High-Res Audio discussion: Blu-ray Audio, SACD, DVD Audio, and HI-Resolution audio files discussion (1 Viewer)

[Wes Candela]

I did get the remix. I hadn’t listened to it in years, and the first thing I said once it was over was, “I forgot how weird that album is.”

Yeah, it is
it’s not my Pink Floyd cup of tea

 

[jcroy]

In my mind, I'm still accustomed to original "fake stereo" versions on the first two Beatles albums. When I was really young, I got a "Twist and Shout" and "Long Tall Sally" records which were from Canada. (It was given to me by well meaning relatives).

Twist and Shout (album) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

The Beatles' Long Tall Sally - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

A lot of the tracks on "Twist and Shout" sounded like one speaker had all the instruments, while the vocals were in the other speaker.

On the "Long Tall Sally" record, it had a "fake stereo" which sounded like the lower end bass was in one speaker, while the higher end was in the other speaker.

 

[jcroy]

So the first time I heard the cds of "Please Please Me" and "With The Beatles" back in the 1980s, I thought they sounded somewhat "alien" to what I remember. For example, the title track of please please me was from a different take than the version on the fake stereo "Twist and Shout" record I had.

 

[Wes Candela]

A lot of the tracks on "Twist and Shout" sounded like one speaker had all the instruments, while the vocals were in the other speaker.

Right.
Most of the early albums had that strong "Eleanor Rigby " stereo effect.



Sergeant Peppers, Rubber Soul & Revolver.
And prior.
Vocals on left.
Drums on right.

When you listen to the remixes, they’ve panned the instruments & vocals center to the listening environment.

But it’s to the point where you can't hear the stereo separation in some sections.

and then in other sections, specifically Strawberry Fields, it's like they've put everything to the right channel for a minute of the song and you wonder if your earbuds are not working right.

I just prefer the original mixes...

However:
I've read when the Beatles listened back to their albums, they always listened back to them in mono.

This is interesting to me because...
if that’s how they preferred to hear it...

I'd like to give the mono versions a another listen.

 

[Joe Wong]

Thanks brother @Wes Candela for this thread!

My favourite hi-res discs (for sonic quality) include:

Alison Krauss: Live on SACD
Roy Orbison: Black & White Night SACD

And back when I had a basement HT with 7.2 setup, the following concert Blu-rays sounded exquisite:

Celine Dion: Live in Las Vegas (24/96)
Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds: Live at Radio City (24/96)
David Foster: Hit Man & Friends (24/48)

 

[Wes Candela]

Thanks brother @Wes Candela for this thread!

My favourite hi-res discs (for sonic quality) include:

Alison Krauss: Live on SACD
Roy Orbison: Black & White Night SACD

And back when I had a basement HT with 7.2 setup, the following concert Blu-rays sounded exquisite:

Celine Dion: Live in Las Vegas (24/96)
Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds: Live at Radio City (24/96)
David Foster: Hit Man & Friends (24/48)

Brother @Joe Wong !!!
Great to hear from you!
David Foster…St. Elmos Fire love theme?
Dave Matthews...excellent.
Roy and Allison
That must be beautiful listening.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Regarding remixes, I really enjoy the new mix on Roy Orbison's Black & White Night 30. His sweet vocals are more pronounced than the original mix from 30 years previously. It sounds terrific.

 

[Wes Candela]

Regarding remixes, I really enjoy the new mix on Roy Orbison's Black & White Night 30. His sweet vocals are more pronounced than the original mix from 30 years previously. It sounds terrific.

I agree completely Scott
When a “remix” is done, utilizing the vast amount of new and great technology we have at our disposal today,
Akin to scanning a film's original camera negative and bringing out details that were not previously possible,
That's the treasure of this digital age.

Taking Roy Orbison's recording from 30 years ago and carefully brining out the details that were buried previously is why I personally love restorations and remixes...when done right.

Again, I'm gonna point to The Doors remixes.
They were originally remixed on "The Doors Perception" box set. All the albums. Every track.

The intro that was cut from "L.A. Woman", the lines from the chorus of "Break On Through" that were cut from the release in '67 are now put back

Instead of "She gets....She gets....she gets...."
We now have "She gets high! She gets high! She gets high!"

The clarity is amazing and the recording sound like they were made last year.

