FIRST PICTURES / Bob Marley: “Legend” anniversary CD+Blu-ray
Released this week was the 30th Anniversary deluxe edition of the Bob Marley Legend compilation.
This two-disc edition offers CD and blu-ray audio versions of the album, with the latter featuring a new 5.1 surround mix, alternate versions of Easy Skanking and Punky Reggae Party and the studio version of No Woman No Cry (the CD maintains the original versions of all of those tracks).
The blu-ray has 96Khz /24 bit PCM stereo, in addition to DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby True HD 5.1 surround sound. Interestingly, the ‘Pure Audio’ brand isn’t anywhere to be found, perhaps because a frills-free stereo blu-ray audio under that banner was issued last year.
A real bonus is the excellent packaging, with a tactile ‘soft feel’ casebound book containing archive photography, lyrics to all the songs and a preface from Sir Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder.
Legend 30th Anniversary deluxe edition is out now.
CD+Blu-ray Deluxe
- • UK Pre-order: Legend: 30th Anniversary Edition
- • USA Pre-order: Legend – 30th Anniversary
- • CANADA Pre-order: Legend: 30th Anniversary Edition
- • GERMANY Pre-order: Legend – 30th Anniversary
Tri-colour double vinyl
Available on August 6th as limited edition SHM-CD+Blu-ray in Japan.
I have just listened to this blu-ray disc. Very good sound in 5.1 and also in stereo. 24/96. I have not yet listened to the CD. The quality of the package is also good. If you want a hi-rez summer disc, just buy this one. You will not regret it. Finally Universal is getting there, well done. My hope is, that they listened to all of us, who took the time to write a few lines of bad reviews, of the previous HFPA discs, that really did not cut it.
Thank you all, who took the time to write here.
First we had the awfull stereo only HFPA disc, now we get a sublime 5.1 disc when Universal get it right its so good a shame they are not more cosistent
Is the blu-ray available separately?
Having bought many ‘super deluxe’ and ‘deluxe’ editions I have learnt to handle them with care because quality it seems is the last consideration when it comes to packaging.
This set, again like many others, suffers from the discs being squeezed into tight pockets and is form over function. The discs are the most important element in these sets, which the designers would do well to remember and they should be housed on proper holders not loose in cardboard sleeves or rammed in overly tight pockets, both which usually result in the discs becoming marked.
@Billy I use clear CD inner sleeves with rounded bottom to protect my discs . I can confirm that these sleeves easily fit into the two slots holding the CD and Blu-Ray. These are the same type of inner sleeves that many of the Japanese mini LP releases come with.
Just bought this today. great package ruined by poor finish, The first time I looked at the booklet it detached itself from the outer cardboard case as the staples were only secured through a thin paper backing!
Could this be why the recent booklets in the Columbia Legacy box sets of Johnnie Winter and Mike Bloomfield are not attached at all to the outer cardboard packaging?
The 5.1 mix is excellent, one of the best I’ve heard in ages. Totally worth the price.
Just picked this up a few days ago. The music speaks for itself. As far as the “product,” mixed feelings: Sir Paul McCartney’s comments are just a few sentences of platitudes and the CD seems to be the same master as the 2-CD version from 2002 — but without the bonus disc of remixes. On the other hand, the Blu-Ray remaster, even when I listen to it “downgraded” to PCM stereo, sounds amazing. As with CD layers on hybrid SACD’s, it seems that something in the BluRay technology “enhances” standard Red Book digital. And the packaging is very nicely done. I suspect this is the future of physical digital music media — hi-res and with semi-deluxe packaging.
Paul
Can you confirm if this is region free ?
Thanks
Yes it is. Region “ALL” :)
[A real bonus is the excellent packaging, with a tactile ‘soft feel’ casebound book containing…]
… which is really crappy! It took just flip through and it fell apart! :(
$23.48 at Amazon is a great price. Although it is probably a pre-existing master, the CD is a nice bonus.
I prefer the previous ‘Sound & Vision’ 2CD/DVD issue of the Bob Marley “Legend” collection because it had videos and extended remixes. I would rather have more tracks for my money, than less, so I will not be bothering with this edition as the extended remixes were a nice added bonus.