HiRez Poll Doors - PERCEPTION (DVD-A Box Set)

[MIDIQ]

Hard to rate, some of the albums are a 10, and some are a lot less, so overall my enjoyment is an 8.

 

[Mesozoic Mike]

To me, this is the best sounding Doors release. Surround mix not that adventurous. Fidelity is great. Just hearing the Doors sound this good, knocks my socks off.

 

[4-earredwonder]

I have to agree with Mike. I gave it a 10. MLP DVD~A 5.1 ........ ALL THE WAY. Accept NO substitutes!

 

[HugoPhyrst]

This is the first surround music I think I ever bought and for that reason, I've loved it. But after listening to the Blu-ray of the Best of the Doors, I know the music can sound better - MUCH better. Mix is just ok. 8.

 

[hafquark]

I've had this box set for about 7 years and never got around to rating it. I'm re-listening today beginning with the second DVD-A (the first one sounds good, but is essentially a three track with echo in the rear speakers.) Man, these sound great. Clear, punchy audio with beautifully balanced treble, bass, and midrange. The surround mix is very discrete -- not fly-around-the-room discrete, but with distinctive placement of instruments and vocals to specific channels. Another plus is separate CD and DVD-A discs in a solidly built cardboard box with glossy booklets for each album. An easy 9+ to these ears.

 

[sjcorne]

Whenever I want to hear some Doors I usually end up going with the Best Of The Doors quad mix (pick up The Singles Blu-ray if you haven't already!), but I do disagree with some of the tracks chosen for that compilation, particularly "Who Do You Love" and "Take It As It Comes". So I do occasionally revisit these discs to hear favorite tracks like "Peace Frog", "L.A. Woman", "The Unknown Soldier", and "Waiting For The Sun".

I think the problem with these mixes is there's just too much going on in the center channel- many of the songs feature vocals, the entire drum track, and bass almost exclusively in the center channel. I found this interesting interview with Bruce Botnick from 2015 about these surround mixes, and he does actually address his use of the center channel.

Mettler: So what? Some vocalists, like Mick Jagger, have said they don’t want their vocals isolated in the center channel for various reasons; they don’t want to appear too naked.

Botnick: If there are drums and other things in there, you shouldn’t have a problem. If all you’re doing is putting just the lead singer in the center, then you’re in a little bit of trouble.

Sounds like he threw other stuff in there just to avoid having solo vocals in the center SW-style, which doesn't really make sense to me. It's possible in some cases that the drums were originally recorded as a single mono track, but for me those wild old quad mixes with the drums in one rear speaker and the bass in the other like Sly's GH or Tower Off Power work so much better that this.

If you have both versions, compare the 5.1 "Love Her Madly" with the old quad. The drums seem so much narrower in the new mix.

5.1 DVD-A:


Quad Blu-Ray:


As others have said, the first two albums aren't very discrete due to multitrack limitations. The rest are generally sparse in the rears until the occasional sudden burst of a keyboard or guitar, but I'd hardly call from Waiting For The Sun-on "ambient". There just aren't many songs that have all channels equally busy with discrete info.

For me Morrison Hotel is the standout disc- it's a very aggressive "four-corner" style mix. The song "Land Ho!" is particularly wild in surround with the violin part isolated in the rears and the guitar fills alternating from each rear speaker. "Waiting For The Sun" is even more of a powerhouse with Manzarek's keys in the rears and even some 360 panning on the guitar solo.

Not sure what this set is going for these days, I found mine (small box version) in a record store for $70 about five years ago now. It certainly does sound great, but the surround mixes are overall hit-or-miss and IMO inferior to the old quad. I'd give it an 8.

 

[Audiowannabee]

I have much trouble with the vocals on strange days disc on the dvda like where are the vocals???
On love u two times its more of an instrumental
???
Any suggestions???

Yep like above best of bluray from singles set is MUCH better

 

[Audiowannabee]

Im gonna rate the set a 6 like some above have said the surround mixes vary greatly some better than others...glad to have the set for stereo n all the doors albums & the extras bonus songs but the surround mixes are a hit & miss...glad to have it but also glad i didnt pay alot for it

 

[GOS]

I have much trouble with the vocals on strange days disc on the dvda like where are the vocals???
On love u two times its more of an instrumental
???
Any suggestions???

