Deep Purple "Machine Head 50 (Deluxe)" 3CD+LP+BD-A w/ Atmos, US quad and 5.1 bonus (3/29/2024 -Universal)

[jimfisheye]

Still, one surround copy of this is enough, for me at least.

Well, this one goes up to 4!

(Sorry, thinking of Spinal Tap with that.)

 

[sjcorne]

That's the degraded sound of streaming surround music at present. It's just shockingly lo-fi. High end truncated and everything.

The Steven Wilson Atmos mixes up on the streaming services sound pretty great to my ears, though the Blu-Ray versions where applicable (e.g. The Yes Album) are better. In the case of "Smoke On The Water," I'm inclined to believe the 'lo-fi' sound is unfortunately the fault of the remix. The 2024 stereo remix in 24-bit lossless also sounds poor, as others have noted above.

 

[fredblue]

That's the degraded sound of streaming surround music at present. It's just shockingly lo-fi. High end truncated and everything. Troubled decodes of encoded quad vinyl sound more hi-fi. There IS a level of discrete that remains in the streaming audio that's not just nothing but the extreme lo-fi makes it just novelty. 24 bit lossless streaming is still stereo only. The movie watchers with their soundbars are covered but not surround music yet. Getting closer though and we DO have stereo now!

fwiw the new Smoke On The Water 2024 remix is only streaming in Lossless Stereo on Apple Music in the UK, no Atmos streaming as yet here, so i don't think streaming quality is the culprit.

 

[JulesRules]

That's the degraded sound of streaming surround music at present. It's just shockingly lo-fi. High end truncated and everything. Troubled decodes of encoded quad vinyl sound more hi-fi. There IS a level of discrete that remains in the streaming audio that's not just nothing but the extreme lo-fi makes it just novelty. 24 bit lossless streaming is still stereo only. The movie watchers with their soundbars are covered but not surround music yet. Getting closer though and we DO have stereo now!

I listened to the stereo mix and it has the same problems. Went back to the original mix, also stereo and streaming, and the snare is just something else.

The Pink Floyd sets were over-flowing with extras like outtakes, quad and 5.1 plus concert screen films. The Immersion sets were head and shoulders above the average box set. They were not short on fresh material to include like the new DP set is.

Which is why I also mentioned Dark Side of the Moon at 50, which really is a good comparison, as the only new material in that was the Atmos mix.

 

[quicksrt]

I listened to the stereo mix and it has the same problems. Went back to the original mix, also stereo and streaming, and the snare is just something else.

Which is why I also mentioned Dark Side of the Moon at 50, which really is a good comparison, as the only new material in that was the Atmos mix.

I didn’t even mention the live concert material in the Immersion sets. They seemed expensive at the time and now I realize they (DSOTM & WYWH) were not.

But yeah the DSOTM 50th was not real well received. These companies need to either pact the sets to the gills - or keep prices very in check.

 

[Ephi82]

Definitely an interesting Atmos remix. I’m not sure how I feel about it overall. Good clarity on the individual instruments and vocals. I would prefer more bass, it seems thin here. Guitar solo overhead. A lot of vocal ad libs I’ve not heard before on the fade out, primarily in the heights. And it doesn’t actually fade out, it just stops and a bit of studio chatter at the end. Very phasey sounding at the end. But the most perplexing thing is the weird phasey I think synth bits throughout. I felt like someone was playing Asteroids in the background.

Jon Lords surround mix was fantastic. This new ATMOS mix pales in comparison. Yuch

 

[Ephi82]

The Steven Wilson Atmos mixes up on the streaming services sound pretty great to my ears, though the Blu-Ray versions where applicable (e.g. The Yes Album) are better. In the case of "Smoke On The Water," I'm inclined to believe the 'lo-fi' sound is unfortunately the fault of the remix. The 2024 stereo remix in 24-bit lossless also sounds poor, as others have noted above.

Agree 100%. Give Who’s Next a listen and compare it to Smoke On The Water. Both lossy ATMOS streaming, one an excellent remix

 

[Dynamic Editor]

People have said that the new stereo remix of "Smoke on the Water" sounds lo-fi, and I kinda get what they mean. It sounds rather sludgy, not bright enough to really have its instruments really cut through. What I like though is the panning present in the mix, and the interplay between the left and right sides of the mix, which will likely be translated in a fun way in surround sound. Sad thing is, that is very easy to miss this panning because the mix really isn't especially clear.

