HiRez Poll Camel - AIR BORN: THE MCA & DECCA YEARS 1973-1984 [Blu-Ray Audio]

[rtbluray]

Please post your thoughts and comments on this new MASSIVE new box set from Camel entitled "Air Born: The MCA & Decca Years 1973-1984".

This 32 disc box set contains 27 CDs and 5 Blu-Ray discs.
The Blu-Rays feature the albums "Camel", "Mirage", "Music Inspired by the Snow Goose", "Moonmadness", and "Nude" remixed in 5.1 surround by one of QQ's favorite engineers @Stephen W Tayler

 

[madscot]

Easiest 10 i’ve ever given

 

[colsky]

Easiest 10 i’ve ever given

You haven't voted in the poll?!

 

[colsky]

Easiest 10 i’ve ever given

What he said! A definite 10 from me too.

5 superb surround mixes, some wonderful remixed live cds, plenty of remastered albums, 2 video blurays, an excellent book and box, all for a better than fair price from one of my favourite bands. Does life get any better than this set, or is that too dramatic!

 

[madscot]

You haven't voted in the poll?!

I hit the 10 and must have forgotten to hit save lol

 

[marpow]

I voted 10.
This is truly what should be defined as a historical history audio/video/hard paper of a very dynamic band, underrated to say the least.

Box Set Paper Content: The #1 visual box set in my collection. Absolutely stunning artwork, colors and style. Great reading, awesome full album cover artwork, pictures, and photo memorabilia.
Credit goes to Phillip Lloyd-Smee at Waldo's Design & Dream Emporium.
The Blue & Gold color tones, perfect.

To be honest I never knew of Camel until I became a member of QQ. I have had in my collection for years the Stereo SHM SACD's of The Snow Goose and Moonmadness.

Box Set Audio Content: Wow, all this for a great price compared to many other box sets.

Ripping all Discs: Fairly easy, just takes time. I used my trusty ripper machine and Windows Media Player set to FLAC for the CD's. I used MakeMKV and Music Media Helper for the Blu Ray rips.

CD's 1-27: Very high quality. Dynamic Range probably overall runs in the 8's, 9's, 10's, some tracks higher and lower of course. I have listened to about half so far, put the FLAC rips on a thumb drive and listen in the car. Outstounding sound, top notch, can listen softly or crank it, no problem.

5 Blu Rays (Discs 28-32): Of course this is the meat of the box.
Discs 28, 29, 30 all 24bit/96Khz are 5.1's of 5 albums, with new stereo and original stereo mixes, plus bonus tracks.
The surround mix is sublime, a perfect quality of a beautiful mix that has relaxed myself into a state of enjoyment. I find the surround is musically good for any time of day listening. Mostly very even between the 5 speakers, vocals center, with instruments sometimes trading postions, guitar front, keys back, etc. A perfect mix for me, I never felt I needed to listen hard for something there or not there.
Disc 31 24bit/48Khz a stereo video disc, fun, interesting but a bit repetitive, of course you can change your settings for faux surround.
Disc 32 24bit/48Khz a stereo video disc 1984 Live at Hammersmith Odeon.
Video quality on both these Blu Ray Video discs good.

A very large thank you goes to our own QQ friend Stephen W Talyer, who did the stereo and 5.1 re-mixing of the album Blu Rays, also many of the CD's.
The End: The most beutiful box set in my collection, going to keep it in view for awhile before hiding away as I love looking at it. #1 box set in design ever.
Audio content, exceptional, maybe #1 for 2023, but probaly will be in hot contest for who I thought previously was my choice for 2023.

Please keep Poll Threads to your personal listening experience only.

 

[beerking]

I could write an essay on how much this box set means to me.

But I'm going to restrict my words to these..

Mix: Just completely outstanding.

Fidelity : Wonderful.

Content: Thoroughly enjoyable

Value: Unbeaten in content and standard of presentation.

Enjoyment: More than I can express.

Thank you to all involved in getting this Box Set released

A Frankincense, Myrrh and Golden 10

 

[4-earredwonder]

ANYTHING less than a 10 would be sacrilege! Although I have yet to wade through those 28 RBCDs, I can say for certain that Mr Stephen W. Tayler has done an absolutely exquisite job of remixing those 5 CAMEL treasures into 5.1. The clarity and immersion is in a word OUTSTANDING!

