Hotel California 2013

Received with a cracked case, but nothing inside was damaged. It was sealed. It played both SACD stereo/multi channel and standard CD format (44k) just fine. Love the sound, but still like my vinyl version more. But these come really close. I have way too many old CD cases laying around so easy to replace.

This is a review of the Japanese-import SACD version of the album. In short, it's great. I previously owned the DVD-Audio version of this surround mix but decided to sell it after it went out of print and prices skyrocketed. Unfortunately, I missed having the album in 5.1; fortunately, the SACD version is just terrific. In fact, it may even be better. The DVD-Audio was amazing, but I actually prefer the slightly softer feel of the SACD. The mix, as far as I know, is identical to the one that was done for DVD-A, but SACDs just seem to have a bit more warmth. Of course, you don't get the visual extras, which included some nice photos and one of the most attractive DVD-A menus I've ever seen. If your focus is the music, that obviously won't matter to you. And for those who don't remember or weren't around ... well, the Eagles were probably at the creative peak on this album. The title track, "New Kid in Town," "Life in the Fast Lane," Victim of Love," "Try and Love Again" and "The Last Resort" all became FM radio rock standards, and in fact were so overplayed in the 1970s and 1980s that some fans (myself included) needed a long break. But there's no denying the talent on display here. Drummer/singer Don Henley was at his swaggering best. Bassist Randy Meisner's songwriting contribution ("Try and Love Again") was the best of his career. Glenn Frey, Henley's most frequent writing partner, was often overshadowed in the band, both instrumentally and vocally, but his wistful vocal on "New Kid in Town" and wicked Clavinet on "Fast Lane" were superb. Finally, the dual leads of guitarists Joe Walsh and Don Felder just shredded everything in their path. Felder would later be dismissed by Henley and Frey, with the result being a legal mess. Walsh returned to the fold after many years, but my understanding is that, financially, he's never been a full partner. Tim Schmidt took over bass duties for Meisner after this record, playing on "The Long Run." The latter was a decent album, but it didn't stand up to its predecessor. There were a few great songs ("King of Hollywood," for example) but also a few too many few duds -- "Teenage Jail," the duh-hey "The Greeks Don't Want No Freaks." "Hotel California," by contrast, is the Eagles signature record. The 5.1 mix isolates the instruments beautifully; on every nearly every song, there is at least one moment that emerges as breathtaking: 1. The separation of the acoustic and electric guitars on the title track, plus Henley's ghostly percussion. 2. Walsh's first organ riff on "New Kid." 3. The opening-note onslaught of the electric guitars on "Fast Lane." 4. Henley's vocal on the final stanza of "Wasted Time"; he sounds both suitably exhausted and engaged. 5. The clarity of the orchestra at the end of "Wasted Time (Reprise)." 6. The ENTIRETY of "Victim of Love." On the runoff track of the original pressing of the album, the careful eye could find this message: "V.O.L. is five-piece live," meaning there were no studio overdubs. The performance of the song was spot-on and crackled with energy. 7. Walsh's battered, nasal but somehow perfectly suitable voice on "Pretty Maids All in a Row." 8. Meisner's entirely unbattered, stratospheric singing on "Try and Love Again." 9. And finally, Frey's glorious but restrained piano on "The Last Resort"; on the 5.1 mix, you can actually hear the hammers striking the strings in one passage. Great album, great mix, and a great look back at one of the landmarks of 1970s rock.

The Eagles are one of my top 3 Classic Rock bands and I had to have this in my collection when I saw it was an anniversary edition of one of their best albums of all time. I bought two, when I bought my copy I also bought one for my mom as a gift at the time. I also want to have the vinyl version for that part of my collection.

FABULOUS! Feels like I’m back in College listening to this album. The Band was at its best here with incredible writing production and sharing their craft. I wanted to replace my original LP that was worn put with a newer version without the damage that is inevitable from years of playing. I was NOT DISAPPOINTED. This repress is just outstanding. Phenomenal sound. Clear, no distortion. With technology today able to extract what Studios put on the Master, this album delivers. My wife bought me a Rega Planar turntable for Christmas and I just put this through its paces with this Album. Absolutely blown away. I’m very discriminating and feel this is a bargain. Get it. You will NOT be disappointed. Sounds like what Vinyl used to deliver for that feeling of ‘being there’ when they recorded it.

