Peter Gabriel I/O (2CD/Blu-Ray with Dolby Atmos mix out 12/1!)

[PurpleMoustache]

Good heavens... so the blu-ray is just Atmos height and no 5.1? What a waste, girlie won't ever let me put speakers in the ceiling.

Atmos will fold down to 5.1 on non-Atmos ready systems

 

[sjcorne]

https://darko.audio/2023/12/i-listened-to-peter-gabriels-i-o-in-a-fully-treated-dolby-atmos-studio/Leave it to Darko to put his usual cringey, negative spin on all things surround

At no point did Buff’s Atmos mix of i/o make me aware of sounds flying above my head or emanating from behind.

I must have listened to a different Atmos mix

 

[wilberforce55]

Very annoyed there is only an Atmos mix on this. How hard would have a 5.1 have been to include?

Just read above. It folds down to 5.1

 

[JulesRules]

mahoosive

Thanks for teaching me a new word

He was trying to encourage me to write a song about staying up all night in a night club and that sort of thing

Lmao!

I’ve never heard an entire PG album before (though I own many of them)

That's curious. How come? (Mind, I'm in a similar position - I have heard So, but I never bought an album of his until now)

Blu Ray Ripping Notes:
If you choose to rip the Blu Ray via MakeMKV there is a Dolby Digital 5.1 selection for a optional choice. There is no 5.1 selection on the hard disc.

This is a easy rip, however I am a little stupmed on the two stereos for tagging purposes. They will both be FLAC 24bit/48Khz.
Below is a series of photos and screen shots, if you could confirm either way that would be great. Titles in bold above each picture.
I guess in lieu of an answer I can listen/A/B and see if I got it?
But if you happen to know definitively let me know, please..
This picture shows menu selection. Notice order of selection top to bottom.
Regardless of selection, you only get your selection highlighted, you always no exactly what you are listening to.
View attachment 98941
After MKV rip there is only 1 file.
View attachment 98942
Moving onto MMH there is 3 choices for tagging, good.
Notice order of selection top to bottom, does it mirror the hard disc menu?
This makes sense of course, but this is not always the way a Blu Ray rips, sometimes they flip and there is no video preview to on these files make sure? The video on the MKV previews only shows song title and picture.
View attachment 98943

Just label them Mix 1 and 2, and then listen to the end of "Olive Tree" to check out which is which - the Bright-Side Mix ends with "Water falling on me" acapella, the Dark-Side Mix has no vocals in the last few seconds.

 

[bookofsaturdays]

That's curious. How come? (Mind, I'm in a similar position - I have heard So, but I never bought an album of his until now)

Just haven’t gotten around to sitting down and absorbing his catalog. I’m a huge fan of PG with Genesis so I know I’m gonna like his solo stuff. Looking forward to it!

 

[marpow]

Just label them Mix 1 and 2, and then listen to the end of "Olive Tree" to check out which is which - the Bright-Side Mix ends with "Water falling on me" acapella, the Dark-Side Mix has no vocals in the last few seconds.
@JulesRules
Thank you, I was lucky enough to have them tagged correctly based on your description.
Good catch as I would have never caught that.
Being that you nailed that so well, would you be able to give an overall description as to the basic differences between Bright Side and Dark Side?

Wikipedia says:

• On digital and 2CD/Blu-ray editions containing both stereo mixes (or all three mixes for the latter), "Live and Let Live"'s Dark-Side and In-Side mixes are extended by 25 seconds. This also applies to the vinyl version of the Dark-Side Mix.
• Both Mark 'Spike' Stent and Tchad Blake contributed a mix of each song from I/O. Gabriel said, "Rather than choosing only one of their mixes to release, I have decided that people should be able to hear all the great work that they are both doing."[28] Stent's mixes are released as the 'Bright-Side Mix', while Blake's mixes are the 'Dark-Side Mix'.[28][29] All the songs have each also received a third alternate mix in Dolby Atmos, called an 'In-Side Mix', by Hans-Martin Buff.[30][31]

I find this not to be true on the Blu Ray.
Regarding Live and Let Live from the Blu Ray, I have:
Inside Mix 7:12
Dark Side and Bright Side both 7:13.

I did not rip the CD's, but I will now just to see if the 25 second difference is correct.

 

[Cheezmo]

Just label them Mix 1 and 2, and then listen to the end of "Olive Tree" to check out which is which - the Bright-Side Mix ends with "Water falling on me" acapella, the Dark-Side Mix has no vocals in the last few seconds.
@JulesRules
Thank you, I was lucky enough to have them tagged correctly based on your description.
Good catch as I would have never caught that.
Being that you nailed that so well, would you be able to give an overall description as to the basic differences between Bright Side and Dark Side?

