Trevor Rabin - Rio (CD+BD-A / DLX incl. 5.1 Mix 10/6)

[dr. simple]

Just ordered off from importcds.com for $29.63. This will be the first solo Trevor Rabin disc for me. Looking forward to listening to it.

Jacaranda is pretty brilliant if you want more. It's actually a little exhausting - "fatiguing" as audiophiles like to say - but not from sonics. It's a LOT of really fast notes for about 45 minutes.

 

[J. PUPSTER]

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It arrived today. Not sure if we knew this before, but this is only 5.1, no Atmos here. And while I am only three songs in, the 5.1 isn't impressing me much. Not too aggressive in the rears....and since this is a densely layered album, there are plenty of (missed) opportunities for discrete action. Paul Linford is credited with the 5.1 mix.

On the plus side, I am really enjoying the songs.

I've listened to some of this and it's a very disappointing mix/mastering job. Breaking the first song down in Audacity, the fronts sound pretty good; but the Center channel is just a muddy mess of all the music; and the rears are mastered brittle bright with little discrete elements from the fronts.

I've decided to do some testing with Penteo/De-Mix Pro, as I can tell it will come out much better. I sampled the first song with up-mixing just the front channels; but now I'm ripping the stereo from the BD to see how that comes out also. A good vocal isolation from De-Mix Pro located to the Center and harmony/back-up vocals to the rears, will help significantly also.

 

[beerking]

I've listened to some of this and it's a very disappointing mix/mastering job. Breaking the first song down in Audacity, the fronts sound pretty good; but the Center channel is just a muddy mess of all the music; and the rears are mastered brittle bright with little discrete elements from the fronts.

I've decided to do some testing with Penteo/De-Mix Pro, as I can tell it will come out much better. I sampled the first song with up-mixing just the front channels; but now I'm ripping the stereo from the BD to see how that comes out also. A good vocal isolation from De-Mix Pro located to the Center and harmony/back-up vocals to the rears, will help significantly also.

Does Trevor even know what a good surround mix should sound like?

Clearly not!!

As you say Pups....it's rubbish...grrr

The music saves it though.

 

[colsky]

Does Trevor even know what a good surround mix should sound like?

Clearly not!!

As you say Pups....it's rubbish...grrr

The music saves it though.

He's the one I think who put the horrible fake crowd noise on the Anderson Rabin Wakeman live album, so he's not good at mixing live albums either!

I've listened to Rio once, and I agree the surround mix is disappointing. I'm not convinced about the music either yet though. I'll give it another listen over the weekend, between Space Ritual and Harmony Codex, 2 albums with far superior mixes and songs, which probably won't help my perception of Rio much!

 

[beerking]

He's the one I think who put the horrible fake crowd noise on the Anderson Rabin Wakeman live album, so he's not good at mixing live albums either!

I've listened to Rio once, and I agree the surround mix is disappointing. I'm not convinced about the music either yet though. I'll give it another listen over the weekend, between Space Ritual and Harmony Codex, 2 albums with far superior mixes and songs, which probably won't help my perception of Rio much!

The music doesn't even come anywhere near the brilliance of Steven Wilson's Harmony Codex, an album I'm still salivating over.
Sooo many fantastic mixes to enjoy this year...its just mind boggling how much is being released!!

 

[Blackwood]

He's the one I think who put the horrible fake crowd noise on the Anderson Rabin Wakeman live album, so he's not good at mixing live albums either!

This! That was such a disappointing and annoying mix I could only listen it to it once. And it was worse when watching the video and hearing the crowd going nuts while cutting to a shot of the crowd not going nuts at all.

A shame about what I’m reading regarding the surround mix (mine arrives next week) but my main hope after hearing the first single is that I’ll like the songs themselves and not be too disappointed with the 5.1.

 

[Geoff in Belfast]

He's the one I think who put the horrible fake crowd noise on the Anderson Rabin Wakeman live album, so he's not good at mixing live albums either!

I've listened to Rio once, and I agree the surround mix is disappointing. I'm not convinced about the music either yet though. I'll give it another listen over the weekend, between Space Ritual and Harmony Codex, 2 albums with far superior mixes and songs, which probably won't help my perception of Rio much!

I’ve had this album for review purposes for a few weeks and just got to hear the surround with my purchased copy - I like the surround mix… it’s not The Harmony Codex, and I don’t think it needs to be. I like the breadth it adds to the music, and the telephone ring frightened the life out of me!!!

I was a bit unsure as to how Rabin’s vocals sounded initially, but I got used to it quite quickly.

There’s a podcast I heard this week on which Rabin puts his hand up and says that he’s the one that wrecked the ARW live album. He says that the audience noise was a little quiet in the first version, they raise the levels and then Trevor confesses that he added more audience noise, albeit from other Yes concerts. For me I love that album but there is a repeated 3 note whistle from an audience member that must be in the loop he used which appears with very annoying frequency that it completely distracts me.

