Lately, I've been getting the feeling that even TowerRecords is taking some questionable steps with their high-res remastering series for SACD. On one hand, I'm skeptical of their so-called "improvements" (by adding overtones) from digital PCM sources in Redbook format (16/44.1). To be fair, other companies have also discovered this type of money-making scheme. A notable example is Sony's SACD release of Bruckner's Symphonies 3-9 with Celibidache and the Munich Philharmonic. I see these releases as a clever and creative marketing gimmick that leads to the land of Hi-Fi voodoo and snake oil. But hey, that's just my opinion.

TowerRecords is planning to release Beethoven's Piano Concertos with Gulda/Stein/Vienna Philharmonic on Hybrid-SACD at the end of March 2025. These recordings were already released in 2016 as SHM-SACD, DSD-mastered by UK ClassicSound, by Universal Japan. If I understand the translation of TowerRecords' Japanese text correctly, this new release will use the old DSD files from 2016 and then - Hi-Fi voodoo drum roll - "remaster" and "improve" them again. Is this really necessary? Do we really need/want this? - I definitely don't. There are still so many old tapes that haven't been remastered for SACD at all. Instead, some recordings are being re-released endlessly. - So, I’ve just vented my frustration.

I don't want to offend anyone who's interested in or enthusiastic about these kinds of reissues. I myself am one of those people who, despite knowing better, still buy new editions of the same old recording, hoping that the sound has become a bit better, more natural, spatial, or whatever. But after decades of pursuing this hobby, I'm starting to wonder if I'm more interested in the music itself or just the sound and its improvement.

To wrap up this rather lengthy and perhaps not entirely accurate comment, here are some examples of "real" new releases on SACD—well-known recordings that have never been released on SACD and/or are only available on RBCD (all analog recordings):

Bruckner: Symphonies 1-9 (Günter Wand, Radio Symphony Orchestra Cologne, EMI/Harmonia Mundi)

Wagner: Parsifal (Solti, DECCA)

Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Solti, DECCA)

Haydn: London Symphonies (Jochum, DG)

Contrapunctus, I agree with you 100%. Tower (and Esoteric) are releasing so many titles that have been issued previously, in some cases these are 3rd SACD editions. I do not understand this at all! And yes, it is frustrating because so many great recordings remain in the vaults without any HD remaster (never mind SACD.) I was recently thinking of Karajan's spectacular "Meistersinger" from Dresden and a delightful "Die Fledermaus" from Vienna. For the Rachmaninoff centennial, Decca Japan and Esoteric issued multiple editions of Ashkenazy/Previn Rach Piano Concertos, but Ashkenazy's magnificent complete Rachmaninoff songs with Elizabeth Söderström remains in early analog-to-digital hell. Claudio Abbado's legendary "Simon Boccanegra" on DG does too. Ditto Tulio Serafin's "Otello" with Vickers/Rysanek/Gobbi on RCA. Carlo Maria Giulini's "Don Carlo" with an unmatched all-star cast. (These are just the vocal/opera titles.) Complete Schubert string-quartets by Melos on DG. Complete Shostakovich String Quartets by Fitzwilliam Quartet. Completely forgotten by the labels. These are just off-the-top of my head... Who is in charge of these selections and do they even know their labels' catalog?!

Hey DYB, I'm definitely not an industry insider with a deep understanding of the music business, but as an avid music listener and collector, I've chatted and emailed over the years with folks who are either insiders or long-time music dealers with connections to the big labels. From all those conversations, a clear picture emerges, especially for the major labels, with DG leading the pack: the managers in charge actually have no clue about the actual music, and they have zero understanding of the historical significance of their catalogs. They are controllers, number crunchers, and guys who are good at selling themselves. - For example, I point to a few YouTube videos by DG made for the Original Source series (Vinyl), especially two longer discussions featuring DG 'Heritage Manager' Johannes Gleim, Rainer Maillard, etc. - Gleim, to me, is the prototype I described above, ensuring for years that experienced music listeners become increasingly annoyed by the constant repetition of certain titles. At least, that's how it feels to me.

Contrapunctus, unfortunately everything you say sounds about right...