HiRez Poll Emerson Lake & Palmer - BRAIN SALAD SURGERY [DVD-A][2000 WB]

[keenly]

It's a great disc, provided that, as a listener, you don't mind a lot of activity in all channels and some stuff moving around, which bugs some folks about this one and L.A. WOMAN in particular. I enjoy them a lot, and to be honest, likely wouldn't listen to BSS again if it weren't for its aggressive 5.1 mix.

ED

Stuff SHOULD move around IMO. I like exciting mixes, not just boring ones which place instruments in each channel and that's that. L.A woman is brilliant.

 

[Quad Linda]

I'll disagree with the moving around comment. Many of the early Quad releases moved things around. It's a cute trick, but it wears thin after awhile. I don't recall any live performances where the sound moves around, although the musicians themselves often do. The only exception to this is the recent revival of Sondheim's Company featuring Raul Esparza. In it, there is no orchestra. The cast plays the instruments and often marches around the stage.

Stuff SHOULD move around IMO. I like exciting mixes, not just boring ones which place instruments in each channel and that's that. L.A woman is brilliant.

 

[keenly]

I'll disagree with the moving around comment. Many of the early Quad releases moved things around. It's a cute trick, but it wears thin after awhile. I don't recall any live performances where the sound moves around, although the musicians themselves often do. The only exception to this is the recent revival of Sondheim's Company featuring Raul Esparza. In it, there is no orchestra. The cast plays the instruments and often marches around the stage.

What does live music have to do with it?

You must not like Hendrix Electric Ladyland then? The stereo mixes are great with numerous panning of guitars etc.

 

[Quad Linda]

Perhaps I should clarify my comments. I'm not saying that all surround should be hall effect in the rears. If that's all there were, I'd stick to stereo, instead of being a confirmed Surroundaholic for over 40 years. Panning has its' place, but it should be used subtly, just as any spice. Relying on audio gimmicks can easily detract from the music.

Abraxas is one of my top 100 albums. I prefer to listen to it in surround, and always have. Still, the audio trickery detracts from the groove and the musicianship, IMHO. It becomes annoying after the "that's cool" sentiment wears off.

Hendrix? IMHO, he is the greatest rock guitarist. Hell, I've got lots of albums he didn't even know he made! He grew tired of everyone wanting to see him smash guitars, make love to them and set them ablaze. Axis is my favorite of his. Panning belongs on EXP, although like Revolution 9, it wears thin after a while. I guess that's my point, honor the music, even if the musician is also the engineer. Otherwise, the tricks become like those famous final words before plunging to one's death, "hey, y'all, watch this!"

What does live music have to do with it?

You must not like Hendrix Electric Ladyland then? The stereo mixes are great with numerous panning of guitars etc.

 

[keenly]

Perhaps I should clarify my comments. I'm not saying that all surround should be hall effect in the rears. If that's all there were, I'd stick to stereo, instead of being a confirmed Surroundaholic for over 40 years. Panning has its' place, but it should be used subtly, just as any spice. Relying on audio gimmicks can easily detract from the music.

Abraxas is one of my top 100 albums. I prefer to listen to it in surround, and always have. Still, the audio trickery detracts from the groove and the musicianship, IMHO. It becomes annoying after the "that's cool" sentiment wears off.

Hendrix? IMHO, he is the greatest rock guitarist. Hell, I've got lots of albums he didn't even know he made! He grew tired of everyone wanting to see him smash guitars, make love to them and set them ablaze. Axis is my favorite of his. Panning belongs on EXP, although like Revolution 9, it wears thin after a while. I guess that's my point, honor the music, even if the musician is also the engineer. Otherwise, the tricks become like those famous final words before plunging to one's death, "hey, y'all, watch this!"

It depends on the music i agree. Imagine EL in 5.1? Jimi wanted panning and the music to 'surround' the listener. Just placing instruments in all 5 channels would not do it justice.

I do like some 'tricks' though. I do not care about an accurate representation of the original recording. Inventive production techniques and mixes add to the music. Example would be Zeppelin 2.

 

[jberger]

I put this disc on this morning, in memory of the passing of H. R. Giger, who designed the cover (and also the overall look of the 'Alien' predator). Thanks for the scares!

 

[wavelength]

A lot of positive posts in this thread. But I still have issues with the mix. For a considerable amount of the time it comes across as a front 3 presentation. Too often there is only the same signal in the rears that is playing in the fronts. Or just gimmickry with sounds bouncing from one speaker to another. It just doesn't add up to a satisfying listening experience for me. Can't say that I am surprised as this was one of the very first 5.1 mixes (2000).

I am looking forward to the new mix by Jakko Jakszyck. I have a feeling that he will deliver a well-constructed surround mix that will make this music a special listening experience.

Well, after getting my Oppo 105 fixed I'm going to say that my earlier comment is way off the mark. Refer to this thread (https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/fo...nce-Settings&highlight=oppo+distance+settings) if you are wondering what was wrong with my player but in summary it is known as the Speaker Distance Bug.

Just finished listening to the whole album through and enjoyed it. I may even cancel my Jakko pre-order for the 3-disc set.

 

[strat54]

I don't recall any live performances where the sound moves around, although the musicians themselves often do.

Emerson, Lake and Palmer Brain Salad Surgery tour in Quad live, Yes Topographic Oceans, Relayer and Going For The One tours in Quad live, Pink Floyd multiple tours in Quad live, Roger Waters - The Wall tour in 4.1 live. plenty of sound moving around the venues.
From BSS, Karn Evil 9 on the DVD-A (2000) is extremely similar to the live sound system mix I heard at Madison Square Garden and Roosevelt Field, NJ.
It was quite fun and exciting, especially with chemicals added

 

[cupboy]

I'll disagree with the moving around comment. Many of the early Quad releases moved things around. It's a cute trick, but it wears thin after awhile. I don't recall any live performances where the sound moves around, although the musicians themselves often do.

