HiRez Poll Petty, Tom - DAMN THE TORPEDOES [Blu-Ray DTS-HD]

[JonUrban]

Please p[ost your thoughts and comments on this surround sound issue of the Classic Rock Album "Damn the Torpedoes" from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

 

[alk3997]

OK, maybe my review of Mojo, in retrospec, was too glowing. So, let's see if I can make this review a little more "future proof".

The music on Damn The Torpedoes is like an old friend you haven't seen in a while - all the songs are recognizable and memorable. This new "Damn The Torpedoes" is like taking a pile of dust (not just a layer) off of the CD mix and making the memories fresh again.

Tom Petty's vocals are surprisingly the biggest sonic improvement. I'm not sure there is a difference between the vocal quality of the original live performance and what appears to be right in front of the center channel when playing this Blu-Ray disc. The vocals are that clear.

Drums are probably the next biggest improvement - particularly the cymbals. I don't remember the cymbals being quite a crisp and clean as this originally.

As far as discrete versus ambience effects, the album was remixed for this release from the original 24-track tape so the individual recordings of each instrument/vocal were available. There are lots of discrete instruments in the rear channels but there are not lots of solo instruments just in the rear channels. Pianos and other keyboards seem to be spread about a point half way between the front and rear channels (on both the left and right sides, of course). On a few tracks, the lead vocals are front and center but then spread to the surround speakers for the choruses, along with the center.

Louisiana Rain starts off with a swirling effect around the channels. Those type of effects are limitied to two places I've heard (so far).

The LFE is very tight but gives the subwoofer a good workout. Not booming but more of a growling track.

There are a large number of bonus tracks - all mixed in the same style as the main tracks. Also the disc contains 96/24 5.1-channel PCM audio as well as DTS Master Audio 96/24 5.1-channel audio. I would expect the DTS Master Audio and the PCM to sound exactly the same (they're both lossless) but have not confirmed that yet. Not sure the reason for including both but this review was based on the 5.1-channel PCM 96/24 track. A stereo 96/24 track is also included.

Excellent disc! Only down-side is that you need to turn on your TV to select the proper audio. A large number of corporate logos then appears. This is like the early days of DVD-Audio when you just wanted to listen to the music and instead saw logo after logo.

So, I'm giving a 10 for the music and subtracting one for the inability to listen to the music without turning on the HDTV as well as the large amount of corporate logos at the beginning.

However, the sound quality is just as good as Mojo, if not better. Impressive disc and certainly one for the reference disc list.

 

[MyCuff]

I am happy to call this a 9. And it is a good 9. I am not sure what everyone else's definition of discrete is. It does not meet mine as I never isolated a single instrument to any one channel, but the instruments are legitimately in all the channels in different proportions and it sounds natural. Crisp highs and full bottom end. It gets better and better the louder I crank it, and not fatiguing when listening at high volume. A steal at $21.99, even if I have to write down the button sequence in order to avoid powering on the TV.

 

[zabble]

A steal at $21.99, even if I have to write down the button sequence in order to avoid powering on the TV.

I still have yet to hear the disc but as long as you brought it up, could you share that button sequence with us?

 

[jefe1]

Played in 2 channel on my PS3 sent to my sansui variomatrix then out in 4 channels it sounds wonderful. Great audio clarity. Can't comment on the 5.1 mix yet but sometimes its surprising how the synthesized 4 channel on the Sansui sounds better than the actual 5.1 mix. Looking at the two videos i can't help but wonder why the resolution is so poor as on many videos shot at that time. Maybe professional level equipment wasn't widely used for music videos?

 

[alk3997]

Professional video taping equipment wasn't that great (for the most part) in 1978. Very poor color (chroma) signal recording which gets in the way of the luminance recording. NTSC = Never The Same Color (twice). Only stuff that was filmed (as opposed to video) survived in good shape.

 

[MyCuff]

I still have yet to hear the disc but as long as you brought it up, could you share that button sequence with us?

