Spent the noon hour auditioning many of the new Atmos mixes of old tracks.
As with quad and 21st-century 5.1, it’s a mixed bag of surprises and disappointments.
Forgetting the instrument placement for a second, I have to say I’m really wondering what has happened to the modern-day mixing ear. Some of these tracks just sound flat-out terrible: limp, fakey, thin, wispy, no bass or balls. The Brick House drum intro now wraps nicely to the right rear, but where is that thump in the gut we’ve heard for half a century? Does the remix engineer even remember what a real hi-hat cymbal sounds like? Ugh.
Anyway, I enjoyed these mixes (demo quality indicated by *)
Reunited Peaches & Herb Dated nostalgia, but nice and lush as it should be.
Last Dance Donna Summer Surprising how much nicer this is in immersive audio.
*The Gambler Kenny Rogers Pretty much just what you’d hoped for. The background vocals are really a full chorale — you’ll hear the alto, tenor, and bass surrounding you for the first time with different parts from each speaker. Very nice.
The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down The Band Sharp, simple, ballsy, discrete. Excellent.
I Just Want to Celebrate Rare Earth Same.
I’m Like a Bird Nelly Furtado Best demo of an overhead chime. Can really see it moving.
ABC Jackson Five Better than the old triphonic Japanese quad mix.
Big Girls Don’t Cry Fergie Effective, immersive and balanced.
When Doves Cry Prince Never cared for this track but it’s definitely more interesting now.
*What’s Going On Marvin Gaye Wow. I don’t normally like mixes that change the original balance, but here is a notable exception. Crowd sounds and background vocals buried in the original stereo and 5.1 are uncovered here to great effect. This track, considered by music historians to be one of the greatest pop recordings in history, is now much more emotional and compelling. This now is the definitive version. Without it, you haven’t really heard the track.
*These Dreams Heart Intro balance is off but that’s easily forgiven. Fantastic use of overhead vocals and effects, yet retains all the power of the original stereo. THIS is what Atmos is all about.
Bad Girls Donna Summer Again I say — didn’t even know I liked this song. Probably wouldn’t in stereo, but here it comes alive.
Sunset People Donna Summer Never even heard of this track. That’s part of the fun of surround — discovering stuff you didn’t even know you liked. Doubt I would have paid any attention to this in stereo.
We’re An American Band Grand Funk Much better quality than the Q8 quad but not as adventurous (no randomly moving electric guitar). I actually miss the dramatic extra drum reverb in the quad version’s ending. Still a good time if you find yourself with a couple of chiquitas from Omaha.
*Relax Frankie Goes to Hollywood This is how you do 80’s in surround. Perfectly captures the feel and balance of the original and takes it beyond and above (literally). Can someone identify who mixed this? I nominate him for all 80’s remixes.
Disappointments:
Hit Me With Your Best Shot Pat Benatar If this is really your best shot, sir, time to find new work.
Do You Believe in Love Huey Lewis and the News Here we go again with the dry. Is there a reverb shortage? The 80’s were BIG: big hair, big sound. How you supposed to get big sound in a closet? Those handsome, powerhouse background vocals are emasculated in this limp mix.
Walking on Sunshine Katrina and the Waves What in the ¥&$#@ing *&$#& is this? A manacled gnat? All front, no bass, no power, no nothing. What a joke.
Ramblin’ Man Allman Bros Band Damn ... was the recording that bad? Put on the stereo version to check and ... nope, it wasn’t. You’re not supposed to wear the mask over your ears, bud. Jesus. Horrible.
Renegade Styx Nice to finally get some classic Styx surround, but why such a weenied version? Those stark, close-mic’d harmonies that used to jump out are dialed way back for no good reason. In the a capella break, they’re far off and drenched in reverb.
Celebrate Kool & the Gang Would have liked this but the bass drum is so overloud and thumpy I can’t play it without neighbors calling the cops.
American Pie Don McClean How sad to wait 49 years only to get this. A weenie mix that puts very little in the rears except some backing vocals (shared with the fronts) and a few nice cymbal crashes (thank god for stereo drums). Ruined by inexcusable omission of iconic guitar fills after choruses 3 and 4. Lame.
Loco-Motion Grand Funk Why dial back the backing vocals to oblivion? You can barely hear them. Very lame. The quad version is obviously superior.
You Should Be Dancing Bee Gees Yet another botched chart-topper. What a mess. Balance way off, all kinds of tracks left open in the outro ... and for all that, nothing interesting done with all those channels. Worthless.
