HiRez Poll BetterThanEzra - HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW? [DVD-A]

[dr. simple]

I'm enjoying this, too. It's only my second listen, so I'm not ready to vote, but that brass section that pops out of the right surround in the middle of "Happy Day Mama" is brilliant.

 

[LizardKing]

I'm being "nit-picky", but this sounds a little bass-shy to me. If you pop in something like Roxy Music - Avalon or Fleetwood Mac - Rumours after it you'll know what I mean...

The mix is excellent, content is top notch, but the sound quality brings this down a point for me so it gets a 9....

 

[Dixie4]

I'm being "nit-picky", but this sounds a little bass-shy to me.

Just listening through for the first time....and that was my initial impression. ( a tad too bright ?? )

On repeat listen....have to say I love the music. Tunes that get in your head. More melodic pop releases please !!! :banana::banana::banana: ( Will comment more on the surround mix, after repeated listens)

After just two listens, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS !!! :banana::banana::banana: Still wonder if it's a tad bright ? ( but that might be down to music style & production ? ) but any brightness is diminished, forgotten, when the catchy melodic songs get in your head. There's not one track, I don't like.
The surround mix, has a very good all round balance, with some nice surprise's popping out of the rears.
This disc is already one of my favourites, and in my opinion an ESSENTIAL PURCHASE !! ( especially if you like melodic pop )
The mix probably isn't quite worthy of a 10, but musically, this is a NO BRAINER, 10 !
If you haven't ordered this yet, you're really missing out on something special !!

( One negative, regards packaging. Flimsy, thin cheap card, could easily tear / rip. )

 

[fredblue]

Oooohhhhhh... I'm loving this too!

With this and the Hawkwind arriving on the same day, it feels like Christmas come early!

They're night and day, this is a pristine production (sounds gorgeous, upper frequency's just right and there's plenty of bass) Hawkwind's grimey by comparison but they both come across as true to their respective sources.

My ears (and system) are loving such an embarrassment of surround riches! Things flying around the place on both Hawkwind and this are why I got into it all in the first place. What's the point of ambience unless its a live performance..?!?

It's what this surround thing should be all about! Fun, inventive, exciting, engaging but in the spirit of the original material (all my favourite quads and 5.1's do that) capturing the essence of the original stereo while opening it up, revealing new elements, breathing life into old things we've heard a million times and making them sound fresh while still familiar.

Two new instant surround favourites in one day.. even with my ridiculous buying habits that doesn't happen often!

WOO..!!!!!

:51banana:

 

[Dixie4]

Oooohhhhhh... I'm loving this too!

Two new instant surround favourites in one day.. even with my ridiculous buying habits that doesn't happen often!

I hope I feel like that tomorrow, when Sergio G turns up. I've had BTE on repeat since this afternoon...I absolutely love it !!! The more familiar it becomes, the more you hear. Just fantastic Pop, that reminds me of so many artistic influences.

 

[fredblue]

I hope I feel like that tomorrow, when Sergio G turns up. I've had BTE on repeat since this afternoon...I absolutely love it !!! The more familiar it becomes, the more you hear. Just fantastic Pop, that reminds me of so many artistic influences.

"DVD-A is dead, LONG LIVE DVD-A..!!!"

so much for DVD-A being past it, you wait and see it's yet to have its day in the sun!

(speaking of long-living, I wish SW would do Rainbow's "Long Live Rock n Roll" album in 5.1 next!!!!)

 

[fredblue]

A lot of love clearly went into this (ok the packaging is a bit crap).. lets show the BTE/Music Valet guys some love by all buying it! It's FANTASTIC in surround!!!

:wave

 

[Dixie4]

"DVD-A is dead, LONG LIVE DVD-A..!!!"

so much for DVD-A being past it, you wait and see it's yet to have its day in the sun!

(speaking of long-living, I wish SW would do Rainbow's "Long Live Rock n Roll" album in 5.1 next!!!!)

It's been a HAPPY, HAPPY DAY, music wise ! :banana: Surround sound, MUST live forever !!! :banana:

 

[fredblue]

It's been a HAPPY, HAPPY DAY, music wise ! :banana: Surround sound, MUST live forever !!! :banana:

Oh yessss..!! I want to hug my speakers, they are bringing me so much joy tonight!!!!!

 

[Dixie4]

Oh yessss..!! I want to hug my speakers, they are bringing me so much joy tonight!!!!!

Me too ! ( even though, they need an upgrade ! )

 

[fredblue]

Me too ! ( even though, they need an upgrade ! )

aww.. don't let them hear you, they've got feelings too, ya know!

 

[Dixie4]

aww.. don't let them hear you, they've got feelings too, ya know!

