Listening to Now (In Surround) - Volume 2

[Sashaaa]

The unreleased 5.1 mix of Embryonic by The Flaming Lips. No, it is not a upmix or fan made mix. If you're wondering how it is, it's amazing.

 

[Audiowannabee]

Spinning Doobies got here today...sarted w Toulouse now onto wwovanh stellar set
Fantastic

 

[4-earredwonder]

The unreleased 5.1 mix of Embryonic by The Flaming Lips. No, it is not a upmix or fan made mix. If you're wondering how it is, it's amazing.

RS, how did you manage to score a bona fide 5.1 remix of Embryonic? I have the Warner DVD~A Lossless LPCM Stereo version and didn't realize there's a 5.1 remix.

Praytell...Friends in HIGH PLACES?

https://www.discogs.com/The-Flaming-Lips-Embryonic/release/1967148

 

[The56Kid]

OK, so Doobies Quaddio is simply ridiculous. Holy Cow! So many ear candy moments, so many pieces I've never heard...so many instrumentation I've heard...but never this clear and revealing.

Whoa

Home Run Rhino. Home Run. And, I've only listened to Toulouse Street. Killer!!

And I’m still waiting for mine to arrive, dammit Rhino!

 

[sjcorne]

The unreleased 5.1 mix of Embryonic by The Flaming Lips. No, it is not a upmix or fan made mix. If you're wondering how it is, it's amazing.

I'm not trying to start an argument--and it ultimately doesn't matter what its origin is, so long as it's an enjoyable listening experience--but I'm pretty confident it's actually an upmix (assuming I have the same version as you). I played around with it in my DAW and unlike the other Lips 5.1's, I couldn't find any moments where something was truly isolated in the front or back with no bleed to the other channels. Take for instance, the intro to "Your Bats" - it's loudest in the rears, but still audible at about 10-20% volume in the front channels. The less-brickwalled mastering also suggests to me that it isn't the work of Dave Fridmann.

I found an old quote from DKA--a QQ member who's credited with some amazing upmixes that are often tough to distinguish from the real deal--mentioning that he completed an upmix of Embryonic that some folks here thought was a genuine 5.1 mix.

People who "think" they know what an upmix sounds like will listen to something done in the past few years and say "there's no way this is an upmix!" I did a mix of The Flaming Lips' "Embryonic" which people swore up and down on here HAD to HAVE BEEN DONE BY THE BAND ITSELF. It happens.

The story about it being leaked with the band's approval is probably just a case of 'broken telephone' resulting from the files being passed around the community over the years. It just doesn't seem logical to me that the band would shell out the extra time/money for a 5.1 mix just to let it sit unreleased, then leak it for free.

 

[steelydave]

Just to add veracity to what @sjcorne has posted, @popshop had this to say in the Soft Bulletin poll thread:

Not to say anyone is right or wrong, but I emailed Flaming Lips manager Scott Booker in January of 2018 about Embryonic:
"Unfortunately, we never did a 5.1 of Embryonic! We would have released it if we did!!
Best,
SDB"

It doesn't make any sense to me that a band that's never had any problem releasing any amount of music on any format (they once released some music on a USB stick embedded inside a skull made out of gummy bear gelatin!) would spend the time and money commissioning a 5.1 mix and then leak it out the back whilst simultaneously denying that it even exists.

 

[skherbeck]

This sounds so good in 5.1! Added some bass, altered some of the levels in the back (using the 7.1 mix) to get better balance from the acoustic guitars, horns, and "doo doo doos", which are all in the rears, and I'm loving this track.

 

[jefe1]

Doobie Quadio what else?
The Captain and Me are kicking back now....

 

[Sashaaa]

I'm not trying to start an argument--and it ultimately doesn't matter what its origin is, so long as it's an enjoyable listening experience--but I'm pretty confident it's actually an upmix (assuming I have the same version as you). I played around with it in my DAW and unlike the other Lips 5.1's, I couldn't find any moments where something was truly isolated in the front or back with no bleed to the other channels. Take for instance, the intro to "Your Bats" - it's loudest in the rears, but still audible at about 10-20% volume in the front channels. The less-brickwalled mastering also suggests to me that it isn't the work of Dave Fridmann.

I found an old quote from DKA--a QQ member who's credited with some amazing upmixes that are often tough to distinguish from the real deal--mentioning that he completed an upmix of Embryonic that some folks here thought was a genuine 5.1 mix.


The story about it being leaked with the band's approval is probably just a case of 'broken telephone' resulting from the files being passed around the community over the years. It just doesn't seem logical to me that the band would shell out the extra time/money for a 5.1 mix just to let it sit unreleased, then leak it for free.

I don't know if it would be possible to have this level of seperation and distiction between sounds in an upmix. Well it might be possible, it'd take an absolutely massive amount of work. Either way, whether or not it is an upmix, whoever did mix it did an astonishingly good job. You are right that at the beginning at "Your Bats" it isn't entirely discrete. I have quite a few upmixes, and honestly, they all kinda sound like crap lol. Whoever did this upmix did an absolutely incredible job, and I'd like to know how they did it because I mix music in 5.1 for my music, and other artists music (not released yet, but will probably have some remixes coming soon ) and having that knowledge would certainly be useful. Thank you for the info on it being an upmix .

This is one of the best 5.1 mixes I've heard ever. Pretty much just as good as the original flaming lips mixes.

As for what I'm listening to in 5.1 right now, Rachel's Song by Vangelis from the blade runner ost. I actually can find very little information about the version I have, it seems to say it came somehow from the audio fidelity sacd even though there isn't a m-ch layer. If anyone knows the source of it I'd love to know, because it's wonderfully done, upmix or not.

 

[JanBakker]

Donald Fagen - The Nightfly, arrived today.

 

[J. PUPSTER]

View attachment 56222

Donald Fagen - The Nightfly, arrived today.

Surely this isn’t your first Fagen listen is it Jan?
Kamakiriad is like a surround pinnacle piece for me

 

[Which_One_Is_Pink]

Bebop Deluxe - Axe Victim

 

[Which_One_Is_Pink]

Pink Floyd - The Later Years

Momentary Lapse of Reason / The Division Bell

 

[JanBakker]

Surely this isn’t your first Fagen listen is it Jan?
Kamakiriad is like a surround pinnacle piece for me

For me too, bought it because it sounds so good and really getting into the music as well, same with this one

 

[The56Kid]

And I’m still waiting for mine to arrive, dammit Rhino!

My order with Rhino finally shipped but isn’t scheduled to arrive until next Friday - color me bummed !

 

[Which_One_Is_Pink]

Kiama - Sign of Four

 

[Audiowannabee]

Doobie Brothers Quadio what were once vices are now habits bluray

 

[sjcorne]

My jaw dropped midway through the first track.

 

[J. PUPSTER]

View attachment 56233

My jaw dropped midway through the first track.

Well that's a good sign... still waiting on mine -

 

[The56Kid]

Well that's a good sign... still waiting on mine - View attachment 56239

Ditto on both fronts. One hell of a good sign when a surround recording elicits that type of reaction from Jonathan!