HiRez Poll R.E.M. - AUTOMATIC FOR THE PEOPLE (25TH ANNIVERSARY DOLBY ATMOS MIX) [Blu-Ray Audio]

[sjcorne]

I like aggressive mixes with plenty of discrete content coming from the surrounds.

I.M.O. this R.E.M. is a very front heavy & timid Atmos mix.
I tried it in 7.1 and it was marginally better
(a little less front heavy)
Too bad because the fidelity is very good.
Gave it a 7.

That's really odd - I just streamed it on Apple Music and I daresay it's more 'discrete' than Scheiner's 5.1 mix on the old DVD-A! The electric guitar part in "Man On The Moon" is completely isolated in the rear left speaker. If you mute the rears, it disappears. The backing vocals in "Find The River" are restored to proper level and burst from the rears. Stipe's lead vocal is locked to the center speaker with some isolated acoustic guitar in there as well. The only song that didn't work for me so far is "Nightswimming", as the vocals are at full volume in the center & rears. Could this be an entirely different Atmos mix than the 2017 Blu-Ray version? Seems hard to believe.

 

[humprof]

I've been going through all my Atmos mixes over the past week--classical, rock, and electronic--and I think this one really holds its own.

I don't know the Scheiner 5.1 mix, so the only baggage I bring is that I'm not particularly an REM fan. (One of those bands I've always respected but never truly connected with. Chalk it up partly to Michael Stipe's vocals, maybe. That droning, nasal "G" that "Nightswimming" never really moves away from . . . omigod, it's like a drill to the forehead.)

But I've really warmed up to this album. Some great songs ("Sweetness Follows" is my current favorite). And I side with those who find the mix pleasingly immersive. Yeah, it can be fronts-heavy--Stipe's center-channel vocals are especially loud--but there's a lot of discrete content in the rears, and even in the heights. For me, it's one of those "behind-the-couch" listens: stand up, just a foot and a half behind your usual sweet spot, and it all comes into focus. 8.5, rounded up to 9.

(Listening on a 5.2.4 system with overheads, by the way.)

 

[Strilo]

Montie Got a Raw Deal. That song is amazing.

 

[H.A.L.]

I've been going through all my Atmos mixes over the past week--classical, rock, and electronic--and I think this one really holds its own.

I don't know the Scheiner 5.1 mix, so the only baggage I bring is that I'm not particularly an REM fan. (One of those bands I've always respected but never truly connected with. Chalk it up partly to Michael Stipe's vocals, maybe. That droning, nasal "G" that "Nightswimming" never really moves away from . . . omigod, it's like a drill to the forehead.)

But I've really warmed up to this album. Some great songs ("Sweetness Follows" is my current favorite). And I side with those who find the mix pleasingly immersive. Yeah, it can be fronts-heavy--Stipe's center-channel vocals are especially loud--but there's a lot of discrete content in the rears, and even in the heights. For me, it's one of those "behind-the-couch" listens: stand up, just a foot and a half behind your usual sweet spot, and it all comes into focus. 8.5, rounded up to 9.

(Listening on a 5.2.4 system with overheads, by the way.)

"Sweetness Follows" is indeed a great song, on a great album. Stipes' "droning" on "Nightswimming" doesn't bother me, but hey we're both friends of Dorothy, lol, and with him I can put up with all sorts of speech impediments / lisps / you name it.

 

[Strilo]

I never even thought twice about Stipe's vocal on Nightswimming. I've loved that song since I got the album in 1993.

 

[Tres Discrete]

I've been going through all my Atmos mixes over the past week--classical, rock, and electronic--and I think this one really holds its own.

I don't know the Scheiner 5.1 mix, so the only baggage I bring is that I'm not particularly an REM fan. (One of those bands I've always respected but never truly connected with. Chalk it up partly to Michael Stipe's vocals, maybe. That droning, nasal "G" that "Nightswimming" never really moves away from . . . omigod, it's like a drill to the forehead.)

But I've really warmed up to this album. Some great songs ("Sweetness Follows" is my current favorite). And I side with those who find the mix pleasingly immersive. Yeah, it can be fronts-heavy--Stipe's center-channel vocals are especially loud--but there's a lot of discrete content in the rears, and even in the heights. For me, it's one of those "behind-the-couch" listens: stand up, just a foot and a half behind your usual sweet spot, and it all comes into focus. 8.5, rounded up to 9.

(Listening on a 5.2.4 system with overheads, by the way.)

I am a big REM fan. Happened to go to college in the South when they were coming up in the 80’s, so their music became an indelible part of my memories from those days, and later got the opportunity to work their records (including this one) as a Promotion Mgr at Warner Bros Records.
That is a long way around of saying that I love dozens and dozens of their tunes, but this album has probably my favorite: “Find The River”. Somehow that song has everything for me musically & lyrically - sort of sums them up.
The line “you have to go task in the city” was particularly resonant because I had just changed WB territories from St. Louis/KC to Manhattan when this album was released
In any event, I do not recall being knocked out by either the Atmos or 5.1 mix on this originally (maybe I was expecting TOO much?)
Thanks for the reminder - will go back and listen again

 

[Tres Discrete]

"Sweetness Follows" is indeed a great song, on a great album. Stipes' "droning" on "Nightswimming" doesn't bother me, but hey we're both friends of Dorothy, lol, and with him I can put up with all sorts of speech impediments / lisps / you name it.

Well…you made me look up “friends of Dorothy”…love it

 

[Strilo]

I mean it's an ancient term for gay men. Like from the 1950s...

 

[Tres Discrete]

I mean it's an ancient term for gay men. Like from the 1950s...

It went right by me…the Wikipedia entry on it is quite informative though!

 

[4_everyman]

I mean it's an ancient term for gay men. Like from the 1950s...

The last time I heard that term used was in an episode of the Netflix drama, The Crown. Kinda surprised me, actually.

 

[salsdali]

I have the ES DVD-A, this BD and I'm now listening to the atmos mix on apple music.

The apple mix is very good, all the mixes are good indeed, but the apple mix definitely holds it's own to the others.

All 3 get a 10

A little teaser - here is the DR for the Atmos mix.....


View attachment 31187

^this

 

[Albert Dagger]

A good atmos mix, but not a great one. It's a solid 8 for me. Recommended overall.

I think it is miles better than the 5.1 mix, both in terms of mix, fidelity and - most importantly - tonality and EQ. After listening to this one, the original mix and the 5.1 sound like lo-fi!

 

[weekendtoy]

Changed my vote from a 10 to a 9.

Nothing wrong with it, but this was my second ATMOS purchase and in light of releases that have come since, this one no longer stands near the pinnacle of AMTOS mixes.

 

[SomethingAnything]

7 for me.

Everybody hurts has nothing in ceiling speakers. Strings, bass, drums, piano and vocals are all in front speakers. Rears have some light acoustic guitar and electric guitar for the last minute.

Overall this sounds great in places but poor in others. Some tracks have vocals way too loud IMO.

Elliot Scheiner recently said many Atos mixes are being done by engineers with no surround experience. He is right on the money. My feelings exactly. If the same engineer that did this Atmos mix was to redo it(like Giles with Pepper) I think he would make it more immersive.

A few touches, and tweaks and this could be a 10.

This is a shame. I was pinning my hopes on Atmos ushering in a braver attitude, yet this suggests things are going to end up predominately hit and miss again. There's so much conservatism in the world.

 

[The Bushranger]

Great album. Good Atmos mix, plenty happening in the rears. I vote 9 on the surround mix.