DVD/DTS Poll Jethro Tull - BENEFIT [DTS DVD]

[uffeolby]

Perhaps I sound like the audio snob that I am. If you have separates (preamp, tuner power amp) or a high end receiver, the difference between lossy and lossless is obvious. It is most striking when cranked. :banana:

Still, there are a lot of DTS-discs out there which sound a lot better than a lot of the SACD/DVD-Audio/Bluray-discs out there. Meaning you can not take for granted that a lossless disc is better than a lossy one. Of course if all other parameters are exactly the same, the lossless wins.

 

[IMachine]

Don't get me wrong, the DTS discs generally sound good. Although if you play them without a DTS decoder, they're an orgy of white noise. :ugham:

O.k. With this point of view... .
But if you play a DVD-Audio with no compatible player you will hear DOLBY DITCHITELL .

 

[IMachine]

Still, there are a lot of DTS-discs out there which sound a lot better than a lot of the SACD/DVD-Audio/Bluray-discs out there. Meaning you can not take for granted that a lossless disc is better than a lossy one. Of course if all other parameters are exactly the same, the lossless wins.

And therefore I would like to see an overall 5.1 poll.

 

[Quad Linda]

Yes, great speakers are the most crucial link in the playback chain. I assumed that anyone spending over a thousand on a receiver or separates would buy speakers commensurate with that level of quality.

When I sold hi-fi, I recommended to clients to spend the highest percentage of their money on speakers. That will yield the most bang for the buck. If you're a vinyl freak, extra $$ on a phono cartridge can also produce a quantum leap in fidelity.

My recommendation in choosing speakers is to asses their coloration, or lack thereof, through auditioning them with classical music. It is acoustic and will provide wonderful imaging, IF recorded properly. IMHO, if they sound great on the classics, they'll sound good on everything. Many speakers that have coloration sound great on rock, but sound putrid on most other music types. Based on this criteria, I chose Mission.

I also already mentioned, that not every high-rez release can compete with some well mixed DTS releases.
The mix is the step to go.
And I say that with experience.
And the most important thing are not receivers or seperate power amps, instead of good speakers!

 

[IMachine]

Yes, great speakers are the most crucial link in the playback chain. I assumed that anyone spending over a thousand on a receiver or separates would buy speakers commensurate with that level of quality.

When I sold hi-fi, I recommended to clients to spend the highest percentage of their money on speakers. That will yield the most bang for the buck. If you're a vinyl freak, extra $$ on a phono cartridge can also produce a quantum leap in fidelity.

My recommendation in choosing speakers is to asses their coloration, or lack thereof, through auditioning them with classical music. It is acoustic and will provide wonderful imaging, IF recorded properly. IMHO, if they sound great on the classics, they'll sound good on everything. Many speakers that have coloration sound great on rock, but sound putrid on most other music types. Based on this criteria, I chose Mission.

You speak right from my heart.
Search for speakers almost with a flat curve.

I like a very dry sound, so I tested 1 Year and chose my KEF.

Sorry for that off-topic talk...

 

[atrocity]

In recent years I was more used to the US version of the album with 'Teacher' included and 'Inside' in the 3rd track position. It would have been nice to have the choice to be able to play the album in that format or with all tracks. Can't be difficult to do.

Another plug for playing from a server, I guess: It was easy for me to suck everything into the computer, then make a US-order playlist of the DTS tracks.

While doing that, I noticed there's a PGC on the DVD that consists of the UK order with "Teacher" appended. I didn't see that option obviously available from the menu, so either I wasn't paying enough attention, it's an Easter egg or a curious mistake.

 

[colsky]

Have listened a few times now, so its time to vote. An excellent package and a superb 5.1 mix (even though its only dts!). My vote's a 9, as its not one of my favourite Tull albums. I can't wait for Passion Play and (please) Minstel In The Gallery!

 

[Cheezmo]

Another plug for playing from a server, I guess: It was easy for me to suck everything into the computer, then make a US-order playlist of the DTS tracks.

While doing that, I noticed there's a PGC on the DVD that consists of the UK order with "Teacher" appended. I didn't see that option obviously available from the menu, so either I wasn't paying enough attention, it's an Easter egg or a curious mistake.

Not a mistake. Those are just all the tracks necessary to make either the UK or US tracklists. They only have each track there once, and the Disc sequences them based on which playlist you choose. If you are ripping it yourself, you need to reorder the tracks yourself.

 

[atrocity]

Not a mistake. Those are just all the tracks necessary to make either the UK or US tracklists. They only have each track there once, and the Disc sequences them based on which playlist you choose. If you are ripping it yourself, you need to reorder the tracks yourself.

But, unless I missed it, when you pop the disc in a player you get the options of:

1. UK order
2. US order

I don't see a third menu option for "UK order + 'Teacher'", which is what that apparently orphaned program group is. Again, I may just have missed it. It's really not a big deal and I'm not trying to start an argument about it, I just find it curious.

As for each track being on there only once, that certainly makes sense. And I was able to figure out what that program group was not by playing it but rather by looking at the FLAC fingerprints of the extracted files and comparing them to what came out of the other program groups. This is what passes for "entertainment" with me. @:

 

[Cheezmo]

But, unless I missed it, when you pop the disc in a player you get the options of:

1. UK order
2. US order

I don't see a third menu option for "UK order + 'Teacher'", which is what that apparently orphaned program group is. Again, I may just have missed it. It's really not a big deal and I'm not trying to start an argument about it, I just find it curious.

