[Joe Casey]

From his website:

Super Audio CD

In terms of creativity and the ability to artistically interpret emotions, very few people can match the skills and achievements of Peter Gabriel. World famous for his stunning music and lyrics, Gabriel is less well known for his understanding of technology and how it can support the creative process.

Peter, together with his team led by director of operations, Mike large, has established one of Europe's leading recording studios in the Wiltshire countryside. Recently, Peter and engineer, Richard Chappell have been working on the Direct Stream Digital (DSD) remastering and Super Audio CD release of his entire catalogue.

Now the latest news from Box tells us that Peter's new album, Up, will be released in multi-channel Super Audio CD.

"We find working in DSD a very rewarding experience," comments Mike Large. "With Peter's material, the extra dimensions that exist in 5:1 give so much more space for the very rich material that he produces. It really opens it up."

High tech and handmade

The Real World team works with a simple philosophy. They recognise the critical role that recording and editing technology plays, but technology always play a secondary role to the performers. "We've always put performance before technology," comments Mike. "Basically, we aim to provide a place that encourages great performances, where technology is a slave to the creative and not the other way around."

The fact that the recording studios are surrounded by water is inspirational to Gabriel. At the same time, he is willing to embrace new technologies that add value to his music - hence his willingness to adopt DSD production for Super Audio CD release.

In 2001, Real World started evaluating DSD. The first trials focused on the stereo form of Super Audio CD and have resulted in the re-

mastering of the first ten Peter Gabriel albums, which are scheduled for release on Super Audio CD in the early part of 2003 in Europe on the Virgin record label.

To transfer the original analogue tapes to DSD for evaluation a Sony Sonoma DSD workstation was installed at Real World. The Sonoma DSD workstation is a modular eight-channel recorder / editor combined with an eight-channel mastering mixer.

Mike Large and the team were pleased at how straightforward it was to master for DSD "I would be hard pushed to identify any differences from working for CD, except that the end product is closer to the recorded master."- commented Mike.

Metropolis

With ten albums slated for Super Audio CD release, the decision was made to work closely with one of Europe's leading DSD mastering facilities - London-based Metropolis.

Working with Metropolis engineer, Tony Cousins, the Richard Chappell and the Real World team transferred the analogue master tapes to DSD and re-edited these beautiful songs in preparation for Super Audio CD release.

At Metropolis' mastering facility, the team worked with SADie's DSD mastering editor together with dCS D/A converters. In addition to the recording and editing functions, the SADie workstation provides full Super Audio CD authoring facilities to the Scarlet Book standard.

Using a similar interface to the familiar SADiE red book PQ editor, a dialogue window allows all of the Super Audio CD text and ancillary data to be entered and edited. An image file can then be automatically created to AITT tape for transfer to factory for pressing.

Up goes multi-channel

After a break of ten years, Gabriel is set to take the music industry by storm with his new album, Up.

The big progression in this album is the release of Peter's first multi-channel project. "We went with Super Audio CD for the new album because we feel it sounds great and it can be 5.1. Ultimately, it was Peter's decision to mix in multi-channel. Why, because it's exciting."

Peter Gabriel picks up the story. "I remember very well the day when I first put on a pair of headphones and got a great sense of stereo for the first time," comments Peter. "I'm getting the same sense of excitement from 5.1. With a lot of my work, which uses many textures to create pictures in sound, it's often hard to hear all the information. At least with 5.1, it's possible to put people right inside my music."

Up was recorded, mixed and edited at Real World Studios It was mastered for Super Audio CD release at Metropolis.

Mike Large reports that adopting Super Audio CD has been straightforward. "As a mixing and editing system it's very easy to use," comments Mike. "The biggest issues are in working in 5.1. It's much more experimental than stereo and that's exciting - there are no rules."

[Lee Scoggins]

Analog tape to DSD - I'm there. I'm also excited about the use of DCS converters - they are superb.

[Philip Hamm]

Quote:

Peter Gabriel picks up the story. "I remember very well the day when I first put on a pair of headphones and got a great sense of stereo for the first time," comments Peter. "I'm getting the same sense of excitement from 5.1. With a lot of my work, which uses many textures to create pictures in sound, it's often hard to hear all the information. At least with 5.1, it's possible to put people right inside my music."

Up was recorded, mixed and edited at Real World Studios It was mastered for Super Audio CD release at Metropolis.
Mike Large reports that adopting Super Audio CD has been straightforward. "As a mixing and editing system it's very easy to use," comments Mike. "The biggest issues are in working in 5.1. It's much more experimental than stereo and that's exciting - there are no rules."

I haven't read the buzz on this release, but I intend to buy it eventually. Is the multichannel mix aggressive? From these statements I would expect it to be so.

[Craig S]

Philip, there are some impressions of the "Up" SACD in this thread:

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...hreadid=143459

I got it this week and I love it. I would characterize the mix as aggressive, but NOT gimmicky.

[Rich Malloy]

Quote:

I haven't read the buzz on this release, but I intend to buy it eventually. Is the multichannel mix aggressive? From these statements I would expect it to be so.

I'd characterize it as so, but I'm doubtful you would, Philip. This is very subtle music to begin with, or at least subtle for Gabriel, and the mix reflects that.

Everything in this mix is essentially oriented toward "magnetic north", that is, the focus isn't occasionally behind one or way off to the left somewhere, but rather is oriented to the front of your soundstage. One is not seated "in the middle", with a band arrayed all around, but sounds do arise from everywhere within the surround stage. At one point, all instruments clear out leaving only a male chorus (the Blind Boys) singing from the rear speakers. That's probably the "most aggressive" choice.

I've only listened through once, and that's the first time I've ever heard this album. I like it so far, and it's easily the best sounding of all the Gabriel SACDs (and I don't just mean in terms of having a multichannel mix... the stereo mix is also superior to all the others I've heard). In terms of sonic quality and the mix choices, it can be compared to Beck's "Sea Change", though I hasten to add that I don't believe it's quite that good (though more listenings are required before a fair appraisal can be given). And while he music itself will likely win me over even more, it didn't reach me in the same way that Beck's album did on the very first lesson.

It's a very nice sounding SACD with a multichannel mix that makes good use of the surround stage, but subtly so... as I think the music demands. If you're a Gabriel fan, I think you'll find this SACD indispensable, and certainly the best of all in terms of sound quality. Recommended.

[Lewis Besze]

Actualy Up[cd] is far more "lively" then Us is, which was heavily mixed in the "front" with no or little ambiance or "out of phase" sounds,which trick the listener that some sound comes from the far side and even from behind.The MC SACD builds on this platform and take it to a new level of clarity and detail,that got "lost" on the stereo version.
This is a superb mix and recording.
Too bad "Passion" is in 2ch only,that cries out for MC treatment,oh well.

[Rich Malloy]

Quote:

Too bad "Passion" is in 2ch only,that cries out for MC treatment,oh well.

Along with "Melt", this is probably my favorite PG title. As it was mixed for 5.1 for the "Last Temptation" DVD, I was a bit surprised and disappointed that we didn't get a m/c mix on SACD.

[Lewis Besze]

Melt?
Never heard of that,can you fill me in?

[Rich Malloy]

Aw c'mon, Lewis, you know... "3"! :b

(Geez... PG fans are touchy about that stuff!)

[Lewis Besze]

I have that on the remastered cd.Ok, I get it looking at the front cover, thanks.