Frogmort's HT Pad

[frogmort]

Originally Posted by spaceape

I take it you don't care for that song.

Originally Posted by hometheatergeek

[/SPOILER]

I listen to music all the time Joe using Dolby PLx II.

I do that sometimes myself, but it doesn't really compare to listening to an album in true surround sound in high definition.

[aces high]

Originally Posted by frogmort

I'm really amazed at how few people on this site are into music, combined with this new surround technology.




Eurythmics - Would I Lie To You? - YouTube

And here's my ol' standby:

Weezer - We Are All On Drugs - YouTube

Hey Joe,

How's life treating you these days?

These days I listen to music much more than I watch movies, for the past couple of months I haven't had a surround system even set up. I have trouble finding movies I even want to watch lately, all the remakes and sequels just aren't doing it for me.

Not sure if I'm in the minority or majority on this topic but music in surround does nothing for me, I've tried multi channel sacd's and various surround settings on whatever avr/processor I've got on hand at the time. The best on I've used the Anthem surround setting for music, Athem's version does not include an info in the center channel, just the mains and surrounds. The surrounds don't really stick out either but provide some nice ambiance.

Are you big into multi channel sacd's?

I've tried a few and the content that's placed in the surround channels just seems so random sometimes. It's like the producer is using the surrounds just for the sake of using them, the randomness and sometimes just poor use, eg some of the info in the surrounds are the same material that's played in the main channels, so if the artist is playing on the front stage how do they also exist in a different position in the surrounds channels at the same time?

What's your take on music in surround?

[frogmort]

Originally Posted by aces high

Hey Joe,

How's life treating you these days?

These days I listen to music much more than I watch movies, for the past couple of months I haven't had a surround system even set up. I have trouble finding movies I even want to watch lately, all the remakes and sequels just aren't doing it for me.

Not sure if I'm in the minority or majority on this topic but music in surround does nothing for me, I've tried multi channel sacd's and various surround settings on whatever avr/processor I've got on hand at the time. The best on I've used the Anthem surround setting for music, Athem's version does not include an info in the center channel, just the mains and surrounds. The surrounds don't really stick out either but provide some nice ambiance.

Are you big into multi channel sacd's?

I've tried a few and the content that's placed in the surround channels just seems so random sometimes. It's like the producer is using the surrounds just for the sake of using them, the randomness and sometimes just poor use, eg some of the info in the surrounds are the same material that's played in the main channels, so if the artist is playing on the front stage how do they also exist in a different position in the surrounds channels at the same time?

What's your take on music in surround?

How's it been going Aces?

Oh yes, I've been very much on a surround sound music kick here lately. Simulated surround can be kind of interesting I guess, but can't compare to a real multi-channel remixing to me, if done right. I also really enjoy a lot of live concerts, but most of the surround info is usually just crowd noise and some reverb/delay, so in that sense, it's not really about the surround mix.

To me where it really shines is when someone who really knows what they are doing takes the original multi-track tapes and tastefully and appropriately steers the various discrete sounds in logical ways to the various channels around the room. I've heard some mixes that were too gimicky or just like doubled stereo, but I have also heard some that sounded very true to the original source material, very true to the different levels of each instrument, and to me, it can be very engulfing, and with the different instruments not all fighting to be heard coming out of only two speakers can be very revealing of tiny details in the mix.

Steven Wilson, the front-man of the band Porcupine Tree has been one of the main go-to guys these days for remixing classic albums in high-def 5.1, and I think he's one of the best. He stays very true to the original intents of the original album's sound. From what I've read, he goes back to the original tracks, and doesn't even "remaster", or eq, or even level adjust any of the instruments almost all of the time. All he does is steer the different sounds around the entire soundfield.

An general example would be having the lead vocal coming from the center channel, a rhythm guitar more in the right front channel with a touch in the right rear, a keyboard part in the left front channel with a touch in the left rear, a first harmony vocal part in the right rear, a second harmony part in the left rear, a conga drum part in the left rear, and a shaker in the right rear. A lot of the time, the general overall sound might be a touch front heavy with a spacious front imaging field, and the ocasional panning from one speaker to another around the room for certain things, like a solo guitar, but the way he does it is so natural and tasteful that it never sounds like the overall mix is in anyway detached from the original mix.

Some of my favorites that I have, or have heard on blu-ray that sound really great to me are (not just Steven Wilson remixes):



I also have this one, but there is a problem with the phase from improper encoding, but they're sending me a fixed version:



I also have these two on the way to me in the mail:



I refuse to buy any blu-rays of any classic albums that haven't been remixed in 5.1 properly. I'll just stick with CDs for two channel.

Although I don't have the equipment to decode DVD-A/SACD 5.1, a friend of mine does, and he's made me some lossless 5.1 flac discs that my BD player will play. Some of my favorites are

[Show spoiler]Steely Dan: Gaucho, Queen: A Night at the Opera/The Game, Jethro Tull: Aqualung, Pink Floyd: Division Bell, The Beatles: Love, Beck: Sea Change, King Crimson: Court of the Crimson King/ Lizard/ Islands/ Lark's Tongues in Aspic/ Red, Porcupine Tree: Lighbulb Sun/ In Absentia/ Deadwing/ Fear of a Blank Planet, and a few more.

