Mike Oldfield "Tubular Bells" (limited-run SDE Blu-Ray with Dolby Atmos, 5.1, and Quad mixes shipping 5/26)

[jaybird100]

Well the quad has the sailors hornpipe tromping round the studio "buggered if I know!" ending so that concern I had is allayed. I agree with people it sounds a bit front left dominant from about half way through. I'd have to listen to the quad SACD again to see if it had the same issue.

Bear in mind the quad mix took a lot of liberties (there are even parts omitted deliberately) because it was intended as a demo to Mike that would then be re-worked, he wasn't expected to approve it. So the quad wasn't a slavish copy of the stereo mix.

Comparing the mixes is like apples and oranges. Two completely different mixes. The SACD has the 1975 mix; it was clearly stated in the liner notes that the ATMOS mix was based on the original STEREO mix. That original quad mix is not on the SACD. The 1975 version was the first remixed version to be released. I gave the ATMOS mix a 9, only because I don't have the ability to hear its spacial mix as intended. What I did hear was more detail in the music than I'd heard on previous mixes. I based my score on what I heard on my system, not influenced by other members' scores.

 

[jaybird100]

Is it me or in the atmos version when it says grand piano is there a bug in the sound?

No hay cucarachas en el Sonido aqui.

 

[esimms86]

Even if you come from a Spanish speaking country you will find out that what is spoken in España is not spoken anywhere else, and let’s not even mention the other languages; Catalá, Euskera, Gallego, etc … I am so glad I a paid attention when I was in Spanish class and learned the “vosotros” second person plural conjugation!

Yeah Kap, it’s just another “hijo de puta” moment! Now remind us how glad you were to have learned how to celebrate the Catholic Mass in Latin before Vatican II!

 

[Owen Smith]

Comparing the mixes is like apples and oranges. Two completely different mixes. The SACD has the 1975 mix; it was clearly stated in the liner notes that the ATMOS mix was based on the original STEREO mix. That original quad mix is not on the SACD. The 1975 version was the first remixed version to be released. I gave the ATMOS mix a 9, only because I don't have the ability to hear its spacial mix as intended. What I did hear was more detail in the music than I'd heard on previous mixes. I based my score on what I heard on my system, not influenced by other members' scores.

You are incorrect. The Quad SACD is the original quad mix same as on the Boxed set, this can easily be shown by comparing the SACD to an SQ decode of Boxed and reading the copious detail in the SACD booklet. The Blu Ray has the same Quad mix on it except there's some problem with at least the second half. There has only ever been one proper quad mix of Tubular Bells.

There was an earlier quad upmix from stereo that was on CD-4 but that didn't have the tromping around the studio ending and is not a real quad mix. That isn't on either the SACD or the Blu Ray.

I am not talking about the Atmos mix or the 5.1 mix on the Blu Ray, it's just the quad mix I'm talking about.

 

[jaybird100]

You are incorrect. The Quad SACD is the original quad mix same as on the Boxed set, this can easily be shown by comparing the SACD to an SQ decode of Boxed and reading the copious detail in the SACD booklet. The Blu Ray has the same Quad mix on it except there's some problem with at least the second half. There has only ever been one proper quad mix of Tubular Bells.

There was an earlier quad upmix from stereo that was on CD-4 but that didn't have the tromping around the studio ending and is not a real quad mix. That isn't on either the SACD or the Blu Ray.

I am not talking about the Atmos mix or the 5.1 mix on the Blu Ray, it's just the quad mix I'm talking about.

I stand firm on my claim that the 1975 mix is NOT the original. If you have, or can find, the original US CD-4 release, that mix is significantly different than the 1975 version, and came out first. the difference will be very clearly obvious. Anyone else who has that LP, what do you think? The mix is clearly, in the booklet that comes with the "Boxed" set, state clearly that this is a remixed version. I agree that the quad SACD is the same mix as the "Boxed" set. But it's clearly NOT the original.

 

[Muppet69]

I think you mean:

Shogoh wrach douch gwenoguah!
Flumoh guach dough wenooooh!
Shlogo guach dough gwenoguah!
Flogoh wach dogh wenoooh!



https://tubular.net/forums/tubular-...f37fcbfd9e456bd8a86d7&act=ST;f=19;t=9130;st=0

Exactly!! I’m just not good at spelling it anywhere near like that.

 

[stereoptic]

When I started to rip the files in DVD Audio Extractor, there was no meta data to download. Today I see that there is some on there! I had started to upload some meta data from DVDAE, but I am still confused as to what is in each Title.

