more people are into surround sound the interest has spiked. Unfortunately the primary market has dried up. For the most part you will have to go to the secondary market where prices can be reasonable or ridiculous. To be fair, even places like Tower.com sell what the few they have for a premium price. I did a lot of Goggling and found some at smaller stores for great prices. I did also buy some at premium prices. Sometimes it can't be helped. Some are more rare than others. Flea markets are good places. If a dealer can't sell these specialty items they usually sell them cheap at some point or you can make a good deal.

Some people just don't want to buy a disc they can't play in the car, (although there are some DD 5.1 car players on the market but are very expensive now), or in their portable CD player. I can understand that as I felt that way once. Of course many people are into the MP3 player thing. I think that's great for carrying around but when I'm home I want the best sound. MP3's just can't reproduce that warm sound or DD 5.1/DTS. To me the MP3 sound is harsh and cold. 

As with most anything, always study, research, experience the subject as best you can. It's hard to advise you on when/how to buy. You may see a listing on e-bay, but if you wait to see if more show up, you may miss out on the one. Always compare prices. I've seen the same disc being sold for $11.95 and $35 brand new. Beware of buying used discs. Even though the seller may say it's in great condition, their idea of great condition could be different than yours. Personally, I do not want to buy scratched or dirty discs even if it does not affect playback. If it's a really, really rare one I might. Always ask a seller very specific questions. Even then though, some sellers lie.

Below is the list of discs I own. Rating scale is 1-10, 10 being the best. I will make comments next to each. I'm mainly a rock & roll guy but there are many genres of music to choose from. If you have any questions, e-mail me.

SACD- 

Pink Floyd/ Dark Side of the Moon- 10! MCSS. It's a hybrid so it can play stereo on any CD player. $15-$20- not out of print.

Elton John/ Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboys- 10! MCSS. Hybrid. $15-20- not out of print

David Bowie/ Ziggy Stardust- 8.5. MCSS. Great sound but sub-woofer and middle channel are weak. Volume needs to be up some. $15-$20- not out of print.

Aerosmith/ O yeah Ultimate Hits- 7.5. NOT MCSS! HI REZ STEREO ONLY! Somewhat disappointing. I need to turn down the treble to -2. Good song selection though. !!!BEWARE!!! There is a packaging error. HI REZ stereo. There is a silver plastic slipcase over the jewel case that says "stereo". However some have a gold slipcase that is normally used for MCSS SACD's but somehow got onto this title in error. $25-$30- two disc set in print.

Aerosmith/ Toys in the Attic- 8. MCSS but a little muffled. The difference in the MCSS and HI REZ stereo versions of "Walk This Way" is amazing. $15-$20- not out of print

Carol King/ Tapestry- 7.5. MCSS but not as sharp as others. $15-$20- not out of print.

3 Doors Down/ Away From the Sun- 9. MCSS. Also available in DVD-AUDIO. Out of print in either format- $20-$25

The Allman Brothers/ Eat a Peach- 9.5- MCSS. $15-$20- not out of print.

The Allman Brothers/ Live at the Fillmore- 9. MCSS. $25-30- two disc set. Not out of print but harder to find.

Layla/ Derek and the Dominos- 8. MCSS. I've read many reviews and there is a fairly even mix of like/don't like opinions. Most of the don't likes get very technical and my equipment is not that sophisticated. $15- not out of print. Only availible in SACD from a record club.

The Carpenters/ Singles 1969-1981-9. MCSS. Look, she has a great voice and deserves her props. It's a great loss for us even though she would have never sang with James Hetfield. $15- not out of print. Only availible in SACD from a record club.

Cosmo's Factory/ Creedence Clearwater Revival- 8.5. Very good for an old recording. HI REZ stereo only! Great songs on one cd. $30-$35. Not sure if in/out of print but was always harder to find.

