HiRez Poll Doobie Brothers, The - QUADIO [Blu-ray Audio]

[sjcorne]

I feel that the first issue of Chicago Transit Authority in DTS has a slight harshness to it compared to the subsequent Quadio Bluray. My nits about the CTA Quadio Bluray are somewhat excessive bass and somewhat muted vocals; but I still consider it easier on the ears than the first reissue.

My first exposure to the CTA quad mix was the Blu-Ray edition, and I assumed at the time that the muted vocals just were an unfortunate mixing decision made back in the '70s. The DTS DVD reveals that wasn't the case at all. It sounds to me like the rears were boosted on the Blu-Ray in addition to the 'smiley' EQ curve, resulting in louder horns and quieter vocals. Same problem with the second album, though the sonics of the original stereo & quad mixes were never that great to begin with (especially compared to the remixed stereo & 5.1 on the DVD-A).

Regarding the mastering on the Doobies set, I've been listening to a DTS-CD compilation of my favorite tracks from all four albums in the car all week and stand by my comment that Captain doesn't sound as good as the others. The ending build-up in "Without You" has me really backing off the volume. Still beats the Q4 conversion I had where "Natural Thing" and "Long Train Runnin'" ran 1-2% slow.

 

[BJMarsh]

I cannot believe how great this set is. Toulouse Street is a revelation, in particular “Jesus is Just Alright “.... interesting

 

[ar surround]

Though I’d heard it on the radio, for me that track only exists in quad.

Regarding my post where I said that hearing Toulouse Street another 100 times wouldn’t be enough: I’m speaking of the whole album, not that single track. (Great track BTW.)

 

[knifeman]

I too have noticed a funny haze on my discs. I've gotten rid of the inner plastic sleeves. I don't know what else could be causing this problem. They still play fine, Though.

Same here. I was able to wipe off the haze with a dry tissue. I put the discs directly into the inner sleeves, minus the plastic,

 

[colsky]

And it's a 10 from the Chelmsford, England, jury .

I've listened to all 4 discs twice so far. Each time in wonderful quad. Will I ever get time to listen to the stereo options I wonder .

Musically I'm preferring the first 2 so far. I'm hearing a bit of Wishbone Ash in those 2. I love especially Clear as the Driven Snow on Captain.

 

[The56Kid]

Received this fantastic box Friday, but have only made my way thru Vices & Toulouse due to my son visiting.

So far, so good - love the overall fidelity and separation. My one nitpick has to do with something previously mentioned by @sjcorne: I’m definitely not a fan of jamming drums into one speaker in general, but it’s really egregious when a band features TWO drummers. Luckily, it’s not universal and the songs that feature drums across the full front stage sound fuller and better balanced.

Not ready to vote until I hear Captain and Stampede, but I’m impressed so far!

 

[Quadly McQuadmeister]

In terms of the merits of the engineering/transfer/original recording audio quality, that's an easy 9-10. I would place the "gravitas" rating of the Music/Performances/Lyrics (something SO subjective that each opinion gets to be its own virtual "reference standard") just below the best of my (personal) favorites that are subjects of other polls, so I'd have to give that a lowly "9". So I will vote "9". Not because I don't think it deserves a ten if judged solely on its own merits. I just think there are a few Artists whose collective outputs deliver a little more on the non"quad" virtues of the Musical Art and I don't think most of those get enough affection from those within the Industry (or popular music fans), not of our generation. I'd include Blood, Sweat & Tears, Alan Parsons, and maybe a few other Artists that borrowed broadly from other musical idioms, but didn't commit commercial suicide by marketing themselves as something other than "Rock". Bach's music was ignored for a couple of Centuries after his passing, and then was rediscovered and celebrated on a scale that far exceeded the success that his music enjoyed during his lifetime. I'm wagering (Obviously, I won't be around to see it) that many of these "more thoughtful and process-focused" Artists (Steely Dan could be a contender, too) will enjoy a renewed renaissance of appreciation-IF the Music itself survives physically-in an as yet unimaginable future. One hopes, anyway. I think of Artists like Zappa, Four Freshmen, Ferguson/Kenton, Woody Herman, and others and think that the quality of their catalogs will experience a renewed appreciation if there is enough social/economic headroom (like there was during the best times of our lives) to allow for the luxury of single task-focused "active" listening. There's so much competition for everyone's attention span bandwidth in contemporary times, that's likely the biggest threat to both Music Performance and Music Appreciation in the future. I think it's in the process of being "blip-verted" (you have to be old enough to remember "Max Headroom" to know what that is) into irrelevancy and that's why I periodically post about it. As for what can we do about it, well...not much...except let the good times roll and set a good example for those around us... : - )

