Listening to Now (In Surround) - Volume 2

[4-earredwonder]

Bowie has been a wonderful artist to collect on several levels. I'm a colored vinyl collector as well as a picture disc collector. There are five prime period RCA UK picture discs that rival the sound quality original UK LP pressings, that extra thereness we so desire. Dutch yellow "Stage" is great as it the promo only US clear vinyl Ziggy Spiders Motion Picture Soundtrack which is my pick for top live Bowie, it just rocks like hell! Tons of colored vinyl and picture records!

Ok, then you consider the surround mixes, there are several major efforts with of course mixed results. But for the surround fan there are some goodies to explore. Young Americans being the title with the best notices I've read, Station to Station with the worst.

And two more: http://hraudio.net/showmusic.php?title=1343 and http://hraudio.net/showmusic.php?title=414

 

[rtbluray]

And two more: http://hraudio.net/showmusic.php?title=1343 and http://hraudio.net/showmusic.php?title=414

Those prices though…particularly for "Heathen"… :violin

 

[4-earredwonder]

Yes I'm aware of the promo code COZY15 at Deep Discount...I buy from them quite often...Elusive Disc and The Evil Empire(Music Direct)also have some discounts now 12%...the Evil Empire's threshold for free shipping is only $49 and they don't charge me tax..which happens at Deep Discount and importcds....no tax charged at Elusive Disc also...

I am shocked that DD and ImportCDs don't charge me sales tax since we New Yorkers pay sales tax almost EVERYWHERE. Don't be so hard on Music Direct.....I'll be the first to decry their lack of multichannel SACD releases (SOBs) but I've purchased quite a bit of equipment from them (SACD Players/Power Conditioners, etc) and they've always given me a VERY fair shake as well as sound advice. If you get the right salesperson on the phone, they even give you a 20% discount off AP and MoFi SACDs....but usually when you spend some serious cash on equipment (there's always a caveat, Clint).

DD usually has the BEST prices around on AF SACDs.....both stereo/Quad and if you type in Audio Fidelity in their search engine combined with the 15% discount, you might be surprised at what deals you can get!

Am still totally bummed out about the embarassing low DR scores on Bowie's swansong. Didn't Tony Visconti have any input as to the mastering/manufacturing of the final digital product....or was he obsessed with making the vinyl sound as great as possible?

 

[4-earredwonder]

Those prices though…particularly for "Heathen"… :violin

Ridiculous, I know. I was lucky to score Heathen & Ziggy on mch SACD cheaply back in the day but had to settle for the dualdisc of REALITY, which even though its DD 5.1, still sounds great with some added and worthwhile video bonuses!

 

[rtbluray]

Ridiculous, I know. I was lucky to score Heathen & Ziggy on mch SACD cheaply back in the day but had to settle for the dualdisc of REALITY which even though its DD 5.1 still sounds great with some added and worthwhile video bonuses!

The poll score for "Reality" is so low that I never really tried to seek that one out. I have on the other hand tried a few times to acquire "Heathen", but it's never been as high on the priority list as several other discs I'm interested in getting. Maybe one day though, hope springs eternal!

 

[4-earredwonder]

The poll score for "Reality" is so low that I never really tried to seek that one out. I have on the other hand tried a few times to acquire "Heathen", but it's never been as high on the priority list as several other discs I'm interested in getting. Maybe one day though, hope springs eternal!

I wonder why. Even the video on the dualdisc, Bring Me The Disco King, is a GREAT added bonus and really sounds incredible in DD on MY system. The one review over at Amazon (taken with a grain of salt) is lukewarm toward the SACD of Reality saying that the surrounds are nothing to write home about. The dualdisc was cheap and still glad I have it in my collection.

It's really time that the entire Bowie catalog be given the surround treatment by someone who knows what they're doing (like Steve Wilson or the great Elliot Scheiner).

 

[rtbluray]

It's really time that the entire Bowie catalog be given the surround treatment by someone who knows what they're doing (like Steve Wilson or the great Elliot Scheiner).

For a long time, Bowie only wanted 5.1 surround mixes created by the original production team (the original producer and recording engineer) of a given album, but that may change now that he's dead and therefore no longer has a direct say on how his catalogue is handled going forward.
I wouldn't count on Steven Wilson jumping at the opportunity to remix any of Bowie's albums in surround, however. Part of the joy Steven gets from remixing some of his favorite albums in surround is the opportunity to work with the original artist on honing the mixes to their approval and satisfaction, and that obviously can't happen anymore now that Bowie's departed from this world.
If anything, all I hope is that if there are any unreleased Bowie 5.1 mixes sitting in the vaults that there is a way for them to finally be released to us in the next few years as a fitting tribute to this great man and his wonderful music.

 

[quicksrt]

I am shocked that DD and ImportCDs don't charge me sales tax since we New Yorkers pay sales tax almost EVERYWHERE. Don't be so hard on Music Direct.....I'll be the first to decry their lack of multichannel SACD releases (SOBs) but I've purchased quite a bit of equipment from them (SACD Players/Power Conditioners, etc) and they've always given me a VERY fair shake as well as sound advice. If you get the right salesperson on the phone, they even give you a 20% discount off AP and MoFi SACDs....but usually when you spend some serious cash on equipment (there's always a caveat, Clint).

DD usually has the BEST prices around on AF SACDs.....both stereo/Quad and if you type in Audio Fidelity in their search engine combined with the 15% discount, you might be surprised at what deals you can get!

Am still totally bummed out about the embarassing low DR scores on Bowie's swansong. Didn't Tony Visconti have any input as to the mastering/manufacturing of the final digital product....or was he obsessed with making the vinyl sound as great as possible?

