HiRez Poll Keane - HOPES AND FEARS [SACD/DualDisc DVD-A]

[sq10]

Well, they definitely must have quality control issues with this one. As I mentioned, on my first copy all of the audio-only songs are just fine. It's only in some of the videos that the volume drops up and down. They did send me a new replacement copy. I'd better play that one before I get rid of the other one. It may be worse than the first. I'll give it a listen and let you know if the audio flucuation is solved on this one.

OK, bros ( and sis) I SOLVED my problem of the audio dropouts in MY system- you might want to check out if it applies to you...

Silly rabbit me...

I had the Optical digital output from my Samsung M105 DVD player on PCM out instead of Bitstream...hahheh

No more dropouts...

Hope this helps...

Cheers from la sierra de Madrid

 

[sq10]

OK, bros ( and sis) I SOLVED my problem of the audio dropouts in MY system- you might want to check out if it applies to you...

Silly rabbit me...

I had the Optical digital output from my Samsung M105 DVD player on PCM out instead of Bitstream...hahheh

No more dropouts...

Hope this helps...

Cheers from la sierra de Madrid

OK, so I'm quoting myself , but I wanted to make it clear...

https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/showthread.php?p=76144#post76144

 

[kap'n krunch]

a 10 for me and a great surprise too...
IT IS AN MLP DVD-A!!! NOT A DLP OR DTS...the "Advanced Resolution" logo is missing

 

[DKA]

One of my favorite albums of the past ten years, and I saw these guys take an initially-uninterested crowd while opening up for U2 and have them eating out of the palm of their hands by the end of their set.

The retail surround? Unimaginative mix and flat sound quality. Plenty of wonderful little flourishes I was able to bring out of the mix when upmixing that the retail mix could not. The kind of mix that kills the retail surround industry, and no more than a 3 from me. Sorry.

 

[The Rang]

The surround is OK but this is a dreadful record IMHO.
The music is boring beyond belief, sound likes half a dozen other similar bands.
Seems to be a real love it or hate it situation.

At the top of my list of SACDs I "should have left sealed and sold on e-bay".
Wish I had invested in a cheap used copy to listen to before I opened it.

I'm feeling generous so I gave it a 5.

 

[wanners]

The retail surround? Unimaginative mix and flat sound quality. Plenty of wonderful little flourishes I was able to bring out of the mix when upmixing that the retail mix could not. The kind of mix that kills the retail surround industry, and no more than a 3 from me. Sorry.

My sentiments exactly

 

[seriousfun]

Most of the time, I can't stand phantom vocals! We have two ears, but one mouth

I like Keane. I've done business with Tim Rice-Oxley. I'll have to pick this up and see what the surround fuss is about.

I like the mastering and, for the most part, the surround mix.

However, I wish that vocals would have been placed primarily into the left/right speakers instead of primarily into the center speaker. At least there's enough music going around that it doesn't bother me that much. (I suppose I should give Nathaniel Kunkel credit for making this technique sound half-decent---as he has done so before. Many times I just can't stand to hear vocals coming from the center channel, but this I can tolerate.)

I really like the music, too, which I'm sure helps to make this a worthwhile purchase.

 

[DKA]

Most of the time, I can't stand phantom vocals! We have two ears, but one mouth

I like Keane. I've done business with Tim Rice-Oxley. I'll have to pick this up and see what the surround fuss is about.

he has an absolutely wonderful voice and makes for a great frontman. i did think their best ideas were on this album, though, and that what this album just shine from beginning to end is only seen in bits and pieces on their last two albums. it's a shame, as i thought they had an incredibly bright career ahead of them. the album has a permanent spot on my IPod, though.

i hope they're able to get the magic back.

 

[quattroatl]

The surround is OK but this is a dreadful record IMHO.
The music is boring beyond belief, sound likes half a dozen other similar bands.
Seems to be a real love it or hate it situation.

At the top of my list of SACDs I "should have left sealed and sold on e-bay".
Wish I had invested in a cheap used copy to listen to before I opened it.

I'm feeling generous so I gave it a 5.

Would you consider selling your SACD disc, since you hate it so much?

Please let me know.

Thanks!

 

[kap'n krunch]

Has anybody figured out what the resolution of the 5.1 MLP is?...I "rediscovered" it and was surprised again that it features an MLP surround mix , in spite of it being a "dread" Dual DIsc...to my ears, it sounds like a 48KHz/ 24 bit resolution....

 

[haikubass]

to my ears, it sounds like a 48KHz/ 24 bit resolution....

Congrats on your trained ears - 48 kHz / 24 bit it is...

