The Levellers- Levelling The Land - Box Set with 5.1 mix

[DuncanS]

That's what I thought at first, but I was wrong, and so are you, I'll bet.
Allow me to demonstrate:



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I bet there are a quite a few of the 300 thinking like I did!

 

[~dave~~wave~]

...and the DVD is a DVD-R.

Sad but true.

For some reason, I can't get the DTS layer to play, all I get is digital noise or static.
Any ideas on that?
Dolby Digital 5.1 & LPCM 2.0 24/96 are fine and sound great.

Tried it on both the Sony X800 and an old non-blu ray Denon DVD1940 DVD-SACD spinner.
Region locked, PAL video vs NTSC, or ???

 

[~dave~~wave~]

I bet there are a quite a few of the 300 thinking like I did!

Me too.
I uploaded photos to discogs today to document it.

https://www.discogs.com/release/28729117-Levellers-Levelling-The-Land/image/SW1hZ2U6MTA0NTE1MzA5

 

[DuncanS]

Sad but true.

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For some reason, I can't get the DTS layer to play, all I get is digital noise or static.
Any ideas on that?
Dolby Digital 5.1 & LPCM 2.0 24/96 are fine and sound great.

Tried it on both the Sony X800 and an old non-blu ray Denon DVD1940 DVD-SACD spinner.
Region locked, PAL video vs NTSC, or ???

I just stuck it in the Oppo and got clicks and pops on "One Way", jumped to the next track "The Game" and it played correctly, hit the back a track button and "One Way" played correctly as well - an authoring issue?

 

[DuncanS]

I just stuck it in the Oppo and got clicks and pops on "One Way", jumped to the next track "The Game" and it played correctly, hit the back a track button and "One Way" played correctly as well - an authoring issue?

Works by doing that on my X800MkII as well

 

[DuncanS]

Sounds like a good mix.

Good job my neighbours are away until Boxing Day (they have 2 small kids under 4) so I can listen to music loud at night until they come back - even 1950s semi-detached houses don't stop loud noise through the dividing wall!

 

[fripppp]

It's a similar situation to Bruce Soord's last solo album, where the 5.1 mix was released on physical disc (DVD) in a deluxe set while the Atmos version was commissioned solely for streaming delivery. However, KScope also allowed the Atmos mix to be released as an MKV download with lossless TrueHD (the exact same audio you'd get on a Blu-Ray). I was hoping the same strategy could apply here.

Does anybody know when the Atmos mix is going to hit streaming? I can't find it on Apple or Tidal in the US currently

 

[HomerJAU]

In the interview they do mention an Atmos version, but that's only going to work on Blu-ray isn't it? As the box only has a DVD and 5.1 I was sort of assuming that an Atmos download would appear at some point, if they've done the mixes...

Although it’s not in the DVD spec it’s quite possible an Atmos eac3 mix (Dolby Digital Plus) could be played back on a BD Player with HDMI and decoded correctly on an Atmos AVR. It might have to be encoded at 640kbps, but maybe 1536kbps or whatever the exact DVD/CD max rate would also be ok.

 

[Simon M]

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How long has Fifteen Years been shoe horned into the middle of side one? I think that would annoy me as I know the original so well, I'd have to rip it and re-order. Fifteen Years was released after Levelling The Land, they should have put it at the end or had a separate section and included some of the great B-sides of the era like Devil Went Down To Georgia in 5.1.

It's rather disappointing that it's a DVD-R, especially considering the cost of the set. Do DVD-Rs suffer from degradation more over time than a properly pressed disc? Also annoying that you are having problems with the authoring too, does no one test anything these days? It's not like it would take much time to test it out on a few players before you start selling it...

 

[~dave~~wave~]

How long has Fifteen Years been shoe horned into the middle of side one?

Apparently that happened on the 2007 Rhino double CD re-issue and has carried forward.

https://www.discogs.com/release/1251709-The-Levellers-Levelling-The-Land

 

[~dave~~wave~]

I did email the Levellers directly with a few suggestions ie SDE etc, had a reply saying my email had been passed on to Jon and the management, fingers crossed something comes of it.

