HiRez Poll Petty, Tom - MOJO [Blu-Ray Audio]

[JonUrban]

Post your thoughts and comments on this Blu-Ray HiRez Audio release from Reprise Records of Tom Petty's MOJO!

 

[alk3997]

Great sound! For those checking their bass response, look no further than track 9, "takin' my time". Very tight and thumping bass (no ringing bass).

Warning though - the bass comes out of the LFE and the front left/right channels (didn't check the center yet). So, if your LFE output (SW or mains) has any issues, you'll know it on this track. I suppose that any destructive interference between the mains and the SW would also show up with this track. High end is also clean while vocals have excellent presence. Really the way a recording should be made.

Overall, really great sound quality and enjoyed the songs, too. I guess that really should be in the other order since the whole point of buying recording is to enjoy the music. The use of multichannel is secondary. But, I digress.

I should have taken off a point for not being able to switch to the 48-kHz, 24-bit multichannel track without turning on my HDTV. The disc comes up in 2-channel mode and the menu selection is on the right side of the screen - which I didn't know until powering up the TV. The audio button on the Denon did not change tracks (the display showed the button to be prohibited during play). However, the sound was so good that I'm willing to overlook this defect on this particular disc.

Really great sound quality. Very open sound as if you're in a medium sized room with the band.

So, it's a ten (with one caveat).


Andy

P.S. I believe this will get you to the multichannel track without a TV.

1) Start disc and wait to hear band
2) Using remote - right arrow, down arrow and enter
3) You should hear band in multichannel
4) Press "Play" to hear album

 

[MC Maniac]

I only give this a 7 - the surround mix is way too conservative for my liking - gets a 5 for the mix - a bonus mark for the sound quality and another bonus mark for being something NEW in 5.1 on Bluray - hopefully it sees more sales on BD than it would have gotten as an SACD or DVD-A release..

 

[Ge Someone]

The "256 times more resolution than a CD" is very cheezy and besides the truth. (but who would care for "a 32 dB lower noise floor" )
While I think of it, how about "the 5.1 version has 3 times more spacial resolution than the stereo"

 

[MyCuff]

Gets an 8 from me. Give it a 10 for format (it is the future of Hi-Rez, if there is to be one). Mix should be more adventurous.

 

[ArnoldLayne]

I like this one very much. A little weak in terms of upper frequencies perhaps and no surprises in the surround mix, so to say. But it's one of those editions with a "vinylish" touch, in my ears, but maintaining a far better than decent sound quality. So I give it a 9.

To round up, a small quiz for you guys :

1. Which song borrows from Peter Green's "In the Sky"?
2. Which song would have fitted on "Abbey Road"?​

 

[JonUrban]

"TRIP TO PIRATES COVE" is a first listen great tune in 5.1. I liked it right off the bat.

Not voting until I've lived with it a while, as it's too easy to vote a "right off the bat 10" from shear enthusiasm for anything surround that's released these days. Still, no matter what the vote, it's a worth purchase IMHO.

 

[byrdman7]

Excellent disc, I like everything about this release except the package. I hope this is the beginning of more Blu-Ray releases like this and not a fluke. I do not hesitate in giving this a 10.

 

[DennisMabry]

To round up, a small quiz for you guys :

1. Which song borrows from Peter Green's "In the Sky"?
2. Which song would have fitted on "Abbey Road"?​

Not sure about the Peter Green song, but I would guess the "Abbey Road" reference to the song "Good Enough."

 

[Steve Schoultz]

The answer to #1 is "The Trip to Pirate's Cove", borrows the riff from Slabo Day. I would have never guessed the "Abbey Road", but "Good Enough" sounds a bit Abbey Roadish.

 

[DennisMabry]

I've been listening to this for almost a week. (As well as PT - Anesthetize. Both excellent!)

The sound quality is top notch and I believe the mix fits the content perfectly. Could they have done more? Sure, but there is still plenty going on in the back so I have no complaints there.

I'm not real fond of the first track (one of the songs promoted on SNL). Not sure why and no particular reason, just personal preference. I frequently just skip that one. As a whole, IMHO I do think this is TP's best effort since "Wildflowers".

The packaging is adequate, nothing special.

The great thing is it's 24/48 - 5.1 on BD DTS HDMA.

I'm giving it a 9 and hoping for the rest of the TP catalog in surround on BD.

 

[Kazaam]

I like this one, but I'm not sure what rate it. So will hold off for a while.

