HiRez Poll Morrison, Van - MOONDANCE [Blu-Ray Audio (Dolby Atmos)]

[4_everyman]

I do like the Atmos mix a lot more. It has a larger stage and seems to be a bit less aggressive than the 5.1 mix. I really dig it!

Thank you for describing it so succinctly. I, too, prefer the ATMOS mix, but I was struggling with how to describe the way it differs from the 5.1 mix.

 

[LB-V]

I prefer the Atmos mix, by a fair margin. As several noted and where I agree, the Atmos presents a much nicer balanced presentation, to my ears. The instruments are clearer and equally presented with the vocals and low frequencies.

The 5.1 by comparison, sounds unrefined...forced a bit in bass and vocals. But that's just my take based on my tastes!

I think the Atmos mix is fantastic.

 

[LB-V]

I‘m on my 6th repeat of this..it’s magic

And that's what it's all about! Enjoy!

 

[RustyM]

Exceeded my expectations. Very enjoyable Atmos experience . 10

 

[Werno]

Very glad this finally arrived. I've been listening to the Scheiner 5.1 for a couple years, so my initial reaction to Wilson's Atmos mix was that it was too awash in reverb. But like most of the Atmos mixes I've acquired, louder is better. Many elements still sound too low to me, the piano on Moondance (especially the solo) & the harpsichord on Everyone spring to mind, but they're less MIA when the volume is higher. I play keyboards, so guess I'm touchy about how keyboard sounds sit in the mix. Then there's the mellotron/cello sound in 'Into the Mystic' that accompanies the line '...when the foghorn blows..' which seems too loud and/or dry and/or front and center. A foghorn is distant and diffused, usually, guess we're standing next to it. But I'll probably get used to it.

My current MO is to play the 5.1 when the volume has to be lower and the Atmos when I can crank it. Stuff that seems to go MIA when the Atmos is at a low level are fine in the 5.1, and now that I've heard the Atmos mix the 5.1 played loud sounds a little under-refined and samey from beginning to end. Scheiner's mix pretty much stays panned where it's panned throughout, which gives the overall experience an air of being in the middle of great musicians live, playing great arrangements and maybe balancing themselves more than being 'mixed' after the fact. That suits the material pretty well. But Wilson's mix keeps growing on me, and I'm grateful both exist. This feels like at least a 9, giving it some more time to work on me before I vote.

 

[Rhinojack]

I was playing it today and thought I’d try the other stereo options. And couldn’t get my Oppo 203 to play them. I was playing with the settings on my AV receiver but I might have to do the same on the 203. I very seldom try the stereo options so we’ll see.But I knew nothing of this album except got the title track and I love it. Hard to describe why but the songs are great.

 

[user 15634]

Mr. Wilson never disappoints and to my ears this was an easy 10. Great imaging and I love the vocals in the center speaker. Is there any chance that "Astral Weeks" could get the Steven Wilson Atmos treatment? That would be so awesome!!!

 

[Rhinojack]

I was playing it today and thought I’d try the other stereo options. And couldn’t get my Oppo 203 to play them. I was playing with the settings on my AV receiver but I might have to do the same on the 203. I very seldom try the stereo options so we’ll see.But I knew nothing of this album except got the title track and I love it. Hard to describe why but the songs are great.

All I had to do was set it to PCM output.

 

[LB-V]

A foghorn is distant and diffused, usually, guess we're standing next to it. But I'll probably get used to it.

Enjoyed reading your take on the listening.

I wish I had Atmos to compare with my 4.1!! The foghorn on my system is distant and diffused. It sounds (no pun intended!) that it may be an element treated much different in Atmos.

I never considered this, and it may be a really naive question, but does Atmos have the ability to raise the volume on elements when placing them from the 7.1 bed? That possibility never occurred to me.

 

[Vic MacBournie]

I don't have an Atmos set up, so can someone tell me how that new mix sounds in 5.1? I have the old Scheiner 5.1 bluray, and that's a shiner for me.

It's spectacular in 5.1. I don't have atmos so I'm hearing the 5.1 version. Both are great but I'm leaning toward the Wilson version.

 

[Quadmon]

Has always been a 10 for me. Listened to this last night. Best version imo.

 

[CINERAMAX]

Musically for me its a one hit wonder, so an 8.

 

[LuvMyQuad]

Musically for me its a one hit wonder, so an 8.

Different strokes I guess. I have to assume the one hit you are referring to is the title track. It is also the track I am most likely to skip over.

Into the Mystic is a truly great track, up there with the all time best.

 

[J. PUPSTER]

A solid 10!
7.1 Atmos bed downmixed to 5.1 here.

 

[Vic MacBournie]

I prefer the Atmos mix, by a fair margin. As several noted and where I agree, the Atmos presents a much nicer balanced presentation, to my ears. The instruments are clearer and equally presented with the vocals and low frequencies.

The 5.1 by comparison, sounds unrefined...forced a bit in bass and vocals. But that's just my take based on my tastes!

I think the Atmos mix is fantastic.

I agree fully. For those who have not listened to the instrumental it's a real winner too. Weird that in some of the songs I get distant vocals. And I would love if the instrumentals were in 5.1.

 

[sjcorne]

For those who have not listened to the instrumental it's a real winner too. Weird that in some of the songs I get distant vocals.

As SW mentions in the liner notes, Van Morrison's vocals were recorded live during the tracking session rather than overdubbed later--so there's bleed in some of the other mics. Since he's singing and playing guitar at the same time in "Into The Mystic", there's some low-level guitar sound in the vocal track (you can hear it in the center channel) and quite a bit of vocal in the guitar track. That guitar is panned right, so that's why you can hear Van singing off to the right at a reduced level in the instrumental mix.

 

[Vic MacBournie]

As SW mentions in the liner notes, Van Morrison's vocals were recorded live during the tracking session rather than overdubbed later--so there's bleed in some of the other mics. Since he's singing and playing guitar at the same time in "Into The Mystic", there's some low-level guitar sound in the vocal track (you can hear it in the center channel) and quite a bit of vocal in the guitar track. That guitar is panned right, so that's why you can hear Van singing off to the right at a reduced level in the instrumental mix.

Excellent thanks for the information.

 

[Vic MacBournie]

Different strokes I guess. I have to assume the one hit you are referring to is the title track. It is also the track I am most likely to skip over.

Into the Mystic is a truly great track, up there with the all time best.

Into the Mystic is an outstanding track but so too is every song on the album. One of my all time favourites.

 

[4_everyman]

The ability to compare the 5.1 and ATMOS mixes has made me a believer in what ATMOS can provide. I enjoy both mixes, but for me, the ATMOS is simply sublime.

 

[stoopid]

On my non-atmos 5.1 setup the atmos mix, like for others, doesn't fold down as cleanly as it has with other atmos mixes. I wonder if this is something deliberately done during production/making the atmos mix that wasn't done here. The 5.1, which I have never heard/previously owned, is excellent. Clarity and spread of the instruments creates a nice sound stage. I gave the overall presentation a 9, losing a few points for lack of proper 5.1 fold down with the atmos and the capable but slightly conservative 2013 5.1 mix.

I find Van Morrison is great for an album or so, then I need a break. His 'style' starts to sound a bit same-y to my ears. By the end of Moondance I was hearing snippets of songs from later albums, especially vocal melodies.