I pinged them about doing a hi-res download not long after the box set was announced, and they said in no uncertain terms that they weren't interested

In the interview they do mention an Atmos version, but that's only going to work on Blu-ray isn't it? As the box only has a DVD and 5.1 I was sort of assuming that an Atmos download would appear at some point, if they've done the mixes...

It's a similar situation to Bruce Soord's last solo album, where the 5.1 mix was released on physical disc (DVD) in a deluxe set while the Atmos version was commissioned solely for streaming delivery. However, KScope also allowed the Atmos mix to be released as an MKV download with lossless TrueHD (the exact same audio you'd get on a Blu-Ray). I was hoping the same strategy could apply here.

...the DVD is a DVD-R.

This is disappointing, especially in light of the obvious pride & excitement in Jon Sevink's liner notes about the surround mixes.

What a missed opportunity, thanks to all for the efforts to reach out to the band with positive suggestions for a way forward.

One might speculate they shot their wad on the super deluxe vinyl & packaging, went over budget & had to resort to the cheapest crap digital disc pressing strategy at the last minute?

Attached is a scan of Sevink's complete notes from the inner sleeve from disc one of the triple-gatefold.
Giddiness over finding the multi-track masters & lost demos, frustration with vinyl pressing backlogs & deadlines to get the box to market.

Hopefully this is not the end of the story.
Meantime, wishing patience to be happy with what we have to be happy with.

 

[Tres Discrete]

This is disappointing, especially in light of the obvious pride & excitement in Jon Sevink's liner notes about the surround mixes.

What a missed opportunity, thanks to all for the efforts to reach out to the band with positive suggestions for a way forward.

One might speculate they shot their wad on the super deluxe vinyl & packaging, went over budget & had to resort to the cheapest crap digital disc pressing strategy at the last minute?

Attached is a scan of Sevink's complete notes from the inner sleeve from disc one of the triple-gatefold.
Giddiness over finding the multi-track masters & lost demos, frustration with vinyl pressing backlogs & deadlines to get the box to market.

Hopefully this is not the end of the story.
Meantime, wishing patience to be happy with what we have to be happy with.


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Maybe SDE can come to the rescue with a stand-alone disc?!

 

[DuncanS]

I'm finding what looks authoring issues with the DVD playing it on either my X800MkII or Oppo 203.

The DTS doesn't work, my 'cure' yesterday of hitting the jump to next track actually jumps you to the next Dolby 5.1 track! If I hit Play All, it plays the first track then stops, and I can only play individual tracks, so having to select the next track each time.

On hitting Stop, I see a list of Title 1, Title 2 etc. no Menu buttons work on the remote either.

That said. It is a really good mix, uses the surrounds well, suits the music, and I'm hearing things I'd missed in the stereo. So a

I'm going to contact the band about the DVD, and also suggest they mix more into surround, Jon Sevink has done a great job.

 

[~dave~~wave~]

I'm finding what looks authoring issues with the DVD playing it on either my X800MkII or Oppo 203.

The DTS doesn't work, my 'cure' yesterday of hitting the jump to next track actually jumps you to the next Dolby 5.1 track! If I hit Play All, it plays the first track then stops, and I can only play individual tracks, so having to select the next track each time.

On hitting Stop, I see a list of Title 1, Title 2 etc. no Menu buttons work on the remote either.

That said. It is a really good mix, uses the surrounds well, suits the music, and I'm hearing things I'd missed in the stereo. So a

I'm going to contact the band about the DVD, and also suggest they mix more into surround, Jon Sevink has done a great job.

Thanks for confirming, that is exactly what is happening on my disc spinners, and my attitude toward the Dolby Digital mix.

Jon Sevink being the fiddle player in the band & author of the liner notes should give us a leg up.
The 5.1 mix is deserving of a wider audience than a maximum of 300 geeky record collectors & superfans, 99% of whom will never listen in surround.