 

[rusinurbe]

Disc 2 today the album.ive had for years on DVDA. Captain...
What can I say it's a new album the 5.1 was very good the 4.0 is so much better. Sounds fantastic for its vintage I would almost say this was a more modern sounding mix.

To Warner/Rhino I salute you I only wish you could exploit more of those original quad mixes.

 

[mandrix]

Happy to help. Re: polluting, there's an unwritten rule here that poll threads are to be reserved for discussion only directly related to the album in question. This went off on quite a tangent, so it really doesn't belong in this thread.

I know. Mostly we are a fairly tolerant bunch though.

 

[Gimme 4]

I give it a "10" overall. Have always loved the music. Only issues: seems like the pause between tracks is really l-o-n-g on some, not all, like 15 to 20 seconds between some tracks. Not like that on the albums. And the plastic sleeves the discs came in.

Also I think they should have included a "bonus disc" of the first Doobies album mixed in 4 channels, what could have been in quad but never made it sort of thing. Its a good album too. Yeah, dream on!

.

I couldn't knock off a half-point for the plastic bags the discs are in that are causing some weird clouding. I cleaned off the haze and replaced those with poly-lined paper CD sleeves, similar to the poly-paper sleeves of the '70s ☺. At first I was concerned there might be some chemical process going on between dissimilar plastics, etching the playing surface.

 

[Jeff ss]

Wow! This is certainly a 10! Very clean, noise free and great separation. I would have to say it's one of the best surround discs I've heard! Its alive! Rears have alot of action. Listened to them them all except for habits. Great job Rhino!!! The song Captain and Me is so layered and textured with the guitars and drums...wow!

 

[MikeMonaco]

A definite 10 for me, well worth the waiting. Sonically, this is terrific, so easy to listen. One test I like to do, especially with quad releases, is to sit in different spots between the speaker configuration, and hear how all the channels are used for different instruments and vocals. These are top notch for me in that regard.

 

[califcab]

I vote to give this one a 10. Had to tinker with the bass a little bit as it seemed to vary - but overall the sound was fabulous. Full discrete mix with all the vocals and instruments in the right places. And the box set of 4 albums for $59 is a terrific value. Content, mix, and fidelity - 10's all around.

 

[Audiowannabee]

Well ive listened to these a couple of times now, still haven't did the comparison between DVDA 5.1 of Captain n Me vs Quad however the other 3 albums ive spun several times...its excellent both mix and sound quality/ fidelity

Its a 10
N on Toulouse street i keep waiting for Tom to remove his hat, wave it in air at me n show me his junk....

Hi Tom smile n wave that hat

 

[ogrequad]

A 10 for me as well. Fully immersive quad mixes and the sound quality is just stunning. I wasn't deeply familiar with these albums beyond the hits, but I have greatly enjoyed digging in. My only (minor) complaint is that it is really difficult to get the disc and sleeves back into the gatefolds. I stopped trying to force them in there and now I'm keeping them separate. Otherwise, just a top notch release all around!

 

[ClarkNovak]

I don't think they could have done a better job on this - totally worth the wait. Packaging 10, content 10 - the only area that they might have done better in was documentation: a nice booklet with an essay on the albums or an interview with Ted Templeman or Bruce Cohn or something would have been the kicker. As it is, though, I'm VERY happy with this release.

