DVD/DTS Poll Bruford - SEEMS LIKE A LIFETIME AGO [DD DVD]

[rtbluray]

Please post your thoughts and comments on this 2017 box set from Bill Bruford's band Bruford entitled "Seems Like a Lifetime Ago".
The box set contains two Dolby Digital DVDs featuring 5.1 surround mixes of "Feels Good To Me" and "One Of A Kind", remixed by King Crimson's Jakko Jakszyk.

 

[quicksrt]

Just a gentle bumpty-bump to get this up on the Spotlight list and maybe.... some comments on the actual mix and sound quality? The two albums are fan favorites well regarded in the Yes & Crimson family of solo albums. So I am hoping that this does not end up with a 6.5 average rating. But most folks were appalled at the Dolby Digital 5.1 only layer offered here in a fairly pricey set - limited or not.

 

[ssully]

Dolby vs DTS vs MLP is of no consequence. The remixes themselves are terrible. No file type/compression algorithm change could save them.

And the SQ on the 2channel 'remasters' is virtually unchanged from the first CD editions, as has been true of every Bruford 'remaster' series so far.

Nice packaging though.

 

[ssully]

A negative review. The author does confuse some issues -- it's not the use of Dolby AC3, or hi rez vs standard, that makes this set such a dog, and the dynamic range is not at all compressed -- it's the actual mix that's terrible. This set is a massive disappointment and a sad lost opportunity.

https://audiophilereview.com/audiop...-album-disappoints-on-surround-sound-dvd.html

 

[kap'n krunch]

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT:
Both discs have been released separately!
They are still Dullbee but it's better than a kick in the pants!

 

[Beefalo]

A negative review. The author does confuse some issues -- it's not the use of Dolby AC3, or hi rez vs standard, that makes this set such a dog, and the dynamic range is not at all compressed -- it's the actual mix that's terrible. This set is a massive disappointment and a sad lost opportunity.

Ouch !

 

[ssully]

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT:
Both discs have been released separately!
They are still Dullbee but it's better than a kick in the pants!

It's not like reformatting these mixes in DTS would have improved them any. Except superstitiously.

 

[JohnA]

'Feels good to me' feels like a waste of time to me

'One of a kind' is another wasted, muddled opportunity

Even a 5 is rather generous for these gutless and flat mixes

 

[timbre4]

I can't even bring myself to vote on this one. Hopes dashed pretty good.

 

[kap'n krunch]

Bought both albums this year on DVD when released individually and although they are not awesome mixes I enjoy them quite a bit...I really don't know if I live in an alternate univers or I am a conformist cause there are so many releases that sound bad to other members but sound good to me (and a few other members),,,oh well...I try to enjoy what is out there in spite of their shortcomings... OK, I draw the line on the Rush RC mixes but I STILL enjoy some aspects of those...

 

[JohnA]

I actually played 'a trick of the tail' SACD right afterwards, so I'd be sure it wasn't my system playing up or my ears.
Even though it isn't exactly a reference recording, TOTT reminded me that dynamics low and high frequencies can be reproduced *if* they are present.

These mixes have nothing, how did they ever pass QC, did nobody listen to them? Flat as a pancake.

 

[quadaholic]

I actually played 'a trick of the tail' SACD right afterwards, so I'd be sure it wasn't my system playing up or my ears.
Even though it isn't exactly a reference recording, TOTT reminded me that dynamics low and high frequencies can be reproduced *if* they are present.

These mixes have nothing, how did they ever pass QC, did nobody listen to them? Flat as a pancake.

 

[jimfisheye]

There needs to be a way to vote zero when a release is so flawed that there truly isn't any intact content that survived.

 

[ssully]

Both the Bruford remixes are dismal. Just a shocking lost opportunity. I can't fathom anyone who loves the original albums, liking these.

 

[par4ken]

I bought both discs from Cherry Red despite the negative reviews. While I wasn't blown away by the mixes they weren't as bad as some here report. I found that tipping the balance toward the rear helps, too much doesn't sound right but a bit of boost helps the mix produce a larger sense of spaciousness. Not being familiar with the stereo version I can't comment if this version is better or not. I haven't listened to the CD yet, I suspect that it will be brickwalled?

 

[ssully]

The CDs are not brickwalled. Nor are the surround mixes.

 

[timbre4]

If you were not familiar with the stereo albums for 40+ years, you could enjoy it I guess. Once you become familiar with the original mix you may see it differently. I still own vinyl, CD and the box - primarily for One Of a Kind.

 

[ssully]

The 'remastered' CDs in this box are the same masterings released in 2005, which themselves were basically identical to the previous CD releases. (Feels Good To Me 2005 had slightly less treble than the older CD...perhaps from proper use of Dolby decoding; the initial CD was quite bright. One of a Kind and Gradually Going Tornado 2005 were identical to previous releases, except for tiny overall level difference. I would not be surprised to learn that the latter two have never been sourced from original master tapes)

That leaves the remixes...and, knowing the original mixes pretty well...these remixes are worthless to me. Altogether making the whole boxed set a pretty sad fail.

 

[JediJoker]

The 'remastered' CDs in this box are the same masterings released in 2005, which themselves were basically identical to the previous CD releases. (Feels Good To Me 2005 had slightly less treble than the older CD...perhaps from proper use of Dolby decoding; the initial CD was quite bright. One of a Kind and Gradually Going Tornado 2005 were identical to previous releases, except for tiny overall level difference. I would not be surprised to learn that the latter two have never been sourced from original master tapes)

Except that for Feels Good To Me and One of a Kind, the CDs contain the stereo remixes. The 2005 masterings of the original stereo mixes are presented only in lossy Dolby Digital stereo on the DVDs. A real head-scratcher; why not just LPCM stereo?

 

[ssully]

Yes, that's another example of the half-assedness of this set. Not that LPCM vs DD would make any difference to the essential flaw of the 2.0 remixes: the mixes themselves.