This morning I made edits to the discog release page, changing the DVD notes from DVD-A to DVD-V & specifying it is a DVD-R pressing.
With your confirmation, I shall add a note about the DTS 5.1 authoring error.
Not before I contact [email protected] with thanks & praise for this box, and best holiday wishes.

Also went a little nuts uploading image files:
https://www.discogs.com/release/28729117-Levellers-Levelling-The-Land

 

[Simon M]

Apparently that happened on the 2007 Rhino double CD re-issue and has carried forward.

https://www.discogs.com/release/1251709-The-Levellers-Levelling-The-Land

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Ah, I bought mine in 1991 when it came out having had A Weapon Called The Word drilled into me during college! I may have to get hold of this as it has their Glastonbury '92 performance which I was at and it was also my first time at Glastonbury, good times! Thanks for posting!

 

[Simon M]

Ah, I bought mine in 1991 when it came out having had A Weapon Called The Word drilled into me during college! I have a load of the original Hag 12"s too which are probably worth a small fortune now. I may have to get hold of this as it has their Glastonbury '92 performance which I was at and it was also my first time at Glastonbury, good times! Thanks for posting!

Oops, posted accidently. Not sure how to delete!

 

[DuncanS]

Thanks for confirming, that is exactly what is happening on my disc spinners, and my attitude toward the Dolby Digital mix.

Jon Sevink being the fiddle player in the band & author of the liner notes should give us a leg up.
The 5.1 mix is deserving of a wider audience than a maximum of 300 geeky record collectors & superfans, 99% of whom will never listen in surround.

This morning I made edits to the discog release page, changing the DVD notes from DVD-A to DVD-V & specifying it is a DVD-R pressing.
With your confirmation, I shall add a note about the DTS 5.1 authoring error.
Not before I contact [email protected] with thanks & praise for this box, and best holiday wishes.

Also went a little nuts uploading image files:
https://www.discogs.com/release/28729117-Levellers-Levelling-The-Land

I sent them an email about 10 minutes ago

 

[~dave~~wave~]

I will add the obvious observation that only manufacturing 300 units of this release, even at what some consider an exorbitant price, is not making a fortune for money-grubbing millionaire musicians or record labels.

Quite the opposite. Do the math.
Obviously a labor of love for fans and themselves.
Probably a lot of these under the tree for friends & families.

 

[DuncanS]

I mentioned the issues I'd had, and that I loved the mix so would love more surround from them. I also asked about the ATMOS and whether we would see a disc or download of it.

The Leveller's HQ is about 40-ish miles from me.

 

[Simon M]

This is disappointing, especially in light of the obvious pride & excitement in Jon Sevink's liner notes about the surround mixes.

What a missed opportunity, thanks to all for the efforts to reach out to the band with positive suggestions for a way forward.

One might speculate they shot their wad on the super deluxe vinyl & packaging, went over budget & had to resort to the cheapest crap digital disc pressing strategy at the last minute?

Attached is a scan of Sevink's complete notes from the inner sleeve from disc one of the triple-gatefold.
Giddiness over finding the multi-track masters & lost demos, frustration with vinyl pressing backlogs & deadlines to get the box to market.

Hopefully this is not the end of the story.
Meantime, wishing patience to be happy with what we have to be happy with.


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Thanks for posting all of this, really interesting. I really hope they see sense and release a single disc or a download. In my email I did try to make a good case for them to get in touch with SDE, I think that would be a win all round. I mentioned that they seem to do an initial run of a few thousand (I think!) and that they all generally sell out, plus Tear For Fears got a 'second edition' repress for one release. That's obviously a lot more than 300 and more specific to surround listeners, plus some good exposure for the band and Jon's mixes. Like you mentioned, it's a real shame that only a handful of the 300 will be interested in the surround experience. I hope your efforts emailing them help. I actually do know someone very close to the band through work so I may have to drop them a message and try something from a different angle