Gentle Giant's "Free Hand" and "In'terview" coming on DVD audio in february..

[LizardKing]

Here are pictures of the Waveforms of the original and my version with the RF & RS channels swapped:

Original (1st Minute of 2nd track "On Reflection")


Modified (note I had to force 5.1 channels as my player was playing it as a 5.0 from the modified version)


It doesn't make sense having "doubletracked" vocals split across LF & RS to me........????

 

[JonUrban]

I just got my copies today from CD Japan. Sadly, they are DTS and DD, not DVD-A. The CD is SHM-CD, but I'll probably never play those. I'll put us scans when I get a chance.

I have never heard these albums, so this will at least be "interesting"!!!

 

[capsid]

Here are pictures of the Waveforms of the original and my version with the RF & RS channels swapped:

Original (1st Minute of 2nd track "On Reflection")
View attachment 4827

Modified (note I had to force 5.1 channels as my player was playing it as a 5.0 from the modified version)
View attachment 4828

It doesn't make sense having "doubletracked" vocals split across LF & RS to me........????

I'm not familiar with waveforms but I assume they read from top to bottom RF, LF, Centre (or subwoofer?), RS, LS for the original.

 

[LizardKing]

I'm not familiar with waveforms but I assume they read from top to bottom RF, LF, Centre (or subwoofer?), RS, LS for the original.

For the original:
LF, RF, LFE, LS, RS

and for the modified:
LF, RF, C (No data), LFE, LS, RS

 

[sukothai]

I agree you can find places, often at the beginning of songs, where it seems to make sense to swap the channels; then you look further and it doesn't. For example, take a look at this snapshot about 1:35 in to the same "On Reflection." At about 7:34 (where the marker is) the vocals come in on the rear channels with echos in the fronts. I love the way this plays out in the mix and wouldn't want to change it.

 

[LizardKing]

Interesting......

I agree with you that the middle bit of the track.. (as highlighted) looks (and more importantly sounds) correct.

But have a look at the start and end of the track...



It it possible that the channels got switched mid stream in the track - and then back again?

The plot thickens - or am I out in left field (or should I say.... left surround ) ????????????

FYI - I tried to upload a sample with the tracks switched, but I couldn't get my sample uploaded...

 

[mwk-empire]

Sounds like one has to decide between:

A) A sound engineer in 1975 playing with the possibilities of quad-mixing.
B) A sound engineer in 2011 not sure which tape is FR, FL, BR, BL...

From what I read here I believe in A and enjoy what I hear.

If just more quad stuff would be released that way for GBP 8.99. No need for remixing. Just giive us the already existing mixes like it is done with Gentle Giant and keep your marbles and scarfs.

Markus

 

[rusinurbe]

Sounds like one has to decide between:

A) A sound engineer in 1975 playing with the possibilities of quad-mixing.
B) A sound engineer in 2011 not sure which tape is FR, FL, BR, BL...

From what I read here I believe in A and enjoy what I hear.

If just more quad stuff would be released that way for GBP 8.99. No need for remixing. Just giive us the already existing mixes like it is done with Gentle Giant and keep your marbles and scarfs.

Markus

Totally agree i think they are great and kudos to EMI for getting them out I do hope they have more planned. Love those vintage QUAD mixes.

 

[mwk-empire]

Totally agree i think they are great and kudos to EMI for getting them out I do hope they have more planned. Love those vintage QUAD mixes.

What can be easiert to them than to simply re-release in quad what is already there. Because
of surround mixes I learned about King Crimson, Gentle Giant, PT and many more. It also made me a REM fan. Some pop-idols might have more downloads, but isn't it a lot of effort to build up a new artist every 6 months?

Markus

 

[bayards]

Yes I am going to leave as is - and just enjoy the mix. I am loving the albums so much - even in stereo on the car CD.

 

[Ge Someone]

Still not think (Free Hand) the channels were swapped, there is too much just right. Like the music, the mix is ... different.

 

[John Svensson]

Good thing that I mistakenly ordered this from 2 sources, my CD Unverse copy came in the mail and plays for exactly 13 seconds before shutting off and going into sleep mode.....can't access any track but the 13 seconds of track 1. Let's see if my copy due tomorrow at my local dealer's turns out a bit better. Anyone else have a problem with the DVD? John

 

[bugdaddy]

Still not think (Free Hand) the channels were swapped, there is too much just right. Like the music, the mix is ... different.

My theory is that there may be a mistake on the first track only -- or perhaps it was just an odd mixing choice. I don't hear any more evidence of channel swap on the rest of the album. Either way, I'm enjoying it.

 

[bayards]

Yes I have now transferred to my streaming MC as is - happy with the mix. I just can't get enough of the faux Rennaisance/Middle Ages thing going on in track Talybont. It's so mad I love it!

 

[jdmack]

OK, I have a different theory of how the channels are swapped. Not only are lead vocals sometimes panned LF RS, harmony vocals are sometimes panned RF LS . Consistently (check "On Reflection" and "His Last Voyage" for examples). I don't think we should be swapping RF RS. I think we should be swapping LS RS.

J. D.

(Lots of posts in this thread. Forgive me if someone else already came to that conclusion and I didn't see it)

 

[jdmack]

And as another example, listen to the opening of "Talybont." The dry sound is panned left and the delay sound is panned right in the fronts, but opposite in the rears. Or listen to the violin in "Mobile" - panned to RF and LS.

J. D.

 

[LizardKing]

OK, I have a different theory of how the channels are swapped. Not only are lead vocals sometimes panned LF RS, harmony vocals are sometimes panned RF LS . Consistently (check "On Reflection" and "His Last Voyage" for examples). I don't think we should be swapping RF RS. I think we should be swapping LS RS.

J. D.

(Lots of posts in this thread. Forgive me if someone else already came to that conclusion and I didn't see it)

Interesting.... I'll check that out too.....

 

[LizardKing]

OK - I think jdmack has hit the nail on the head.....

I'm listening to it now..... with RS/LS swapped and it sounds great...

 

[sukothai]

I think we should be swapping LS RS.

J. D.

Hmm, I'll have to give this a try.

 

[oxforddickie]

I've been reading this thread with some interest, and have another idea that 'may' be able to shed some light on whether it's correct or not.

I believe there was a release of this album on CD that had the fans complaining, and it's been suggested that they may have folded down the four channel master for that release.

Personally, i would boubt that. It's more likely they would have used an encoded master instead of the stereo one. So, i ask, does anyone have this CD release?

If so, i could test it to see if it is encoded, and if so this may well answer whether this new release is correct or faulty.

And another thought, has anyone contacted EMI?


OD