HiRez Poll Ten Years After - A SPACE IN TIME [Blu-Ray Audio (Dolby Atmos)]

[rtbluray]

Please post your thoughts and comments on this new 2023 reissue of the classic album "A Space In Time" by Ten Years After.
This brand new Blu-Ray Audio edition was exclusive to the SuperDeluxeEdition store, and it features no less than THREE different surround mixes of the album:

• NEW 2023 Dolby Atmos Mix
• NEW 2023 5.1 Surround Mix
• Original 1973 4.0 Quadraphonic Mix (featuring the correct channel placement; the 2012 DVD had the channels reversed)

(Thanks, of course, to @PaulatSDE for making this release happen!!)

Pre-release discussion here: Ten Years After "A Space In Time" (limited-run SDE Blu-Ray with Dolby Atmos, 5.1, and Quad shipping 3/17)

 

[Tres Discrete]

Childhood memories:
1) My stepfather buying one of the first commercially available VHS players & buying the “Woodstock” video for us kids…knocked out by Alvin Lee and Ten Years After (and Santana and Jimi of course!)
2) Hearing “I’d Love to Change the World” on WNEW FM in New York and thinking it was unlike anything else…
So…here we are in 2023…I have never owned this album before, but…
1) Love the album
2) Love the DTS mix
3) Love the fact that Paul at SDE managed to release this on Blu-Ray.

TEN!!!

 

[ar surround]

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news folks, but it is a travesty of epic proportions that SDE could only make 1000 units of this set.

First, the original quad on the bluray is noticeably cleaner sounding than that on the DVD-V produced some years back. (I corrected the channel reversal when I ripped that DVD-V disc.) It does not take an A/B comparison to hear this difference. The bluray is cleaner...period.

Second, the new 5.1 mix differs from the original quad, yet it is still aggressive. The 5.1 brings out different elements of the mix compared to the quad. I especially like it enhanced with Auro 3D.

Finally, the Atmos mix is very nice. The disc is authored such that one can flip back and forth between the new 5.1 and the Atmos mixes while the songs are playing. This affords a real-time direct comparison between the two mixes. So I was bouncing back and forth between the 5.1 enhanced with Auro 3D and the Atmos. I marginally preferred the former to the Atmos mix.

So that is it: Three mixes, all with very high quality sound, that differ enough from each other to offer three unique listening experiences.

SDE simply has got to find a way to produce more copies.

 

[Matt Wilson]

Well Hell, it's at least a 9! I'll have to play it a few more times of course. The album itself is typical TYA - a bit of blues, rock, and even some schlock, but nothing grates on the ears or anything. The disc offering several different options for listening and the cheap price are major selling points.

 

[leihan]

I used to listen a lot to TYA way back when but lost them along the way (sometime during the 90´s when I sold all my vinyls).
Had a few of their albums including this one and have now bought this SDE edition after a tip from a friend.
Got my copy on Monday and have listened to it twice now (all the mixes except the stereo one) and I´m very impressed. Can´t really decide which mix I prefer the most but the Dolby Atmos one has the upper hand currently. But it´s all good!
10 points!

 

[4-earredwonder]

When a remix is demonstrably this GREAT how can it be anything but a 10! This disc has it ALL .... something for everyone: Stereo/QUAD/5.1 and ATMOS all in stunning fidelity. Since I don't have ATMOS, I'm waffling between Larry Keyes extraordinary 4 corner QUAD remix and the equally impressive 5.1!

Thanks to the folks at SDE for making this possible but next time please anticipate the DEMAND and press MORE!

A Space In Time is a classic beauty and now I can safely retire the previous LOSSY DVD~V [with flipped fronts/rears/ and viny]l!

 

[marpow]

