What are your most recent Hi-Res purchases? - Page 210

I stick with THX modes as my rear surrounds are "collocated" as per THX ASA specs.

Jeff

Bill, I don't think the listening modes add ambiance, at least that's not my impression. (My old Pioneer SR-101 did!) The modes extract ambiance and the more natural and organic the ambiance that is on the recording, the better. But yes, we are into preferences here WRT listening modes and especially with applying them to 2-ch content.

Along with the envelopment from all channels firing, I can achieve a higher SPL, and the subwoofers seem to have more to do in MCH mode.

Jeff

Jeff,

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on this one . But I still believe that when offering thoughts on stereo SACDs it would be best to mention you are using 5/7 speakers opposed to just two .

Bill

I really like the PLIIx mode on the 4311 as well. I like the ability to tweak in the "music" mode and adjust center width.

Just purchased "The Nightfly" by Donald Fagen. The Japanese SACD.
Sonically sublime.Really enjoying this.

Well, OK, I can understand that some, ahem .. purists might find that helpful.

Jeff

I have my rear surrounds collocated as per THX ASA specs, so I stick with THX modes. An upcoming redo of the theater rear will separate them to Dolby/Audyssey/Whomever recommendations,a nd that will allow me to experiment. DTS: NEO (?) is getting a lot of buzz.

Jeff

Jeff,

I'm far from a purist as I use Audyssey and my sub for stereo music listening. Do you consider someone that likes to listen to stereo music in stereo to be a purist? The point that you are missing is that with a stereo SACD you are "extracting" two channels of ambiance and "creating" three to five more channels of "ambiance". So you could listen to a sub par stereo SACD using a DSP mode and that will totally alter the soundstage and the imaging IMO. The same could be said for someone that comments that they felt Roxy Music's Avalon SACD didn't sound that great. But in their thoughts they forgot to mention they listened to Avalon in stereo not in multichannel .

Bill

Hmm, I gotta try that and see if I like it. Thanks bud

Dan

Bill, perhaps we are down to semantics? Or maybe your or my understanding is incorrect? As far as I know. a good algorithm isn't creating any content like DSP modes such as "Jazz Hall" or "Night Club" etc, etc would, and I don't consider "extracting" to be a negative. So, I am not missing your point, I simply don't agree with it.

I take your point that mentioning applying a listening mode to stereo content could be helpful when commenting on how it sounds. As for someone downmixing MCH to stereo and then saying it sounded bad/flat/whatever, I don't know that I would ever think to ask them that.

Yes, I would consider someone who listens to stereo content in stereo on a surround system to be a purist. But for me, "purist" carries only good connotations.

Jeff

It's interesting (or frustrating) how different these "guidelines" can be.

Bill, MCH SACD's have STEREO layers?

It's if I refer to you as an "audiophile" you should be offended.

And expensive too as it has lead me to having two different pair of surrounds that I manually swap (and load individual Audyssey calibrations) for Hi-res MCH music and movies/concert videos.

Jeff

C'mon Bill-everybody's doing it .

Jeff,

Don't believe it. I heard it is just another vicious audio rumour .


I hear you there. I just don't have the room for cable lifts and Shakti Stones maybe some day .

Steve,

The next time I have a listening session I'll be "doing it" for sure. I'll post my impressions when I do . I'm a fine example for my 14 year old as far as peer pressure goes .

Bill

Maybe try "doing it" with the Pink Floyd/Animals redbook . In all seriousness, a fun experiment is to listen to the difference between PLIIx on a 2-channel disc and the discrete MCH mix of that same disc. Try not to necessarily compare overall SQ between the two but the difference in the mix. Some info below specifically about the "music" mode:

Music mode has the added feature of allowing you to adjust the audio for your specific preferences and environment with three additional user controls:

Dolby Center Width lets you control the balance of the main vocals in the center and front channels for more natural sound.

Dolby Panorama creates a seamless, wraparound surround effect.

Dolby Dimension lets you adjust for a deeper or shallower surround soundfield depending on the size of your listening environment.
Edited by holt7153 - 11/5/12 at 6:52pm

I find PLII Music (adjusted to my taste) an effective way of getting MCH audio from 2CH sources about 95% of the time. Every once in a while, I come across a song or whole album that does not sound very good (almost as if the algorithm gets "confused") but it is my default setting for listening to music in the HT room. For straight 2 channel, I go to the living room system. Best of both worlds, really.\

Still, a discrete MCH mix bests any PLII matrix of a 2CH mix in every case I've made a direct comparison (with one exception--the MCH mix of Shaman by Santana on DVD-A is not well-done at all, IMO. It's the only time I've encountered a discrete MCH mix that I did not prefer to the 2CH).

Steve you're using the redbook gate way approach huh!

Dan

What AVR/ Processor are you using? Oh and I agree, I was surprise how great it sounds with some disc.

Dan

I'm listening to my redbook version of "The Nightfly" right now in PLII Music mode in anticipation of the DVD-A version that should arrive tomorrow or Wednesday. This is one album that has never grown old on me and I think it's going to be a whole "New Frontier" when I hear this in surround on the new format!

I've just recently started using PLII for 2CH music (Anthem MRX-500/Oppo 93). I'm feeling a little guilty as I've always considered myself a musical purist, but lately it's just more fun to listen to music this way, especially after recently shelling out money on the following MCH recordings (2-ch seems light in comparison):

David Gilmour, "Live at the Royal Albert Hall" (blu-ray)
Jeff Beck, "Live at Ronnie Scotts" (blu-ray)
Rush, "Snakes and Arrows Live" (blu-ray)
Steven Wilson, "Get All You Deserve" (blu-ray)
Norah Jones, "Come Away With Me" (m-ch SACD)
Porcupine Tree, "Fear of a Blank Planet" (DVD-A)
Patricia Barber, "Modern Cool" (blu-ray) My reference blu-ray!
Sara K., "Made in the Shade" (blu-ray)
Lee Ritenour, "Overtime" (blu-ray)
Dire Straits, "Brothers In Arms" (m-ch SACD)

Throw in about a half-dozen stereo SACD's I've purchased in the last 2 months and it's starting to look like an addiction.

All the above purchased since mid-August

Oh...And I forgot..Today the 40th Anniversary "Thick as a Brick" arrived!
Edited by scirica - 11/5/12 at 7:15pm

Just give 'em a taste, Dan-they'll be back

Interesting, I didn't know this had come out. Guess I'm behind the times...Can you post your findings here? Now I'm wondering if I should buy this disk as well.

I agree, this album stays fresh over time.
Edited by Reeltrooper - 11/6/12 at 9:13am

You and me are both behind the times. This was apparently released in 2002! I'll certainly post my findings here!

I.G.Y. on DVD-A is superb.

BTW, if you can get your hands on any of the OOP Steely Dan DVD-A's, I think you will enjoy them immensely. To me, Steely Dan was meant for hi res mch .... the only way I listen to them nowadays.

I am certainly on the lookout for the Steely Dan titles on DVD-A. Probably not too many people looking to sell though!

Amazon shows 2 Gaucho SACD left at $32. And is selling the DVD-A version for $17.50.
Edited by pepar - 11/6/12 at 10:46am