 

[stereoptic]

Based on playing the blu-ray disc and showing the stream information:
The original stereo version is 24bit 96k.
The David Kosten remix version is 24bit 48k.
I hope this helps.

 

[stereoptic]

All versions are different lengths

Stereo 48.50
Atmos 48.52
2009 5.1 49.14
Quad 51.57

Weird

 

[jaybird100]

All, but the Atmos mix, are in DTS.

 

[Owen Smith]

I stand firm on my claim that the 1975 mix is NOT the original. If you have, or can find, the original US CD-4 release, that mix is significantly different than the 1975 version, and came out first. the difference will be very clearly obvious. Anyone else who has that LP, what do you think? The mix is clearly, in the booklet that comes with the "Boxed" set, state clearly that this is a remixed version. I agree that the quad SACD is the same mix as the "Boxed" set. But it's clearly NOT the original.

OK so your claim is that the upmix from stereo is the original quad mix. Fair enough it's a matter of semantics, personally I don't count upmixes. But that's irrelevant to the discussion at hand. Both the SACD and the Blu Ray have the 1975 quad mix on them which should sound the same. The issue is that they don't.

 

[Owen Smith]

The quad is longer because of the very different ending version of the sailors hornpipe. The others are pretty close in length.

 

[stereoptic]

All, but the Atmos mix, are in DTS.

The quad is longer because of the very different ending version of the sailors hornpipe. The others are pretty close in length.

Thanks but I was wondering what mixes/versions are those untitled Titles (eg. Title 11[00:23:12].

 

[Bill B]

So far I've only listened to the Quad version but I have to say, this disc should be the template for all future BR releases. It is comprehensive in that it has all (or most of) the other prior mixes together on one disc. Awesome!

 

[konoyaro]

Thanks but I was wondering what mixes/versions are those untitled Titles (eg. Title 11[00:23:12].

Interesting that your rip maps out quite differently than mine. For me, Title5 has a track length of 23:12 and has the name "Tubular Bells Pt 2 (2009 5.1 Mix) based on the metadata I selected.

 

[jaybird100]

OK so your claim is that the upmix from stereo is the original quad mix. Fair enough it's a matter of semantics, personally I don't count upmixes. But that's irrelevant to the discussion at hand. Both the SACD and the Blu Ray have the 1975 quad mix on them which should sound the same. The issue is that they don't.

I have the "Boxed" set on CD, which is SQ, and a Surround Master v.3 decoding it. All three sound the same to me. What differences do you hear? I'll give it another listen. As for the CD-4 version being an upmix, where did you hear that? I hadn't.

 

[stereoptic]

Interesting that your rip maps out quite differently than mine. For me, Title5 has a track length of 23:12 and has the name "Tubular Bells Pt 2 (2009 5.1 Mix) based on the metadata I selected.

Someone uploaded TItle 1 (51:57) as "2009 5.1 mix", but my Title 1 is the QUAD mix (DTS).

 

[Awdeeohnut]

Same here. Wishing I did now as well but I probably haven't opened that last reissue series in DVD-V. Still contemplating the Bob! Hoping that it shouldn't cost as much as those SACDs from CDJapan but one never knows these days

Im in NZ, still waiting for mine

 

[AYanguas]

I have the "Boxed" set on CD, which is SQ, and a Surround Master v.3 decoding it. All three sound the same to me. What differences do you hear? I'll give it another listen. As for the CD-4 version being an upmix, where did you hear that? I hadn't.

To make things clearer (or perhaps more complicated), here are some of the notes I've been collecting on all versions of Tubular Bells (I have only transcribed the ones related to Quad):

QV2001 – Quadraphonic version

The first 40,000 copies are not real QUAD, the following ones are. (See Boxed.)​

QD13-105 (US Quadra disc CD-4 channel discrete). (is it same mix than the one before?)

VP2001 – Vinyl Picture disc. Stereo remix of the Quadraphonic.

Appears in the Boxed Compilation.​

1983 - CDV2001 (First CD edition).