 

[kap'n krunch]

Dang! :=) well, it sounds as if it was RECORDED in 96/24 but the disc does not have the "cillia tingling" highs, hence my comment..as it is I LOVE early Keane and I think the singer is one of the best in modern times...
Thanks for confirming this haikubass!!

 

[haikubass]

You're welcome, kap'n - I just happened to be in the middle of compiling my own DVD-A disc

I still have yet to vote on this disc, but probably gonna wait until I feel like unsealing the SACD version. I have nothing against the DualDisc (in this case, that is) and it actually makes me wonder why it got so "colorful" rating here.

To my ears, this release was always a nice surprise, and not only 'cause it's still in the "value for money" category!

 

[Chris Gerhard]

I have had the DualDisc for years and this album has held up well for me. I never acquired anything else by Keane and probably never will at this point. The SACD was out of my price range before I heard it should be the preferred version but the DualDisc is good enough and as mentioned, a great value. I haven't read the reasons given for some of the low votes but nothing about this disc sounds controversial to me, if you like the music this presentation should be considered first rate in my opinion. If you don't like the music, the rest doesn't even matter. It is one of only a couple dozen albums released in the last 10 years I play often.

 

[DKA]

I never acquired anything else by Keane and probably never will at this point.

This is the one to have. Second album was a rehash of this, but not as good. They went into this strange happy, synthy place on the third album, then added a guest rapper (!) on the 4th EP.

I do love this album, although I think the surround mix is a big "meh." These guys got a stadium full of U2 fans to NOT run to the concession stand when they opened for them. Very impressive live.

 

[quattroatl]

I have had the DualDisc for years and this album has held up well for me. I never acquired anything else by Keane and probably never will at this point. The SACD was out of my price range before I heard it should be the preferred version but the DualDisc is good enough and as mentioned, a great value. I haven't read the reasons given for some of the low votes but nothing about this disc sounds controversial to me, if you like the music this presentation should be considered first rate in my opinion. If you don't like the music, the rest doesn't even matter. It is one of only a couple dozen albums released in the last 10 years I play often.

I have both. The surround mix is identical. The sacd version seems to have a bit more bass, but bottom line is that the multichannel mix is poorly done at best.

I too think that this is a great album and enjoy it very much, moreso in 2 channel because of the terrible surround mix.

The dualdisc is nice because it contains some videos as well.

 

[jefe1]

Used dualdiscs are pretty cheap on Amazon. I just ordered one so I'll get to check this group out.

 

[kap'n krunch]

I rate the mix a 7 if only because it's not very "adventurous" (well, for this kind of music you shouldn't be too flashy) and especially (20 yards penalty) for being BRICKWALLED...this kind of music deserves "SPACE" and dynamics.. as for the rest, it's great to have a 5.1 mix of one of my favorite "recent" bands, even if it's flawed. a
BTW, I HATE Coldplay and I think that comparing Keane to them is a sin...Keane a has a REAL singer...and their live show is excellent, saw them at "La Riviera" in Madrid ( a horrible 3K capacity disco/venue) and he sang his heart out!!

 

[DKA]

I rate the mix a 7 if only because it's not very "adventurous" (well, for this kind of music you shouldn't be too flashy) and especially (20 yards penalty) for being BRICKWALLED...this kind of music deserves "SPACE" and dynamics.. as for the rest, it's great to have a 5.1 mix of one of my favorite "recent" bands, even if it's flawed. a
BTW, I HATE Coldplay and I think that comparing Keane to them is a sin...Keane a has a REAL singer...and their live show is excellent, saw them at "La Riviera" in Madrid ( a horrible 3K capacity disco/venue) and he sang his heart out!!

I've also seen Coldplay live and Chris Martin held up his own just fine. An excellent show. He's a bit of a ham, but he can get the job done.

As for this album, I think the album lends itself to more aggressive mix very well. There's solid panning and front/rear differentiation in the stereo that lends itself well to SPEC. There's a lot of potential in that mix which whoever mixed it for the DualDisc didn't realize.

 

[jefe1]

I just got the dualdisc from Amazon. I like the music, its in the coldplay neighborhood,and the sound quality is excellent. Very heavy use of the center speaker. I agree the mix could have been more aggressive. Only on one song do I notice instruments starting out in the rears. It does have a "loud" sound to it, the brickwalling I guess. A bonus is all the videos are in 5.1 that is nice. This is one of those groups I missed but thanks to QQ I have discovered them. An easy reccomendation at the extremely cheap Amazon prices used copies are going for. Agreed the singer has a great voice. But I saw Coldplay live several years ago and they did alright.