Steven Wilson Here are Steven Wilson's 2012 responses to Questions 1-18

[Robert van Diggele]

What!!!!!.....

Talk Talk would have been awesome.......such a shame....

funny joke there LK.

 

[wavelength]

My main surround setup was set up with the rears behind and up. In the new setup I have the rears as described in the quote, at ear level and firing right at the side of my head.

Totally agree. I've been trying different positions for the rears for what seems like forever. At one point I had them hanging from the ceiling. The latest configuration, as you have described, has been in place for several months. It started with the rears on stands and slightly behind but I recently moved them up to the side. I think I'm going to like it a lot. Guess I'll have to update my avatar too!

 

[DKA]

Totally agree. I've been trying different positions for the rears for what seems like forever. At one point I had them hanging from the ceiling. The latest configuration, as you have described, has been in place for several months. It started with the rears on stands and slightly behind but I recently moved them up to the side. I think I'm going to like it a lot. Guess I'll have to update my avatar too!

I feel like this would make the rears seem MUCH louder. How have you guys experienced this?

 

[OldAsMono]

Another converter to side surrounds here. I ran a 7.1 system for years with two rear surrounds and two side surrounds. I never really felt the rear surrounds added that much. They also used two strong amp channels and of course the speakers too. I played around and actually moved the two rears above my fronts for a Dolby IIz height experience. The IIz was very disappointing so I ended up splitting the front channels and using two front lefts and two front rights, still with the new speaker set above the existing fronts. The key is getting the meter out and balancing all the channels. DKA, using the meter also balances the side surrounds so no they are not overpowering. I'm slightly different in that I have my side surrounds up about 5 feet, not at ear level. I find this 'fills the listening area' very well.

 

[uffeolby]

Easy - just adjust the volume and distance to the rear speakers.

I have been a surround junkie for 13 years now and i have always had my rear speakers on the side. Having them behind me makes it sound artificial... Maybe in a 7.1-setup...

 

[wavelength]

I feel like this would make the rears seem MUCH louder. How have you guys experienced this?

Louder isn't an issue. Placing the rears at the sides creates an evenly distributed sound-field that seems unattainable with other configurations. I think this even distribution of the sound makes for a better listening experience.

 

[0tto]

my guess is that this depends on speakers, room and big time from configuration of the mixes itself.
there's so many surround mixes with more than humble life, presented in rear line.

 

[kap'n krunch]

Guys, guys...
a
no
ther
thread!!!
I say this because it'd make an interesting one...
I personally like the rears a tad behind, but not much..at about 260º and 100º...
but every setup is different and everyone is different...and I have a Quad setup, not a 5.1...yet!

 

[patrick1]

Hello. I initially set up with the rears directly at ear level to the side. Then I tried moving my couch forward to have the rears behind me a bit. This, I thought, would enable the side sound to be more I tune with the fronts (but I also lost some coveted floor space in the room). I now have the rears directly to the side, and angled in a bit so they cross just about a foot in front of my head. I don't get the "too loud from the rears", and the side sound is a bit more open and blended with the fronts, IMO. I'm sure I'll dick with it some more in the future. Thanks.

 

[Frantic]

Interesting what his take on the Aqualung original quad mix and Yes' Fragile DVD-A mix were....

This is the BEST forum!

I agree with SW on the "Fragile" mix. It just seems odd to me.
And as far as the "Best Forum" goes, Kap'n, you said it just fine! We are a lucky bunch.

 

[LizardKing]

funny joke there LK.

Glad someone got it...

It is a shame though - Talk Talk is on my "Area 51" list, and the fact that a SW mix could have been done arghhhh.... bloody musicians who don't get it..

 

[Odys]

Louder isn't an issue. Placing the rears at the sides creates an evenly distributed sound-field that seems unattainable with other configurations. I think this even distribution of the sound makes for a better listening experience.

Exactly!

 

[EMB]

I had wondered since BSS came out in 5.1 why "Lucky Man" was added as a bonus track, since it seemed logical to issue the debut album on DVD-A as well...but now we know that multis for a few tracks are missing, making a faithful 5.1 of the original stereo album impossible. Of course BAT OUT OF HELL was assembled with a little trickery (which just about worked, IMO). But--shades of LOST CHORD!--there may be more albums out there with incomplete/missing multis than one might think.

ED

 

[timbre4]

Not that any effort is required here, I really want the world to know how much Steven Wilson has given us. He obviously put a lot of time and consideration into answering our questions and as a result we (I'm sure you'll agree) feel very much listened to. Can't ask for anything more than that.

Huge thanks to Jon and Neil for the painstaking efforts at engineering this massively fun thread! Cheers everybody... :

 

[jefe1]

I would also like to thank those involved for making it possible for Mr Wilson to answer some questions. I want to thank him for the PT music he has created that I have enjoyed listening to, especially in lossless surround, and for being a musical archaeologist and resurrecting and polishing up some great chestnuts. Even his stereo mixes are good! No one else would be doing what he is and making these releases possible.
And by the way, my rear speakers are at the side too....because there is a wall behind my head.

 

[SMS]

As Damnation was just reissued in the U.S. as a remastered standard CDDA I'm afraid that won't happen soon. However ... 2013 is the albums 10th anniversary, so let's hope?

OMG... I so hope this Damnation 5.1 mix sees the light of day. I literally cheered when I read that it existed!

It is probably my favorite Opeth album, although Heritage is making a run for top spot.

Incidentally, I am seeing Opeth in Montreal tomorrow. If I can get a chance to talk to Mikael, I am going to mention it for sure!

 

[vinylguy4]

The May 2012 issue of Home Theater magazine arrived today.
Deja vu from this QQ thread, 15 Questions for Steven Wilson on page 21.

vinylguy4

 

[wavelength]

Here's a SW interview that echoes much of what he said to us.
http://www.hometheater.com/content/steven-wilson-getting-surrounded-music

 

[0tto]

Here's a SW interview that echoes much of what he said to us.
http://www.hometheater.com/content/steven-wilson-getting-surrounded-music

thanx, nice article.

 

[0tto]

hey Jon, is there any plans to make similar chat interaction with others famous for us folks?
since Mark Waldrep of AIX records is a registered member here, would you be willing to send
an invitation for questions/answers chat to him?