I voted 10, of course.
As my good friend @4-earredwonder said, "it has everything".
As a long time member of QQ, I hear over and over, "just give us the stand alone", then they do and others say "why didn't they include this or that". Well @PaulatSDE certainly hit this one out of the park, it has all. I do not have one complaint. As a very long time TYA fan, I would love to hear more SDE releases like this.
Blu Ray Menu: Simple, easy to use, no moving pictures.
Liner Notes: Learned a lot from Chris Kimsey. He talks a lot about clarity and EQ, this really comes through as the sonic clarity of what ever version you might be listening to is superb. Having the original engineer able to be there again 52 years later is a God send, like Eddie Kramer and Jimi Hendrix when Eddie did Electric Ladyland.
Having Ric, Leo and Jasmine adding a bit was great also.
Lyrics another plus.
Stereo, 1971 Original Flat Transfer: My first listen of this disc, I wanted to do it justice and listen in order. I was immediately pleased with the sonic clarity.
Stereo, 2023 Remix: Not a whole lot different, but, the clarity more prevalent and there was an extra punch to the mix, not just cleaned up but re-mixed by bringing things forward, Chris talks about this in the liner notes and it is easy to tell.
4.0 Quad 1973 Mix: I of course own the original combo set, LP and DVD with the vocals in rear. I had no doubt that this new Blu Ray would have the backwards vocals corrected. Yes, Track 1 vocals dead center, However, Track 2 Here They Come has vocals starting front with an echo rear left, I said, oh no, did they forget a little, are more tracks going to be like this, no, the rest is center vocals..
We have to remember back in 1971 it was very popular to pan vocals between two front speakers, I kind of like. But today, the trend seems to be vocals dead center.
2023 5.1 Mix: Love it, more so than the 1973 Quad mix, man, really in your face, and now more to hear with the extra speaker, albeit the center speaker is not used ala Steven Wilson for pure vocals, the vocals have this great reverb/echo effect. Things still swirl like the 4.0 but differently, different parts. Note: rear side of plastic box, it does not mention a 2023 5.1 mix, but does on the menu.
2023 Dolby Atmos mix: My favorite, no doubt. Discrete, elements moving, ambiance of Atmos, strength and power, the steroid muscle man of all the mixes.

Ripping: I used MKV and MMH, very easy no issues. I ripped all 5 selections, the 5.1 in the car, wow man!

I will say, I am sorry some of you didn't get a chance to purchase this. I know this album intimately so it is easy for me to love all there is about it. Ten Years After was no stranger to using sonic effects and noises in there recordings, a perfect band for someone to take on a re-mix into surround, maybe some day that will happen, in the meantime this release, hands down the best of 2023, for all the reasons above.

Keep poll threads pure, please post your listening experience to the disc in question only.

 

[Quad Linda]

10

One of my favorite and most played Quads made better!!

 

[fizzywiggs41]

This is the gold or platinum standard of Blu-ray, me thinks.

QUAD
Love the wild panning, counter clockwise on track 2 ending. AND there are others on a couple tracks ( at the very least).
This quad version is clarity pure and distinctive .
Have the SQ vinyl , so I know what to expect . This particular quad mix stands out amongst others I've heard.
I just wish Kimsey/Keyes had attempted other albums by TYA for quad playback .
Thanks for this quad , which was sorely needed .



5.0
The mix in 5 oh , is almost as good as the quad mix. And the rears are very active.
There are some examples of surround panning evident , just not as much as the quad version.
I find the mix interesting and not at all lacking for surround , so this is a bonus .

Thankyou to Chris Kimsey , and hopefully we can hear more TYA in surround in the not to distant future.


All in All an excellent disc....easy TEN.

Kudos to Chris Kimsey , Chrysalis, and @paul@SDE

 

[par4ken]

A ten based on the Quad mix alone! The 5.1 mix was very active as well but is just not the same. I found the sound quality of the original quad to be better as well.

If I was just voting on the 5.1 I would give it an eight maybe nine. I consider the Atmos 5.1 and stereo mixes to be bonus material. The big advantage of Blu-ray vs SACD is just how much extra material can be packed onto a single disc!

 

[Albert Dagger]

I voted 8.

I started my listening session today with the Atmos mix, and I was initially underwhelmed by what I was hearing. Then, I listened to the 1973 quad mix, which is discrete and fun. I am not overly impressed by old mixes where instruments are placed a little bit all over the place, but this is a good one to have, and it definitely suits the music and the period it was made. The next thing I did was to compare the original mix to the new remix, and I have to say that both are quite good. All mixes are a tad harsh to my taste, as I prefer warmer presentations of any music genre, even rock.

I was happily surprised to discover that the 5.1 mix is not simply a downmix of the Atmos mix. The level of the rear speakers is slightly higher, and the overall experience felt like listening to a modern quad mix. I am pretty sure this will be my favourite way of listening to this album from now on.

I didn't vote 10 because:
- the Atmos should/could have been much better, and I thought it was all point of remixing this album in 2023;
- the Quad mix seems encoded from a lossy source. I can't prove this, but a null test resulted in very minor differences between the DTS-HD MA and the DTS core;
- the recording is a bit harsh, and I found it fatiguing to listen to the entire album in one go;
- a couple of songs on the album are weak.

This is a solid 8.

 

[ar surround]

...the recording is a bit harsh, and I found it fatiguing to listen to the entire album in one go;

I often wonder if higher resolution can make a recording sound harsh to some folks. As I said above, I found the quad on this bluray to sound 'cleaner' than the DTS on the DVD-V. 'Cleaner' with more resolution can sometimes sound a tad 'edgier' but I didn't find it harsh or fatiguing.