I use a harmony, so it is slightly different than if I was using my player's remote, or yours. Do it with the TV on, writing down each step. Proves handy when accessing extra tracks on some of the Porcupine Tree DVD-A discs too.

 

[zabble]

I use a harmony, so it is slightly different than if I was using my player's remote, or yours. Do it with the TV on, writing down each step. Proves handy when accessing extra tracks on some of the Porcupine Tree DVD-A discs too.

I never considered the differences in remotes. Oh well, so much for my idea of a good sticky thread: a list of surround discs and the remote control button combinations that one could use to avoid turning on the TV.

 

[DennisMabry]

It's interesting to see all the comments on the inability to play the disc quick & easily. While I was not surprised at the typical load time of a Blu-ray disc, I was surprised that there were 6 start up screens of notices or logos.:yikes

This being the only squawk, all I can say is the qualities of this disc far outweigh any minor annoyances. First off the sonics are outstanding! The 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio tracks are 24/96 and there are 24/96 PCM tracks for early adopters of the BD format (before DTS-HD,MA was available). I'm still curious why "Mojo" was only 24/48? Anyway, as said above, you can push the volume until you just can't take anymore. Remarkable clarity! While the mix cannot be called aggressive, it is still very immersive. There are a few discrete moments that stand out including the swirling sound before "Louisiana Rain" for one. There's much to be said for what the surround channels are contributing. I guarantee you have not heard this material sound this good.....ever!

There are 9 previously unreleased bonus tracks. Four studio and five that are live. The studio tracks are great and all are in 5.1 - 24/96.

A nice feature of the disc is that from the menu screen you can set it to display lyrics that change automatically, much like the DVD-A of Queens-"Night At The Opera".

There are two music videos from back in the day, complete with poor video quality but are synched with the high res DTS-HD,MA tracks. I prefer the audio only tracks as I find I don't listen as intently with distracting video going on, but is fun for nostalgia and a nice bonus feature.

It comes with a code # to download your choice of 320 MP3, 24/96 FLAC (lossless), or Apple Lossless (compatible with iTunes). With Mojo I found that if you download them quickly enough, you can obtain all three. However, don't hold me to that on this one as I have not tried it yet.

Oh yeah, and a 24 page full color booklet with pictures, recording background, liner notes etc. I believe all of the written material is also accessible onscreen from the menu as well.

We can bitch all we want about the packaging or this not being on DVD-A or SACD but the reality is the majors have given us a great classic recording remixed in 5.1 multichannel and hi-res to boot, so quit whining and go get it!

I'm going out on a limb and giving it a 10.

Dennis

 

[cupboy]

The packaging should be a good test of the Blu-ray scratch resistant surface.

Mine arrived today at the post office box. I'll go with Apple Lossless since the 24/96 is already on the disk.

 

[hafquark]

On the down side, the disc comes in a cheap cardboard holder with no extra protection, just drop it in the pocket and hope for the best. There is also a slew of logos and other junk to wade through before you can listen to the music. I downloaded the FLAC 24/96 files, but the Disc 1 RAR was corrupted and would not unpack (same result with second download). Disc 2 was okay. The accompanying booklet is an interesting read if you are not familiar with the late seventies history of the band. The tiny print was terribly hard to read with my aged eyes, but I guess that's par for the course with CD/DVD media packaging.

The good news is that this sucker sounds ultra-fine. "Damn the Torpedoes" was Tom Petty's big Platinum launch into super-stardom, although it has never been my favorite album by the Heartbreakers. Nonetheless, this is a great mix. It sounds crisp and detailed, just very "present" in the room. The MC mix is more ambient than discrete. The music seems to extend from the front speakers to the sides of the listener. Despite the immersive mix, there is some noticeable rear speaker action. A couple of the bonus cuts in particular are fairly aggressive. And the bonus tracks are excellent, sounding like a natural extension of the original set.

