Led Zeppelin How The West Was Won DVD-A review (1 Viewer)

HankM · Oct 5, 2003

I came across this tonight, looks like I'm gonna be keeping my CD after all.

http://www.highfidelityreview.com/ar...e=led+zeppelin

Chris Elm · Oct 5, 2003

Yes I found that this morning, and I have now decided to hold off on that purchase.:frowning:

Justin Lane · Oct 5, 2003

That had to be one of the worst, most incoherant reviews I have read to date. The author never really made a point as to the recording quality. Was he listening to the surround mix or the stereo mix? He is not clear on that point and I don't think he actually had a clue as to what he was listening.

I love these lines:

As I say, it’s not bad, by any manner of means and it brings home the often repeated axiom that Led Zeppelin were so good that rudimentary chrome tapes of their concerts, taken from a microphone tied to a broomstick held aloft at a live concert were worthy of a listen. Well, they probably were. But we’ve moved on. The Hammer of the Gods was not in the total Digital Domain methinks. I bet the vinyl pressings are wild. And, I wonder. Did anybody tape any of these gigs using a mike on a broomstick?

I think the reviewer is actually recommeding the disc from the above paragraph, but that is not clear. Of course a 30 year old live recording is not going to be the pinnacle of recording quality...who expected that in the first place?

I am still going to pick this disc up, as the referenced review does nothing to clarify the recording qualty, 2 channel versus multichannel, and CD versus DVD-A. Quite useless and incoherant, and I am not sure the reviewer knows what a DVD-A actually is. Does anyone at HFR proofread these articles before putting them up online? I think not.

J

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Doug Schiller · Oct 5, 2003

I agree, a terrible review. I kept trying to scroll down to see if there was more. How could he not at least review the HiRez 2CH version and compare that to the redbook layer?

I take HighFidelity reviews with a grain of salt, they tore Pet Sounds to shred yet I think it is a great DVDA.

I still don't understand how they run that site. This Zep disc isn't released yet and they have a review but 15 Dylan albums (3 of which are arguably in the top 10 albums of all time) are released on SACD Sept 16 and they can't find time to review a single title?

Doug

LarryDavenport · Oct 6, 2003

What Doug said. I read High Fidelity for the news, not the reviews. Plus, someone reviewing something on a Hi-Fi system that would cost me a years salary to reproduce is of no use to me.

ElevSkyMovie · Oct 6, 2003

I agree that the review is rather vague and the author comes across as a pompous ass, but I think in the end, he was saying that the surround mix sucks and the high-rez stereo is no better than the cd version, so why bother with a dvd-a version.

I would probably disagree, but that's his opinion.

Trina · Oct 6, 2003

Well, I'll let my ears be the judge. The review didn't make much sense to me. He went on and on and on about a lot of stuff except the DVD-A. He had very little to say in regards to reviewing the DVD-A compared to the CD version. And what's this about having problems getting it in the player?

T

Kevin C Brown · Oct 6, 2003

I hope someone gets the DVD-A and compares the extra length of those two tracks to the CD to see if it's real or not.

I.e., maybe it's just typos on the packaging, or the "lead ins" for the CD tracks not being counted or something.

Dude sounds like a limey...

Justin Lane · Oct 6, 2003

I agree that the review is rather vague and the author comes across as a pompous ass, but I think in the end, he was saying that the surround mix sucks and the high-rez stereo is no better than the cd version, so why bother with a dvd-a version.

You got that from the review?

My take was the guy did not understand what DVD-A was, and had more to say about the packaging then the actual audio quality. I am still looking for an actual information as to how the 5.1 was mixed.

J

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HankM · Oct 7, 2003

We alll know the source material isn't that great but the performance is second to none. I would like to hear other reviews from our forum members who have it. What I want is the Zep catalog out on hi-rez be it DVD-A or SACD.

Gordon McMurphy · Oct 7, 2003

As I say, it’s not bad, by any manner of means and it brings home the often repeated axiom that Led Zeppelin were so good that rudimentary chrome tapes of their concerts, taken from a microphone tied to a broomstick held aloft at a live concert were worthy of a listen. Well, they probably were. But we’ve moved on. The Hammer of the Gods was not in the total Digital Domain methinks. I bet the vinyl pressings are wild. And, I wonder. Did anybody tape any of these gigs using a mike on a broomstick?

Ramble on! Ramble on!

Getting intellient, incisive reviews of audio and/or visual software is so hard these days. :frowning:

I trust people at sites like this more than anything. People who have actually listened to the music rather than just "heard a few tracks" and then left for a 3-hour lunch.

Gordy

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Dan Stone · Oct 7, 2003

I hope someone gets the DVD-A and compares the extra length of those two tracks to the CD to see if it's real or not.

