New Alan Parsons album "From The New World" out in July! (CD/DVD release)

[Steve Bruzonsky]

Disappointing. His last CD + DVD had DTS 5.1 instead of this sh**** AC3 codec. DTS is minimum on a DVD-V!

Actually the last one has DD 5.1 in the U.S. but DTS 5.1 in Japan, so I got it from CD Japan. Unfortunately, this time around the new DVD from CD Japan shows as DD 5.1 as well.

 

[Beistovin]

Now I realize I am coming from a place of bias but I have listened to the two Mark Mikel co-written and lead vocal song and think they are really good! I also liked his song Fly to me from “The Secret “ ! Honestly my love for his former very obscure band “The Pillbugs “ is the only reason I have for purchasing these records. I love the old APP releases on blu-ray. If I happen to like anything else one the record is just a bonus for me!

 

[Sal1950]

So far I've only listened to the version on Apple 4K and I'm enjoying it very much.
Can't wait to get the 5.1 DVD and hopping for a BluRay/Atmos release some time in the future.

 

[JulesRules]

Just had my first listen, not usually big on scoring an album on one listen but it’s better than The Secret, I do wish Alan would stop singing lead, he has a fine voice for backing vocals but not lead, between APP and solo albums he never sang lead on the first 14 albums then all of a sudden started on The Secret.

Incorrect.

(from 2004's A Valid Path)

(2010 single)
And it was just a logical development after he had started singing "Prime Time", "Eye in the Sky" and "Don't Answer Me" in concert. (Though I don't know when exactly he started doing that.)

 

[srbjab]

I've listened to this a few times on Apple Music and while it may be a bit better than The Secret, it just doesn't compare to the older titles. For me it's a bit too AOR without enough progressive hooks to be memorable and isn't something I need to own. I'm saving my pennies for the classic 70's - 80's reissues.

 

[madscot]

Incorrect.

(from 2004's A Valid Path)

(2010 single)
And it was just a logical development after he had started singing "Prime Time", "Eye in the Sky" and "Don't Answer Me" in concert. (Though I don't know when exactly he started doing that.)

My bad, i forgot about that one, i hardly play cd’s anymore since getting into surround

 

[JulesRules]

My bad, i forgot about that one, i hardly play cd’s anymore since getting into surround

A Valid Path was also released as a 5.1 DualDisc

 

[madscot]

A Valid Path was also released as a 5.1 DualDisc

Yes, have you seen the prices people are charging for the dualdisc?

 

[SeeMoreDigital]

Lol... I've just created my first very basic DVD-Audio disc using 'From The New World' as the source.

I extracted the Dolby Digital elementary audio stream and manually created a '.cue' navigation file. Then I used an audio encoding application called LameXP (which is able read .cue files) and generated the eleven multi-channel 'pcm.wav' files (at 48/16-bit for the purpose of this test). Then I used FFmpeg to pack the 'pcm.wav' files into .mlp.

Now here's the interesting bit... I found an application called 'DVD-A Author GUI' that is able perform basic DVD-A disc authoring: -

It's able to generate the required files and folders within an 'AUDIO_TS' folder. It's also able to generate a 'dvd.iso' file that's suitable for using with ImgBurn to create the all important DVD-A disc!

For the purpose of the test I found a (very old Packard Bell) DVD+RW disc and set ImgBurn to do its work... After a few minutes a disc was created that I popped into my OPPO UDP-203 and to my amazement, it played and displayed the following: -

So like I said. It's a very basic disc. There's no video, no menus, just multi-channel audio. Which probably explains why it automatically plays - Which in my opinion is how DVD-Audio discs should have been authored in the first place.

Perhaps, I'll experiment with the 'DVD-A Author GUI' software in more depth... Now, what should I do with this 776MB .iso test file...

 

[Steve Bruzonsky]

From The New World in 5.1 Dolby Digital is on thats it. I put on One Note Symphony, the 5.1 DTS-HD CDJapan version I bought (not cheap), and its a killer both performancewise, sonically and in terms of multichannel mix.
Its worth every penny - From The New World totally sucks in comparison. If you got the US version of One Note Symphony which is only Dolby Digital 5.1, see if you can get the CDJapan DTS-HD version - its awesome!

 

[JulesRules]

Now, what should I do with this 776MB .iso test file...

I know that feeling from burning CDs (always with one big wav file and a cue sheet)... I archived them on DVDs and then deleted them!