Anyway, as you can see, I am very much into properly done surround sound studio albums here lately. At first, I just didn't really see the point, since the albums were originally mixed for 2.0, but after hearing some really well done remixes, it's been an absolute revelation and a revolution for me, and I've come to have a new appreciation for albums I've heard thousands of times, and new interest in new music that I haven't heard before, and it's really given me a lot more excitement for my HT/listening room. I also sometimes get that giddy feeling like I used to way back in the day when I would get a new record and couldn't wait to get home to spin it.

Damn, rambled on there a bit, didn't I? It's just nice for me to have something new to get excited about.

[spaceape]

Originally Posted by frogmort

I take it you don't care for that song.

It's fine i guess. I just don't like the exposure pop music is getting today.

Im much more of an real instruments kind of guy.

[frogmort]

Originally Posted by spaceape

It's fine i guess. I just don't like the exposure pop music is getting today.

Im much more of an real instruments kind of guy.

Well, pop is short for popular, so over exposure is really what it's all about I guess.

I completely agree about real instruments. I'm a drummer and play real drums, and most of the music I like is old school deranged manic insanity stuff, with real instruments of course. I do enjoy some psychotic robot spaceship industrial glitch craziness sometimes too though.

[sandman922]

Originally Posted by frogmort

Who's Behind The Door? by Zebra - YouTube

Haven't heard any zebra in ages

[frogmort]

Originally Posted by sandman922

Haven't heard any zebra in ages

I love that freakin' song! Listening to some Prince right now though.

The Beautiful Ones. Why can't you find the original Prince songs on youtube? He must be a legality doucher, or something.

[spaceape]

The Walking Dead Drum Remix Dylan Taylor - YouTube

[frogmort]

Originally Posted by spaceape

The Walking Dead Drum Remix Dylan Taylor - YouTube

la sandia de frank - YouTube

[spaceape]

Have a great weekend Joe!

[frogmort]

Thanks Tommy.

I've had a really rough week , but I'm off for the next 3 days.

I just picked these up today:

[Waboman]

What's hoppin', Frogger?

Nice haul on the blu's. Open a bottle of bubbly and celebrate.

[Travis]

Originally Posted by frogmort

Thanks Tommy.

I've had a really rough week , but I'm off for the next 3 days.

I just picked these up today:

Cool!

Just watched Twelve Monkeys yesterday!

[frogmort]

Originally Posted by Waboman

What's hoppin', Frogger?

Nice haul on the blu's. Open a bottle of bubbly and celebrate.

Thanks. That's hilarious.

Originally Posted by Travis

Cool!

Just watched Twelve Monkeys yesterday!

Thanky. I used to have 12 Monkeys, but just rebought it. I also just picked up this over 3 hour movie, but need to be in bed in 4 hours. Not sure if I want to make it my whole night tonight.

[Travis]

Originally Posted by frogmort

Thanks. That's hilarious.



Thanky. I used to have 12 Monkeys, but just rebought it. I also just picked up this over 3 hour movie, but need to be in bed in 4 hours. Not sure if I want to make it my whole night tonight.

That's a long movie. I'd save it. Last night, I just watched an episode of Star Trek and called it a night.

[Waboman]

Originally Posted by frogmort

Thanks. That's hilarious.



I also just picked up this over 3 hour movie, but need to be in bed in 4 hours. Not sure if I want to make it my whole night tonight.

I picked that up today too (Steelbook version) Probably should open and watch my Hobbit 1 EE.

[DangeRuss]

RIBBIT!!!!!!! good buddy

How's things ?

[spaceape]

Wyatt plays Pantera - YouTube

[frogmort]

Originally Posted by Travis

That's a long movie. I'd save it. Last night, I just watched an episode of Star Trek and called it a night.

I did. This is my least favorite of PJ's Middle-earth films, but the extended bits did help it out a little. As a hard-core Tolkienite, it's way too far removed from the book for me, much more so than any of the others, but I'm starting to come around I guess.

Originally Posted by Waboman

I picked that up today too (Steelbook version) Probably should open and watch my Hobbit 1 EE.

I've enjoyed all of the extended versions more than the theatricals. If you're going to delve into Middle-earth, especially with PJ, you shouldn't be in any kind of hurry.

Originally Posted by DangeRuss

RIBBIT!!!!!!! good buddy

How's things ?

Howdy Russ. Just been working a lot and being real tired. 12 hours today, 10 hours tomorrow, but then it's going to be party time! (Off on Wenesday, so )

Originally Posted by spaceape

[Show spoiler]

Wyatt plays Pantera - YouTube

[Show spoiler]

That is a vulgar amount of cuteness.

[frogmort]

Just picked this up on blu-ray today:



It's going to be the pièce de résistance of my partying time tomorrow night.

I've avoided all clips in anticipation of my first experience being with the 5.1 hi-def blu-ray audio.