More later.
As with quad and 21st-century 5.1, it’s a mixed bag of surprises and disappointments.
Forgetting the instrument placement for a second, I have to say I’m really wondering what has happened to the modern-day mixing ear. Some of these tracks just sound flat-out terrible: limp, fakey, thin, wispy, no bass or balls. The Brick House drum intro now wraps nicely to the right rear, but where is that thump in the gut we’ve heard for half a century? Does the remix engineer even remember what a real hi-hat cymbal sounds like? Ugh.
Anyway, I enjoyed these mixes (demo quality indicated by *)
Reunited Peaches & Herb Dated nostalgia, but nice and lush as it should be.
Last Dance Donna Summer Surprising how much nicer this is in immersive audio.
*The Gambler Kenny Rogers Pretty much just what you’d hoped for. The background vocals are really a full chorale — you’ll hear the alto, tenor, and bass surrounding you for the first time with different parts from each speaker. Very nice.
The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down The Band Sharp, simple, ballsy, discrete. Excellent.
I Just Want to Celebrate Rare Earth Same.
I’m Like a Bird Nelly Furtado Best demo of an overhead chime. Can really see it moving.
ABC Jackson Five Better than the old triphonic Japanese quad mix.
Big Girls Don’t Cry Fergie Effective, immersive and balanced.
When Doves Cry Prince Never cared for this track but it’s definitely more interesting now.
*What’s Going On Marvin Gaye Wow. I don’t normally like mixes that change the original balance, but here is a notable exception. Crowd sounds and background vocals buried in the original stereo and 5.1 are uncovered here to great effect. This track, considered by music historians to be one of the greatest pop recordings in history, is now much more emotional and compelling. This now is the definitive version. Without it, you haven’t really heard the track.
*These Dreams Heart Intro balance is off but that’s easily forgiven. Fantastic use of overhead vocals and effects, yet retains all the power of the original stereo. THIS is what Atmos is all about.
Bad Girls Donna Summer Again I say — didn’t even know I liked this song. Probably wouldn’t in stereo, but here it comes alive.
Sunset People Donna Summer Never even heard of this track. That’s part of the fun of surround — discovering stuff you didn’t even know you liked. Doubt I would have paid any attention to this in stereo.
We’re An American Band Grand Funk Much better quality than the Q8 quad but not as adventurous (no randomly moving electric guitar). I actually miss the dramatic extra drum reverb in the quad version’s ending. Still a good time if you find yourself with a couple of chiquitas from Omaha.
*Relax Frankie Goes to Hollywood This is how you do 80’s in surround. Perfectly captures the feel and balance of the original and takes it beyond and above (literally). Can someone identify who mixed this? I nominate him for all 80’s remixes.
Disappointments:
Hit Me With Your Best Shot Pat Benatar If this is really your best shot, sir, time to find new work.
Do You Believe in Love Huey Lewis and the News Here we go again with the dry. Is there a reverb shortage? The 80’s were BIG: big hair, big sound. How you supposed to get big sound in a closet? Those handsome, powerhouse background vocals are emasculated in this limp mix.
Walking on Sunshine Katrina and the Waves What in the ¥&$#@ing *&$#& is this? A manacled gnat? All front, no bass, no power, no nothing. What a joke.
Ramblin’ Man Allman Bros Band Damn ... was the recording that bad? Put on the stereo version to check and ... nope, it wasn’t. You’re not supposed to wear the mask over your ears, bud. Jesus. Horrible.
Renegade Styx Nice to finally get some classic Styx surround, but why such a weenied version? Those stark, close-mic’d harmonies that used to jump out are dialed way back for no good reason. In the a capella break, they’re far off and drenched in reverb.
Celebrate Kool & the Gang Would have liked this but the bass drum is so overloud and thumpy I can’t play it without neighbors calling the cops.
American Pie Don McClean How sad to wait 49 years only to get this. A weenie mix that puts very little in the rears except some backing vocals (shared with the fronts) and a few nice cymbal crashes (thank god for stereo drums). Ruined by inexcusable omission of iconic guitar fills after choruses 3 and 4. Lame.
Loco-Motion Grand Funk Why dial back the backing vocals to oblivion? You can barely hear them. Very lame. The quad version is obviously superior.
You Should Be Dancing Bee Gees Yet another botched chart-topper. What a mess. Balance way off, all kinds of tracks left open in the outro ... and for all that, nothing interesting done with all those channels. Worthless.
More later.
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Great selections!
Should be in here...
