Tomita

The planets
and Sampler
If any one can get them please let me know
as I would like to have them also
Ron
columbia.jp/dvd_a/

Try hmv.co.jp

www.hmv.co.jp/product/det...sku=290311

Frank

Is this a Tomita DVD-A?

Yes it is,

They only ship fedex for exports, so I guess shipping will be expensive.

Frank

Well, I was one of the crazy ones who plunked down the dough and bought the 2003 version of Tomita's <span style="text-decoration:underline">The Planets</span> (and it really is <em>his</em> version, not Holst). I ordered the title from Amazon's Japanese site. The downside was that I paid 5,500 Yen for it (a little under $46); the upside was that it got to the U.S. West Coast in three days!!!

Here's a link to my original comments over at the Home Theater Forum (instead of just reprinting it here):
www.hometheaterforum.com/...did=133600

I also included a subsequent link to the actual amazon.co.jp web page for the disc itself, but I'm not promoting them in any way, shape, or form other than to say it was very easy to order, especially since you can opt to see help/instruction pages in English.

I still really like the disc, but it's definitely not for everyone. Check out my comments at HTF for more details.

I received it the other day. It got from Amazon in Japan and it took less than 1 week to get to England -- and that was with the cheaper mailing option! I've been travelling abroad these past few days on business, so I haven't had a chance to play it yet. But I expect I'll need to be open-minded about it.

Musicality aside, what I'm also particularly keen to assess, is how accurately those ultra-HF "transient-rich" analog sawtooth & pulse waveforms from Mr Tomita's Moog synthesizer are reproduced with 96kHz sample rates. I reckon this title will be the best (if not the only) example out there of an analog synth heard at high-sample rate LPCM.

OK. I’ve spent a couple of days playing Tomita’s "The Planets 2003". And my impressions? In a word: ‘retro’. In fact, just what I wanted. Granted, the manner in which some sonic events are shifted around in 3-D so that you can almost imagine aliens orbiting around you before they fade smoothly into infinity, may not be to everybody’s taste, particularly if you are looking for a note-perfect (albeit synthesized) rendition of the Holst’s Planets. Nope. This is Tomita’s baby, not Gustav’s Holst’s. But I certainly did enjoy the arrangement, for what it was.

Now to sound quality. The first thing which strikes you is the astounding clarity and detail of the high-frequency content in particular. I defy any LP, 44.1kHz CD, or even SACD title to come close. Those formats just wouldn’t be able to handle the frequency extremes and rich harmonic HF content of the Moog synthesiser’s analog oscillators and pulse & ring modulators at full-throttle. If you want to know what I mean about hi-rez high-frequencies sampled at 96kHz 24bit, just listen to the start of track 3 — "Mercury, The Winged Messenger". The transient precision and sheer "zing" gives me goose-pimples and makes my hair stand-up (just joking, but you get what I mean).

Although I enjoy most music (and I am classically trained on the trumpet as well as being a chorister), I also grew-up listening to synthetic sounds as exemplified by the likes of Jean-Michel-Jarre, Tangerine Dream, Kraftwerk, Vangelis, Ultravox, Visage, Depeche Mode, Yazoo, ELO, Human League, etc. etc. (and of course Tomita), so I’m fully at home with the very "retro" — or as some would describe: "schlocky" — sound.

I do get a buzz from the accurate reproduction of real analog synthesisers, and thankfully, this is just what Tomita delivers for the first time on DVD-A. Synthesisers (along with maybe church organ sounds) can push a music format and the playback equipment to the extreme limits of its frequency response and dynamic range envelopes, in sharp contrast to the more relaxed sonics of classical or jazz "live" music. (Tubes & vinyl-lovers should look elsewhere!)

In short, I would almost go so far as to say that this disc is the best "reference" for sound quality. However, I have just one little niggle — for some reason I can hear very faint little "ticks" which really shouldn’t be there on some tracks (can anyone else hear them?). I’ve deduced that they cannot be anything directly to do with the LPCM/MLP encoding, since I can also hear them (but only just) on the Dolby Digital track. So it must be on the master. But most people with average tweeters (and ears) probably wouldn’t notice them at all. Rather, their auditory brain cells will be too busy assimilating the onslaught of all those three-dimensional sonic ‘bells & whistles’.

Nice write-up. Now I am jealous!

Gotta get one!

:-jon

It also played trumpet and like the same music Love all the ones you listed ! I love SYNTHES Always did and still do . Need this one for sure! I remember one night on The Old Tonight Show with "Doc " playing "Fanfare for the Common Man" on the trumpet.... Wow ! It was awsome ! I wish I had recorded it!
0] Rob

This is what I received today, after ordering from Amazon.jp:

English: When we contacted our supplier we learned that the above item is
no longer available. This unavailable item has been cancelled from your
order and you have not been charged for it. We apologize for this
inconvenience.


Bummer!!!

Dan in Spokane

I ordered it about a week ago from HMV's Japanese website... keeping my fingers crossed...

How are you ordering this on the japanese sites? I can't understand a word of it, I can't figure out how to get the order placed.

What? You can't speak Japanese? I thought everybody did!

Just kidding...

Go to www.hmv.co.jp then scroll to the bottom of the page and click on "English". Sure makes things a heckuva lot easier!

I just checked my order... the Tomita DVD-A is on backorder. Doh!

:rollin: Mr. Roboto :rollin:
0] Rob

I tried to get Red Trumpet to order it. They said they could find no record of it, so I sent them the link.

After that, I got no response.

Duh, I can't believe I missed that link, don't I feel stupid. Well, I placed an order, but from what you guys have said it sounds like there's not a good chance of me getting it. I'll have to keep looking around if not. Anyways, on a related topic, I recently picked up a quadradisc of Snowflakes are dancing. I can't wait to hear it, I'm going to send it to Tab soon, I just need to get my hands on a record mailer first.

I just checked the status of my order at hmv.co.jp. The Tomita DVD-A is ready! I'm only waiting on one more item to come in before my order ships. Yipee!

Hasn't Tab already done the Snowflakes Q4? I have that reel sitting in my "to be done" pile, but I always thought Tab did the Tomitas. I'll have to check.............

He's done other tomita's, but not snowflakes. I should be able to pick up a mailer this weekend, so I should have my quadradisc out to him soon, along with a John Cage quadradisc.

Hey Guys,

If Tab hasn't already done Snowflakes from the reel then e-me Tab. I have the orig. reel, and your time would be much better spent converting it rather than the CD-4 lp.
Just let me know........


QuadBob