 

[ClarkNovak]

I think they should have included a "bonus disc" of the first Doobies album mixed in 4 channels, what could have been in quad but never made it sort of thing. Its a good album too.

I think they were just doing a release of material in the can - if they'd gone back to try and remix existing audio, the band's permission would have to have been obtained, creative involvement given, a mixer hired...too much expense for too little return (in Warnerthink).

I have, however, a DTS disc of "Takin' It To The Streets" which purports to be an unreleased Quad mix, and it is very, very discrete. Since that album was released in 1976, the tail end of the Quad era, it's entirely possible that it's real and laying in a vault somewhere, forgotten...

 

[Goona]

Top of the Surround Polls

 

[Knoles]

Well this box is great. It could be the best box of the year, but I know there are more coming so I withhold judgment. However, this establishes a high bar.
It is unsettling listening to these albums after years of hearing the songs on Am/Fm radio, 8 tracks, and vinyl where they sounded so murky. It is an adjustment I am glad to make.

 

[Rhinojack]

It’s finally here! I doubt anyone expected otherwise, but this was absolutely worth the wait. Four great albums in a well-put-together and value-priced package. As with the Chicago set, the detail in the individual jackets and disc sleeves shows this is a real labor of love for Rhino. Plus, it’s nice to not have another big box to put in the closet.

If you haven’t heard the quad mixes before, be prepared for what can only be described as a full-on surround experience. The Chicago quads were mixed in a semi-modern style with the rhythm section upfront and elements like guitars and horns in the rears. These mixes have a completely different vibe. The rear channels carry just as much audio if not more than the fronts at times, and you'll frequently find full-range information like the drums or bass guitar back there. There are even a few passages with the lead vocals in the rears! Having the bass guitar suspended directly behind your head on most songs might seem a bit odd at first, but I think it really works.

Since I'm already familiar with the quad mixes, the only concern I had going into this set was Craig Anderson’s mastering. The Chicago set was by no means bad-sounding, but it wasn’t quite a slam-dunk either: I found that the lead vocals frequently tended to get overwhelmed by the blaring horns in the rear channels, even though this wasn’t the case on the old quad LPs and tape versions of those albums.

Aside from the occasional moment where I felt the rears were maybe a touch too loud (“Sweet Maxine” on Stampede), I’m really happy with how these discs sound. The tonal balance here is far superior to any conversions I’ve heard of these four albums. The front center-panned vocals and instrumental lines really ‘pop’ and actually sound like they’re coming from the center speaker, which is exactly what one would hope for in a good quad remaster. Perhaps it’s due to EQ or just the reduced noise floor, but I found myself frequently noticing new details that weren’t as audible even on the 7.5 IPS reel-to-reel transfers. It’s crazy hearing the epic acapella trade-off section in “Black Water” with a completely silent background.

My only critique is that The Captain & Me isn’t quite as good as the other discs from a fidelity standpoint. Obviously YMMV with this, but to me it almost sounds like they set up the EQ for one of the acoustic-dominated songs (“South City Midnight Lady”, “Clear As The Driven Snow”) and ran the entire album through that same curve, resulting in the harder-rocking tunes like “China Grove” and “Without You” sounding a bit too shrill at high volume. Elliot Scheiner's 5.1 mix on the old DVD-Audio will remain my go-to version of that album.

If you enjoy surround music, there’s really no reason not to add this to your collection. I'm tempted to dock a point for Captain, but the other albums sound so good that I can't vote anything less than a 10.

"It’s crazy hearing the epic acapella trade-off section in “Black Water” with a completely silent background." Yes, I noticed that today too for the first time. I was wondering if something wasn't set-up right on my OPPO BDP-103d Darbee edition player. I then played it in stereo and it sounded like we all know. I wonder why it is so silent.