The vinyl is said to have much better DR. And a needle drop of that at 24/96 should rock some peoples world. Then again I've often read that the vinyl had what the CD was missing and I failed to agree once I heard it.

I'm simply not blown away by this album. It's texturally coarse and rhymically not exactly rocking. No where near Low. Maybe there will be a surround mix that opens it up somewhat.

 

[Almen]

The vinyl is said to have much better DR.

Yes it does, the vinyl has much better dynamics (around 6 dB better crest value than the CD) and seems to be virtually untouched in that regard. It's really a shame.

 

[quicksrt]

Yes it does, the vinyl has much better dynamics (around 6 dB better crest value than the CD) and seems to be virtually untouched in that regard. It's really a shame.

It's really not that big a deal. A good needle drop with an Audio technica ATN150MXL at 24/96kHz should open the album right up. I could do it myself but as I said I'm not sure I even like the album. Not a big deal.

Hey I wonder if they will repress the clear vinyl copies - or go black only for the reruns of this album?

 

[Clint Eastwood]

I am shocked that DD and ImportCDs don't charge me sales tax since we New Yorkers pay sales tax almost EVERYWHERE. Don't be so hard on Music Direct.....I'll be the first to decry their lack of multichannel SACD releases (SOBs) but I've purchased quite a bit of equipment from them (SACD Players/Power Conditioners, etc) and they've always given me a VERY fair shake as well as sound advice. If you get the right salesperson on the phone, they even give you a 20% discount off AP and MoFi SACDs....but usually when you spend some serious cash on equipment (there's always a caveat, Clint).

DD usually has the BEST prices around on AF SACDs.....both stereo/Quad and if you type in Audio Fidelity in their search engine combined with the 15% discount, you might be surprised at what deals you can get!

Am still totally bummed out about the embarassing low DR scores on Bowie's swansong. Didn't Tony Visconti have any input as to the mastering/manufacturing of the final digital product....or was he obsessed with making the vinyl sound as great as possible?

DeepDiscount and Importcds charge tax for residents of Illinois..California...Kentucky..and Florida...and although DeepDiscount doesn't charge tax for Colorado residents.... they do turn in the sales to the Colorado Dept of Revenue and residents are required to pay the tax at the end of the year...I only used Evil Empire in my post for your benefit...I have purchased from them in the past and it was fine...but you share my frustration with MoFi's policy of "sitting" on releases and not giving other companies the chance to release those titles...

In regards to the miserable DR scores on Blackstar...that's just the "new" wave of producing products for portable useage...they don't want quiet passages...no pauses in music...didn't you get the memo...we are all like Drones walking around the earth with our heads down...staring at our smart phone with our EAR BUDS inserted listening to music...nobody sits around and listens to music...we all have cheap portable devices so the wonderful record companies are just being great human beings....giving us what we deserve...oh well...a sign of the times...we just have to pick our spots and find those treasures that aren't compressed to death...there are still some audio rebels out there..Sir Steven Wilson is leader of the alliance...we won't go down without a fight:violin

 

[Almen]

Yes it does, the vinyl has much better dynamics (around 6 dB better crest value than the CD) and seems to be virtually untouched in that regard. It's really a shame.

It's really not that big a deal. A good needle drop with an Audio technica ATN150MXL at 24/96kHz should open the album right up. I could do it myself but as I said I'm not sure I even like the album. Not a big deal.

Yes, that the sound quality is shattered on digital formats is a big deal. But maybe not for this thread.

 

[Almen]

double post

 

[Clint Eastwood]

Yes, that the sound quality is shattered on digital formats is a big deal. But maybe not for this thread.

Yes...we shouldn't be on this thread with that topic...BUT...we can go here and talk about it as much as we want

 

[blue.monk]

David Bowie - Young Americans (DVD-V)

First chance I've had to celebrate the man's music since hearing the awful news. A massive loss. Listening with a heavy heart.

 

[Simon A]

David Bowie - Young Americans (DVD-V)

First chance I've had to celebrate the man's music since hearing the awful news. A massive loss. Listening with a heavy heart.

I played this yesterday after hearing the news. I'm glad I bought it at a decent price two months ago. I like what Visconti did with the mix.

Playing now:

 

[Tornado Red]

New today and currently playing: Simple Minds - Once Upon A Time in 5.1 on HFPA

 

[4-earredwonder]

I don't have this title yet but I was so excited to see it announced. Even though it's from a dolby b encoded Quad Open Reel, this remains a very sought after title and HDTT does INCREDIBLE Open Reel transfers. And to have it released in the original QUAD ion BD~A makes it that much more exciting From London Phase 4:

http://www.highdeftapetransfers.com/products/the-fantasy-film-world-of-bernard-herrmann

 

[4-earredwonder]

I don't have this title yet but I was so excited to see it announced. Even though it's from a dolby b encoded Quad Open Reel, this remains a very sought after title and HDTT does INCREDIBLE Open Reel transfers. And to have it released in the original QUAD on BD~A makes it that much more exciting. From London Phase 4:

http://www.highdeftapetransfers.com/products/the-fantasy-film-world-of-bernard-herrmann

 

[quicksrt]

I don't have this title yet but I was so excited to see it announced. Even though it's from a dolby b encoded Quad Open Reel, this remains a very sought after title and HDTT does INCREDIBLE Open Reel transfers. And to have it released in the original QUAD on BD~A makes it that much more exciting. From London Phase 4:

http://www.highdeftapetransfers.com/products/the-fantasy-film-world-of-bernard-herrmann

So all this is legit? I know I shouldn't even have to ask knowing already QQ does not stand for the promotion and marketing of bootleg and pirated materials on their forum. But it just strikes me as odd, not sure why.