HiRez Poll Beck - SEA CHANGE [DVD-A/SACD/BluRay Audio]
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I had no idea that Beck had a Sex Change. :yikes 
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Never heard this album prior to buying the HFPA version, but I'm really enjoying it, in a low-key miserably depressed way. I think it's beautifully arranged and mixed, kind of like Pink Floyd's 'Let's spare no effort to make meticulously recorded odes to how nothing matters anymore' vibe, but dirgier.
Nice sonics at 192kHz LPCM; for some reason my cheap Sony blu-ray player shows DTS HD 192kHz but the HDMI-connected Integra DTR 6.9 insists it's playing a 96kHz stream. Time to go menu diving I suppose.
Just got done posting this on the HFPA Facebook page, thought I'd post it here too where someone might actually care. It's a long shot, but what the hell.
"Things that puzzle me about HFPA discs, or at least the Beck 'Sea Change' disc (beautiful 5.1 LPCM 192kHz mix) that I'm currently listening to:
1. HFPA's militant stance against including video content, the inclusion of which would in no way detract from the audio quality, is a whole world of 'why' all by itself, as if arbitrarily disavowing options that Blu-ray offers constituted a new format. But you still have to have a monitor set up to navigate the menus. On the 'Sea Change' blu-ray, pushing 'play' from the opening screen does nothing- gotta push 'enter' to choose the highlighted stereo/surround audio option to proceed. Defaults to stereo of course...?
2. After pushing 'enter' to choose stereo or surround, the next screen shows the track listing at the top, audio options at the bottom, all in too tiny pink text that gets even harder to read when it's selected and turns blue. I push play, and the message 'This operation currently prohibited for this disc' appears. Only the magic 'enter' key will make it 'play'. That's someone's idea of intuitive, I suppose. Both options can initiate playback, if your disc author has it together.
If I choose the initial stereo option, then push 'enter' to play, hitting the remote's "audio select" button only toggles between the two functionally identical stereo flavors, DTS-HD Master audio 192kHz and LPCM 192kHz/24bit. Likewise starting down the surround trail means the button toggles between DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 192kHz and the identically rezed 5.1 LPCM. If the whole 'keep it simple/audio only' pretext actually meant something, it would suggest that the audio button should toggle between all the available mixes rather than make the end user navigate up and down a menu tree to choose one of a total of 4 audio options.
3. In keeping with the menu designer's 'enter' key fetish, entering a number on the remote only jumps to the corresponding track after you hit the enter key- which you could argue is logical in case you need to enter a 2-digit number, but certainly a brief pause to allow for a second digit to be entered would be sufficient. I entered '12' five minutes ago and it's still sitting there onscreen looking lost- 'what do you mean, 12?'. Just go to the 12th cut, dammit. Oh, wait, I have to hit enter. Again.
At least there's the track#/enter option on 'Sea Change'; on the 'Grr' Stones HFPA disc (which also sounds great, to give HFPA their due) with 50 tracks the number keys are totally ignored, whether you hit enter or not. Gotta scroll around on the numbers-only 10x5 grid to jump to a track, whereupon the display helpfully tells you the track number, not name. Because if you make the video portion too informative it'll compromise the audio quality somehow, I suppose.
4. When the Beck disc is paused, the menus are paralyzed. I think the technology exists to navigate menus while playback is paused, at least in DVDs. Maybe Universal thinks this would confuse the end user and has done this on purpose. Or is this just on my Blu-ray player?
That's probably enough constructive criticism for one post. I'd like this pretend format to succeed, especially as a surround-sound option, so I encourage Universal to put a little more thought into their end-users experience menu-wise. Or at least make the 'play' button play the disc, and the audio options button select among all the audio options. Thanks."
Nice sonics at 192kHz LPCM; for some reason my cheap Sony blu-ray player shows DTS HD 192kHz but the HDMI-connected Integra DTR 6.9 insists it's playing a 96kHz stream. Time to go menu diving I suppose.
Just got done posting this on the HFPA Facebook page, thought I'd post it here too where someone might actually care. It's a long shot, but what the hell.
"Things that puzzle me about HFPA discs, or at least the Beck 'Sea Change' disc (beautiful 5.1 LPCM 192kHz mix) that I'm currently listening to:
1. HFPA's militant stance against including video content, the inclusion of which would in no way detract from the audio quality, is a whole world of 'why' all by itself, as if arbitrarily disavowing options that Blu-ray offers constituted a new format. But you still have to have a monitor set up to navigate the menus. On the 'Sea Change' blu-ray, pushing 'play' from the opening screen does nothing- gotta push 'enter' to choose the highlighted stereo/surround audio option to proceed. Defaults to stereo of course...?
2. After pushing 'enter' to choose stereo or surround, the next screen shows the track listing at the top, audio options at the bottom, all in too tiny pink text that gets even harder to read when it's selected and turns blue. I push play, and the message 'This operation currently prohibited for this disc' appears. Only the magic 'enter' key will make it 'play'. That's someone's idea of intuitive, I suppose. Both options can initiate playback, if your disc author has it together.
If I choose the initial stereo option, then push 'enter' to play, hitting the remote's "audio select" button only toggles between the two functionally identical stereo flavors, DTS-HD Master audio 192kHz and LPCM 192kHz/24bit. Likewise starting down the surround trail means the button toggles between DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 192kHz and the identically rezed 5.1 LPCM. If the whole 'keep it simple/audio only' pretext actually meant something, it would suggest that the audio button should toggle between all the available mixes rather than make the end user navigate up and down a menu tree to choose one of a total of 4 audio options.