Well, I think they deserve a little rest....so i'm now listening to BTE, on my super duper, Sony Hi MD MZRH1

" l Like It Like That, I Like It Like That, I Like It Like Thaaat "

 

[fredblue]

Well, I think they deserve a little rest....so i'm now listening to BTE, on my super duper, Sony Hi MD MZRH1

" l Like It Like That, I Like It Like That, I Like It Like Thaaat "

a Sony what..?!

"...I know what this is. This is an espresso machine. No, no wait. It’s a snow cone maker. Is it a water heater?"

 

[Dixie4]

a Sony what..?!

"...I know what this is. This is an espresso machine. No, no wait. It’s a snow cone maker. Is it a water heater?"

It's the highest quality portable audio device, ever made, my dear !! ( No MP3 shit !! )

 

[fredblue]

It's the highest quality portable audio device, ever made, my dear !! ( No MP3 shit !! )

ah, MiniDisc..

it's a compressed format (roughly equivalent to 256 kbps mp3) you know..

"Sony's ATRAC codec differs from uncompressed PCM in that it is a psychoacoustic lossy audio data reduction scheme and is such that the recorded signal does not require decompression on replay. Although it is intended that the reproduced signal may sound nearly identical to the original as far as the listener is concerned, it differs sufficiently that listening on a high quality audio system will betray the difference (other true compression schemes generally share this characteristic to a greater or lesser degree)."

 

[fredblue]

ah, MiniDisc..

it's a compressed format (roughly equivalent to 256 kbps mp3) you know..

"Sony's ATRAC codec differs from uncompressed PCM in that it is a psychoacoustic lossy audio data reduction scheme and is such that the recorded signal does not require decompression on replay. Although it is intended that the reproduced signal may sound nearly identical to the original as far as the listener is concerned, it differs sufficiently that listening on a high quality audio system will betray the difference (other true compression schemes generally share this characteristic to a greater or lesser degree)."

bit more MiniDisc fun..

"ATRAC was devised for MiniDisc so that the same amount of audio a CD can carry can fit on a disc far smaller than the CD (which contains uncompressed 16-bit stereo linear PCM audio). ATRAC reduces the 1.4 Mbit/s of a CD to a 292 kbit/s data stream, roughly a 5:1 reduction."

..back to the topic in hand (the thread not the chocolate bar!)

 

[Dixie4]

ah, MiniDisc..

it's a compressed format (roughly equivalent to 256 kbps mp3) you know..

Highest rate, 352kbps

( now, back on Mars ! )

 

[SMS]

I've listened to this disk 3 or 4 times now, and as other have mentioned, the mix is very well done. Vocals are firmly placed in the center, and the surrounds are very active.

I am really enjoying the music too. I was not very familiar with Better Than Ezra before, but this album is very good, and I understand why Richard chose this as his first 5.1 project. There are only a couple tracks I don't care for; Pull and first 1/3 of New Kind of Low (the second half of that track is fantastic).

All is not perfect however, IMO. The bass is definitely a little thin, although that was fairly easy to solve by boosting the LFE by a couple DB. I find the treble a little bright, sometimes harsh, but it is still quite listenable. Not nearly as bad as the Mew-tilated (sorry to Neil for stealing his term) TaaB release, so don't let me scare you away. It is good sounding... just not great.

I am also slightly disappointed that the disc does not contain a hi-res stereo mix. The packaging could be improved too.

Overall, a fantastic first effort from Richard LaBonté at Music Valet, and I am really looking forward to more releases in the future!!

Mix: 10
Content: 9 (slightly deduction for lack of hi res stereo)
Fidelity: 8

A solid 9 overall. If you haven't purchased your copy yet, I encourage you to do so.

 

[The Rang]

Well, I really want to support any hi-res releases to reward and support those brave enough and passionate enough to put them out.

I knew of the name Better Than Ezra but had not heard a single note of their music so I listened to samples of each song from this album at AllMusic.
Unfortunately I didn't hear anything that even remotely made me want to buy this disc.
But that's OK, I can use the money on other surround release instead.
Hope this isn't viewed as a thread crap, not meant to be one.

 

[wavelength]

Well, I really want to support any hi-res releases to reward and support those brave enough and passionate enough to put them out.

I knew of the name Better Than Ezra but had not heard a single note of their music so I listened to samples of each song from this album at AllMusic.
Unfortunately I didn't hear anything that even remotely made me want to buy this disc.
But that's OK, I can use the money on other surround release instead.
Hope this isn't viewed as a thread crap, not meant to be one.

I feel the same and it is simply economics. I know some people can support every new release and that is a great thing. But money is reality. Purchase decisions are personal and are driven by many factors. We each have our own criteria and no one needs to feel obligated to explain.