However, here is a re-post of what I wrote over at a different chat forum regarding my initial impressions: "Nothing too aggressive with regards to the surround mix... seems fairly subtle and the surrounds don't draw attention to themselves... almost ambient... but I tell you what... There's a very noticeable difference when I switched between the stereo and surround mixes. The surround mix just opens the sound up and fills up the room---very expansive. For kicks and grins, I also compared the surround mix to the stereo mix while running through DPL2 and, although the simulated 5.1 was also more expansive than stereo, it just didn't have the clarity/detail of the real DTS-HD 5.1 mix."

 

[patrick1]

Hello. This would've been a 10 if not fo the mix. Yes, while it did get a bit adventurous at times, it's pretty straightforward. But great in sound with a beutiful soundstage. Bass really dips low in parts. I hope this is a sign of things to come with this format. Pleeeeeeeeezzzzzzzze1??!!??!?

 

[timbre4]

I could skip the first song as well.

The two tunes performed on SNL (on my DVR) were First Flash Of Freedom and I Should Have Known It (very Zeppish remember?)

Overall a decent album that I need to spend a little more time with before voting.

 

[cupboy]

What is meant by "high resolution digital download". Not as lossy as usual?

 

[Kazaam]

What is meant by "high resolution digital download". Not as lossy as usual?

There are 3 different download options: MP3, Apple Lossless, and FLAC. (The FLAC might be capable of 48/24 hi-rez, see below.)

The MP3 and Apple Lossless versions are apparently sourced from the louder CD masters (LINK) and are of course 44.1kHz/16bit. Whereas the FLAC download was supposedly taken from the more dynamic Blu-Ray/Vinyl masters (LINK) and with the right computer hardware and soundcard settings might be capable of hi-rez 48kHz/24bit (read LINK starting at about the halfway point as it mentions that you'll still only get 44.1/16 with the FLAC unless you have the appropriate hardware/settings to enable output at 48/24.

I haven't tried the FLAC, so I cannot confirm, but... that is how I am interpreting things. Note: I'll be interested to learn if anyone here ever tried the FLAC download and gets it to play at 48/24. I am using the Apple Lossless version, FWIW.

 

[Guy Robinson]

After listening to the PT BR this one can only be rated an 8 if that one is a 10. Very annoying packaging as well. The first thing I did was transfer the disc to a regular box.

 

[timbre4]

I just finished downloading the FLAC files to make a CD and then feed into iTunes. It's on the spare PC to convert with FLAC now.

 

[Kazaam]

I'm getting off-topic, but I'll add that you should be able to download all 3 versions of "Mojo"---MP3, Apple Lossless, and FLAC---for those who might be wanting to do comparisons. At least the website allowed me to download all three.

 

[Kazaam]

I like this one, but I'm not sure what rate it. So will hold off for a while.

However, here is a re-post of what I wrote over at a different chat forum regarding my initial impressions: "Nothing too aggressive with regards to the surround mix... seems fairly subtle and the surrounds don't draw attention to themselves... almost ambient... but I tell you what... There's a very noticeable difference when I switched between the stereo and surround mixes. The surround mix just opens the sound up and fills up the room---very expansive. For kicks and grins, I also compared the surround mix to the stereo mix while running through DPL2 and, although the simulated 5.1 was also more expansive than stereo, it just didn't have the clarity/detail of the real DTS-HD 5.1 mix."

Everyone here can breathe more easily now; I'm ready to vote.

As stated before, I like this release; but I felt slightly conflicted about exactly how high to rate it. Taking into consideration the comments I re-posted above, the "brain/logical" side of me wanted to give this release a "10" because I'm so impressed, technically speaking, with how seamlessly the extra speakers in the multichannel mix blend in with the mains. (Especially so considering that the mix is discrete at times, yet "stealthily" discrete!) However, my "gut" says the surround mix isn't perfect. What isn't perfect exactly, I'm not sure as I have no major complaints. (Perhaps I'd like just a tad more 'oomph' in the surround channels. Or maybe I just like compressed volumes better? I dunno.) It's just a feeling. And that feeling says that the "Mojo" Blu-Ray gets a very very solid "8".

Again... I have no major complaints... What's not to like? The stereo sounds good, the multichannel sounds good, and I appreciate the download options. I suppose I could also argue that I'm just leaving some room up top for when I hear something that somehow manages to surpass this release.
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Other miscellaneous notes:
1. I appreciate the screen saver mode on this Blu-Ray. I wish DVD-Audios had this!
2. I like the appearance of the paper packaging, but don't find it very easy to use; plus, I worry that I'll scratch the disc trying to slide it in and out of the case.