DVD/DTS Poll Hackett, Steve - Spectral Mornings [DTS DVD+2CD]

[rtbluray]

Please post your thoughts and comments on this 2016 release of the classic Steve Hackett album "Spectral Mornings", remixed into 5.1 surround by Steven Wilson.

 

[mshare]

Tens across the board - another great sounding Steven Wilson 5.1 mix of a great Hackett album, second only to Voyage of the Acolyte in my book.

 

[edisonbaggins]

Gonna go with 8 on this. It's such a tease that the DVD says "DVD Audio" right on it!
So, -1 for DTS only. Also, I like the music from Please Don't Touch a little bit more. At least the vocals.
Anyway, if you like this musically, it's a no-brainer. Good mix. Tigermoth has some demo-quality moments. A bit of active panning.

 

[ssully]

The DVD disc contains the DTS 5.1 and a PCM 2.0 96/24 -- is the stereo mix also Wilson's, or is it the original mix?

 

[rtbluray]

The DVD disc contains the DTS 5.1 and a PCM 2.0 96/24 -- is the stereo mix also Wilson's, or is it the original mix?

The stereo audio is Steven Wilson’s remix.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ssully]

Thanks. As it happens I'd just finished confirming that for myself before I signed on here.

FWIW Wilson's mixes here (5.1 and 2.0, on DVD or CD) aren't compressed with respect to dynamic range.

The original mix offered here on CD appears to be a different mastering than the 2005 remaster, but it's still very squashed (just slightly less so than the 2005).

Unfortunately there is no 'flat transfer' iof the original mix n this set, the closest we can get would be the first CD issue.

 

[rtbluray]

Thanks. As it happens I'd just finished confirming that for myself before I signed on here.

FWIW Wilson's mixes here (5.1 and 2.0, on DVD or CD) aren't compressed with respect to dynamic range.

The original mix offered here on CD appears to be a different mastering than the 2005 remaster, but it's still very squashed (just slightly less so than the 2005).

Unfortunately there is no 'flat transfer' iof the original mix n this set, the closest we can get would be the first CD issue.

Yep, as I have said before, I like both of Steven Wilson’s Steve Hackett remixes, but the DVDs are so disappointing!

There was definitely enough space to author these DVDs as DVDA-V discs (with lossless 5.1 surround sound) but even though they did not do that, they didn’t even include the original stereo mixes in high-res either!

Thankfully the Jethro Tull releases offer a lot more content so it makes up for the lossy surround audio on those releases.

 

[ssully]

Though I don't really care whether the original mix is offered in hi rez or not, I only care about the mastering of it.


FWIW, my AVR shows the DTS tracks as DTS 96/24, which doesn't seem to be advertised in the booklet text.

 

[ssully]

Gave it a listen. I'd say ....good job! I could have done with less reverb on the first track 'Everydays', but the original mix of the whole album is quite reverb-y without a doubt, so maybe SW just made it more consistent. I like how Wilson made 'Clocks' a separate track, not a crossfade; now the 'ticks' come up from total silence. Spooky!

The side two track 'Tigermoth' perhaps benefits most from surround, it's a multi-part mini-suite that now washes back and forth between the sound fields. Wilson has preserved the 'old timey' sound of the vocal, dead center.

The main problem with album is inherent, it's that the material is so inconsistent. A bit too much of it -- the title track, the solo part of 'Everydays', the reverb-drenched acoustic 'Lost Time In Cordoba' -- sound like lesser retreads of work he did on 'Wind and Wuthering'. 'Everydays', 'The Red Flower', 'Clocks', and 'Tigermoth' are high points for me. And I may be in the minority in always loving the Pythonesque 'Ballad of the Decomposing Man' -- and in surround it's glorious. ;>

 

[4-earredwonder]

A decent price from ImportCD on the deluxe 3pc edition of Spectral Morning: http://www.importcds.com/steve-hackett-spectral-mornings-deluxe-edition/602547768117

 

[WBP]

Very good overall , the surround mix is excellent - Every Day , Clocks and Spectral Mornings are highlights for me - I'm going with 8 on this - one of Steve's better solo albums

 

[Matt Wilson]

An 8. I mean it's fine - but much like the Genesis 5.1 mixes, it fails to amaze me. I guess it'll have to do though until something better comes along.