Thompson Twins - Into The Gap blu ray audio #29 in the SDE series

[Perp]

I think whether a 5.1 "fold down" from an Atmos mix sounds as good as a dedicated 5.1 mix is still very much an open question. From everything I've read, the fold down process can be controlled/affected by many mixing decisions and settings that can be largely automated or manually tweaked by the mixing engineer. Obviously, the responsible approach would be to audition the fold down mix and make adjustments if the result is substandard or audibly worse than the Atmos mix. However, going through that process may involve nearly or as much work as just doing a dedicated 5.1 mix in the first place. Depending on what was contracted for, any given mixing engineer may not be inclined to be that meticulous. They most certainly wouldn't audition a 5.1 fold down if a dedicated 5.1 mix was actually done.

For me, I would rarely listen to a stereo, 5.1 or 7.1 mix if an Atmos mix was available - unless there was something significantly wrong with the Atmos mix. However, I think it's far from proven that any 5.1 fold down is fully equivalent to a dedicated 5.1 mix, and probably shouldn't be presented that way. While this error is unlikely to be a problem for me, I can certainly understand why buyers that are 5.1 capable only would be concerned and would like some sort of correction to be offered. Any workaround that involves changing system settings to manipulate the Atmos mix for a single track will negatively impact playback convenience, if nothing else.

This is the best comment on this subject. Good job, srjab!

Personally, I purchase today’s surround discs for the Dolby Atmos track but I can see why there are many that are disappointed with the way the 5.1 mix turned out with the missing vocals on the one track. That is considered an authoring error and the label should step up by sending out corrected discs. Bottom line, people should get what they assumed they paid for and was advertised as what they were getting.

 

[omega4]

There's a fault on the 5.1 mix of Doctor Doctor. It's the instrumental version - no vocals. The Atmos and Stereo mixes are fine, just the 5.1 of the first track on the album. I checked to see if the Instrumental album had the vocals on Doctor Doctor (maybe they'd been switched) but, alas no !

Crikey, it's hard enough to SEE a doctor here in the UK and now it's going to be hard to HEAR about one as well!

And further to other comments on this subject, I have to agree that a download of the 5.1 for those who have purchased this blu-ray from SDE would be a reasonable solution and fairly easy for the label (rather than SDE) to do, I would hope. What a shame this happened to this particular track as it is an iconic song for the Thompson Twins.

 

[mandrix]

I realize it's become popular jargon, but the term "fold down" isn't really accurate.
My admittedly imaginative mind can see an expanded view of the music as if laid out in a 3D setting, that is, all around. In an Atmos 7.x.4/6 configuration, the sounds, or "objects" if you prefer, exist within this immersive bubble. As the AVR, if processing a lesser number of speakers, it has to deal with whatever number of speakers within it's capability. Imagine the bubble collapsing somewhat, and sounds being merged into....call it channels if that fits your understanding.
I look it at more as combining sounds relative to the AVR's capability, and the mixer's intent, and nothing is being lost except some loss of the immersive aspect. Whether or not you like how that process takes place, or is pleasing to you or not, is another conversation and essentially out of our control as consumers.

 

[JulesRules]

There's something odd happening when I play the (proper) instrumental mix and then try to switch to the original stereo mix - selecting a track from the menu takes me to the instrumental mix of said track, NOT the original stereo mix. I have to press "play album" to get out of the instrumentals. This doesn't happen when I go from the instrumental mixes to the 2024 mixes, or from the 2024 mixes to the original stereo mix.

Anyone else have this issue?

 

[SeeMoreDigital]

I realize it's become popular jargon, but the term "fold down" isn't really accurate.

I agree but like sheep we're adopting the term SDE uses within the 'Exclusive' area of their web site: -

 

[Bobby Martini]

I realize it's become popular jargon, but the term "fold down" isn't really accurate.
My admittedly imaginative mind can see an expanded view of the music as if laid out in a 3D setting, that is, all around. In an Atmos 7.x.4/6 configuration, the sounds, or "objects" if you prefer, exist within this immersive bubble. As the AVR, if processing a lesser number of speakers, it has to deal with whatever number of speakers within it's capability. Imagine the bubble collapsing somewhat, and sounds being merged into....call it channels if that fits your understanding.
I look it at more as combining sounds relative to the AVR's capability, and the mixer's intent, and nothing is being lost except some loss of the immersive aspect. Whether or not you like how that process takes place, or is pleasing to you or not, is another conversation and essentially out of our control as consumers.

Maybe a better term would be 'DECODE' ?????
I'm no expert on this mullarkey BTW

 

[mandrix]

Maybe a better term would be 'DECODE' ?????
I'm no expert on this mullarkey BTW

What is "mullarkey"?

 

[SeeMoreDigital]

It's malarkey

 

[mandrix]

It's malarkey

OK, that makes sense. I googled the other and it came up as a proper Irish name.

 

[zabble]

The songs off this album have been rolling around in my head this past week in anticipation of the blu-ray's arrival. My shipment arrived in the USPS facility in Chicago early Monday but, according to tracking, is still sitting there! I'm starting to get worried as it should have been delivered by now.

 

[mandrix]

The songs off this album have been rolling around in my head this past week in anticipation of the blu-ray's arrival. My shipment arrived in the USPS facility in Chicago early Monday but, according to tracking, is still sitting there! I'm starting to get worried as it should have been delivered by now.

I heard that. I have one disc that supposedly arrived at the regional hub a week ago but is still listed as "in transit". I mean how long could it take to travel the last 100 miles? Well with USPS these days who knows.

 

[privateuniverse]

The songs off this album have been rolling around in my head this past week in anticipation of the blu-ray's arrival. My shipment arrived in the USPS facility in Chicago early Monday but, according to tracking, is still sitting there! I'm starting to get worried as it should have been delivered by now.

That's better luck than I am having. Mine arrived at customs in NYC....and then got sent back to London! Waiting to see where it lands next.....

 

[Whit]

The songs off this album have been rolling around in my head this past week in anticipation of the blu-ray's arrival. My shipment arrived in the USPS facility in Chicago early Monday but, according to tracking, is still sitting there! I'm starting to get worried as it should have been delivered by now.

Haven’t received mine yet. Tracking still has it in Langley. I guess the mail in England around the holidays has issues. At this point I am hoping it shows up this month sometime.

 

[srbjab]

Mine arrived in Langley 5 days ago and is now just leaving the UK. Hard to say when it will show up.

 

[4-earredwonder]

Mine arrived today and I'm spinning it now. Besides the fantastic ATMOS/5.1/STEREO remixes there are almost 3 hours of bonus tracks in STEREO. ...STUNNING FIDELITY!

 

[The Rang]

Got an email this morning saying SDE was holding back shipments to Canada, including this one, so that the packages don’t get caught upin the inevitable backlog when the system starts up again.
Good plan.