Wikipedia says:

• On digital and 2CD/Blu-ray editions containing both stereo mixes (or all three mixes for the latter), "Live and Let Live"'s Dark-Side and In-Side mixes are extended by 25 seconds. This also applies to the vinyl version of the Dark-Side Mix.
• Both Mark 'Spike' Stent and Tchad Blake contributed a mix of each song from I/O. Gabriel said, "Rather than choosing only one of their mixes to release, I have decided that people should be able to hear all the great work that they are both doing."[28] Stent's mixes are released as the 'Bright-Side Mix', while Blake's mixes are the 'Dark-Side Mix'.[28][29] All the songs have each also received a third alternate mix in Dolby Atmos, called an 'In-Side Mix', by Hans-Martin Buff.[30][31]

I find this not to be true on the Blu Ray.
Regarding Live and Let Live from the Blu Ray, I have:
Inside Mix 7:12
Dark Side and Bright Side both 7:13.

I did not rip the CD's, but I will now just to see if the 25 second difference is correct.

Because of the way the blu-ray was mastered all the versions have the same track length. But the shorter ones are just padded with silence. This is the case with the Bright Side mix of Live and Let Live. It is 6:49 on the CD, but 7:13 on the Blu-ray to match the others. But the Blu-ray version has 25 seconds of silence at the end to pad it out to the 7:13 length.

 

[marpow]

Because of the way the blu-ray was mastered all the versions have the same track length. But the shorter ones are just padded with silence. This is the case with the Bright Side mix of Live and Let Live. It is 6:49 on the CD, but 7:13 on the Blu-ray to match the others. But the Blu-ray version has 25 seconds of silence at the end to pad it out to the 7:13 length.

Very interesting, I am learning, thank you.
I just went back and listened to Live and Let Live, stereo Blu Ray rips.
You have to turn up volume fairly high at end because the song is a long fade out.
But @Cheezmo is also correct.
My rip via JRiver playback has:
Bright Side ending at 6:49
Dark Side ending at 7:13.

We now have two definitive answers from @Cheezmo and @JulesRules , thank you both.

 

[birrrdy!]

By now I can only listen to it in earbuds (don't shoot me, 'tis because I'm travelling).
. . . .
Could somebody please hint on if the blu-ray has some surround that works in non-Atmos compatible gear?

I can relate to having to listen in lesser sound devices. My Atmos 7.1.2 system and high end Oppo/Polk stuff are all in storage after our move, waiting for me to build the new media room. But with PG, there’s no waiting. I can safely report the i/o bluray sounded GREAT on my Sonos Playbar/Sub/2 rears system, which is really only 3.1 surround paired with my low-end Sony bluray player. Especially the bass stylings and rear effects. The sound engineers definitely put some TLC into this mix so that it shines in lots of different listening environments IMHO.

 

[bktouchstone]

Just ordered from Amazon 2cd and blu-ray for about $30. I hope it’s legit as I only want the atmos version. Will know soon enough!

 

[Cheezmo]

Just ordered from Amazon 2cd and blu-ray for about $30. I hope it’s legit as I only want the atmos version. Will know soon enough!

Amazon is legit. I've bought lots of things from them.

 

[LuvMyQuad]

Just ordered from Amazon 2cd and blu-ray for about $30. I hope it’s legit as I only want the atmos version. Will know soon enough!

Why wouldn't it be?

 

[Tribby2001]

I don't like it.

 

[Tribby2001]

I had high hopes for this release. I really like much of Peter's work. But I didn't purchase this release and will not vote.

Don't get me wrong. I'm sure the multi-channel engineering and recording quality is top notch. It's impossible to imagine it not being so. That's not why I didn't buy it. It's the depressingly dark winter like mood that prevails throughout the compositions with only a couple of slight exceptions. Each composition to me seems to monotonously grovel on and on with very little variation or surprise. It actually induces sadness in me and makes me deeply depressed.

To me there is no "Bright Side".

I'm sorry but I'm depressed enough in my old painful aged body. I need more uplifting variety and excitement in my music. To each their own. I just wanted to express my thoughts. Does anyone agree?

 

[admsh]

I had high hopes for this release. I really like much of Peter's work. But I didn't purchase this release and will not vote.

