The Super Audio CD (SACD) features two disc layers. One layer contains a standard version of the album that works on any CD player. The other layer includes high-resolution stereo and a 5.1 surround version of the recording that works on SACD-compatible DVD players and home theater systems. Both layers employ SACD's Direct Stream Digital (DSD) encoding process that samples the music 64 times faster than CD for unprecedented fidelity.

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...BUT...

I have a few beefs, some minor, some major.

1. The song breaks are in the wrong places. Generally they take you not to the next track, but a few seconds before the real song break takes place. It's REAL aggravating. Oops...

2. The mix seems to me to be subtly different from what I'm used to (I never had the 92 remaster, only the original LP and CD releases) and in some cases, I'm afraid it's noticably different (inferior?) Most notably is "Great Gig in the Sky" where the wonderful vocal solo is relegated to the background, fighting for attention with the organ. This is somewhat mitigated by the surround mix, but on a standard CD player it was noticable, and a little irritating. Since I do a lot of listening in the car, I'm just not sure I wouldn't prefer the original CD to this there. Or I guess I could just burn the old vinyl copy onto CD (see below)

3. I'm sorry, but the title of this album is "Dark Side of the Moon", not "THE Dark Side of the Moon" as it says on the spine of this reissue. Serious proofreading error, imho. Maybe it's intentional, to distinguish?

4. Nice new cover art, but the original was perfect. I wish that the book had been reversible, so you could have the original cover image. (btw, I didn't like the change they made in 92 either) I know it's nitpicking, but back in the days when album art was 12" square it wouldn't have been.

Ultimately, it's worth getting if you're a fan of the album, and if you're not a fan of the album...what is your problem? But to my ears, as a CD, this does not surpass the High-quality Vinyl Original Master Recording from Mobile Fidelity that I listened to in the 80s (on a really good turntable and stereo). Unless of course, you must have surround. And if you must, you MUST hear this. The 5.1 mix is exhilirating, and not as obnoxious and "un-musical" as others I've heard. I give it 4 stars, because the SACD portion definitely gets 5, and the CD gets about 3, so I split the difference.

45 of 47 found the following review helpful:

Clear, well presented, excellent!Jul 08, 2005
By Mark Pollock "educator"
Well, as always, your mileage may vary...

It is quite possible for someone to hear this version of the album and hate it. When I first put it on, I wasn;t too happy myself. Then I switched my receiver to direct input mode, bypassing all of the processing that the receiver does and, well, wow.

The sound of this album on the SACD tracks is a revelation. First, let's deal with the stereo mix.

This is clearly the original stereo mix, with all the little bits of hiss and the tiny sound of some big band playing the beatles barely audible at the tail end of the album. No noise reduction, just really good, clean mastering with all the punch this recording needs. The roto-toms in "Time" pop out of the speakers, the opening guitars in "Breathe" shimmer", and, well, everything is just right.

Then we get to the surround mix. This is very well done, reflects the orignal stereo mix exactly in volume of instruments, reverb, and tone, surrounds the listener well, and has absolutely no hiss whatsoever. Amazing. Simply amazing.

The cd layer is merely adequate. I agree with other reviewers, something went amiss with the cd layer. But I bought this for the SACD content, and that is simply awesome. To the "engineer" who said that he wouldn't consider buying a SACD player after hearing the cd layer of this cd, let me offer you an analogy of what you are saying:

I have a 1978 VW bus that I drive occasionally. It shares many common engine parts with some Porshes made at the same time. Your saying that the cd convinces you to ignore the SACD is like me saying that I don't like Porshes because my VW bus doesn't go 100 mph. Sharing parts doesn't make my car a Porshe, and just because the disc is round and shiny doesn't mean that SACD isn't any good.

Enjoy!

1322 of 1539 found the following review helpful:

Imitation Dark Side of the MoonApr 18, 2003
By Kenneth Stuart
Being a Pink Floyd fan, I have purchased every version of this album since it was released 30 years ago.

By far the best version is the SQ Quadraphonic LP version, but as far as the stereo mix goes, the original UK Harvest CD (made in Japan) is still the high point.

Ten years ago, the fine engineer Doug Sax made a valiant effort, but it is clear listening to that XXth Aniversary Edition CD that the original tapes no longer have the same dynamics they originally had (magnetic analog storage slowly loses it quality).

Nevertheless, I decided to give this new 30th Anniversary CD a try. I should mention here that this is only a review of the standard stereo tracks - I don't yet have an SACD-capable player.

However this release doesn't make me want to run out and buy one. My worst fears have been realized as once again, the overall mix of the album has been lost in favor of "resolving power", ie the ability to hear little details. The problem is that after applying techniques to bring out such details, the engineers have done nothing to restore the original mix of the album.

