On January 13, 2007 The Bassface Swing Trio landed in Stockfisch Studios. These amazingly talented musicians with nerves of steel are: Thilo Wagner - piano, Jean-Philippe Wadle – upright bass, Florian Hermann - drums. They played Gershwin, celebrating and improvising this music breathtakingly – and swinging!
There are several ways to approach such a project. We decided to go strictly analog. To maintain this cohesion, we kept all recording paths, the mix and the signal path to the cutting head of our VMS-80 cutting lathe analog! .
What makes the result particularly interesting is the splitting of the analog stereo sum into three destinations. In addition to the direct analog signal for DMM cutting, we converted the mix into highest-grade DSD format (Direct Stream Digital/2,8224 MHz) - using a 1-bit converter - and into conventional digital audio format, 16-bit/44.1 kHz PCM, as well.
What is a DIRECT-CUT-SUPER-AUDIO-CD?On the Super Audio CD (SACD) the sound is recorded in DSD (Direct Stream Digital) format. The sampling frequency (2.8224 MHz) is 64 times that of a traditional CD. Furthermore, DSD uses 1-bit quantization. With the aid of this technology an even broader frequency range (up to 100 kHz) and even greater dynamics (120 dB) can be achieved over the entire useful audio range.
Until now it was practically impossible to maintain the DSD format throughout the entire edit/mix/mastering sequence during production. This was because no system is yet available which permitted the necessary processing in the 1-bit format after a DSD recording. This meant that the unavoidable editing procedures such as gain leveling, mixing, cross-fades or even additional EQing or dynamics processing could be achieved only by downconverting to PCM format (i.e. the Pulse Code Modulation format of the traditional CD).
Stockfisch used a SADiE DSD8 system for the recording, processing and mastering of this DIRECT-CUT-SUPER-AUDIO-CD: a brand-new system that allows simultaneous recording of 8 channels. The analogue signal from the microphone is converted at the input to DSD and is also maintained in DSD-Wide format with 2,8224 MHz throughout the processing stages already mentioned. The end result is then obtained in the SADiE DSD8 – the "cutting master" (AIT tape) – which is then transferred directly to an SACD glass master in the pressing plant.
This DIRECT-CUT-SUPER-AUDIO-CD will enable you to hear a 5.1 DSD surround mix (if available) as well as a DSD stereo mix on the SACD layer, and the 16-bit PCM stereo program on the hybrid layer which guarantees downward compatibility. So this gives you the first ever opportunity of comparing a real(!) DSD recording with the conventional CD format.
Features:
• Super Audio CD
• SACD Stereo SACD Layer
• This Hybrid SACD contains a 'Red Book' Stereo CD Layer which is playable on most conventional CD Players!
• Direct Cut SACD
Musicians:
The Bassface Swing Trio:
Thilo Wagner, Fazioli F 228-grand piano
Jean-Philippe Wadle, upright bass
Florian Hermann, drums
Selections:
1. Oh, Lady Be Good
2. Embraceable You
3. Strike Up The Band
4. Our Love Is Here To Stay
5. The Man I Love
6. I Got Rhythm