As for each track being on there only once, that certainly makes sense. And I was able to figure out what that program group was not by playing it but rather by looking at the FLAC fingerprints of the extracted files and comparing them to what came out of the other program groups. This is what passes for "entertainment" with me. @:

It doesn't exist. I went through the exact same thing trying to figure out how it was organized. That "program group" as you call it does not exist in the menus. The other two "program groups" that are in the menus are virtual, they are just a sequence from the group you are seeing on the disk. One builds the UK track order (the first tracks minus Teacher). The second builds the US track order by playing the tracks needed for that sequencing from the same program group. It is just authoring trickery to avoid having to put identical tracks in there twice just to play them in different orders.

 

[ssully]

Perhaps I sound like the audio snob that I am. If you have separates (preamp, tuner power amp) or a high end receiver, the difference between lossy and lossless is obvious. It is most striking when cranked. :banana:

There are many kinds of lossless. They aren't all the same. And I seriously doubt choice of receiver/pream/amp makes a difference, or that is it 'obvious' for DTS releases (or that it's even easy to compare them properly...you basically have to ensure that channel levels and EQ are all matched between the lossy and lossless surround versions). Playback level might make a difference; I can hear stuff when I put my ear right up to a speaker, that is undetectable to me sitting a normal distance away. Headphone listening also increases detection of lossy artifacts. Excessive 'cranking' might bring up artifacts too.

 

[ar surround]

I haven't found a way to access the five extra tracks in 5.1, only stereo, this despite setting audio options to 5.1 dts. Were these extra tracks also mixed in 5.1?

 

[kvsawilson]

I haven't found a way to access the five extra tracks in 5.1, only stereo, this despite setting audio options to 5.1 dts. Were these extra tracks also mixed in 5.1?

Try using the audio button on your remote after it starts playing. My player (Oppo BDP-93) always tries to play this disc in stereo even when I go to the audio option and tell it to play in DTS surround. So I let it start playing and then press the audio button and change it to DTS. Only disc I've ever had this problem with.

K

 

[Led9]

Got a chance to check out the 5.1 and am a little mixed about it. As always overall SW has done a good job but I feel in 5.1 it has lost a bit of its power in some tracks. I'm not crazy about the decision to place the heavier lead guitar parts in "With You There to Help Me" in the back speaker for example. The original LP has a lot of phase differences so it has always separated well into 4 channel through my Sansui vario-matrix so I decided to run the SW stereo mix through the Sansui. His mix has retained all the phasing and I have to say I actually prefer some of the songs played this way better than the actual 5.1 mix. Just my 2 cents.

 

[dr8track]

My copy just arrived today from WOW HD. Listening through for the second time now and really enjoying it. I'm not a Jethro Tull super-fan by any means, but I've always liked his more popular titles like War Child and Aqualung. I have heard this album previously, but not a lot. I think I may have listened to it on 8-track. I am really enjoying the mix and it definitely takes advantage of all channels for the surround experience. I think the real deciding factor for me is asking myself if I will listen to this recording again and again and I believe I will. I can't say that about quite a few surround sound releases. Not my favorite of the JT titles, but I'd still give it a 9 overall. By the way, Play In Time is a true, old school quadraphonic experience.

 

[timbre4]

While relegated by many to the lesser side of the Jethro Tull's collective output, I have always loved this record since it was first played for my benefit during 1973. Having said that, I would add that the US track order is burned into my brain and the UK version won't sit exactly right with me. My mind is ready for Teacher and it has to wait to hear it; Alive And Living In is equally burned into memory as a B-Side from my stateside consumption. The true gift of having yet another album in 5.1 that I thought we'd never see is not lost on me and I'm very grateful. This is certainly more important than my personal perception on this album. It has the Tull charm and some of their best heavy solid riffs and I love it for that. The extras are cool for the most part, the packaging is great and the booklet is VERY well put together with remembrances, fond or otherwise!

The album is a joy to have and sounds good all around to me. Given that it is not DVD-A and the sequencing is not US, I had to go with a 9.

 

[watsontr]

I've only sampled a few of the tracks and it sounds wonderful to me. I need to spend a lot more time listening to this but first impression is that it sounds quite clear and open to me

 

[Four Rules]

Got the first LP in 1970, 15 years later the CD and both sounded: er ...shoddy!
Loved the music though, one of the most underrated JT releases.
Then came this DVD-V in a DVD-A disguise and for my old ears sounded:...wonderful. Never noticed Clive Bunker´s kick-drum before and John Evan´s solid piano playing.
Thanks to Steven Wilson for another masterpiece in mixing and hoping for more JT in surround to pop up in the near future!

 

[geoffcb]

When I sold hi-fi, I recommended to clients to spend the highest percentage of their money on speakers. That will yield the most bang for the buck. If you're a vinyl freak, extra $$ on a phono cartridge can also produce a quantum leap in fidelity.

Yes, I agree. In my case (and within budgetary constraints!) have some B&W speakers for an uncoloured sound. 800 series maybe one day!

I also agree the source/transducer is important. That's why I use an Ortofon 2M Black for vinyl (with Rega P9), and to get more out of the increasing use of DTS (rather than DVD-A) I use an Oppo BDP105, analog outputs. Both the Benefit vinyl and the DTS 5.1 sound great that way! The things I do for Tull!

 

[bossfan]

Still can't get the extra tracks to play in 5.1???
Edit finally got it but there seems to be a flaw in this DVD. I have to really work at it to get it to work.