HiRez Poll Green, Al - GREATEST HITS [DVD-A]

[hoplaman]

This Al Green dvd-a get stuck everytime I put it in my newly purchased denon dvd 3930 multiplayer. (In fact the whole machine freezes and I have to restart, before I can take the disk out). In earlier days I played it several times on my 2910 denon dvd multiplayer without any problems...... Anybody out there familiar with a simular problem? Let me know. HELP!!!!
Thanx,
Hoplaman

 

[woody]

This Al Green dvd-a get stuck everytime I put it in my newly purchased denon dvd 3930 multiplayer. (In fact the whole machine freezes and I have to restart, before I can take the disk out). In earlier days I played it several times on my 2910 denon dvd multiplayer without any problems...... Anybody out there familiar with a simular problem? Let me know. HELP!!!!
Thanx,
Hoplaman

I had to get mine serviced under warranty twice to remedy these issues. Thankfully it now plays like a dream

 

[Fourplay]

Hi All,

Just got this recently after a long hunt. I am very glad to have it, although reading this poll makes me want to hear the original quad.

On sides of head value, I give it an 8. The surround mix has definite discreet elements, which is half the battle. I take points off for the compression that leaves the sound a little crunchy and not as clear as it probably could be. In general the fidelity is decent other than the compression artifacts, which are more noticeable on louder mix elements. Pity, because this is probably a mastering choice rather than a master tape limitation. Still, I quite like the use of surround, and am glad I have this in my collection. My girlfriend just flew through the sweet spot and with an untrained ear responded well to the music and the mix.

Ken

 

[Bill Houston]

Mix/Sonics.: 7
Music: 7.5

 

[The Bright Side]

Great album! Anybody know if this is still listed on amazon.com? I can't find it...

 

[LizardKing]

Great album! Anybody know if this is still listed on amazon.com? I can't find it...

http://www.amazon.com/Greatest-Hits...swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-3&qid=1415223433

 

[EMB]

Great album! Anybody know if this is still listed on amazon.com? I can't find it...

Despite the certain limitations I perceive (among other non-sonic issues), it's well worth the $50 price if you can snag it, because by no means is this one inferior by any stretch. But I still believe the sound was processed more than necessary, possibly in part to remove analog tape hiss, which one can hear most clearly on the Hi stereo Lp's (the 45's were somewhat compressed but for obvious reasons). The Green GH Q8, on the other hand, has a nice, open sound on those original mixes. But if you've never heard that one, then you might not notice anything amiss. Regardless, overall, great music most of the way, and Al in his peak years had no peer.

ED

 

[The Bright Side]

So many good titles, so little money! :-/

I have Bob's conversion of the "Call me" quad reel. Awesome.

 

[Clint Eastwood]

After reading Ed Bishop's post above I decided to get this disc and I'm glad I did...a cool disc that gets played often...it does show it's age and I'm going to give it a 7...BUT...this 7 gets played a lot more than several 9's and 10's I have in my collection....this is Al at his peak...and at his peak he was one of the best around...a year ago this disc was selling for a $100 and above...it's now half that price on amazon...a great time to buy it...it's not going to impress your friends with sonic bliss..BUT..it will impress you with the content and delivery..a fun disc HERE..or if you hurry you can steal it HERE

 

[JonUrban]

Well, here I am 15+ years later and I'm finally getting into this DVD-A. My copy was actually still sealed from all those years ago! (See the scans I added to post 1 to check it out). I remember that these were not easy to find. I sent one to Neil because he could not find one in the UK, so I would guess that these are fairly rare, however the demand may not be that high because most people don't even know what a DVD-A is these days! (2017). Anyway.............

...... after reading the detailed comments from the esteemed Mr. Bishop, whose opinions I hold very highly, I pulled up the Q4 rip of my copy of Greatest Hits and proceeded to DVDAExplorer the DVD-A. These are quite different mixes, and each has it's own value.

First off, the DVD-A is indeed louder, and more EQ'd. But somehow it's not as bad as it looks. The 5.1 mix and the quad mix both put Al "everywhere", so there's no isolation of the vocal. He's more in the middle of everything. The DVD-A puts the horns in the rears, while they're in the front left on the reel. The center channel on the DVD-A is guitar and congas or percussion. Al's in there, but he's not full center channel. Like I said, he's everywhere, but he's strongest in the front left and front right.

Oddly, this is one of those DVD-A's with a full range LFE. The LFE contains the bass and the drums!! I pulled the LFE into a stereo file then played it on the PC through the front speakers. Yep, it's drums and base. I don't understand why they do this. Never did.

Listen for yourself at 20 seconds of the LFE of "Let's Stay Together" as a stereo MP3: View attachment Al.mp3
You can hear cymbals and the drums, clearly not stuff that should be in the LFE. It's more like a 6th channel. At least Al's not in there!

Here's a peek at the wav files for the hit "Let's Stay Together". You can see the DVD-A is loud, and the reel recording not so much.

The quad reel sounds a bit more natural, but the DVD-A has a much newer sound and the mix is not bad at all. They are basically two flavors on a classic sound. Each, IMHO, worthy of tracking down - if you still can.

BTW - I gave it an '8'

DVD-A



QUAD REEL

 

[lennon fan]

Well, here I am 15+ years later and I'm finally getting into this DVD-A. My copy was actually still sealed from all those years ago! (See the scans I added to post 1 to check it out). I remember that these were not easy to find. I sent one to Neil because he could not find one in the UK, so I would guess that these are fairly rare, however the demand may not be that high because most people don't even know what a DVD-A is these days! (2017). Anyway.............