Yep like above best of bluray from singles set is MUCH better

Hmm, that's odd. I have the SACD MCH counterpart and Love Me vocals are loud and clear in center. I also have the DVD-A box, but haven't honestly played it......now I'm curious.

 

[Audiowannabee]

Hmm, that's odd. I have the SACD MCH counterpart and Love Me vocals are loud and clear in center. I also have the DVD-A box, but haven't honestly played it......now I'm curious.

I dont have any of the sacd s...do u think the mixes are done alot better than the dvda???

 

[Larry Geller]

I have much trouble with the vocals on strange days disc on the dvda like where are the vocals???
On love u two times its more of an instrumental
???
Any suggestions???

Yep like above best of bluray from singles set is MUCH better

Sounds like you have no center speaker, but have the receiver set as if you heave one.

 

[Audiowannabee]

Sounds like you have no center speaker, but have the receiver set as if you heave one.

Sometimes when playing some discs i turn the center off..ex: moody blues sacds...n yea i HAVE to remember to turn it back on for movies & 5.1 but Nope thats NOT it...it's the MIX on the disc...
I also have a dvda sampler called " the dvd audio experience" jvc
On it is Pinch Me Barenaked ladies , heart of gold neil young, Beethoven symphany 9 ,
Lucky man ELP, etc...

Every track plays fine...but get to Love Her Madly DOORS off la woman...same thing little to No vocals
Maddening!

 

[GOS]

I have much trouble with the vocals on strange days disc on the dvda like where are the vocals???
On love u two times its more of an instrumental
???
Any suggestions???

Yep like above best of bluray from singles set is MUCH better

OK, so I just played Strange Days DVD-A, from box set. Never listened before (I know, I know). Here is what I found.

Oddly, the very first song; Strange Days. Vocals are 100% missing from center channel. But, I know why....they are going for the echo effect/dreamy effect. So, vocals are in front left/right, and a bit louder in rear left/right. It works just fine. Never heard it this way, but it's just fine. I have all Klipsch towers, so they reproduce rear effects with authority.

But, that is the only song where vocals are not LOCKED in center. Love Me Two Times absolutely has Jim's vocals loud and clear coming from center. So, not sure why you hear what you hear. Sounds like something is amiss.

 

[Audiowannabee]

OK, so I just played Strange Days DVD-A, from box set. Never listened before (I know, I know). Here is what I found.

Oddly, the very first song; Strange Days. Vocals are 100% missing from center channel. But, I know why....they are going for the echo effect/dreamy effect. So, vocals are in front left/right, and a bit louder in rear left/right. It works just fine. Never heard it this way, but it's just fine. I have all Klipsch towers, so they reproduce rear effects with authority.

But, that is the only song where vocals are not LOCKED in center. Love Me Two Times absolutely has Jim's vocals loud and clear coming from center. So, not sure why you hear what you hear. Sounds like something is amiss.

I've just figued out my center isnt now working ...need to figure it out...may have lost channel on avr ...

 

[Audiowannabee]

I've just figued out my center isnt now working ...need to figure it out...may have lost channel on avr ...

Well guys turned out that somehow some plugs somehow came unplugged...after spending the last hour climbing behind my system good news is avr is ok...took a lil time but im back up n running & have the center reconnected

Damn its a pita moving stuff to get behind n of course so many wires
THANKS GOS!

 

[Audiowannabee]

So after realizing some plugs became unplugged and fixing that im raising my rating to 8 on perception set...however i do think that the quad bluray from the singles set is MUCH better than the 5.1 mixes

 

[drphibes]

So after realizing some plugs became unplugged and fixing that im raising my rating to 8 on perception set...however i do think that the quad bluray from the singles set is MUCH better than the 5.1 mixes

That still remains one of the best surround releases I have. Just wonderful.

 

[J. PUPSTER]

Well guys turned out that somehow some plugs somehow came unplugged...after spending the last hour climbing behind my system good news is avr is ok...took a lil time but im back up n running & have the center reconnected

Damn its a pita moving stuff to get behind n of course so many wires
THANKS GOS!

So how does that happen? Have you got cats that might have been playing back there?

 

[Mesozoic Mike]

People are strange and so are electronics.

 

[edisonbaggins]

A "6" from me. The surround awesomeness just isn't here. Fidelity and cool extra features, yes.