Also, I often wonder how much the monitors used to create the recording contribute to what is perceived as harsh sound. I vaguely recall Elliot Scheiner saying somewhere that he used Yamaha NS10 speakers as monitors because if it sounded good on them it would sound good on anything.

 

[Klaus Rosenthal]

I had never heard of this band before. Just listening to the atmos track but I'm satisfied with it, probably won't bother with the quad till I'm more familiar with the album. I'm mostly impressed by the quality of the mix by Chris Kimsey, who I understand was the original engineer back in '71. I believe this is his first ever surround mix and wow, way to hit a triple on the first try. Way better than I anticipated. And the quantity of audio options has certainly set a new bar for SDE. Very happy with this extra limited release. For the music and mix, i would give a high 8.

 

[zimmy]

For me this is absolutely an 10. I have had this on the DVD-V that was released with an vinyl and have been through the mess with switching the channels. Just to have that fixed is worth something extra. I am also very impressed with the Dolby Atmos mix. At the moment i can´t say which mix is the best. Even if the original quad mix is more discreet it is also lacking some of the quality the Atmos mix gives. I guess i will listen to different mixes every time i put it on which is an big benefit in itself

 

[Which_One_Is_Pink]

I'm going with a strong 9! I mean great guitarist great music great mixes too! Paul and SDE hit this one out of the park as far as I am concerned, ( never had the previous surround version and this was well worth the wait ). The only way I can see them them improving on this is by bringing us more Ten Years After in surround

 

[measuredrums]

SDE has produced a second run of 1000, available now! ... The Ten Years After SDE-exclusive blu-ray now is now re-available – SuperDeluxeEdition

 

[Dynamic Editor]

I voted 8.

I started my listening session today with the Atmos mix, and I was initially underwhelmed by what I was hearing. Then, I listened to the 1973 quad mix, which is discrete and fun. I am not overly impressed by old mixes where instruments are placed a little bit all over the place, but this is a good one to have, and it definitely suits the music and the period it was made. The next thing I did was to compare the original mix to the new remix, and I have to say that both are quite good. All mixes are a tad harsh to my taste, as I prefer warmer presentations of any music genre, even rock.

I was happily surprised to discover that the 5.1 mix is not simply a downmix of the Atmos mix. The level of the rear speakers is slightly higher, and the overall experience felt like listening to a modern quad mix. I am pretty sure this will be my favourite way of listening to this album from now on.

I didn't vote 10 because:
- the Atmos should/could have been much better, and I thought it was all point of remixing this album in 2023;
- the Quad mix seems encoded from a lossy source. I can't prove this, but a null test resulted in very minor differences between the DTS-HD MA and the DTS core;
- the recording is a bit harsh, and I found it fatiguing to listen to the entire album in one go;
- a couple of songs on the album are weak.

This is a solid 8.

You generally can tell if it's from a lossy source if you pull out "show spectrum on Audacity". I believe lossy sources roll off the highest frequencies, if I remember correctly.

 

[Albert Dagger]

You generally can tell if it's from a lossy source if you pull out "show spectrum on Audacity". I believe lossy sources roll off the highest frequencies, if I remember correctly.

I did prove that, also through pro software. My post was deleted by a moderator without explanation.

 

[ar surround]

- the Quad mix seems encoded from a lossy source. I can't prove this, but a null test resulted in very minor differences between the DTS-HD MA and the DTS core;

You generally can tell if it's from a lossy source if you pull out "show spectrum on Audacity". I believe lossy sources roll off the highest frequencies, if I remember correctly.

I did prove that, also through pro software. My post was deleted by a moderator without explanation.

I wonder what SDE has to say about the source of this Quad mix. When I first played the Quad from this set it sounded noticeably cleaner than the earlier DTS DVD-V. This does not mean that the latest Quad incarnation is not from a lossy source, but simply that it sounds better to me.

 

[sjcorne]

I wonder what SDE has to say about the source of this Quad mix. When I first played the Quad from this set it sounded noticeably cleaner than the earlier DTS DVD-V. This does not mean that the latest Quad incarnation is not from a lossy source, but simply that it sounds better to me.

This is purely speculation on my part - but I'd guess that Chrysalis simply couldn't find the original lossless files from 2012 in time for the release, so the quad on the Blu-Ray is a PCM rip of the old DVD DTS 96/24 that was channel-corrected and then encoded back to DTS-HD. If true (again, just speculating here), whatever difference you're hearing might be placebo effect...