Sound moved around in circles at Melodyland. Went to a Beach Boys / Grass Roots concert there back in the day.

 

[timbre4]

Steven Wilson - Grace For Drowning tour we saw twice had rear speakers for "choir" voices, keyboard elements and ambient noises. This was selectively (and effectively) employed.


From my phone

 

[leevitalone1]

Emerson, Lake and Palmer Brain Salad Surgery tour in Quad live, Yes Topographic Oceans, Relayer and Going For The One tours in Quad live, Pink Floyd multiple tours in Quad live, Roger Waters - The Wall tour in 4.1 live. plenty of sound moving around the venues.
From BSS, Karn Evil 9 on the DVD-A (2000) is extremely similar to the live sound system mix I heard at Madison Square Garden and Roosevelt Field, NJ.
It was quite fun and exciting, especially with chemicals added

Jimmy page did effects with his guitar in live shows at least the one I saw, it was the Black Dog promo tour. He used the venue or back speakers(?) for a very cool effect.

 

[tedhead]

I'll disagree with the moving around comment. Many of the early Quad releases moved things around. It's a cute trick, but it wears thin after awhile. I don't recall any live performances where the sound moves around, although the musicians themselves often do. The only exception to this is the recent revival of Sondheim's Company featuring Raul Esparza. In it, there is no orchestra. The cast plays the instruments and often marches around the stage.

ELP and Pink Floyd both had quadrophonic sound systems in concert, especially Floyd/Waters solo. I remember reading a review of the BSS tour at Madison Square Gardens where the music didn't only swirl around from time to time (not constantly), but there was even a speaker on the ceiling that made it shoot up over the audience.

KC jumped in on the quad sound on their brief 2008 tour. It sounded great with the Frippertronics floating around the room.

But expanded stereo is not the reason I listen to surround anyway. If it sounds like there is lots of overdubbing, with the studio as an instrument, the music telling a story, etc...it makes perfect sense to have an active mix. But if its just some guys playing like a live band, I'm fine with stereo. AYE is fine in mono or stereo, but Electric Ladyland is made perfectly for surround. Hendrix moved it away from Chas Chandler's simple garage band sound.

 

[proufo]

Rogers Waters used rear speakers in his tour ten years ago or so.

 

[Quad Linda]

Pink Floyd had an Azimuth Co-ordinator, which leevitalone1 used for awhile for his avatar. Nice going, Alan!! So, yes there have been a few surround concerts presented for over 40 years.

Please let me clarify my earlier comments. I LOVE an active mix. It's why I've been into surround sound for over 40 years. Am I simply looking for an enhancement of stereo? No. Little or nothing in the rears, like hall effect, holds little or no interest for me.

I've mentioned in other threads that I HATE electronically enhanced stereo. I'll take high fidelity mono anytime over two channels of low-fi slop (hi-filter in one channel, low filter on the other.) To be able to hear both the song as a whole and have the option to turn up a particular solo is what a discrete surround mix means to me.

Tricks are nice and even proper in some situations like marching the band around the room on Music Man. Tricks for tricks' sake are cute and clever, but the music shouldn't be overshadowed by gimmicks. A great, "discrete" surround mix should honor and enhance the music. If tricks are the only thing, then I might recommend sound effects records, especially in surround. I own lots of them, but rarely spin them.

ELP & Pink Floyd surround albums have always been faves of mine.

 

[tedhead]

Thats great, but what is an example of a surround mix that you wouldn't care for and why?

 

[Which_One_Is_Pink]

Been a long time coming voting on this one, the fist multichannel disc I bought way back in the beginning, way before I was able to play it in all its Hi-Rez 5.1 glory, Basically a 9 across the board for me in all BSS aspects moved up to a 10 via the inclusion of Lucky Man in Glorious 5.1 so a 10

 

[Cibola]

I have just discovered the most peculiar thing about this disc. Tracks 3, 4, and 6 have no LFE channel. Yet all other tracks do. That's very weird.

That's it! Possibly my AVR doesn't handle this well.

 

[skherbeck]

I bought this version of BSS because it has "Lucky Man" as a bonus, saving me from having to buy their first album (which I'm not really into other than "Lucky Man"). I had never heard it before, other than the section of Karn Evil they play on the radio. The sound quality is really clear (although I might be hearing a hint of compression). The music is stellar (although "Benny the Bouncer" is a throw away for me)... Karn Evil is pure technical, progressive, space-rock bliss. The thing that really elevates this disc, however, is the surround mix... It's like some kind of circus fun-house with crazy effects flying at you from every direction! I love it! The mix complements the music, and the music deserves this mix. I give it a high 8 !

 

[DennisMoore Jr.]

A bit late since I bought this when it came out, years before I even had multi-channel in my home.

It is perfect.

For those who compare this with the 2015 mix... This remix was done mostly analog with vastly different equipment than a HD full of files mixed on a digital computer workstation. it will sound a bit different...

ELP - BSS is frankly a masterpiece of modern composed music. And it is presented here in a fine 5.1 remixing.

yep..... a 10. :music

 

[sbrom]

Another new acquisition, well worth the 2017 high price.

In my youth, an era of dorm room stereo wars, I avoided BSS and ELP/st. They seemed thick and inaccessible. Trilogy was my go-to.

This active surround mix opens my ears to the music within BSS. I'm a lucky man (no pun intended) to have discovered this in my near-golden years.

Rating: 9, taking a point off for Benny the Bouncer. Next up: Waiting on ELP, due within a week.