Don't get me wrong. I'm sure the multi-channel engineering and recording quality is top notch. It's impossible to imagine it not being so. That's not why I didn't buy it. It's the depressingly dark winter like mood that prevails throughout the compositions with only a couple of slight exceptions. Each composition to me seems to monotonously grovel on and on with very little variation or surprise. It actually induces sadness in me and makes me deeply depressed.

I'm sorry but I'm depressed enough in my old painful aged body. I need more uplifting variety and excitement in my music. To each their own. I just wanted to express my thoughts. Does anyone agree?

To me there is no "Bright Side".

I find this album to be very consistent with PG's general body of work. Pretty sure making us feel good isn't top of mind for him. Other than a few standalone hits I can't think of many PG songs I'd play at my next party... That said I also don't find this album particularly depressing or monotonous, like most of PG's work it requires quite a few spins and deeper listening to understand and appreciate.

 

[JoshBasswood]

Good heavens... so the blu-ray is just Atmos height and no 5.1? What a waste, girlie won't ever let me put speakers in the ceiling.

What about upfiring speakers on top of your front L R speakers (assuming that you have standing front speakers)? I have those to expand my 5.0 setup to a 5.2.0 atmos setup. Not the summum of Atmos, admittedly, but it does make a considerable difference. And at least I don’t feel left out anymore

(in all honestly I think my wife would rather have me put speakers in the ceiling where there are much less visible)

 

[beerking]

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2...el-io-review-glorious-late-career-masterpiece
Very nice review

 

[RustyM]

I had high hopes for this release. I really like much of Peter's work. But I didn't purchase this release and will not vote.

Don't get me wrong. I'm sure the multi-channel engineering and recording quality is top notch. It's impossible to imagine it not being so. That's not why I didn't buy it. It's the depressingly dark winter like mood that prevails throughout the compositions with only a couple of slight exceptions. Each composition to me seems to monotonously grovel on and on with very little variation or surprise. It actually induces sadness in me and makes me deeply depressed.

To me there is no "Bright Side".

I'm sorry but I'm depressed enough in my old painful aged body. I need more uplifting variety and excitement in my music. To each their own. I just wanted to express my thoughts. Does anyone agree?

Hope you feel better soon.

 

[weekendtoy]

Measurements taken with either a quality SPL meter (Reed 8050) or my Cross Spectrum Labs calibrated EMM6 microphone and my Macbook running Room EQ Wizard both come in at 34 dBA- when the room's dedicated air conditioner is switched off. With the whisper quiet Mitsubishi mini-split AC running, the figure rises to 35dBA.

FYI, SPL meter apps for smart phones are notoriously inaccurate at low SPL levels and will provide erroneous measurements, typically 5-10dB lower than actuality. My wife's Iphone running 2 different SPL apps showed 28dBA- 6dB lower than reality...

BTW, acoustic room treatments will have no effect on your room's ambient noise floor. To achieve major improvements in this area requires considerable effort. You must reduce sources of mechanical noises (forced air HVAC systems connected to the rest of the household are problematic), use massive and non resonant construction for the walls, floor and ceiling, and essentially make the room airtight.

Thanks - that makes sense on the ambient noise floor. Looks like I'm stuck at 44db then

I use REW and a UMIK mic for all my measurements.

 

[elee532]

I had high hopes for this release. I really like much of Peter's work. But I didn't purchase this release and will not vote.

Don't get me wrong. I'm sure the multi-channel engineering and recording quality is top notch. It's impossible to imagine it not being so. That's not why I didn't buy it. It's the depressingly dark winter like mood that prevails throughout the compositions with only a couple of slight exceptions. Each composition to me seems to monotonously grovel on and on with very little variation or surprise. It actually induces sadness in me and makes me deeply depressed.

To me there is no "Bright Side".

I'm sorry but I'm depressed enough in my old painful aged body. I need more uplifting variety and excitement in my music. To each their own. I just wanted to express my thoughts. Does anyone agree?

Maybe give it a few more tries? I’d certainly say it’s a contemplative record, but not depressing. Maybe it’s just the fact of how much I love PG, but some of the poppier tracks have me bursting with joy. Maybe a few felt “monotonous“ on first or second listen. But, once I became a bit more familiar with slow build on tracks like Playing for Time or Four Kinds of Horses and they hit their high mark… powerful. I’d also argue that while many of the tracks do have that contemplative feel to the music and lyrics, PG’s outlook is more positive than gloomy or gravely.

And p.s., live in concert the new stuff was spectacular with some absolutely brilliant musicians supplementing his longtime collaborators.