 

[cdspcs]

I’ve had this album for review purposes for a few weeks and just got to hear the surround with my purchased copy - I like the surround mix… it’s not The Harmony Codex, and I don’t think it needs to be. I like the breadth it adds to the music, and the telephone ring frightened the life out of me!!!

I was a bit unsure as to how Rabin’s vocals sounded initially, but I got used to it quite quickly.

There’s a podcast I heard this week on which Rabin puts his hand up and says that he’s the one that wrecked the ARW live album. He says that the audience noise was a little quiet in the first version, they raise the levels and then Trevor confesses that he added more audience noise, albeit from other Yes concerts. For me I love that album but there is a repeated 3 note whistle from an audience member that must be in the loop he used which appears with very annoying frequency that it completely distracts me.

I've not listened to the surround disc yet but played the CD while working on the computer and I have to say I loved it. A lot of it reminded me of the 90125 Yes album, so musically it gets a big thumbs up from me.

 

[Zephead2112]

He's the one I think who put the horrible fake crowd noise on the Anderson Rabin Wakeman live album, so he's not good at mixing live albums either!

I've listened to Rio once, and I agree the surround mix is disappointing. I'm not convinced about the music either yet though. I'll give it another listen over the weekend, between Space Ritual and Harmony Codex, 2 albums with far superior mixes and songs, which probably won't help my perception of Rio much!

They're the three that are currently battling for my attention too, plus Who's Next. Sadly, the 5.1 mix of Rio and the Atmos mix of Who's Next are this year's biggest disappointments for me. Conversely and as others have said, THC is outstanding.

I remember commenting on social media about that awful crowd noise on the ARW live DVD/CD, blasting the person that 'did it'. Trevor Rabin 'liked' my post and at the time, I thought that he was in agreement and that it was something out of his control. It was only later that I learnt it was actually Trevor who put it on there. Ooops! I was at that show and it definitely did NOT require fake crowd noise, unless they neglected to mic the audience properly. Even so, something less 'in your face' could have been used.

 

[mandrix]

There is some fine guitar playing on this album.
But the mix blew it for me. Also it just didn't sound...right. Can't put my finger on it. Maybe as @J. PUPSTER said, it was the Center channel, not sure.

 

[dr. simple]

Thanks to all of you - sincerely - you saved me a few bucks. I canceled my “artbook” 5.1 order and ordered the CD instead.

 

[Blackwood]

He says that the audience noise was a little quiet in the first version, they raise the levels and then Trevor confesses that he added more audience noise, albeit from other Yes concerts.

I look forward to this being fixed for the 10 year anniversary release in 2028... Live at the Apollo: Non-Annoying Fake Audience Edition.

Throw in a couple of news songs by the trio for good measure.

 

[marpow]

My copy arrives today.
What does DLX mean?
Deluxe?

 

[beerking]

My copy arrives today.
What does DLX mean?
Deluxe?

Don't Listen Xpectantly

 

[TwoMuch]

Personally, I have enjoyed everything that I have heard from Trevor, the Yes albums and his solos. These aren't in heavy rotation in my home, but I do enjoy them when I do pull them out.

CD-Blu Ordered!

 

[marpow]

Personally, I have enjoyed everything that I have heard from Trevor, the Yes albums and his solos. These aren't in heavy rotation in my home, but I do enjoy them when I do pull them out.

CD-Blu Ordered!

Your avatar is famous, Sutro Baths/Cliff House San Francisco. Are you from San Francisco?

 

[emili]

Ordered yesterday from Amazon UK and delivered today in Spain. Obviously it was shipped from Spain. 18,86€ shipping included
Havent opened packet yet. Ill keep it for next weelend

 

[pti]

Giving a first listen now.

"Big Mistakes" surround mix is almost pointless, with just the phone ringing, the "uh oh," and the strings at the end showing much evidence more was done than pulling the stereo mix back into the room. "Push" is at least a little more interesting. Generally, though, as I solo rear channels on my 8Pre/R1, I'm hearing the same elements from the front. Overall,

If you like the beginning of "Tumbleweed," I highly recommend Moon Safari's work.

Nothing was as sad as that ARW live video, though. The fake applause makes it unwatchable. What a waste of an opportunity.

 

[marpow]

My copy arrived and listening now. Two tracks in.
I received the CD/Blu Ray Digi Pak THIS ONE FROM AMAZON
I am listening to the 5.1 DTS HD MSTR.
I really like it and I am very pleased with the surround.

 

[marpow]

Finished my surround listen. Love it. Possibly breaks into my top 5 surrounds of 2023.
The music, lyrics, his voice all top notch.
Surround can go from gimmicky, which I always like, to stereo front switching to full on surrounds, great LFE bass. Also can be plain and just surround like immersive, non discrete. Point is, the mix through out the album keeps you guessing and I love it.
Liner notes: great. His movie sound track career is quite large. I had no idea that Trevor did the theme for NBA Basketball on TNT.