Eagles and Hootie DVD-Audio discs really coming out 12/11 and 12/18, respectively? (1 Viewer)

[KeithH]

Michael, yeah, and this was on the lowly Technics DVD-A10! Amazing, huh? Then again, the '777ES is only a Sony, so both suck.
As for posting on Audio Asylum, I won't bother. I have backed off on my posting on Audio Asylum. On occasion, a thread interests me, so I'll partake. Also, every so often, I have a question that I feel would fit better there than here, but for the most part, I have grown tired of Audio Asylum.
I haven't kept up with the Dave Matthews Band lately. They're on the list, but so are a lot of other artists. There's too much stuff out there to keep up with, even without SACD and DVD-Audio.

 

[Michael_T]

There is a definite edge to the vocals on the DVD-Audio disc (it's apparent on the CD too), which could be inherent to the recording

This is the understatement of the year!! It was more like a "knifes edge" to the vocals. I listened to the surround track, and part of the stereo track, and it was a wonder my ears aren't bleeding.

I am sorry to say, notwithstanding the fact that Keith found this DVD-A to be superior to the CD (even played on a 777ES), that this DVD-A goes to the bottom of my list for sonics on a DVD-Audio disc. The surround mix, which at times, is fine, also is not one of the better mixes. Possibly due to the harshness of this disc, when certain vocals and instruments were mixed to all 5 main channels at once, the "ear bleeding" factor quadrupled.

This disc, Hootie and the Blowfish, gave me a new perspective on the high quality of the Eagles disc, which previously I felt the surround mix was only fair. I listened to the Eagles DVD-A in surround right after Hootie and the Eagles disc sounded as smooth as the proverbial "baby's bottom". Where the Hootie disc made me want to cover my ears, the Eagles disc made me smile from ear to ear.

Even so, I will be keeping the Hootie disc, since it is a musically satisfying release - I just wish it sounded better.

Well, you win some and you lose some. This one, Hootie and the Blowfish, just happens to be a loss. I would hide this disc if I were planning on showing off the strengths of DVD-Audio to a non-believer.

 

[KeithH]

Michael, I agree with your sentiments, although I have not yet listened to the surround-sound mixes on the Eagles or Hootie discs. I have to wonder if the Hootie disc would have been better had the stereo track been done in 24/192. It might have been better, but probably would still have exhibited the harshness. Anyway, it sounds like you don't have the Hootie CD. If not, I think you should buy it to compare the two stereo versions. I feel that will give you an appreciation for the DVD-Audio version. To my ears, the CD in the '777ES sounded good, but flatter and less involving than the DVD-Audio version.

 

[Michael_T]

Anyway, it sounds like you don't have the Hootie CD

I used to have the Hootie CD, but I traded it away years ago. I got very tired of it, and at the time didn't think it was that great considering all the hype and overexposure the band was getting at the time.

When it came out on DVD-A, my interest in the disc was piqued. My listening to it today, made me see that musically it wasn't as pedestrian as I remembered it to be, but sonically, Whew.

I don't think I will be spending additional money on the CD, and I have read enough of your posts to respect your opinions. So I believe you when you say the DVD-Audio is that much better than the CD. Maybe a few more listens to both the stereo and the surround mixes on the Hootie DVD-A will give me a different perspective, but I guess I will still think it to be one of the poorer sounding DVD-Audio discs to date.

 

[KeithH]

Fair enough, Michael. At this point, I agree that the Hootie DVD-Audio disc is not one of the better out there. Of course, I only have 15 other DVD-Audio discs to compare it to, not nearly as many as you have. So, I will also take your word for it in comparing the Hootie to others. While on the subject, which DVD-Audio discs do you feel are the best sonically? I am especially interested in your thoughts on stereo tracks. Thanks in advance.

 

[Michael_T]

which DVD-Audio discs do you feel are the best sonically

I will list, not in any particular order, the discs I feel to be sonically better than most:

The Eagles - "Hotel California" - 192/24 stereo track is sonically better than the surround track.

Fleetwood Mac - "Rumors" - stereo track is very good, surround track is good too (but there is way too much bass - causing me to turn my sub down)

Willie Nelson - "Night and Day" - nice warm sound - but a short disc - instrumental country swing. Stereo track is only 44.1/16 as requested by Willie since it was recorded direct to DAT and he didn't want the stereo track remixed or upsampled. (I got this free as one of the promotions Technics was running for buying the DVD-A10).

Steely Dan - "Two Against Nature".

Toy Matinee - a "lost classic" which very few people are familiar with. Caution though, this is the first DTS DVD-Audio disc and does not have a DVD-Audio stereo track. Surround mix is 48/24, but still sounds very good. (The only stereo mix on the disc is Dolby Digital 2.0).

America - "Homecoming" - nice clean, clear and crisp sound in both surround and 192/24 stereo. A short album. I broke down and finally bought this after telling myself I was going to pass - I am glad I bought it.

BB King and Eric Clapton - "Riding with The King". Better than the CD - and a great album if you like either Clapton or B.B. I would also say that Clapton's "Reptile" sounds very similiar to "Riding with the King" - but lacks a bit overall in matching the sonics of the Clapton/King DVD-A.

Grateful Dead - "American Beauty" and "Workingman's Dead". And I say this truthfully, not just because I am a big Dead fan. These discs truly sound amazing. I hope my opinion isn't clouded by my love for this music, and if they weren't as good as they should be I would have reported that fact. I might consider these discs to be two of the better sounding Warner's DVD-Audio discs. Stereo 96/24 beats the CDs hands down, and the surround mix is great, with one caveat - the vocals are mixed to all 4 or 5 main speakers most of the time - so they sort of float above and in your head, as opposed to in front of you.