The Rolling Stones/ Singles Collection The London Years- 7.5-8. The one I have is strictly SACD and all are HI REZ Stereo ony, no hybrid layer showing availible. I may have spoiled myself for MCSS. Some songs sound better than others. This does span a long time period so I need to be forgiving of the techniques and limitations used 40 years ago. This also comes in a few versions. There are the UK, US, Japanese releases, and maybe even one more, (referring only to the SACD). They are basically the same but a song or two could be a different version or totally different. To demonstrate the buying part of my guide, the songs on this set are basically all the few songs most people like from Beggars Banquest and Let It Bleed. There are some from Satanic Majesties.... and Sticky Fingers, as well as some older stuff. Most or all of the songs on the "Hot Rocks" release are on the Singles Collection. So, it seems the the Singles Collection is the only set I need if all the songs I want from four-five different CD's are on it. Also to demostrate the buying part of my guide, as you usually see, Rolling Stones stuff sells well. I bought my set from an e-bay seller on 04/22/08 , (store), for under $35!. You have seen the recordings mentioned earlier selling for $30-$75 each on e-bay, Amazon. $45-$70- out of print.

The Rolling Stones/ Let It Bleed- 8.5. HI REZ STEREO ONLY! $30-$40- out of print but not super rare.

Billy Joel/ The Stranger- 10!. MCSS. Very sharp. Not a hybrid so it only plays on an SACD capable unit. $15-$20- not sure if in/out of print but they are many places to buy at price listed.

The Who/ My Generation- 8. I did not expect too much since the stuff is so old but it really sounds great. HI REZ Stereo only with a couple of MONO tracks. $30-$40- out of print.

Peter Gabriel/ Shaking the Tree 16 Golden Hits- 8.5. HI REZ STEREO ONLY! NOT A HYBRID. ONLY PLAYS ON SACD CAPABLE MACHINES! Great sound with a really nice selection of songs. Out of print. $35-$45. 

DUALDISC- 

The Grateful Dead/ American Beauty- 9. MCSS. Also on DVD-Audio which sounds sharper to me. $15-$20- not sure if out of print but I see them in Best Buy fro $14.99.

AC/DC/ Back in Black- 9. Not MCSS, only HI REZ stereo. $15-$20- not sure if in/out of print but not too hard to find.

Bon Jovi/ Slippery When Wet- 9. MCSS. $15-$20- not sure if in/out of print but not hard to find.

DTS MUSIC DISC-

Inside the Music- Women on Top-(various artists)- 7.5-8. Some odd song selections. $10-$15- out of print but this is the price I mostly see. 

Inside the Music- New Wave-(various artists)- 8. Some tracks sound better than others. Worth it just for Lunatic Fringe. $20-$25- out of print but can be found on e-bay.

Inside the Music- Classic Rock-(various artists)- 8.5. J. Giles' "Centerfold" rocks! $30-$40- out of print but can be found on e-bay.

***These 3 have DD 5.1 and DVD-Audio tracks too!***

Marvin Gaye/ Forever Yours- 10! MCSS. $15-$20- out of print.

Don Henley/ End of the Innocence- 10! MCSS. First track starts quickly and almost seems cut off but it's not. Still can be bought CHEAP! $15-$20.

The Steve Miller Band/ Fly Like an Eagle- 10! MCSS. $30-$40- out of print.

Eric Clapton/ 461 Ocean Boulevard- 3!!!. Sucks like a Hoover vacuum. Eric's guitar is barely noticable. Out of print. Availible on SACD but I don't know how it sounds. Seems plentiful on e-bay.

Santana/Abraxas- 8. I've read some reviews that comment about wierd channeling of the sound. Keep in mind the age of the recording & that you are hearing it in a way you never had before so it sounds like a different recording but it's the original. $30-$40- out of print.

The Moody Blues/ Seventh Sojourn- 10! Really sharp and clean. $35-$50- out of print.

The Moody Blues/ Days of Future Past- 10! $35-$50- out of print.

Paul McCartney & Wings/ Venus and Mars- 7. Some great songs but technically so-so. Somewhat muffled here and there. Sound is channeled in an odd way to me. Singing is coming from the back speakers making it sound like the band is behind you. $20-$30- out of print.

Paul McCartney & Wings/ Band on the Run- 9. This is a tough one to find. NOTE: There are two releases of this disc. The first song is "Band on the Run". The first release was missing the first few notes. It came in a regular size CD case with a purple colored disc. There was a second release in the large DVD-Audio case. It was supposedly corrected but I've been told by the owner of 5.1 Marketing, (who produced many DTS discs), that even the supposed corrected versions in the large DVD-Audio cases may not all be corrected. If the disc top color is purple, it's the missing notes version regardless of the case it's in. If the disc top color is yellow it's the corrected version. $60-$75 for purple label version, $300+ for yellow label version-SUPER RARE!