I've only listened to the DTS-HD Master Audio a couple of times, but I like it very much so far. I hope they continue with a few more of Petty's titles in this format.

 

[sukothai]

I hope it is a strong limb. Easily a 10 from me.

 

[DennisMabry]

Looks like they have changed the download procedures from the way it was handled with Mojo. Now, as stated, one download is all you get. With Mojo I was able to dl all three. A 24/96 stereo track is on the BD disc, so I chose the Apple lossless in case my wife wants to put it on her ipod.

 

[filper]

This is a great album. I'm embarrased to admit it, but I've never owned or heard the whole album in it's entirety until now... me the rocker...

It is a discrete mix, but very subtle.

The packaging is beautiful, but I don't like the slide in disc on raw cardboard back sleeve. I am going to put the disc itself in one of those CD plastic sleeves and keep the disc in the front cover pouch.

It's nice to see a new surround format evolving.

I was going to download the 320 mp3 version online, but it required too much information for my liking.

 

[MyCuff]

I never considered the differences in remotes. Oh well, so much for my idea of a good sticky thread: a list of surround discs and the remote control button combinations that one could use to avoid turning on the TV.

For those of you with a Harmony (mine is an 880) the steps are:
1. Once disc is inserted wait for it to cycle through the adds (or press the skip buttom until you get through them).
2. Press the "right arrow" button. Mine is on the center circle that surrounds the "OK" and includes left/right/up/down arrows.
3. Press Down arrow.
4. Press Down Arrow.
5. Press the OK button (for some it may be enter).
6. Press Left Arrow.
7. Press OK.

Thats it. I have worked it in the blind multiple times.

 

[Bob Squires Jr]

On the down side, the disc comes in a cheap cardboard holder with no extra protection, just drop it in the pocket and hope for the best. There is also a slew of logos and other junk to wade through before you can listen to the music. I downloaded the FLAC 24/96 files, but the Disc 1 RAR was corrupted and would not unpack (same result with second download). Disc 2 was okay.

Download it and do a repair on the zip from winrar.
It will then unpack and play perfectly.

I do hate those damned digipacks but these are even worse.
No protection on the disc.
I bought a few of thise little plastic sheaths and put the disc in it and then put the disc in the packet.

The disc does sound great!
I give it a 10 on the sound and the extras but a -1 for the packaging

-B

 

[Guy Robinson]

After 2 plays I am giving this a 9. As to the disc and booklet, I moved them to a standard DVD box and scanned the outside of the digipack to use as the wrapper on the DVD box. Tossed the original crappy packaging in a drawer along with the Mojo packaging. The disc is much better protected in a DVD box.

 

[oxenholme]

This disc exposes some weaknesses somewhere.

Those two video clips. I get sound on one only if I listen via HDMI, on the other only if I listen via analogue. I believe my player's firmware is up to date (Oppo BDP-83 SE). I'm still very suspicious about my processor (Arcam AVR500).

Sonically these two machines get on together exceptionally well. Insofar as HDMI is concerned they don't appear to handshake with total success.

This is the first time I've owned Damn The Torpedoes - I've never heard any of the tracks before. It seems to be a pretty good album, and the sound on this disc is superb. The bonus tracks are excellent too.

I'd give it a 10 for sound, which is what it's about.

Authoring seems to be a pain in the butt compared to Mojo.

 

[Time Lord]

My first bluray audio disc and I'm not disappointed. The surround mix is not aggressive but suits the songs, it is surprising how fresh they sound even though I've known the songs for 30 years. I'm hoping this sells well and the industry takes notice, this is definitely a format I would support.

 

[Guy Robinson]

Those two video clips. I get sound on one only if I listen via HDMI, on the other only if I listen via analogue.

No real problem with either video via HDMI with my Sony BR and Yamaha Receiver. However, I did notice that the video of "Refugee" skipped the first few seconds when it loaded which would seem to indicate a slight handshake issue. I just hit the "Replay" button to start it over again and everything was good.