Especially listening to it in 96kHz 24bit, it's sonically pristine.

Just my preference personally.

But back to Roy, his beautiful voice must sound amazing now.

I'd love to hear it.

 

[jcroy]

Again, I'm gonna point to The Doors remixes.
They were originally remixed on "The Doors Perception" box set. All the albums. Every track.

The weirdest most jarring case, was the 2006 remix of "Light My Fire" which was mixed at its original tape speed. Purportedly on the vinyl and cd versions over the 1970s through the early 2000s which I was accustomed to (from listening to the album over a thousand times), it was cut at slightly slower speed corresponding to a semitone lower.

I found the 2006 remix at the original tape speed, somewhat hard to listen to. It doesn't seem like the same song as I remembered.

 

[Wes Candela]

I found the 2006 remix at the original tape speed, somewhat hard to listen to. It doesn't seem like the same song as I remembered.

OK, I just decided to take some time and make a video on YouTube to offer a few segments from both the original and remixed versions of

"Break on through "
"LA woman "
"Five to one"

Mostly for anybody that hasn't heard it because I keep referring to it

I made the cuts pretty quick so you could do a quick comparison, and I do suggest listening with headphones if possible

 

[jcroy]

In terms of the debut album, the tape speed discrepancy is most noticable on "Light My Fire" (LMF).

On the vinyl and cd versions from the 1970s through the 1990s, LMF sounds like it was played in a key of A-flat minor. When I transcribed the bass and guitar lines, I found it was easier to play when the strings were tuned down a semitone.

In contrast on a few real live Doors performances found on youtube, one from 1993 (with Eddie Vedder singing with the three living Doors members) sounded like it was played in a key of A minor. From watching Ray Manzarek playing during the solos sections, one hand is playing a rhythm replicating the "bass line". Looking closely, Manzarek was only playing the white keys on this rhythm hand, which looks like he was playing in a key of A minor.

On the 2006 remix of LMF with the tape speed corrected in the mix, the bass and guitar lines sound like they are being played in a key of A minor.

 

[jcroy]

On a guitar or keyboard at standard tunings, A-flat minor is somewhat more awkward to play compared to just A minor.

On a piano the notes of A minor are just the white keys, with no black keys. The second thickest string on a six-string guitar is A when hit open.

(This is one big reason why keyboard heavy pop/rock songs, are frequently written in C major or A minor keys).


Likely what happened with the late-1960s / 1970s era vinyl of the Doors debut album, the tape speed was slowed down slightly on Light My Fire where it ended up sounding like it was played in A-flat minor. Much easier to do than to change the tuning on an old organ/piano of that era.

 

[Wes Candela]

On a guitar or keyboard at standard tunings, A-flat minor is somewhat more awkward to play compared to just A minor.

On a piano the notes of A minor are just the white keys, with no black keys. The second thickest string on a six-string guitar is A when hit open.

(This is one big reason why keyboard heavy pop/rock songs, are frequently written in C major or A minor keys).


Likely what happened with the late-1960s / 1970s era vinyl of the Doors debut album, the tape speed was slowed down slightly on Light My Fire where it ended up sounding like it was played in A-flat minor. Much easier to do than to change the tuning on an old organ/piano of that era.

I think and I might be wrong, because I did not get into the doors until Oliver Stone made the film and I saw it in 70 mm at a local theater. That is of course no longer there.
The cinema 150 in Syosset, New York

I was 16 or 17 at the time

I bought the soundtrack and then bought the greatest hits

Rest in peace, Val Kilmer, beautiful soul

 

[Mike Frezon]

THIS arrived from Amazon today. Today is release day.

In a word, fantastic.

I am a fan of aggressive surround mixes. While some surround mixes attempt to create a concert hall experience with the musicians in the front and ambient sounds in the surrounds, I subscribe to the notion of The Grateful Dead's Mickey Hart who says he like to put instruments in each speaker in a surround mix to give the listener the impression that he's on-stage with the band. And this release delivers that. Clean and immersive.

Makes me feel old that this music is 55 years old.

 

[Wes Candela]

The Grateful Dead's Mickey Hart who says he like to put instruments in each speaker in a surround mix to give the listener the impression that he's on-stage with the band. And this release delivers that. Clean and immersive.