The Garden Tapes site (http://www.simplyled.net/thegardentapes.html) will certainly have all the info regarding any differences.

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Rich Malloy · Oct 7, 2003

Did you guys also read Stuart's addendum? He agrees with Andy Giles' comments, but puts a finer point on it:

Andy has already mentioned that the recordings show their age, which applies equally to the dedicated stereo track (which offers nothing over the CD counterpart) as it does to the surround alternative, but what most listeners, myself included, are likely to be somewhat disappointed by is the nature of the multi-channel presentation.

What we have, via both the Meridian Lossless Packing and Dolby Digital versions, is largely an augmented, right heavy (due to the prominence of Page’s guitar) L/R mix. There is very little content to be found in the centre channel, but by far the most contentious issue is the contribution made by the surrounds, they carry nothing more than artificially created ambience, and of the worst kind. It’s hard to draw comparisons, but think of the most obnoxious receiver ‘DSP’ “hall” or “stadium” mode and you’re on the right lines.

The Dolby Digital version is worse – and that’s saying something – because the LFE channel has not been pre-filtered in the mastering stage. Contrary to popular belief, Dolby Digital’s bandwidth limited channel does not stonewall at 120Hz (or lower, as is the case with DTS); it can convey frequencies up into the lower midrange region. If you happen to run your LFE channel without a low frequency filter – at 60 or 40Hz in your processor or sub – the result is a conglomerate, muddy mess.

Given the importance of the material, both historically, musically and for the DVD-Audio format, one wonders why it has to suffer the indignity of the woeful multi-channel mix presented on this disc; a high-resolution stereo-only release would have been more fitting and respectful.

I'm curious to hear more opinions on this disc, as I've been waiting to see how the DVD-A compares before purchasing either it or the CD-set. And I don't expect these recordings to sound pristine; I just want to get the version that sounds best.

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Michael_T · Oct 7, 2003

Whoops... seeing how I just bought this today, and opened it already (even though I am at work and can't play it yet), I guess I am stuck with it and, according to HFR, the terrible 5.1 mix.

Oh well, as they say with money (sometimes).. "easy come...easy go".:frowning:

Mike Broadman · Oct 7, 2003

Since I like to have a version of everything I listen to outside the home, I wouldn't regret getting the CDs no matter what. But the DVD-A was going to be an automatic purchase... until this thread. Quite upsetting.

LanceJ · Oct 7, 2003

Well this sucks.

Jeez, why didn't they pick a popular studio album to debut LZ on dvd-audio?? Can you imagine the talk around water coolers: "Yea man, I just listened to 'Stairway' last night in 5.1 surround. It was f****n AWESOME!. You gotta a HT system too? Hell, I'll bring it over tonight then......."

If it's really as bad as the reviewers say, a lot of people (if this is their first exposure to dvd-audio) will play this and wonder what all the fuss concerning hi-res and surround music is about.

And how about a dvd-audio from Tool, Nirvana or Pearl Jam? Not cheap from a royalty perspective I'll bet, but as the saying goes, it takes money to make money.

LJ

Mike Broadman · Oct 7, 2003

And how about a dvd-audio from Tool,

*drool*

Mmm, Parabola in sourround sound... imagine...

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LarryDavenport · Oct 7, 2003

Courtney Love has to get out of rehab before we might get anything by Nirvana. We still don't have DVDs for Sold Out, 1991; The Year Punk Broke, Hype!, or Unplugged (not to mention the Box Set).

Brian L · Oct 7, 2003

Jeez, why didn't they pick a popular studio album to debut LZ on dvd-audio?? Can you imagine the talk around water coolers: "Yea man, I just listened to 'Stairway' last night in 5.1 surround. It was f****n AWESOME!. You gotta a HT system too? Hell, I'll bring it over tonight then......."

I think I would (or hopefully WILL) be sportin' a serious woodrow if they ever put LZ II in hi-rez MC.

I would almost trade a nut to hear the theremin part in the middle of Whole Lotta Love in MC. And there is sooooo much ambience all over that that record.

I read that Page would always mic his speaker cabs with one mic right in front of the cab, and another back a bit, into the room. That should do nicely in the rear channels.

OK, back to the real world now......

BGL

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Tom Foley · Oct 7, 2003

This is such a bummer. This was one of the reasons I upgraded my system! I don't know if I can totally believe that review as well, because I've listened to "Immigrant Song" from HTWWW on the Zeppelin DVD in DTS 5.1 and it sounded fine. I can't say that it was good enough for me to double-dip on this title, but the potential seemed to be there for a great DVD-A track.

I can wait a day or two. In the mean time, anybody who picked up the DVD-A already, please report back on whether it is as disappointing as HFR makes it out to be. The sound engineer promised that the DVD-A was going to be amazing!

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