The Police/ Every Breath You Take The Singles- 10! You can hear the trailing off of the Stuart's cymbals like you were sitting next to him. Get it while it's CHEAP! $15-$20.

Sting/ Ten Sommner's Tales- 10! I only wanted it for a few songs. $15-$20- out of print.

DVD-AUDIO

I Robot/ Alan Parsons- 10! This disc is of another type called HDAD. There are very few titles. For some reason everyone wants to dump this into the DVD-Audio catagory but it is not a DVD-Audio disc. It is HI-REZ but stereo only. $25-$35. Was really rare but they are popping up again. ***UPDATE 06/16/09*** SHOWING UP AT THREE ON-LINE STORES FOR UNDER $25. GOGGLE DVD-AUDIO I ROBOT.

The Doors/ L.A. Woman- 9. Real crisp and clear. $40-$60- out of print.

The Doors/ Morrison Hotel- 7.5. Bought it off e-bay. Someone was selling off individule titles from the "Perception" box set. Has DD 5.1, DTS, and HI REZ STEREO & MCSS but it's not as crisp as L.A. Woman. Has a lot of junk "extras" on it. Who wants to hear bad outtakes? $15-$20- not out of print.

Elton John/ Goodbye Yellow Brick Road- 10! Classic recording that kicks some serious surround sound A**! $25-$35- two disc set- out of print but still around.

George Benson/ Breezin'- 10!- I forgot how smooth this is. Great date music! Out of print. $35-$45.

Blue Oyster Cult/ A Long Day's Night- 8. Technically the sound is great for a live performance, but to me, the performance is bad. $10- out of print.

The Grateful Dead/ Workingman's Dead- 10! $40-$60- out of print.

The Grateful Dead- American Beauty- 10!. Available in DualDisc too Easier to find and cheaper but they are drying up. $30-$50 for the DVD-Audio version- out of print.

Chicago/ Chicago (II)- second album- 9. $40-$50- out of print.

Chicago V- 9. $40-$50- out of print.

Queen/ A Night at the Opera/ 9.5. This also has two versions. The original is a standard DVD-Audio with DTS, DD 5.1, and HI-REZ stereo sound which is rare for a DVD-audio disc. I have read that the original has some issue with the "God Save the Queen" track. It's not channeled properly or something. I'm not sure I hear it. It does have a couple of cool videos in DTS sound like, "Bohemian Rhapsody". The second version is a "30th Anniversary" edition. Basically the same but may not be DVD-Audio resolution. Version 1-$40-$60- out of print. Version 2-$20-in print. There are actually 3 DVD-Audio versions. Two U.S. releases and one U.K. They all are supposed to be the same. The U.K. version has a blue spine and blue insert under the disc. Different ownership and licensing details. The U.K. version seems to be tied more to Queen Productions Ltd.

Queen/ The Game- 9.5. Has DTS sound but it also has HI REZ MCSS, DD 5.1 and HI REZ Stereo! Get this one while you can still find it CHEAP! I'm starting to see the price on this one go up from the usual $11-$12 I see. Not cheap anymore. $40-$50- out of print.

Deep Purple/ Machine Head- 9. Any D P fan knows this is a must have in any format. This has a quick start beginning but seems complete compared to my stereo CD. Also available in SACD but I've not heard it and have only seen it coming from Hong Kong so BUYER BEWARE! I have also read that this is the original quadrophonic recording so it may not sound the same as the DVD-Audio. There are two verions. The first was in a regular sized jewel case in a cardboard sleeve. The second is in the standard DVD-Audio jewel case. Version 1- $70-$110. Version 2-$70-$110- out of print and popular.

Donald Fagan/ The Nightly- 9.5. Very cool recording from half of the famed Steely Dan. Now available in a three pack box set with Morph the Cat and Kamakiriand but there may be some differences. $25-$35- out of print.

The Eagles/ Hotel California- 9. I'm sick of that song though. I Used to live in L. A. and it was way overplayed. This has an interesting fact. Nowhere on the package will it say so, but this has  a DTS soundtrack! It has DD 5.1 and MCSS Hi Rez. To be honest, I think a couple of the songs sound better in HI REZ or DD 5.1 more than the DTS. "Life in the Fast Lane" is one. There are different disc color versions of this but apparently no one knows why. $70-$90- out of print.

