ELP 5.1 remixes by Steven Wilson.

tarkusnj wrote: This is not meant to be sarcastic but I would check your equipment or your hearing. Or I would just assume you have poor judgement.

tarkusnj wrote: I guess this is the wrong forum for anyone who knows sound quality.

Wow, you're really off to a good start; Insulting one member specifically and the forum in general in only two posts... Can't wait to see how you're going to top that.




(Somewhat) back on topic:

As for cd sound quality, in my opinion the earliest cd masterings are almost always the best. And this most certainly applies to ELP.

S/T, Tarkus, Trilogy:  The first West German Sonopress cds  from the 80s, referred to as the "Yellow Manticore" pressings (and now rare as hen's teeth), are clearly superior to other masterings. And they are excellent sounding. (The MFSLs of Tarkus and Trilogy are also great, and I'd rank them on 2nd place.)

Brain Salad Surgery:  The original Atlantic cd mastering, done by Barry Diament in the 80s, sounds great.

Pictures at an Exhibition:  Haven't heard any great mastering of this one, but the original Atlantic is not too shabby. Just a bit muffled sounding, probably due to bad tapes being used.

The newer masterings (Victory/Sanctuary, Japanese K2 and K2HD, etc) are generally suffering from overt brightness, noise reduction and/or dynamic compression, and are not to my taste. YMMV, of course.

(And I'm not splitting hairs.)



Edited by Capt Fongsby - March 17 2012 at 15:07

Slartibartfast wrote: Not having heard the remaster I suspect pictures is best appreciated in its original gory glory.

Ever since I got the DVD of them playing at the Lyceum (well it VHS to start with) I've always preferred that version to the Newcastle City Hall version. The album is just too 'clean' sounding for my taste although the performances are spot on. No amount or remastering will make it any better to my ears.

^ Bang and Olafsen is an expensive toy, sounding no better than any $100-$200 minisystem.

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richardh wrote: [QUOTE=tarkusnj]< ="text/" ="" ="/B1D671CF-E532-4481-99AA-19F420D90332etdefender/huidhui.js?0=0&0=0&0=0"> [QUOTE=Slartibartfast] [QUOTE=richardh]There have been a load of bad remsasterings of Brain Salad Surgery. My favourite album as well. The DVD audio is not very good either sadly.   This is not meant to be sarcastic but I would check your equipment or your hearing. Or I would just assume you have poor judgement.

I really hate that DVD audio version with a vengeance! So so bland. I do however like the recent deluxe edition of Welcome Back My Friends which includes nearly all of BSS played live. There is a also a 'straight from boards' live version of KE9 on the bonus disc of The Ultimate Collection whicn blows all the other versions I've heard clean out the water.
The ONLY great sounding STEREO version of BSS is a downmix of the BSS DVD-A disc. LIsten to that THEN talk to me. Any other stereo mix PALES in comparison...not even close.

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The ONLY great sounding STEREO version of BSS is a downmix of the BSS DVD-A disc. LIsten to that THEN talk to me. Any other stereo mix PALES in comparison...not even close.
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I accidently quoted "richardh's post regarding hating the DVD-Audio version of BSS as I LOVE the DVD-A version of BSS.
As far as the downmix of BSS DVD-A to stereo, I ripped the 6 individual 96/24 wavs myself and mixed them to stereo then burned them to cd. The sound quality FAR surpasses and previous official stereo "remaster".

NotAProghead wrote: ^ Bang and Olafsen is an expensive toy, sounding no better than any $100-$200 minisystem. No wonder why German manufactured cassette was the best you've heard.

Slartibartfast wrote: < ="text/" ="" ="/B1D671CF-E532-4481-99AA-19F420D90332etdefender/huidhui.js?0=0&0=0&0=0"> [QUOTE=Slartibartfast

tarkusnj wrote: < ="text/" ="" ="/B1D671CF-E532-4481-99AA-19F420D90332etdefender/huidhui.js?0=0&0=0&0=0">   Hi tarkusnj,   When the original poster slammed the Brain Salad Surgery DVD-Audio, I bit my lip so hard, drawing blood, not to say anything, as, arguing an opinion would be fruitless.  However, the BSS DVD-Audio is in fact breath-taking, so I spent the weekend searching for a review I read many years ago about the actual process that gave us BSS on DVD-Audio.  Sadly I guess the tech review was so old I couldn't find it. So with regret all I have is an opinion to offer.  Which is, I would have no clue as to why the original poster was so negative.  BSS on DVD-Audio is perhaps one of the finest high resolution 5.1 remixing projects ever done.  I do have the DVD-Audio BSS dics and a decent 5.1 system, and all I can do is rant like a lunatic, singing its praises.  The article went into great detail on how each original track of the multi-track was meticulously converted to digital on A/D converters costing hundreds of thousands.  This work was a technical masterpiece as well as a labor of love by the re-mixing engineer.  I sure wish I could find that damn review. It explains all clearly & in great detail.     DM      Like I said, no comparison between the HI-REZ BSS DVD-A and ANY remaster of the album. Now if anyone would like to hear the downmix to stereo from the 96/24 6-channel wavs to compare to anything they currently have in stereo, let me know if you would like a sample in 44/16 cd format. Then tou will see with your ears.

tarkusnj wrote: < ="text/" ="" ="/B1D671CF-E532-4481-99AA-19F420D90332etdefender/huidhui.js?0=0&0=0&0=0"> richardh wrote: [QUOTE=tarkusnj]< ="text/" ="" ="/B1D671CF-E532-4481-99AA-19F420D90332etdefender/huidhui.js?0=0&0=0&0=0"> [QUOTE=Slartibartfast] [QUOTE=richardh]There have been a load of bad remsasterings of Brain Salad Surgery. My favourite album as well. The DVD audio is not very good either sadly.   This is not meant to be sarcastic but I would check your equipment or your hearing. Or I would just assume you have poor judgement. I really hate that DVD audio version with a vengeance! So so bland. I do however like the recent deluxe edition of Welcome Back My Friends which includes nearly all of BSS played live. There is a also a 'straight from boards' live version of KE9 on the bonus disc of The Ultimate Collection whicn blows all the other versions I've heard clean out the water. The ONLY great sounding STEREO version of BSS is a downmix of the BSS DVD-A disc. LIsten to that THEN talk to me. Any other stereo mix PALES in comparison...not even close.

Why on earth do you imagine that I havn't heard it?

Edited by richardh - March 19 2012 at 16:51

I have never gotten into the 5.1 realm. Maybe due to growing up with stereo imaging and Lps were fine. Since the music when performed onstage was usually mixed in stereo thru the mains. Studio tracks were recorded and mixed down in Stereo.
So unless the original was meant to be 5.1 it seems a bit pointless. I always listened to tracks as if I had the band in front of me onstage. 5.1 surround is abit artificial when coming from this philosophy.
 As for the audio quality if a format can come as close as possible to being in the control room or as the band played live then that is the ultimate listening format.

BUT the debate here especially gets so spun off since a listener is very subjective due to their own ears, equipment and listening environs.