Frank Zappa Waka/Wazoo Deluxe 4CD + Blu-Ray 5.1 and Atmos!!!!

[privateuniverse]

On my radio show this afternoon I'll be spotlighting this new box as well as the other archival Zappa releases that came out this year (Mothers 1971, Erie & Zappa '75). My guest will be Scott Parker, host of the official Zappa podcast, ZappaCast. Scott also wrote the liner notes for the mew Waka/Wazoo box. We'll be on the air from 5:30 - 7:30 PM EST. The station can be streamed online at: WRTC FM – The radio station of Trinity College, Hartford, CT The show will also be available in the website's archive section for two weeks after the broadcast.

 

[esimms86]

My Bull Moose ordered wazoo just arrived. That was quick considering I'm on the other side of the country and it was economy shipping. That's been my experience with Bull Moose the other time(s) I've ordered from them.

That’s stoopid good luck.

 

[esimms86]

On my radio show this afternoon I'll be spotlighting this new box as well as the other archival Zappa releases that came out this year (Mothers 1971, Erie & Zappa '75). My guest will be Scott Parker, host of the official Zappa podcast, ZappaCast. Scott also wrote the liner notes for the mew Waka/Wazoo box. We'll be on the air from 5:30 - 7:30 PM EST. The station can be streamed online at: WRTC FM – The radio station of Trinity College, Hartford, CT The show will also be available in the website's archive section for two weeks after the broadcast.

That sounds great. I’ll probably catch the online stream over the weekend. I also expect to see Baggy feature it in an episode of Life In Surround.

 

[Progfiend]

Just watched this 2:43 of amazing history of this singular event.
Essential viewing for anybody on this thread.

Tugged at my heart strings seeing Frank, still limping from his 1971 assault, cross Holiday Inn parking lots, smiling.
This is how I remember him at the concert I saw of the "petit" 10-piece version of the band he toured 50 years ago.
(Petit Wazoo Tour: CD / streaming: 2006 Imaginary Diseases, 2016 Little Dots.)

Unforgettable, first hearing of not-yet-released Cosmik Debris & Montana.
Seated jazz band actually reading composed music, Zappa conducting.
With free sections of improv soloists as well as his guitar.

We are so blessed to have this new hoard of material documenting this singluar & significant project.
And brought in dead-bang on time for the 50th anniversary.

The show I saw, with opener "Steeley(sp)" Dan.

It got to me as well when I saw him still limping from the attack. If you are interested, I did a radio show on both the Montreux fire and subsequent attack. Its on YouTube:

 

[The56Kid]

So, my box was delivered at 7:20 a.m. (est) this morning. After wiping the smile from my face I proceeded to rip the CD's using the dbpoweramp CD ripper. And... HOLY S***! The titles all showed up in JAPANESE!!! I retrieved the titles from the FZ web site and typed them into the metadata before ripping. I looked to see if there was an option for language but didn't find one. Has anyone else ripped the CD's and gotten Japanese titles?

Have had this happen to me with dBPowerAmp CD Ripper before. Fortunately on only a few discs out of the near 1000 I’ve ripped.

 

[marpow]

So, my box was delivered at 7:20 a.m. (est) this morning. After wiping the smile from my face I proceeded to rip the CD's using the dbpoweramp CD ripper. And... HOLY S***! The titles all showed up in JAPANESE!!! I retrieved the titles from the FZ web site and typed them into the metadata before ripping. I looked to see if there was an option for language but didn't find one. Has anyone else ripped the CD's and gotten Japanese titles?

That happens once in awhile, and I always hate that. Tagging nightmare, you just have to chip away at it.
Out of thousands of rips, I would say no more than 10 total came out in Japanese, but sucks when it does.
I have JRiver as my player and I will open up discogs and copy and paste the track titles from there, what a pain.
For the music files to play via USB in my car, same thing copy and paste the track titles, what a pain.

 

[esimms86]

I leave the house to go out for dinner and Amazon drops Zappa off at my doorstep. Not that I can complain.

 

[esimms86]

So, my box was delivered at 7:20 a.m. (est) this morning. After wiping the smile from my face I proceeded to rip the CD's using the dbpoweramp CD ripper. And... HOLY S***! The titles all showed up in JAPANESE!!! I retrieved the titles from the FZ web site and typed them into the metadata before ripping. I looked to see if there was an option for language but didn't find one. Has anyone else ripped the CD's and gotten Japanese titles?

Yes

 

[zimmy]

I was a bit worried about how this one would sound and if i would like it as it is one of those albums i haven´t heard so much on.
But i am just stunned over the fantastic audio on this with perfect surround!
I just wonder why i haven´t listened to them more?
Maybe it is like with the japanese SACD of Miles Davis Bitches brew that it almost feels like an new album.
This is absolutely an must-buy!

 

[Quadkid]

I actually called my wife as I was worried the package was sitting outside during snow-showers that were passing through central IL yesterday. LOL!

Mine is on the way FedEx dile

I actually called my wife as I was worried the package was sitting outside during snow-showers that were passing through central IL yesterday. LOL!

