Hi-Rez Highway: Peter Tosh "Legalize It" - First Impressions. by MT

Picked up the Tosh SACD at Coconuts in Totowa, NJ. I could have waited until Tuesday, since Compact Disc World would have been $3.00 cheaper - but being a big reggae fan and a big Tosh fan I couldn't wait. So here goes.

I listened to both the stereo and MCH mix on my XA777ES. Someone asked about a disc to show off bass response - well here it is. This has really powerful, but clean bass response. My couch was actually vibrating.

When "Legalize It" first came out on CD it was a major disappointment. It sounded like it was transferred to CD using two big fluffy pillows as filters. There was no high end and the sound was somewhat muffled. The 1999 re-master improved upon the initial release - night and day. And the SACD now improves upon the redbook release.

In stereo, what I heard was a much deeper and cleaner bass, a more open soundstage and much cleaner sonics overall. Don't get the wrong impression though, much of this album was recorded in the late 70's in Jamaica - probably on "marginal" analog equipment - and it shows. There can be alot of hiss, as well as master tape anomolies (i.e., dropouts, strange fades, and uneven quality from cut to cut). Nonetheless, this is the best I have ever heard this album sound, especially in the definition and separation of the bass and vocals from the rest of the mix. The changes are sometimes subtle from the re-mastered redbook, and sometimes not so subtle. It really depends on the specific song. The standout cut, sonically, was "Till Your Well Runs Dry", with the "Ketchy Shuby (Instrumental)" bonus track not far behind. Overall - the sound is more open and dynamic than any other 5" disc release previous. If you are a reggae fan, you have to get this SACD.

Now for the absolute revelation - the Multi-channel mix. This was one of the more immersive and well balanced MCH SACD mixes I have heard in a while. Congrats have to go out to Jerry Rappaport who created the 5.1 surround mix. He utilized the rears very aggressively, but not to highlight individual instruments, but to give you that full immersive feel that only the best surround mixes can create. Most of the music was presented in the front soundstage, with vocals more centered than even with the stereo mix (since vocals were mixed heavily to the center channel speaker - but bled out to the front mains also). The rears were used enough so that instrumentation was brought out toward the front sides - with some minor touches separated to the rear. But it was so immersive, I felt like I was floating in air (and no I didn't even partake of that stuff which Peter was on the cover of this album).

The sonics on the MCH mix belied the age of the recording, and although not really better than what can be heard on the stereo mix, seemed "better" probably, IMO, due to the great surround mix.

I know alot of members of this board dismiss MCH as just another fad, or an updated attempt at 70's quad, but you might want to find a way to hear this MCH mix (if you are into reggae music) since I think you might be quite surprised.

I know that my opinions here could be a bit biased in that next to the Grateful Dead, reggae music is my second favorite musical passion. Something about that "One Drop" that just sends an electrical impulse down my spine.

I hope Sony see's fit to release "Equal Rights" on SACD since that is probably the better of the 2 early Peter Tosh Columbia releases.