3. In keeping with the menu designer's 'enter' key fetish, entering a number on the remote only jumps to the corresponding track after you hit the enter key- which you could argue is logical in case you need to enter a 2-digit number, but certainly a brief pause to allow for a second digit to be entered would be sufficient. I entered '12' five minutes ago and it's still sitting there onscreen looking lost- 'what do you mean, 12?'. Just go to the 12th cut, dammit. Oh, wait, I have to hit enter. Again.
At least there's the track#/enter option on 'Sea Change'; on the 'Grr' Stones HFPA disc (which also sounds great, to give HFPA their due) with 50 tracks the number keys are totally ignored, whether you hit enter or not. Gotta scroll around on the numbers-only 10x5 grid to jump to a track, whereupon the display helpfully tells you the track number, not name. Because if you make the video portion too informative it'll compromise the audio quality somehow, I suppose.
4. When the Beck disc is paused, the menus are paralyzed. I think the technology exists to navigate menus while playback is paused, at least in DVDs. Maybe Universal thinks this would confuse the end user and has done this on purpose. Or is this just on my Blu-ray player?
That's probably enough constructive criticism for one post. I'd like this pretend format to succeed, especially as a surround-sound option, so I encourage Universal to put a little more thought into their end-users experience menu-wise. Or at least make the 'play' button play the disc, and the audio options button select among all the audio options. Thanks."
I had no idea that Beck had a Sex Change. :yikes
"She was just plain 'mister' once
Got herself fixed up real good
Just a little boy lost in the land of the free
A wiggle and a walk away from womanhood..
Now they call her the cat
and that's a stone fact.."
Wendy Carlos - Switched On Beck
Great review thanks
I saw your post on Facebook, FWIW the HFPA's have been authored as BDMV, whereas the "Pure Audio" spec Blu-ray discs (like the Patricia Barber Modern Cool BD-A, not to be confused with the "High Fidelity Pure Audio" Blu-ray's, like this Beck disc) are BD-J with proper implementation of the coloured and numerical buttons on your remote control.
The Pure Audio discs work just like a CD, you do not need a TV/monitor to navigate the disc, the same cannot be said for the HFPA's (unless you're happy to just let the disc play in default PCM 2.0, regardless of the rest of the discs codecs and sound options).
QQ member Neil Wilkes posted here to the effect that HFPA's, he was advised, are to be authored in BD-J in future.. but I guess we're not there yet as the latest Elton HFPA is just like the Beck HFPA.
Easily one of the best 5.1 SACD Surround Sound mixes on this one. A must have Hybrid Multichannel SACD if you're a Beck fan.
Now if we can just get Beck - Morning Phase on Blu Ray Audio 5.1. Good as Sea Change is, it only hints at what Morning Phase achieves IMHO.
From my phone
From my phone
SACD version. Amazing music, amazing mix....I find it immersive, outstanding bass and some of the stark sounds just suck you in.
Ok, listening to the Blu-Ray version for the first time. While not a normal Beck listener I have to say this is an amazing piece of work. I do believe it is easily the best 5.1 recording I have according to my simple ears. If the SACD is even better as some are saying then it must be out of this world.
Absolute 10. Reference disc (I have the BDA).
I love the songs too. No, this is not party rock.
But, as SW recently said before he played his heart-wrenching live version of Routine, "there is something incredibly uplifting about sad music. It lets people who are hurting know they aren't alone."
I love the songs too. No, this is not party rock.
But, as SW recently said before he played his heart-wrenching live version of Routine, "there is something incredibly uplifting about sad music. It lets people who are hurting know they aren't alone."
Spock
1K Club - QQ Shooting Star
Great, dark album and a fantastic surround mix, a very strong 9 from me. I voted on the dvd-a version.
I just ordered the sacd for a good price, a friend of mine has this one so I know how it sounds and gave it a well deserved 10.
I hadn't listened to this in a while and have the DVDA and been listening the past couple of days on my daily commute, wow, what a great sounding disk.
Yes its got a sad sombre sound to it but such amazing musicianship in getting the sound to match the lyrics and the surround field is just awesome.
This is a 9 for sure in my books but as some people gave it a low rating have rated it a 10 as it is a great release, should be in every ones surround library.
peter
Yes its got a sad sombre sound to it but such amazing musicianship in getting the sound to match the lyrics and the surround field is just awesome.
This is a 9 for sure in my books but as some people gave it a low rating have rated it a 10 as it is a great release, should be in every ones surround library.
peter
ji eff
300 Club - QQ All-Star
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Count me as another Sea Change lover.. excellent mix, beautifully composed, but man you gotta be in a particular mood for this one because it sure can drag me down sometimes!
But when the stars are aligned just right.. :music
Even though I can't listen to it on a regular basis, it is reference material: 9 !
But when the stars are aligned just right.. :music
Even though I can't listen to it on a regular basis, it is reference material: 9 !
I held off buying this title for a long time while I filled my surround coffers with rare and difficult to find discs and more popular releases.
Finally it was time, and the Bluray arrived.
I now ask myself, why did I wait so long?
What a mix! What clarity! What great downer music, appropriate for the right mood!
I won't listen often, but when I need an exquisite melancholy fix, I will turn to Beck's "Sea Change": a perfect 10.
Finally it was time, and the Bluray arrived.
I now ask myself, why did I wait so long?
What a mix! What clarity! What great downer music, appropriate for the right mood!
I won't listen often, but when I need an exquisite melancholy fix, I will turn to Beck's "Sea Change": a perfect 10.
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