What surround mix did you listen today?

[interbellum]

To specify the NP- and related threads I'm curious what surround mix is being played. It might give me ideas to broaden my collection, especially now I have an OPPO so I can play Blu-Ray's too (I only had a SACD/DVD-player to listen to surround mixes for 19 years).

I'll start with a recent release: The Alan Parson Project: The Turn Of A Friendly Card (Blu-Ray).

I learned the music of APP during a holiday in 1976. On a Dutch island you could listen to one of those pirate radio stations and one aired the complete The Fall Of The House Of Usher! Back home I bought the LP (I guess I was one of the first in my surroundings). After that I bought I Robot too, but then I stopped buying APP-records for some reason. The Turn Of A Friendly Card was an exception, especially because of its side long title-track. Great to hear this in a fine 5.1 surround mix.

[taliesin]

Agreed that the Turn of a Friendly Card mix is very good.

None today but yesterday -

GG - In'terview
Oldfield - 5 Miles Out
Genesis - ATTWT

[interbellum]

I didn't buy the new In'terview surround mix, because I'm satisfied with the 2011 4.1 surround mix on DVD.

Oldfield released a couple of DVD's with surround mixes; I have some of them, but not 5 Miles Out.

And yes, I also have all Genesis albums with a SACD + DVD with surround mixes. Should listen to them more often though

I listened to the 2011 release of King Crimson's Discipline (CD/DVD-set in the 40th Anniversary Series). Very open mix, so you can hear a lot of the details. I discovered things I hadn't heard on the LP which I bought in 1981.

[taliesin]

Oldfield released a couple of DVD's with surround mixes; I have some of them, but not 5 Miles Out.

And yes, I also have all Genesis albums with a SACD + DVD with surround mixes. Should listen to them more often though

I listened to the 2011 release of King Crimson's Discipline (CD/DVD-set in the 40th Anniversary Series). Very open mix, so you can hear a lot of the details. I discovered things I hadn't heard on the LP which I bought in 1981.

I have the Tubular Bells and 5 Miles Out mixes - I missed getting Ommadawn and Incantations which I regret.

I know the Genesis remixes aren't popular but I like pretty much all the surround versions - they're my go-to listening for Genesis nowadays.

I find all the KC surrounds reveal things that I hadn't noticed before - Discipline certainly but all the 80's releases benefit as does Thrak.

[interbellum]

I have the Tubular Bells and 5 Miles Out mixes - I missed getting Ommadawn and Incantations which I regret.

I know the Genesis remixes aren't popular but I like pretty much all the surround versions - they're my go-to listening for Genesis nowadays.

I find all the KC surrounds reveal things that I hadn't noticed before - Discipline certainly but all the 80's releases benefit as does Thrak.

I have the Oldfield's early SACD from Tubular Bells, the Deluxe Editon (2CD/DVD) from Hergest Ridge and the boxset (3CD/2DVD) from Crisis.

From Crimson I collected almost all these CD/DVD-sets up to Thrak.

Haven't listened to a surround-disk today yet. I have to place myself in the right position between the speakers to enjoy these mixes, so when I'm behind the PC I don't listen to 4.1/5.1 (I should say 4.0/5.0, since I don't have a subwoofer).

[interbellum]

I have the Tubular Bells and 5 Miles Out mixes - I missed getting Ommadawn and Incantations which I regret.

Speaking of Mike Oldfield: last week I found a copy of the DVD-Audio Tubular Bells 2003 (although it also contains two video's from songs from live-recordings of TB II and III + the old 1971 demo's).
The original TB has a quiet surround mix, while this new one uses the surround-sound more for its effects. (I only heard part I so far.)

[taliesin]

Wakeman's Journey to the Center of the Earth. On Japanese quad vinyl, which I acquired a week or two ago.

Never heard that - how did they use the second pair of speakers? For ambience or did they spread the instruments around?

Speaking of Mike Oldfield: last week I found a copy of the DVD-Audio Tubular Bells 2003 (although it also contains two video's from songs from live-recordings of TB II and III + the old 1971 demo's).
The original TB has a quiet surround mix, while this new one uses the surround-sound more for its effects. (I only heard part I so far.)

So this is a different surround mix entirely?

[progmatist]

Never heard that - how did they use the second pair of speakers? For ambience or did they spread the instruments around?

Ambience, like a typical classical recording.

[interbellum]

So this is a different surround mix entirely?

Tubular Bells 2003 is in fact a re-recording. More information on this wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tubular_Bells_2003

[progmatist]

Just a few days ago: Bernstein's tribute to Benjamin Britten on quad vinyl. Since classical quad records replicate the ambience of the hall in the rear channels, just like a modern 5.0 mix, they more than qualify as surround. I have the means to decode all 3 major quad encoding schemes. A JVC CD-4 cartridge and decoder. And a Sony SQ decoder. Which also has an unphased mode to do a decent job decoding QS records. Not quite as good as a proper Sansui QS decoder, but pretty darn close.