I couldn’t agree more, Mike
I used to argue that they could remix albums properly, putting them in 5.1 by simply putting each individual instrument in a speaker channel

Why not?
If you’re gonna put it in 5.1, make it worth it.

Something like kind of blue Miles Davis, if they’ve got the elements for each of the instruments

That would sound very interesting in 5.1 if they separated the instruments into the different channels

Right

Instead of endless echoes

 

[Wes Candela]

Makes me feel old that this music is 55 years old.

I feel you on this…
I really feel you on this.

LETHAL WEAPON
I used to identify with Mel Gibson‘s Martin Riggs

Now I identify with Danny Glover’s detective Murtaugh.

The first film, he was turning 50.

We’re older…yes.
We’re wiser.

“And the young,
they can lose hope because they can’t see beyond today.
it’s wisdom that the old can’t give away.”

- Pearl Jam, 2003
Love Boat Captain

 

[Scott Merryfield]

THIS arrived from Amazon today. Today is release day.

In a word, fantastic.

I am a fan of aggressive surround mixes. While some surround mixes attempt to create a concert hall experience with the musicians in the front and ambient sounds in the surrounds, I subscribe to the notion of The Grateful Dead's Mickey Hart who says he like to put instruments in each speaker in a surround mix to give the listener the impression that he's on-stage with the band. And this release delivers that. Clean and immersive.

Makes me feel old that this music is 55 years old.

Very nice. I have the Rhino DVD-Audio release of this album. Haven't listened to it in quite awhile, so will have to give it a spin soon.

 

[Wes Candela]

One of my favorite soundtracks (god bless them) is the Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross score for David Fincher’s “THE SOCIAL NETWORK”, 2010

It was released in Blu-ray Audio in Stereo & 5.1 @ 24bit 96000Hz

The-Social-Network soundtrack

I've taken the stereo 24/96 mix of the album and made a lossless audio file from it so I can take it with me and listen wherever I go (just like Pink Floyd's dark side and Peter Gabriel's passion)

The 5.1 mixes fantastic, Reznor and Ross have scored quite a few David Fincher films after this team up, all amazing, but this is my favorite.

Your surrounds and your subwoofer are constantly active

Highly recommend.

It looks like you can't get the high resolution mix unless you have this disc or if some streaming service I'm not aware of is offering it.
(Although when I look online and Amazon to see how to purchase it now, it's out of print and you have to buy from somebody that already owns. I'm seeing options from $36 all the way to $750.)

 

[jcroy]

I used to argue that they could remix albums properly, putting them in 5.1 by simply putting each individual instrument in a speaker channel

The most extreme extrapolation of this, is to release albums as the original individual channels from the 24+ raw tracks master tape before the mixdown stage. In such an extreme case, you would have to do your own custom mixdowns into 2-channel stereo, 5.1/7.1 surround, etc ....

I don't believe this will ever happen, other than possibly as an extreme hardcore niche market.

 

[Wes Candela]

The most extreme extrapolation of this, is to release albums as the original individual channels from the 24+ raw tracks master tape before the mixdown stage. In such an extreme case, you would have to do your own custom mixdowns into 2-channel stereo, 5.1/7.1 surround, etc ....

I don't believe this will ever happen, other than possibly as an extreme hardcore niche market.

Dealing with the individual stems

If you had all of those elements

I would say we could make a phenomenal Atmos mix with the right album

This reminds me of when I was podcasting, recording a two hour discussion about films that would go from The Godfather to the latest episode of The Walking Dead to vertigo to the exorcist to Oldboy

We would reference so many different films over the course of two hours, That I felt obliged to take our 96 kHz 32 bit float master vocal recordings...
Make a master mix of them with me, panned to the left him on the right
Create a binaural type of listening experience for the listener
Then editing, re-listening to the discussion, stopping at each reference we made and inserting audio clips from films or tv, music cues and such.

You can drive yourself David Fincher nuts

But the best part was panning where the sounds would go and then listening back

The editing could take three weeks, but the final product was such fun to listen to.


Sorry about that tangent. Thanks for indulging.


Agreed
I don't know how they do the Atmos mixes, but if they went to the original stems of music and audio, and did an Atmos mix which is kind of what they do on the listening, and I just don't know how they do it on the engineering end…

That would be amazing to listen to.

As I find most audio outmost mixes interesting to listen to once
Then I'm done