The result is like a starving artist's copy of a Rembrandt painting - it sounds something like Dark Side of the Moon, but when you hear the real thing, you realize that it is only a faded imitation.

The problem is that few people these days have access to what it actually sounds like. Almost no one listens to their LP versions, and only a handful of people are lucky enough to own the original UK Harvest CD. Furthermore, it seems clear that the engineers of this 30th Anniversary Edition haven't listened to the original, either.

Interestingly, the original engineer, Alan Parsons, asked to be involved in this 30th Anniversary Edition project, but was shut out. It would seem that future listeners suffer as a result.

PS My qualifications: I am a California state certified Studio Recording Engineer. One of my instructors was the original engineer for the drum recordings for "Dark Side of the Moon". I compared the 30th Anniversary Edition, XXth Anniversary Edition, and UK Harvest CDs using AKG K240 Studio Monitor headphones (as used in many studio recording situations over the past 20-30 years).

26 of 26 found the following review helpful:

Buy it for the SACD, not the CD tracksMay 19, 2005
By Michael Mikesell
Another customer comments that this remaster does not stand up against the original Harvest UK CD issue. I have not heard that, but I do own the original US CD issue, the 20th anniversary US issue, the Mobile Fidelity gold CD, and a number of LPs, including a French pressing from a pre-Wall "complete" box set. Until I heard this, the best-sounding version I'd heard was a Japanese Mobile Fidelity pressing played on a world-class turntable in an incredible stereo system. Stunning.

It's true that the standard-CD version of the album presented here on the 30th anniversary reissue is overly compressed and hyped in the treble and not what I would call faithful to my conception of what the master tape sounds (or ought to sound) like.

But the SACD tracks! It's a completely different program. It is far and away the most lucid, dynamic incarnation I've heard, open and airy and simply *clear* beyond my dreaming. The bass tones in the opening of "Time" explode from the speakers with an authority I've heard only in listening to SACD material on terrific systems. It's not at all about *quantity* of bass. It's not boomy. There's simply an ease and richness in the sound of the bass that I can only compare to the sound of a plucked string from an electric bass guitar emanating from a great bass amp.

If you already own this album on CD and you don't have an SACD player, you may want to consider sticking with the version you have. But if you're set up to appreciate Super Audio CD and you like or think you might like this album, this disc is a must-have. Especially at this price! (And it is indeed *The* Dark Side of the Moon, contrary to what another has opined below.)

90 of 104 found the following review helpful:

Yes, It's Totally Worth Getting....Apr 01, 2003
By Alan Caylow
....even if you *can't* access the surround-sound mix! I won't bother reviewing the album itself---we know already that Pink Floyd's "Dark Side Of The Moon" is an immortal rock masterpiece. The big question about this special 30th Anniversary Edition is, is it worth getting, especially if you've already shelled out money for the original CD version, the Mobile Fidelity gold CD version, AND the 20th Anniversary Edition from 10 years ago? Could this landmark album be worth buying yet again? The answer is a resounding *YES*! The funny thing is, I don't even own a proper home theater system, so I can't play the special surround-sound mix, only the regular stereo mix. And that alone has totally blown me away. Believe me, you've NEVER heard "Dark Side Of The Moon" sound this good. This 30th Aniversary Edition of "Dark Side" is a complete package all the way around. The new, updated prism cover art by Storm Thorgerson & Peter Curzon is very colorful & cool to look at, and the new CD booklet, 30 pages long with 30 assorted photographs, gives an excellent history of the "Dark Side" album itself (I never knew that the Russians got a slightly different album cover than the rest of the world). The CD itself is gold-colored, which, before you even play it, is already a good sign of the new-and-improved sound quality. I played this new "Dark Side" back-to-back with the older 20th Anniversary version, and yes indeed, this new "Dark Side" CD definitely sounds better---bigger boom, stronger sonics & clarity, and the bass has more bottom to it (you can totally *feel* that opening heartbeat, to name one example). The band literally ROAR out of the speakers. The instruments, the vocals, the taped speaking voices and sound effects sound even clearer & sharper than ever before. You can definitely hear notes & other bits that weren't previously detected. The bottom line: the sound quality on this new "Dark Side" CD is just plain astonishing. My compliments to Doug Sax & James Guthrie for an outstanding remastering job.I'm sure we can expect another CD upgrade of this classic album in 2013, when "Dark Side" turns 40. Until then, you owe it to yourself to pick up this 30th Anniversary Edition, and hear "Dark Side" as you've never heard it before, even if you don't own a home theater system. The fabulous new stereo mix alone, along with the impressive new packaging, makes this purchase a total keeper. Let's face it---you can *never* have too many copies of Pink Floyd's "Dark Side Of The Moon."

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