Deep Purple - "Machine Head". Great surround mix - even though it is fairly aggresive. Stereo mix is the same as the new re-masters and sounds, when I made the comparison, relatively the same. So if stereo is what you are mainly interested in you might want to pass on this one.

Blue Man Group - "Audio". A stunner - that will give all 6 speakers a real workout. Unfortunately, it is a surround only release - and was intended that way. No stereo mix - sorry - but it appears from the video and extras on the disc, the Blue Man Group (who are a touring performance art group more than a "real" band) conceptualized the album "Audio" to be a surround disc (even though the stereo redbook CD came out first).

Lastly,

Metallica - "The Black Album". The stereo mix betters the CD. The surround mix is very good, but the cymbals seem to be mixed a bit hot, and there can be a touch of harshness with the more densly mixed songs.

All the other DVD-Audio discs I own sound good - but either are not as good as the discs mentioned above, or don't include stereo mixes. I know you have asked about Foreigner 4, but I feel this one is just a notch or two above the Hootie disc - it might be better than the CD, but it isn't a sonic killer on DVD-Audio. BUT, there are two bonus tracks on the Foreigner disc that were recorded a year or two ago by Mick Jones and Lou Gramm in Mick's home studio - and they sound better than the album proper.

By the way, I just listened to the new MCH SACDs of the Isley Bros and the OJAYS, and if you have any interest at all in this music, you should definitely add these discs to your ever growing list. They are very good, and include many classic funk/r&b tunes from the 1970's.

 

[KeithH]

Michael, thanks for the info. I have many of the DVD-Audio discs you listed as your best-sounding titles, but I do appreciate the insight, seeing as you have a large collection. I will have to pick up the America and Clapton discs at some point. In time, I'll get Foreigner 4 just because I like the music. Foreigner Foreigner is not one of my better-sounding DVD-Audio discs, but I like the music.

People have been raving about the OJays SACD over on Audio Asylum. The music may not be my cup of tea, so this may be one of those discs I buy for sonics first and music second. I've done that before with some high-resolution music, and in many cases, I've grown to like the music.

 

[PatrickM]

I have to agree on the America and Clapton's Reptile discs. Very nice.

Its interesting that the Clapton disc is only 24/88.2 on surround and stereo considering its a new release.

I'm hoping for more and more new releases on DVD-A but we'll have to see.

Patrick

 

[John Geelan]

I just want to post a problem I had with my copy of The Eagles dvda.
I put it on the other day and the suround version was great. I then switched to the stereo version and their were very noticeable pops and clicks, my wife kiddingly said that it does sound like vinyl
I cleaned the disc but the sound problem was still there. My RP91 plays everything flawlessly so I concured it must be a defective disk. So back it went to Tower and the new one I picked up plays fine in stereo.
So it was a strange problem, the first I've encountered with dvda.
I could swear I had played the stereo version once before without this clicking sound. So it is strange that it suddenly appeared after owning that disc for 3 weeks.
I will keep an ear out for my new copy and see if this problem creeps up again.
JohnG

 

[John Tillman]

Michael_T:

Thanks for that DVD-A list. I see some on that list that I should pick up such as: Clapton & King, America and Willie Nelson.

I don't remember seeing Nelson's disc on the shelves. Was it only a promo? Hope not. How does it compare to Nelson's Starlight SACD, which I have seen?

Keith:

I hope to order materials to make interconnects very soon. To jockey cables back and forth (DVD-A to/from SACD) can be frustrating, the Rat Shack switches are a must. I've listened to an assortment of redbook holiday music on the C555ES lately, leaving me quite impressed with many vocals, especially female.

 

[KeithH]

John, glad to hear the 'C555ES is working out so well. I got tired quickly of switching cables between the one set of 5.1-channel inputs on my receiver. The Radio Shack switch boxes are great. Hope they work for you.

 

[Michael_T]

I don't remember seeing Nelson's disc on the shelves. Was it only a promo? Hope not. How does it compare to Nelson's Starlight SACD, which I have seen?

The Willie Nelson DVD-A has been out for awhile, and you can get information on the surroundedby web site:
www.surroundedby.com
I have seen it in many stores, and also at many on-line retailers. I know www.dvdplanet.com has it available.
So this was not a Promo, although I did get my copy with a mail in for 3 free DVD-A discs with the purchase of the Technics DVD-A10 - and since the selection was small (6 discs in all) I picked up the Willie Nelson, since there wasn't much else to choose from.
Not being a big Willie Nelson fan, the only thing I can tell you is that "Stardust" (I think that is the title you were refering to) is more MOR oriented - with songs that would appeal to a more mass audience. Night and Day is strictly instrumental, in a country/jazz swing way, and might not be as accessible to as large an audience as "Stardust".

 

[Michael_T]

Well I have a bit of an update on the Hootie and the Blowfish DVD-A.

I listened to it for the first time in 96/24 stereo (after listening to it 3 times in surround) and I was astounded at the quality difference.

This DVD-A is so much more listenable in stereo than it is with the new surround mix. It appears, that even though the stereo mix still has a harsh edge to the vocals, it is a much more enjoyable and musical experience. Somehow, during the creation of the surround mix, even though created by Don Gehman - the original producer of this album, the high frequencies took on a much 'hotter' distinctly harsher edge. Listening to the surround mix at a fairly loud volume, as I am prone to do, yielding a somewhat unpleasant experience. But listening to the stereo mix at the same volume, left me feeling very satisfied.