The CD release of the Boxed album contains a stereo remix of the quadraphonic version.​

1976 - Boxed

Is a compilation album written and mostly performed by Mike Oldfield, released in 1976. It features SQ system 4 channel quadraphonic remixed versions of his first three albums (Tubular Bells, Hergest Ridge and Ommadawn) and some collaborations.​

​

Boxed features quadraphonic remixed versions of his first three albums. Oldfield later explained that instead of being true 4 channel sound, the initial quad remix of Tubular Bells, released few months after the stereo version, was a "strange fake out-of-phase system", because it was so complex a mix without automation.[1]​

​

The quad remix of Tubular Bells on Boxed was entirely different and true 4 channel sound (later released on SACD). The Boxed-CD version still contains the SQ-encoded quad mixes and plays as normal stereo without a quad decoder. The SQ quad remix Hergest Ridge was the only version of the album available on CD (until the 2010 Mercury Records reissue, Deluxe Edition), as Oldfield disliked the original vinyl mix.​

​

The traditional hornpipe melody "The Sailor's Hornpipe", which was the finale from Tubular Bells, has an extended speech from Viv Stanshall, which is from the recording sessions at The Manor Studio (see Tubular Bells original ending).​

​

Tubular Bells was re-mixed in quad by Phil Newell, assisted by Alan Perkins. Hergest Ridge was re-mixed in quad by Mike Oldfield. Ommadawn was re-mixed in quad by Mike Oldfield and Phil Newell.​

2000 - Simon Heyworth remastered the album for an HDCD release in 2000

2001 – SACD by Simon Heyworth

2.0 of previous remaster + 4.0 Quad mix by Phil Newell de 1974​

(Some copies of the previous two were labelled as the "25th Anniversary Edition").​

 

[jaybird100]

View attachment 92299


My two copies of Tubular Bells have arrived. (Twobular Bells?). Yeah, that's right, two copies. Hey, I don't have a problem!

Anyway, just having listened to the new Atmos downmixed to 5.1, I gotta say it sounds wonderful. I've heard lots of Atmos mixes that don't downmix to 5.1 very well, but this one does just fine. If you had told me that it was a dedicated 5.1 mix I would have believed it. Kosten respects the original stereo mix that everyone has known and loved for fifty years but manages to present it in a fully discreet and immersive surround field. Can't wait to get over to a friend's place who has a full Atmos setup to hear what it sounds like in full blown Atmos. Having said that, this is an album that I've listened to a gazillion times since I first heard it circa 1980. And I did notice two places where the balance wasn't quite right. About 7:45 into part one, there is a melodic element that seems to be completely missing. And during part two's caveman heavy rock section, the lead guitars don't scream out as loudly as they do in the original stereo. Maybe these bits are just because I am not set up for full Atmos. Anyway, this was a thoroughly enjoyable listen. Will check out the other layers in the coming days.

Hard to believe that Mike was only nineteen years old when he recorded it. I was very fortunate to see Mike play the whole thing live in 1982. Mike did a good bit of touring in Europe, but he only ever performed nine concerts in the USA in his entire career. I've been to somewhere around eight hundred concerts in my lifetime so naturally there are plenty that I don't particularly remember. But that evening in Boston on 4/17/82 still sticks out in my mind. The performances of both halves of the album brought the house down. Plus he also played the first side of Ommadawn and almost all of Five Miles Out. One helluva show.

Bring on the SDE Hergest Ridge 50th anniversary blu-ray in 2024!

View attachment 92299


My two copies of Tubular Bells have arrived. (Twobular Bells?). Yeah, that's right, two copies. Hey, I don't have a problem!

Anyway, just having listened to the new Atmos downmixed to 5.1, I gotta say it sounds wonderful. I've heard lots of Atmos mixes that don't downmix to 5.1 very well, but this one does just fine. If you had told me that it was a dedicated 5.1 mix I would have believed it. Kosten respects the original stereo mix that everyone has known and loved for fifty years but manages to present it in a fully discreet and immersive surround field. Can't wait to get over to a friend's place who has a full Atmos setup to hear what it sounds like in full blown Atmos. Having said that, this is an album that I've listened to a gazillion times since I first heard it circa 1980. And I did notice two places where the balance wasn't quite right. About 7:45 into part one, there is a melodic element that seems to be completely missing. And during part two's caveman heavy rock section, the lead guitars don't scream out as loudly as they do in the original stereo. Maybe these bits are just because I am not set up for full Atmos. Anyway, this was a thoroughly enjoyable listen. Will check out the other layers in the coming days.

Hard to believe that Mike was only nineteen years old when he recorded it. I was very fortunate to see Mike play the whole thing live in 1982. Mike did a good bit of touring in Europe, but he only ever performed nine concerts in the USA in his entire career. I've been to somewhere around eight hundred concerts in my lifetime so naturally there are plenty that I don't particularly remember. But that evening in Boston on 4/17/82 still sticks out in my mind. The performances of both halves of the album brought the house down. Plus he also played the first side of Ommadawn and almost all of Five Miles Out. One helluva show.

Bring on the SDE Hergest Ridge 50th anniversary blu-ray in 2024!

Let's not forget "Ommadawn"!