Fleetwood Mac/ Rumours- 9.5. Sharp & clean. However another overplayed song, "Go Your Own Way". $70-$90- out of print.

Alice Cooper- Billion Dollar Babies- 8.5. $70-$90- out of print.

Yes/ Fragile- 9.5. Plays in DTS too! $70-$90- Includes the full ten minute version of, "America", as a bonus track and it is SUPER excellent in MCSS! Out of print.

Neil Young/ Harvest- 7.5. This disc has ALL the sound capabilities, MCSS, DD 5.1, DTS, HI REZ STEREO, etc. Somewhat muffled and "boomy". Odd channeling. Like Venus and Mars the back speakers are utilized more. $25-$35- out od print. Used to find it for $13.99 at at an online store as recent as October 2008.

Stone Temple Pilots- Core- 7. Sound really "booms" and not channeled well. $15-$20- out of print.

Emerson, Lake, and Palmer/ Brain Salad Surgery- 9.5. It seems to be the hardest one to find, (making it the most sought after and therefore the most expensive). There are two versions of this one too but it's just in the packaging. The first is very nice with a couple of booklets and inserts. It has a brown color to it. The more common version has a silver/blue color scheme and aside from that the only difference is it only has one booklet. I paid a good bit for a silver/blue version but it was sealed. I know of a an online store picturing the brown version  for $125 sealed. Now available on SACD but the track list looks like a lot of junk and DOES NOT HAVE LUCKY MAN!  There are two versions of this title. Like Machine Head, there is a brown, regular sized, cardboard case and the second in the silver/blue standard DVD-Audio jewel case. Version 1- $90-$110. Version 2-$70-$90- out of print.

Metallica/ Metallica (the black album)- 9.5 "Enter Sandman" will blow your mind and windows out. Sometimes a band's website has music for sale at regular prices...(hint). $18.99 if you understand my hint.

Santana/ Supernatural- 9. $15-$20- out of print.

Santana/ Shaman- 9. $15-$20- out of print.

T-Rex/ Electric Warrior- 8.5. Also availible in SACD format but it's out of print and fairly rare. $90-$110- out of print.

Foreigner/ Foreigner- 8.5. $60-$75- out of print.

Foreigner/4- 8.5. $70-$90- out of print and more rare than thw first album.

Bonnie Raitt/ Nick of Time- 8.5. Excellent sound but poor navigation tools. $20-$25- out of print.

Queensryche/ Empire. 9. Excellent sound and navigation tools. Only bought it for Jet City Woman and Silent Lucidity. $25-$40- out of print.

Leon Russell/ Leon Russell- 10!. Outstanding debut album. In HI REZ stereo only but sounds great. $60-$75- out of print.

The Band/ The Last Waltz- 9. Only complaint is it takes too long for things to load when selected from the menu. $60-$75- out of print.

The Band/ Music From Big Pink-8. A little less maybe but still nice. Out of print. $45-$60

R.E.M./ In Time/Best Of- 9. Really fine! $60-$80- out of print.

The Beatles/ Love Songs- 8. The sound quality is great hence the rating but the re-mixes are bizzare to pleasantly unique. The only real untouched song is "I Am the Walrus". Mostly it made me want to hear the original versions. Has DTS sound too.

A WORD ABOUT BUYING... as you scan e-bay, you can see that some titles are inexpensive but most are fetching a premium price. Since these are becoming more popular, even more than when first released, some sellers are artificially inflating their value although they did originally retail for $20-$30. I believe there are a few super rare titles that should command a premium price, Brain Salad Surgery, Band on the Run for example. All the rest are abundant to fairly rare. There is no price guide I know of so the seller is determining the value. However that can be based on what others have paid for the same item. It's all supply and demand but there are some unscrupulous sellers out there. UPDATE 04/20/09*** someone is selling what appears to me to be homemade, burned copies. They don't even look professional. There is no such thing as a "promo" DVD-Audio. They can't be used on the radio so who's promo'ing it? Think about it, when you go to buy a DVD/CD player, the stores already have demo discs that usually have a sampling of different movie clips and not music. The market for HI-REZ music is so small unlike it is for movies.

