HiRez Poll Porcupine Tree - IN ABSENTIA [DVD-A/BDA]

[Ge Someone]

I also acquired this disc also only after the recommendations here about the surround mix. Not only is the use of 5.1 great on this one, I also happen to like the music a lot. Powerful guitar riffs, dreamy moods, nice vocals and a good drummer, it’s all there and all in good balance.

Because this is such a good album I investigated into their other albums (so far only the stereo versions). Turns out they’ve been making albums for more than 10 years already. I like the older ones (Stupid Dream, Lightbulb Sun) slightly better than the new one (Deadwing), your mileage may differ. But In Absentia is where it all comes together for Porcupine Tree.
P.S. I didn't like the video clips one bit (but that's OK).

 

[Chris Gerhard]

Great music and great mix, a 9 on both counts. My disc, just purchased, is a cutout although not at a cutout price. The cover is printed crooked, maybe recalled as a result and the crooked covers sold cheap. Maybe all are crooked, but in any event, after one complete listen, I found no problems with the disc. I love to find recent rock music I like and this is one of the crown jewels in that class. The 1 vote is a lark, you can't possibly be interested in this music enough to listen to this disc and find it to be a 1.

Chris

 

[grimace]

9.

Would've scored a 10 but the bass is lacking. Again... it's no Stupid Dream.

 

[SWL]

Longtime fan ...

10 without a doubt.

 

[hafquark]

I received my copy a few days ago. The 5.1 surround is fine, but maybe not up to the standards of "Stupid Dream." Still, very engaging music and mix. I say a solid '9' for both.

I'm looking forward to the arrival of "Deadwing" from Amazon sometime next month (I'm a newbie to Porcupine Tree).

 

[e:leaf]

I feel like I really need to ajm up the bass in order to hear any at all. The mix is great, and the music fantastic, but the bass issue makes me want to call SW and ask WTF.

 

[neil wilkes]

I feel like I really need to ajm up the bass in order to hear any at all. The mix is great, and the music fantastic, but the bass issue makes me want to call SW and ask WTF.

SW did not do the mix - Elliot Scheiner did.
Steven has done them all since Stupid Dream.

 

[LivingForever]

I am *so* glad to have read the last few posts here - I read through the first 2 and a bit pages thinking there was something wrong with me or my set-up, because to me this disc has a serious lack of bass.

There are a few tracks where the sub sounds nice and loudly during the quiet atmospheric sections but as soon as the volume goes up (or rather, the rest of the band comes in), there's absolutely zero. "Wedding Nails" especially sounds really weedy.

I wonder if there's a second pressing of this because people seemed to be raving about it when it first came out.

 

[The Rang]

I'm just starting to really dive into the MC mixes on my various discs.
This one is the best I've heard so far...and the music is awesome too.

It made me do something very rare.....I played the disc again after finishing the first run through.

That alone tells me this disc is worthy of a 10.

 

[Neil Palfreyman]

For me this recording set the benchmark in what 5.1 should sound like pretty much until SW eclipsed it (last week) with "The Raven..."

The clarity, separation, use of the full surround field combines perfectly with the exceptional song writing and musicianship to make a perfect 110. The vocal layering on "Lips of Ashes" is spine tingling and "Heart Attack in a Layby" is sublime and "Collapse Light Into Earth" is just so beautiful that it hurts. If only they were all this good!

 

[rtbluray]

Glad I read some of the other reviews before posting my own.

This disc is definitely lacking in some bass, especially when compared to "Deadwing" which comes right after it.
Good thing I love the rest of the mix and songs otherwise I probably should have gone with a 9.
Only a few weak moments for me, the weakest song being "The Creator Has a Mastertape" and the weakest surround mix being "Drown With Me". Shame as it's one of my favorite PT songs but the vocal echo level is just too much...

I wish more people had the opportunity to buy and hear this disc. Still hoping they will eventually be able to press a Blu-Ray with better mastering but till then this DVDA will do just nicely for me. I'm lucky that when I purchased this disc over 5 years ago that Burning Shed still had this one (and Deadwing) in stock for SRP compared to what it sells for nowadays...

I owe it to this disc (among other PT albums) for helping to get me into this crazy obsession!

 

[colsky]

I wish more people had the opportunity to buy and hear this disc. Still hoping they will eventually be able to press a Blu-Ray with better mastering but till then this DVDA will do just nicely for me. I'm lucky that when I purchased this disc over 5 years ago that Burning Shed still had this one (and Deadwing) in stock for SRP compared to what it sells for nowadays...

If anyone is looking for this one at a reasonable price, I bought it new for £15 from this Amazon UK seller, and they are still selling it:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-li...tab_collectible?ie=UTF8&condition=collectible

 

[hedkandi]

"Blackest eyes" was my first song. It includes in a DVD of B&W. I was amazed with all those guitars and drums and abruptly all that melody soft. after that i can't stop to hear the album. And later i get the others album in surround and i was more hooked with his albums. And have a good live concert with also an splendid surround.

 

[keenly]

This disc is very compressed; fronts almost brick walled at points. SW even said it is a victim of the loudness wars.

 

[wavelength]

This disc is very compressed; fronts almost brick walled at points. SW even said it is a victim of the loudness wars.

That's right, he did. And Deadwing too. It's in the QQ Ask Steven Wilson forum.

 

[keenly]

That's right, he did. And Deadwing too. It's in the QQ Ask Steven Wilson forum.

Front speakers; three tracks; ON DEADWING.

 

[wavelength]

Front speakers; three tracks; ON DEADWING.

I'm a newby when it comes to interpreting these. So is it just the middle image that is terrible? And the other 2 are pretty good? What's your assessment of these?

 

[Wildman]

I always thought it was artistic decision, a way of showing the difference between a clean dynamic sound placed right next to a heavily brickwalled section. Intentional or not, that was the impression it left with me and made it easier to deal with. I would love to hear a new not so loud redo of this though!

 

[keenly]

I'm a newby when it comes to interpreting these. So is it just the middle image that is terrible? And the other 2 are pretty good? What's your assessment of these?

Think of music like a wave in the ocean ; flowing. Check out this video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EScPiP2QjXM
When you see an image like this; rectangle it means the dynamics have been squashed; NOT GOOD.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-v6ML2DsBfA


Music as it is in the studio would NEVER look like the pics above, and they are not the worst out there. First picture below is one with good dynamics.

Then terrible compression.

 

[keenly]

I always thought it was artistic decision, a way of showing the difference between a clean dynamic sound placed right next to a heavily brickwalled section. Intentional or not, that was the impression it left with me and made it easier to deal with. I would love to hear a new not so loud redo of this though!

It is always intentional; compression can not happen by accident. SW has even commented on this. He did not master it.