Mine is on the way from the Zappa store FedEx. Should see it by Monday!

 

[~dave~~wave~]

It got to me as well when I saw him still limping from the attack. If you are interested, I did a radio show on both the Montreux fire and subsequent attack. Its on YouTube:

Good job on this.
I'd never heard audio of the stage announcements and details of the escape.

I remember reading in grade school about the WWII Cocoanut Grove fire in Boston.
In hindsight it seems they duplicated all the mistakes that killed 492 people that time.

Claude Nobs was a hero for getting everybody out, but over-crowding & locked exits are inexcusable.
Even if nobody could anticipate some stupid with a flare gun.

 

[~dave~~wave~]

Interesting post on the Hoffman forum from Vaultmeister Joe Travers regarding comments about perceived low audio levels.

https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/thre...uxe-4cd-blu-ray.1157629/page-24#post-31042377
"Blame it on Apple and/or the Immersive Audio specs that are forced onto the consumer by the establishment.

I too was bummed by the lack of gain for the surround mixes and how the stereo mixes had to be decreased in volume to match the surround levels.
Of course I mentioned it as soon as I received a test disc, but unfortunately there was absolutely no way of changing anything due to the enforced rules and perimeters for the format."

 

[sjcorne]

Yes, Dolby and Apple enforce a target loudness of -18 LUFS for all streaming Atmos submissions.

That said, I think the issue here has to do with the dialnorm setting when encoding to TrueHD. I noticed the exact same problem with Kiss' Creatures Of The Night Atmos Blu-Ray a few weeks ago. The Grand Wazoo shows as having a -18 dBFS dialnorm level in the Dolby Reference Player, whereas nearly every other Atmos Blu-Ray I've got shows -31 dBFS. Waka/Jawaka is set at a more reasonable -26 dBFS, but it's still lower than it should be.

 

[Progfiend]

Good job on this.
I'd never heard audio of the stage announcements and details of the escape.

I remember reading in grade school about the WWII Cocoanut Grove fire in Boston.
In hindsight it seems they duplicated all the mistakes that killed 492 people that time.

Claude Nobs was a hero for getting everybody out, but over-crowding & locked exits are inexcusable.
Even if nobody could anticipate some stupid with a flare gun.

Thanks. It was a fun show to research and record. Although the story has been told a number of times, I tried to make it unique. Adding those audio clips really brings it up a notch, IMO.

It’s unfortunate when people don’t learn from prior mistakes, and yes, from what I read, Claude was a hero.

 

[marpow]

Arrived, ripped and listening now, very cool, not hugely better than streaming but definitely better, more fuller, little nuances come out.

Ripping Notes: @HomerJAU MMH is back on track with the TRU HD 7.1 Atmos rip, perfect no problems.
I am extremely happy to say no Japanese writing either on the 4 CD's or the surround rip, whew, I was expecting that based on a post above, not my experience.
I ripped 4 CD's (Windows Media Player FLAC), Blu Ray=(LPCM stereo, Tru HD 5.1 FLAC) and Tru HD 7.1 Atmos MKV, with the trusty MKV/MMH Combo.

 

[Progfiend]

I also ordered it from the Zappa Store. Haven’t heard a word about a shipping date and the tracking link they gave me doesn’t work yet, so I would assume it hasn’t been shipped yet. Argh! Although I have been able to listen to the surround mix on Apple Music, it would be nice to get the physical product on time!! Not sure how long my patience will last though. When the artists store is the last to ship, it doesn’t really make you want to order from there again.

 

[esimms86]

Good job on this.
I'd never heard audio of the stage announcements and details of the escape.

I remember reading in grade school about the WWII Cocoanut Grove fire in Boston.
In hindsight it seems they duplicated all the mistakes that killed 492 people that time.

Claude Nobs was a hero for getting everybody out, but over-crowding & locked exits are inexcusable.
Even if nobody could anticipate some stupid with a flare gun.

Makes me think of the infamous Station fire in Rhode Island. I had been to a show at that club just months before. There but for the grace of God go I.

 

[SHB]

I also ordered it from the Zappa Store. Haven’t heard a word about a shipping date and the tracking link they gave me doesn’t work yet, so I would assume it hasn’t been shipped yet. Argh! Although I have been able to listen to the surround mix on Apple Music, it would be nice to get the physical product on time!! Not sure how long my patience will last though. When the artists store is the last to ship, it doesn’t really make you want to order from there again.

I am in the same boat. I emailed the Zappa Store and they have not responded. Well, it is a lesson learned. For future Zappa multi-channel releases, it is the MOOSE!!

 

[PissedOffPeoN]

Got mine today.. amazing claim shell packaging.. i love it and it is small and not oversized monster like my other sets.

 

[jaypfunk]

Anyone else get a defective Blu-Ray where the center channel is distorted while playing the surround tracks? Every song on both albums has this problem. The other 4 channels and the sub all sound fine.

No it’s not my setup or equipment. I tested it.