Look at the frequency spectrum difference between the two versions, especially 2,000 Hz and up.

Original mix:

2024 remix:

 

[Dynamic Editor]

People have said that the new stereo remix of "Smoke on the Water" sounds lo-fi, and I kinda get what they mean. It sounds rather sludgy, not bright enough to really have its instruments really cut through. What I like though is the panning present in the mix, and the interplay between the left and right sides of the mix, which will likely be translated in a fun way in surround sound. Sad thing is, that is very easy to miss this panning because the mix really isn't especially clear.

Look at the frequency spectrum difference between the two versions, especially 2,000 Hz and up.

Original mix:
View attachment 101420

2024 remix:
View attachment 101421

Could it be that the final mix was mastered especially poorly (or there was some sort of error in the mastering)?

Hear how it sounds originally (the first 22 seconds in the video):


And how it would sound with this wide bell applied to it (22 seconds into the same video):

I personally think adding some more of that higher frequency stuff back makes it sound significantly better. What do you all think?

 

[Rhinojack]

Just to clarify, all the complaints I'm reading about the sound of the 2024 physical Machine Head multi disc release that is coming up, are the same recordings apparently already available on streaming somewhere? If so, it make me want to cancel my order. In other words the big box is gonna sound bad because the 2024 streaming sounds bad?

 

[PurpleMoustache]

Just to clarify, all the complaints I'm reading about the sound of the 2024 physical Machine Head multi disc release that is coming up, are the same recordings apparently already available on streaming somewhere? If so, it make me want to cancel my order. In other words the big box is gonna sound bad because the 2024 streaming sounds bad?

Not yet, but yes:

Right now it’s just the Smoke on the Water remix but the track listing indicates the live stuff included in the set

 

[Rhinojack]

Not yet, but yes:

Right now it’s just the Smoke on the Water remix but the track listing indicates the live stuff included in the set

Thank you

 

[Steve Bruzonsky]

Preorder for the set (with the vinyl) is now available on Rhino's site.

It also ought to be made clear, as there was some ambiguity in the original post, the album is also getting a stereo remix alongside its Atmos offering.

Weird. The ImportCD listing is a great price but says its quad with no mention of Atmos. Is there another edition which isn't Atmos? I don't want to order the wrong one.

https://www.importcds.com/machine-head-50th-anniversary-deluxe/603497828852

 

[quicksrt]

ImportCD needs to tighten up that listing as it says it’s in Reprise / WEA which is wrong of course, and WEA has not been used in what decades. I think it’s a Uni/Rhino release. Or Uni/Warner at least. Quadio mixes?

 

[Dynamic Editor]

ImportCD need to tighten up that listing as it says it’s in Reprise /WEA which is wrong of course, and WEA has not been used in what decades. I think it’s a Uni/Rhino release. Or Uni/Warner at least. Quadio mixes?

Pretty certain Rhino is involved. It follows their picture scheme for album promotion. Doesn't match Warner's at all.

 

[quicksrt]

Pretty certain Rhino is involved. It follows their picture scheme for album promotion. Doesn't match Warner's at all.

Record label says Warner Records, so it does line up with Warner product to some degree. Glad you agree with me on the Rhino front.

 

[stoopid]

Weird. The ImportCD listing is a great price but says its quad with no mention of Atmos. Is there another edition which isn't Atmos? I don't want to order the wrong one.

https://www.importcds.com/machine-head-50th-anniversary-deluxe/603497828852

Googling the UPC... it's the same 2024 Rhino release this thread is about.

https://www.google.com/search?q=603497828852

 

[RustyM]

Deep Purple were always much more of a pot stoner band imo.

Is that why I liked them so much. How about that!

 

[quicksrt]

Is that why I liked them so much. How about that!

Me too, at 13 years old I was flying pretty high, and adding other things to the mix for a nice variety.

 

[Bill B]

I don't think there is an Amazon link above.....

$80 right now but it will probably drop at some point.

https://www.amazon.com/Machine-Head...=music&sprefix=deep+purple,popular,114&sr=1-1