 

[marpow]

Taking my first listen to this new release by Alan Parsons. My AVR wanted to kick in the Atmos speakers with the Dolby Digital +, but as I am a purist I switched to Dolby Digital only. 5.1 is a nice surround, definitely discrete. Unfortunately a tiny tinny sounding, possibly due to the Dolby Digital lossy format, but outside of that very enjoyable.
There are parts where I want them to be more, the rear surrounds seem to be perfect in the mix, but at times the front, like a guitar solo on track 3, comes across a little weak.
Alan Parsons has lead vocals on three of the tracks, he sounds OK to me.
I was watching a video with Rick Beato and Derek Trucks, and they brought up the modern situation where recordings can be an hour plus of music and we have developed a shorter attention span for listening to these long winded albums and they don't capture us as much from when we grew up it was just a two sided album most of the time.
I am a prime example of not giving these long recordings a decent chance, I am typing, listening, working, I am not very fair to the artist, but I am sure there are a lot of pre occupied people like me.

 

[perzon57]

Taking my first listen to this new release by Alan Parsons. My AVR wanted to kick in the Atmos speakers with the Dolby Digital +, but as I am a purist I switched to Dolby Digital only. 5.1 is a nice surround, definitely discrete. Unfortunately a tiny tinny sounding, possibly due to the Dolby Digital lossy format, but outside of that very enjoyable.
There are parts where I want them to be more, the rear surrounds seem to be perfect in the mix, but at times the front, like a guitar solo on track 3, comes across a little weak.
Alan Parsons has lead vocals on three of the tracks, he sounds OK to me.
I was watching a video with Rick Beato and Derek Trucks, and they brought up the modern situation where recordings can be an hour plus of music and we have developed a shorter attention span for listening to these long winded albums and they don't capture us as much from when we grew up it was just a two sided album most of the time.
I am a prime example of not giving these long recordings a decent chance, I am typing, listening, working, I am not very fair to the artist, but I am sure there are a lot of pre occupied people like me.

As you say this is a 5.1 mix, but you say the rear surrounds seem to be perfect in the mix. Do you mean the side surrounds? There are no rear surrounds active in a 5.1 mix, at least not on my setup.

 

[4-earredwonder]

As you say this is a 5.1 mix, but you say the rear surrounds seem to be perfect in the mix. Do you mean side the surrounds? There are no rear surrounds active in a 5.1 mix, at least not on my setup.

In a TRUE 5.1 mix, the side channels are NOT utilized. In a 7.1 surround system, the sides are indeed active. Your REAR speakers should actively be hooked up to enjoy a 5.1 remix!!!!!!

 

[SeeMoreDigital]

It could be the case that people with 5.1 set-ups place what are now classed 'the sides' (in a 7.1 set-up), in the rear...

 

[sjcorne]

It could be the case that people with 5.1 set-ups place what are now classed 'the sides' (in a 7.1 set-up), in the rear...

Yep, the 'rear' content in a 5.1 mix will be sent to the 7.1 'sides' by default.
https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/threads/7-1-side-vs-rear-speakers.32616/#post-635439

 

[perzon57]

In a TRUE 5.1 mix, the side channels are NOT utilized. In a 7.1 surround system, the sides are indeed active. Your REAR speakers should actively be hooked up to enjoy a 5.1 remix!!!!!!

My rear surrounds are connected, but they will not have output on a 5.1 mix. It will come from my (side) surrounds in my 7.2.4 setup.

 

[JediJoker]

Yep, the 'rear' content in a 5.1 mix will be sent to the 7.1 'sides' by default.
https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/threads/7-1-side-vs-rear-speakers.32616/#post-635439

My rear surrounds are connected, but they will not have output on a 5.1 mix. It will come from my (side) surrounds in my 7.2.4 setup.

And this is why your sides should be at 110°.

 

[LuvMyQuad]

In a TRUE 5.1 mix, the side channels are NOT utilized. In a 7.1 surround system, the sides are indeed active. Your REAR speakers should actively be hooked up to enjoy a 5.1 remix!!!!!!

My rear surrounds are connected, but they will not have output on a 5.1 mix. It will come from my (side) surrounds in my 7.2.4 setup.

My equipment specifies the channels as "surround" and "rear surround". For 5.1 there is no rear surround.

 

[SeeMoreDigital]

Personally, even though I have a 7.1 channel set-up, I have placed my sides a little bit behind my ears, purely for listening to 5.1 encoded music. But I'm lucky as I have a well shaped room that will allow me do this...