[interbellum]

Just a few days ago: Bernstein's tribute to Benjamin Britten on quad vinyl. Since classical quad records replicate the ambience of the hall in the rear channels, just like a modern 5.0 mix, they more than qualify as surround. I have the means to decode all 3 major quad encoding schemes. A JVC CD-4 cartridge and decoder. And a Sony SQ decoder. Which also has an unphased mode to do a decent job decoding QS records. Not quite as good as a proper Sansui QS decoder, but pretty darn close.

Thanks for your impressions; I'm not technically at all, so I admire this kind of insight-stories.
Yes, those quad vinyl are still the basis of a lot of recent surround-releases. Often when I buy a SACD with a surround mix it's originally from a CBS-quad LP, like those early Santana-releases that are re-released in Japan in deluxe 7" album-covers.

[interbellum]

Two quite different albums today.

First A Treasury (2004), a SACD with a fine compilation of Nick Drake-songs taken from his LP's Five Leaves Left, Bryter Layter and Pink Moon plus the postumous compilation Made To Love Magic.

Then Serge Gainsbourg's Histoire De Melody Nelson, a 2CD/DVD-set from this French classic from 1971, released in 2011.

What both albums have in common are the string arrangements that are mostly mixed in the back-speakers.

[interbellum]

Just listened to the beautiful Wise After The Event, the second solo-album from Anthony Phillips, originally from 1978, rereleased in a fine boxset (3CD/DVD) in 2016.
The album was produced by the great Rupert Hine, the lovely 5.1 surround mix was done by Simon and Beau Heyworth who managed to give all those instruments and voices a significant place in all five speakers.

[MudShark22]

I have an Atmos sound bar (side and upfiring speakers) w/ sub that I truly have not put the Wilson surround mixes (Yes Crimson etc) thru yet.

Maybe put one on this weekend and I can contribute.

[taliesin]

Maybe put one on this weekend and I can contribute.

Come on in - the water is great!

Played the Animals surround last night - really beefy sound and the mix highlights a bunch of subtle things that Rick Wright did. Listening to the stereo mix again later you can hear them but not nearly as clearly so it's great to have them more present in the mix.

[interbellum]

Come on in - the water is great!

Played the Animals surround last night - really beefy sound and the mix highlights a bunch of subtle things that Rick Wright did. Listening to the stereo mix again later you can hear them but not nearly as clearly so it's great to have them more present in the mix.

That's indeed a very good one, and yes, especially Wright's keyboard-sounds are the winner (in fact the same happened with Wish You Where Here). When it was released last year I still didn't own a Blu-Ray player so I bought the expensive SACD. Don't regret it at all!

Just listened to another classic album: Fly Like An Eagle from the Steve Miller Band. In 2006 a 30th Anniversary Special Limited Edition was released as CD/DVD. The surround mix is fantastic, giving the space-sounds room on all speakers, while it's a joy to listen to the unpredictable drumming by Gary Mallaber. Favourite track after all these years (bought the LP on release in 1976): The Window.

[taliesin]

especially Wright's keyboard-sounds are the winner (in fact the same happened with Wish You Where Here).

I have WYWH but hadn't noticed it to the same degree - I guess I know what my next listening session will be .

[MudShark22]

Come on in - the water is great!

Played the Animals surround last night - really beefy sound and the mix highlights a bunch of subtle things that Rick Wright did. Listening to the stereo mix again later you can hear them but not nearly as clearly so it's great to have them more present in the mix.

Gonna start with an album I really know -

Bruford - OoaK

[interbellum]

Gonna start with an album I really know -

Bruford - OoaK

It's a good one, but don't be surprised to hear different things than the original LP/CD offered. Jakko Jakszyk did the 5.1 mix; Stephen W. Tayler, who was the engineer and production assistant on the original recordings, wasn't happy with the result.

[MudShark22]

It's a good one, but don't be surprised to hear different things than the original LP/CD offered. Jakko Jakszyk did the 5.1 mix; Stephen W. Tayler who was the engineer and prduction assistant on the original recordings wasn't unhappy with the result.

Yes I remember him mentioning that here

[nosebone]

It's a good one, but don't be surprised to hear different things than the original LP/CD offered. Jakko Jakszyk did the 5.1 mix; Stephen W. Tayler who was the engineer and prduction assistant on the original recordings wasn't unhappy with the result.

Neither was I, it was dreadful!

[Gizmotron]

An excellent Thread! Thank you!!

Interview by Gentle Giant for me today!

[taliesin]

Last night was the Beatles Love album - hearing the familiar songs in the different context is always enjoyable.

I'd like to get the surround mixes they've done of the original albums (Sgt Peppers, white album and Abbey Road) but I only see them as part of the deluxe sets that I'm not overly interested in.

[interbellum]

Last night was the Beatles Love album - hearing the familiar songs in the different context is always enjoyable.

Love [sic.] that one too, although my listening-pleasure was slightly ruined because my DVD-player didn't play the songs in one flow, but "added" a short silence between them.
My OPPO doesn't have this problem so I can listen to it without that error.

[Jimmy Giant]

One DTS disc I listen to more often than any other is Alan Parsons On Air. Love that disc and the mix/surround is outstanding.