Dutton Epoch - 4 New Quad SACDs (December 2022)

[humprof]

I'm curious about the mixing credits listed on the product page. "New stereo mix from the original analogue multitrack tapes by Michael J. Dutton" makes sense given that there was no dedicated stereo mix in 1976 and I believe it's been said here that the later stereo mix that made it to CD isn't very good (or am I confusing that with "Annie"?).

But what's up with "Additional quadraphonic remixing from the original analogue multitrack tapes by Michael J. Dutton"? I don't mean to suggest for a second that there's anything nefarious, I'm assuming something needed to be done for some reason and I'm wondering what and why.

My conclusion is that for some reason he had to do a new mix (presumably guided by the old one). @steelydave might have more info?

 

[steelydave]

The original discrete four-channel master tape suffers from "sticky shed" syndrome (being as this album was recorded right at the height of the post-Arab oil embargo synthetic tape formulations) and after baking there were portions of the tape that exhibited dropouts and other anomalies that Mike didn't think were up to release standard.

So he's remixed the damaged selections from the original multitrack (which I guess was recorded on a different type of tape) using the original damaged master as a guide with the goal of replicating Don Young's original mix. Obviously I haven't heard it yet, but Mike is such a perfectionist that I suspect no one would even know that the new sections were remixed unless he'd put the information on the packaging.

 

[atrocity]

The original discrete four-channel master tape suffers from "sticky shed" syndrome (being as this album was recorded right at the height of the post-Arab oil embargo synthetic tape formulations) and after baking there were portions of the tape that exhibited dropouts and other anomalies that Mike didn't think were up to release standard.

So he's remixed the damaged selections from the original multitrack (which I guess was recorded on a different type of tape) using the original damaged master as a guide with the goal of replicating Don Young's original mix. Obviously I haven't heard it yet, but Mike is such a perfectionist that I suspect no one would even know that the new sections were remixed unless he'd put the information on the packaging.

That makes perfect sense, thank you very much! Gonna get this one for sure.

 

[ubertrout]

Many thanks for this post - very interested in the John Williams suites (people asking me what I want for Christmas will be getting this link!) At the risk of being perceived as sacreligious and / or naive, if these brand new mixes were from the original analog multitracks, why not 5.1 as opposed to 'just' quad? Is Quad the D-V 'house style', which somehow perpetuates the legacy perception of the recordings?

Curious to know.

D-V does everything in quad, including their new recordings. A lot of people think the center channel isn't particularly good for classical, and D-V isn't the only label making recordings which are actually 4.0 and marketed as 5.0.

 

[ubertrout]

The disc with Façade is a really interesting grab-bag completing quad albums previously issued by D-V in part as album fillers. The Britten Suite on English Folk Tunes was originally on Bernstein's "Tribute to Benjamin Britten," the Four Sea Interludes and Passacaglia from Peter Grimes also on that LP were released by D-V with The Planets. Likewise, Lennox Berkeley's Guitar Concerto was on an LP with the Rodrigo Concierto - which D-V included with the album of Bream playing Lute Concertos.

The Charles Gerhardt recording of Star Wars / Close Encounters is a classic and I'm extremely excited to get it. D-V have done so many of the soundtracks Gerhardt conducted and/or recorded by now and I can only be grateful. This was made very quickly after the release of these films with the blessing and consultation of John Williams - it wasn't (just) a cash grab.

 

[martin russell]

D-V does everything in quad, including their new recordings. A lot of people think the center channel isn't particularly good for classical, and D-V isn't the only label making recordings which are actually 4.0 and marketed as 5.0.

Fair enough. Thank you for responding!

 

[MrSmithers]

Woohoo got my Star Wars / Close Encounters disc today and just sitting down now to listen with a mince pie and a cup of tea!

It sounds amazing! Out of this world! The fidelity is really good and the quad mix is fantastic. Fully discrete at times with plenty of interplay between the speakers. It sounds like a Don Young / Larry Keyes style mix... Wish all classical music could be mixed like this rather than boring reverb.

I got the recent John Williams Berlin Atmos disc and while not terrible it's not a patch on this. Actually it's funny as in the SACD liner notes there's a pic of the original master tape with a giant NO DOLBY scrawled across it. Found it quite funny!

Hopefully Michael Dutton can get access to more stuff like this, and work his great wizardry... I'd vote a 10!

 

[humprof]

The disc with Façade is a really interesting grab-bag completing quad albums previously issued by D-V in part as album fillers. The Britten Suite on English Folk Tunes was originally on Bernstein's "Tribute to Benjamin Britten," the Four Sea Interludes and Passacaglia from Peter Grimes also on that LP were released by D-V with The Planets. Likewise, Lennox Berkeley's Guitar Concerto was on an LP with the Rodrigo Concierto - which D-V included with the album of Bream playing Lute Concertos.

Good point--there's lots to choose from on that disc.

For anyone wanting to preview the title piece, Apple Music has a recent recording on Naxos with an Atmos mix. Of course the narrators are no Tony Randall.

 

[ubertrout]

Woohoo got my Star Wars / Close Encounters disc today and just sitting down now to listen with a mince pie and a cup of tea!

It sounds amazing! Out of this world! The fidelity is really good and the quad mix is fantastic. Fully discrete at times with plenty of interplay between the speakers. It sounds like a Don Young / Larry Keyes style mix... Wish all classical music could be mixed like this rather than boring reverb.

I got the recent John Williams Berlin Atmos disc and while not terrible it's not a patch on this. Actually it's funny as in the SACD liner notes there's a pic of the original master tape with a giant NO DOLBY scrawled across it. Found it quite funny!

Hopefully Michael Dutton can get access to more stuff like this, and work his great wizardry... I'd vote a 10!

Do they reproduce the original liner notes where Gerhardt talks about the process of making the recordings and the input from Williams?

 

[MrSmithers]

Do they reproduce the original liner notes where Gerhardt talks about the process of making the recordings and the input from Williams?

Yep exactly that… Interesting reading…

 

[AZAHID]

So excited about this release and subsequently ordered it. I suppose they will do the Gerhardt recording of John Williams' RETURN OF THE JEDI in the near future as well. That's another great recording on its own.