...... after reading the detailed comments from the esteemed Mr. Bishop, whose opinions I hold very highly, I pulled up the Q4 rip of my copy of Greatest Hits and proceeded to DVDAExplorer the DVD-A. These are quite different mixes, and each has it's own value.

First off, the DVD-A is indeed louder, and more EQ'd. But somehow it's not as bad as it looks. The 5.1 mix and the quad mix both put Al "everywhere", so there's no isolation of the vocal. He's more in the middle of everything. The DVD-A puts the horns in the rears, while they're in the front left on the reel. The center channel on the DVD-A is guitar and congas or percussion. Al's in there, but he's not full center channel. Like I said, he's everywhere, but he's strongest in the front left and front right.

Oddly, this is one of those DVD-A's with a full range LFE. The LFE contains the bass and the drums!! I pulled the LFE into a stereo file then played it on the PC through the front speakers. Yep, it's drums and base. I don't understand why they do this. Never did.

Listen for yourself at 20 seconds of the LFE of "Let's Stay Together" as a stereo MP3: View attachment 29753
You can hear cymbals and the drums, clearly not stuff that should be in the LFE. It's more like a 6th channel. At least Al's not in there!

Here's a peek at the wav files for the hit "Let's Stay Together". You can see the DVD-A is loud, and the reel recording not so much.

The quad reel sounds a bit more natural, but the DVD-A has a much newer sound and the mix is not bad at all. They are basically two flavors on a classic sound. Each, IMHO, worthy of tracking down - if you still can.

BTW - I gave it an '8'

DVD-A
View attachment 29752


QUAD REEL
View attachment 29751

I've had this since new, gave it a 7. It's good but isn't it missing a track or 2 that was on the original quad?

 

[The Bright Side]

Yeah it looks like you kinda need both to get the full experience

DVD-A

01 Tired of being Alone
02 Call me (Come Back Home)
03 I'm Still in Love with You
04 Here I am (Come and Take me)
05 Love and Happiness
06 Let's Stay Together
07 I can't get next to You
08 You Ought to be with Me
09 Look what you Done to Me
10 Let's Get Married
11 Livin' For You
12 Sha-la-la-la (Make Me Happy)
13 L-O-V-E (Love)
14 Full of Fire

Quad:

01 Tired of Being Alone
02 Call me (Come Back Home)
03 I'm Still in Love with You
04 Here I am (Come and Take Me)
05 How can you Mend a Broken Heart
06 Let's Stay Together
07 I can't get Next to You
08 You Ought to Be with Me
09 Look what you Done for Me
10 Let's Get Married

The DVD has a bunch of extra tracks, but is missing "How can you Mend a Broken Heart". Personally, I really like both and play one or the other on occasion.

 

[quicksrt]

I keep wanting to think that there was a DTS release of this album? But no, not it seems.

 

[steelydave]

The interesting thing about the quad and 5.1 mixes is how similar they are in terms of approach. Obviously the the 5.1 has the center channel but the front/back separation is very similar - I guess it's no surprise as both were done by Al Green's producer Willie Mitchell, who apparently hadn't changed his approach to surround mixing much in 30 years.

There's a good article from 1973 in the Rolling Stone archives here about Willie Mitchell and Al Green, and mentions quad remixes several times - both men seemed to be big fans of the format.

 

[beerking]

Time to get Al on the road to peoples cool listening again. Had this awhile and haven't voted!! (like too many of my other discs!!)
This is a very enjoyable release..got those dulcet tones of Mr Green coming straight at me.
And the mix is fairly discrete too.
Well Al you gave me a very happy time in 1976 so based on emotions and of course a 'rounded' perspective I'll give this one a...
9, that's nine not 8 or ten, a 9

discogs info
https://www.discogs.com/Al-Green-Greatest-Hits/release/4837308

 

[ar surround]

Oops...wrong thread for what I wanted to ask?

 

[fredblue]

i underrated this back when. upping from a "7" to an "8".

 

[marpow]

I voted 8. A great music disc, not a surround monster, that’s for sure. I can’t rip this DVD-A for some reason, but others can’t either.

 

[marpow]

Has anybody had success ripping this (Al Green-Greatest Hits) DVD-A? I have tried twice via DVD audio extractor and come up zilch.

 

[key_wiz]

Yeah it looks like you kinda need both to get the full experience

DVD-A

01 Tired of being Alone
02 Call me (Come Back Home)
03 I'm Still in Love with You
04 Here I am (Come and Take me)
05 Love and Happiness
06 Let's Stay Together
07 I can't get next to You
08 You Ought to be with Me
09 Look what you Done to Me
10 Let's Get Married
11 Livin' For You
12 Sha-la-la-la (Make Me Happy)
13 L-O-V-E (Love)
14 Full of Fire

Quad:

01 Tired of Being Alone
02 Call me (Come Back Home)
03 I'm Still in Love with You
04 Here I am (Come and Take Me)
05 How can you Mend a Broken Heart
06 Let's Stay Together
07 I can't get Next to You
08 You Ought to Be with Me
09 Look what you Done for Me
10 Let's Get Married

The DVD has a bunch of extra tracks, but is missing "How can you Mend a Broken Heart". Personally, I really like both and play one or the other on occasion.

“How Can You Mend A Broken Heart” was replaced by “Love and Happiness” when that song became a hit in 1977.

I had the original GH vinyl (stereo) in the 70s. I miss that track being on the album too.

Was reading the thread on the GH quad and apparently that album originally had different mixes and the stereo was a fold down of the quad? I’m going to have to hunt down my old vinyl and compare!

Anyway just started playing a copy of this DVD-A I managed to snag on EBay for $30! Sounds great so far, I’ll report back later!