I understand being anxious to get the one you want. Sometimes you don't see a particular title on auction for months, then five pop up in a week. That tends to cause us to pay a little more than we might want to causing the sellers to keep the prices high. Waiting and researching is the buyers best bet. Although I paid $88 for my sealed Brain Salad Surgery on e-bay, (which is about normal but still a lot for any CD), I waited several months trying to find the best deal. 

UDATE 04/14/09*********** Be wary of "Second Chance Offers". These are supposed to be used if the winning bidder for some reason does not pay and you were the last bidder. I bid on 3 auctions from 3 different sellers that all eneded the same night.. I set my highest bids in the beginning and did not raise them. I did not win them but THE NEXT DAY all 3 sellers e-mailed me with second offers but at the price the auction ended with, not the auction's starting bid or my last bid prior to the winning bid in case there was someone bidding after me, (WHEW!). More than one person bid after me so why did they not get the second offer? Also, it is very odd that 3 different auctions, that had multiple bidders above me, drop out in 12 hours. In addition to also, if all the other bidders dropped out, I should be able to buy it for whatever the AUCTION AMOUNT started at, not my highest bid. Because even if I bid $100, if the auction starting bid was $20 and no one else had bid, I would have won it for $20, not $100. If Very suspicious and I would not accept offers like that. 

Don't be suckered in by sellers who note that the title is rare and to check Amazon prices. You're not buying it from Amazon so what does that matter. Amazon is one of the most over-priced selling sites around.

Use Google. Type in exactly what you are looking for, "dvd-audio brain salad surgery". Some listings can be, old and lead to nothing, reviews, and people actually selling the disc. Be very wary of overseas stores. They usually list the item as in stock but it's really not. They are willing to process your credit card payment immediately though. Even U.S. retailers do that but at least you can call them and they can sometimes tell you if it's in of stock. You have to search every day! One popular e-bay store listed Metallica's black album, factory sealed, for $18.99. I saw it two minutes after it listed and of course bought it. The place I just bought I Robot from is a site I go back to all the time and it paid off! Of course if you are rich, some of this won't matter. UPDATE 04/11/08: I'm starting to see some of the more traditionally reasonably priced DVD-Audio discs going up in price as the demand continues and the supply dwindles. Still research the ones you want really well. I've seen The Jonas Brothers DualDisc, "It's About Time", being sold for $150 to over $200. Honestly, how many of you would want that for yourself? It's a kids band. How many of you would spend that kind of money on a CD for your kids?

Occasionally a listing may describe a "cut" in the case. This is just like what was done to record albums. When an album was being put on clearance due to slow sales, too many in stock, discontinued item, etc, a small cut was made near a corner of the album cover. These are known as "cut-outs". It does not affect playback or decrease the value unless you are a fanatic about the case being perfect.

With e-bay listings, be careful to understand what the item is being listed. Unfortunately many items are NOT DVD-Audio. Sometimes the seller truly does not pick the right category just because they either don't realize it or think it fits. Then you have those who are trying to trick you. There is a big surge in demand for these types of discs now so some unsrupulous people are trying to capitalize on it. Audio DVD is a very specific thing. It's like calling apples oranges. Just because a DVD has audio on it does not make it an Audio-DVD.

A FINAL WORD...These discs are being re-mastered as DTS, DD 5.1, and HI REZ usually from the original studio tapes. If and when recordings are made directly in these mediums, the sound should only get better. Other notable mastering types of discs are called HDAD, K2HZ, XRCD, SHM, and of course Mobile Fidelity Original Master Recordings. While none are in DD 5.1,  DTS, or officially marketed as HI REZ, they do offer remarkably high fidelity compared to their regular CD counterparts. They do also have an SACD line but most are out of print as are many non MFSL SACD's. Also up and coming is Dolby Digital True HD and HD+ sound. You will need an HD DVD player and an A/V unit with True HD and HD+. There is talk about Neil Young putting his catalogue on BluRay. There is a lot of talk about CD's going down the tubes because people are downloading music. I doubt that they will for good or soon because you can't download Hi-Rez, DD 5.1, or DTS sound, now anyway. I believe there is still a large enough market of audiophiles to continue making CD's in these formats but they would be a specialty item. Stereo sound may soon be a thing of the past for CD's rather than their total demise.