My computer is down so this is David's wife, Kathleen, writing this review. On any album or compilation of music, there are usually one or two songs that the buyer doesn't really like that well. On this album, there are none. Our son and daughter are eight years apart in age and they like this album. I had an old fashioned record of it that I wore out, as well, but that was in ancient times and not so uncommon. I am very careful of my CDs. If one accidentally gets soiled (and it's truly not my fault), I just wash it in light washing liquid and tepid water, carefully rubbing any spot that doesn't come out in the correct way. When I first noticed this CD sounding kind of muffled, I checked it for dirt or fingerprints but there were none. Then I blamed it on the system I was using. When I put it into our Bose system and it still sounded muffled, I realized, I'd worn out a CD! When the new CD arrived, it sounded just the way it should have so I guess the old one had run its course! I am very happy to have a new version of this Masterpiece to play and highly recommend it to anyone who likes Eagles' music. Even if you don't, give it a try. You'll be in for a treat - it's a combination of soft rock, ballads and a bit of harder rock; but the best thing is that it's a great album from the Eagles when they were at their very best!

Packaging exceptional. My favorite band and song ‘Hotel California’. There is an actual hotel named ‘Hotel California’ in the South of France between Nice and Cannes’ ( there was one in May of 1994!)

This is a review of the 180g vinyl release of this album. I would state that it's just OK, but at this point this release it getting over priced. I will not go into the content. It's one of the best records ever made and should be in everyone's collection. As far as sound goes, the vinyl is quiet. The mastering is just a little better than the original asylum releases from back in the day. Which is to say, it's just OK, but probably what you should buy if you have to own it on vinyl. The best copy I own is vinyl DCC release mastered by Steve Hoffman. While I'm not a huge fan of Mr. Hoffman, he does get some of his work done exceptionally well. And in the case of Hotel California, he knocks it out of the park. The cost of used DCC copies now range over $300, so they aren't affordable for most people. The DCC Gold CD however, with the decline of physical digital media, has become similarly priced to the 180g vinyl pricing. I haven't heard this CD, but I would go that route over the new 180g version. I recommend getting the Gold CD over the new vinyl just because Hoffman mastered both analog and digital versions. You can do your own research on DCC release, but, Hoffman in essence corrected the mastering to sound better on YOUR speakers. Apparently, Hoffman found out during his remastering that the original album mastering sounded awful unless you matched the playback onto specific JBL monitors that were used on the original mastering. He corrected the mastering to match the sound he heard coming out of JBLs studio monitors to the sound output of home speakers with his remaster. And it sounds completely different from the original mastering and much more refined, at least on my speakers. The drums, don't sound as boomy as they do on the Asylum masters. They asylum masters just sound over produced compared to DCC releases. So consider the Gold CD, if you can find one at a price close to the 180g price, I think your money will be much better spent. In case, you're interested I also own the Japanese SACD, which is just OK as well, but no much better than the old Asylum vinyl copies and about the same as the 180g vinyl. The sound is clear to the point where it's a bit sterile. The SACD also has a 5.1 mix, which I find interesting. But I also think multi-channel music is about as interesting as 3D TV. It sounds like a cool idea, but, it turns out, it isn't really worth the bother. If you've never heard multi-channel mixes, it's weird. If you turn your head, the sound stage shifts. This doesn't happen with movies, because you keep your face toward the screen. But unless you're an audiophile who is more interested in listening to gear over enjoying great music, you aren't going to just stare at space in between your speakers for the length of and entire album. Just my take. I don't normally recommend CDs over analog copies. Most of my collection is vinyl, but this is an exception. If you ever find a DCC vinyl Hotel California, buy it. I can't recommend it more, it's just really rare and just stupidly priced. The order I would place the copies I own are as follows: DCC Vinyl SACD 180g new vinyl Original vinyl mastering Original CD mastering I would suspect the DCC Gold CD sounds better than the SACD, but it might sound better than the vinyl. Probably not, but more probable is that it will sound way better than new 180g vinyl. Most people don't think Hotel California actually sounds all that great despite including some of the best songs ever recorded, but those people also have never heard the DCC remasters.

Awes