HiRez Poll T. Rex - ELECTRIC WARRIOR [SACD/DVD-A]

[sjcorne]

Just pulled this one out for the first time in ages. It sounds nice, but I never thought the surround mix was particularly impressive.

I just looked at the waveforms for this track and found it's of those mixes where there actually is discrete info, but the rears and center are mastered at way too low a volume. Rob Thomas' Something To Be is another example of this and I'm sure there are others. I know some may think it's against the intent of the mixer to alter the levels on a surround mix and that's understandable, but I think playing with this in audacity actually improves it quite a bit.

Here's "Bang A Gong" both before and after tweaking it. I lowered the fronts -1 dB, raised the center +4 db (the center has the dry vocal track, similar to how SW uses the center in a lot of his mixes), and raised the rears +6 dB. The rears do kind of mirror the info in the fronts but there are some subtle vocal harmonies and violins back there. You can see the rears spike during the chorus in the waveform. Personally, I think it's much more balanced this way.

Original:


New:

 

[sbrom]

......Here's "Bang A Gong" both before and after tweaking it. I lowered the fronts -1 dB, raised the center +4 db (the center has the dry Marc Bolan vocal track, similar to how SW uses the center in a lot of his mixes), and raised the rears +6 dB. The rears do kind of mirror the info in the fronts but there are some subtle vocal harmonies and violins back there. You can see the rears spike during the chorus in the waveform. Personally, I think it's much more balanced this way.

Thanks!

When I get some free time I'll give this a shot

 

[musicmemorabiliashoppellc]

What programs are you using to tweak the sound levels. I'd love to learn how to do this for any of my 5.1 discs that I don't think sound quite right.

 

[sjcorne]

What programs are you using to tweak the sound levels. I'd love to learn how to do this for any of my 5.1 discs that I don't think sound quite right.

Audacity- so nothing particularly fancy

 

[H.A.L.]

I have the coveted German release . . . but still. Rather disappointing (and I felt that way about Visconti's ZIGGY 5.1 SACD, too!).

Not very discreet, and somewhat muddy. The Japanese stereo SACD is better, I'm sorry to say.

 

[quicksrt]

Great sound on the DVD-A, love Marc's vocals in center very discreet!!!

 

[fredblue]

I have the coveted German release . . . but still. Rather disappointing (and I felt that way about Visconti's ZIGGY 5.1 SACD, too!).

Not very discreet, and somewhat muddy. The Japanese stereo SACD is better, I'm sorry to say.

not sure Tony Visconti did the Ziggy 5.1, I thought it was by Ken Scott?

 

[himey]

not sure Tony Visconti did the Ziggy 5.1, I thought it was by Ken Scott?

I like the Ziggy. I don't remember this one being very discrete...I think I have upgraded since I listened to this one. Will check it out later today. For glam rock I think the new Roxy Music mix/music can't be topped!

 

[ssully]

Ziggy's 5.1 mix is by Ken Scott. And it is one of the most faithful 5.1 mixes to the sound and 'feel' of the original, that I have ever heard, while still being definitely 'surround'. It's excellent.

 

[marpow]

I upgraded my previous 6 vote (#40) to a solid 8. Mainly I think my way of hearing surround has improved or more relaxed, whatever. The other factor is I now own the external DAC exaSound38 and that improves the sound also.

 

[4-earredwonder]

I upgraded my previous 6 vote (#40) to a solid 8. Mainly I think my way of hearing surround has improved or more relaxed, whatever. The other factor is I now own the external DAC exaSound38 and that improves the sound also.

I likewise JUST voted an 8. Great to have in on MLP DVD~A 5.1! Bang a Gong ........which reminds me to load my BONG!

 

[quicksrt]

Interesting how so many of the folks that rate a surround disc a 1 - 4 rating (generally) are so long gone, they never stick around long do they. Or they were here several years, but not any more. It's funny to see those really low ratings on a classic album mixed by a major talent.

Maybe they gave the 5.1 format a shot, hated the expense and attention it requires, did not hear, or care what it's doing, dropped in a 2 rating and blew outta here like flies in a hot air balloon.

 

[4-earredwonder]

Interesting how so many of the folks that rate a surround disc a 1 - 4 rating (generally) are so long gone, they never stick around long do they. Or they were here several years, but not any more. It's funny to see those really low ratings on a classic album mixed by a major talent.

Maybe they gave the 5.1 format a shot, hated the expense and attention it requires, did not hear, or care what it's doing, dropped in a 2 rating and blew outta here like flies in a hot air balloon.

And one really wonders how many of them had proper 5.1 set ups to justify their low ball ratings.........and if so, they're surely NOT missed!

 

[ar surround]

I upgraded my previous 6 vote (#40) to a solid 8. Mainly I think my way of hearing surround has improved or more relaxed, whatever. The other factor is I now own the external DAC exaSound38 and that improves the sound also.

And one really wonders how many of them had proper 5.1 set ups to justify their low ball ratings......

I'll tell you all why I gave this only a 6. I bought the DVD-A for one song only, Bang A Gong. I don't like the surround mix on that track. The only time the mix really sounds aggressive enough for my taste is during the last several bars at the end of the song. I modified it recently to my taste by juicing the surrounds + 5 db. However, the rest of the album is mixed quite well for surround. So given that I was able to "fix" Bang A Gong in Audacity, I'll up my vote to a 7.

 

[fredblue]

downgraded from an "8" to a "7"
(i'm aware of Mr. Visconti's approach to the surround mix, fair play to him, he's the expert i'm just a listener but i would've preferred he did something more ambitious and active with the extra channels.. oh well, better a mediocre multichannel mix than none at all.!).

 

[GOS]

Another older title I've had for quite some time. I have the SACD. Obviously, I do love the music....I also do enjoy the fidelity of this one. Very nice. The surround is fairly lackluster....

Music - 10
Fidelity - 9
Surround - 6

Averages to an 8.

 

[GOS]

Another older title I've had for quite some time. I have the SACD. Obviously, I do love the music....I also do enjoy the fidelity of this one. Very nice. The surround is fairly lackluster....

Music - 10
Fidelity - 9
Surround - 6

Averages to an 8.

It occurred to me while listening to this one again.......I believe early Roxy Music must have been influenced by this title.....especially the "quirky" vocal deliveries.

 

[quicksrt]

I like to sit in front of the center speaker with certain titles and just hear the vocals, and then the rest of it in the room around me. This is one of those titles. Marc at his peak, and the band really worked hard to get the arrangements this good. I've listened to the studio sessions, early takes, over-dub sessions, etc. To hear Visconti do his thing with the multis here is a treat. This music imo has aged like fine wine, sounding better than it did in 1973, plus the clarity here is an extra plus. It's a 9 for me.

 

[The56Kid]

I like to sit in front of the center speaker with certain titles and just hear the vocals, and then the rest of it in the room around me. This is one of those titles. Marc at his peak, and the band really worked hard to get the arrangements this good. I've listened to the studio sessions, early takes, over-dub sessions, etc. To hear Visconti do his thing with the multis here is a treat. This music imo has aged like fine wine, sounding better than it did in 1973, plus the clarity here is an extra plus. It's a 9 for me.

Man, I’ll have to give this another spin soon, but I don’t recall it standing out in any way as a surround release.

 

[quicksrt]

Man, I’ll have to give this another spin soon, but I don’t recall it standing out in any way as a surround release.

Then yes, start with the center speaker - and listen to the voice - while sitting right there in front of it.