 

[Gmat25]

Just got done listening to all of the 5.1 mixes. Wow! Amazing stuff. Kudos to Stephen W. Tayler for absolutely amazing mixes! I have to admit I had never listened to Camel before purchasing this box-set, but really loving, not only the wonderful mixes, but the music! A '10' from me!

 

[SyrinxTemple]

Just got done listening to all of the 5.1 mixes. Wow! Amazing stuff. Kudos to Stephen W. Tayler for absolutely amazing mixes! I have to admit I had never listened to Camel before purchasing this box-set, but really loving, not only the wonderful mixes, but the music! A '10' from me!

Camel is one of those prog bands that are still quite accessible to fans of bands like Pink Floyd. In fact, Andy Latimer reminds me quite a bit of David Gilmour. I just love his playing. Snow Goose is one of my Top 10 favorite albums. I don't regret buying this set one iota.

 

[alien]

The Audio Blu-rays are not only fantastic in sound, but what great music this band has produced. That said, 'Nude' is a misfire.

 

[madscot]

The Audio Blu-rays are not only fantastic in sound, but what great music this band has produced. That said, 'Nude' is a misfire.

Each to their own, “Nude” is my 2nd favourite Camel album after “Moon madness”

 

[omega4]

The announcement of this release was one of the best surprises for me since my first interest in surround music around 1974 when Tubular Bells, Machine Head, Paranoid and the like hit the racks in quadraphonic. I have been a fan of Camel since 1975 and never imagined that any of their albums would be released in 5.1 let alone five in one fantastic box set. Stephen W Tayler's mixes are absolutely spot on for me enhancing these brilliant albums in exactly the way a 5.1 mix should. And the value for money is about as good as it gets with a grateful nod to Universal for their vision in making this happen. Obviously I voted a 10 as I had no choice

 

[AYanguas]

When I was young, one of the 'iconic' vinyls I bought was "The Snow Goose". I was already a fan of symphonic rock, as we said (the word Prog was not established in my country at that time).
That instrumental of "The Snow Goose" hypnotized me in such a way that I had to buy the vinyl again because it was excessively worn. And of course more Camel vinyls came later to my collection.

Although the Camel style was changing, and sometimes they did not satisfy me, due to a more pop orientation, they were still considered by me as something valuable. Latimer being one of the guitarists of absolute reference for me.

Having a box like this with the main albums in Surround by our dear forum member @Stephen W Tayler, is an incredible luxury for me.

I can't give it more than a 10 point vote.

 

[Matt Wilson]

10

I had voted 9 earlier, but upon re-listening - I don't know what I was thinking. Huge (I haven't even listened to all the CDs yet, and I've owned this since last year), with glorious 5.1 mixes and tons of discs and reading matter. A prog-head's dream.

 

[SyrinxTemple]

When I was young, one of the 'iconic' vinyls I bought was "The Snow Goose". I was already a fan of symphonic rock, as we said (the word Prog was not established in my country at that time). That instrumental of "The Snow Goose" hypnotized me in such a way that I had to buy the vinyl again because it was excessively worn. And of course more Camel vinyls came later to my collection.

The Snow Goose, although being instrumental, manages to tell a story with the music. It's an incredible album. And, you can read the short story while listening to the album. A song like "Dunkirk" doesn't have lyrics, but you get what is going on by just listening to that song. "Rhayader Goes to Town" is another one. The music just sounds like a guy walking. Love it!

 

[madscot]

The Snow Goose, although being instrumental, manages to tell a story with the music. It's an incredible album. And, you can read the short story while listening to the album. A song like "Dunkirk" doesn't have lyrics, but you get what is going on by just listening to that song. "Rhayader Goes to Town" is another one. The music just sounds like a guy walking. Love it!

“Nude” is the same, 15 songs but only 4 or 5 with lyrics, Andy Latimer tells the story with his guitar although with the original album you get the synopsis to each song.
Later Camel albums (not included in this box) tell the stories about the California gold rush (Dust & dreams) or the Irish potato famine (Harbour of tears) with some of the most emotional guitar passages i’ve ever heard in my life, it’s not only lyrics that can make a man cry

 

[AYanguas]

The Snow Goose, although being instrumental, manages to tell a story with the music. It's an incredible album. And, you can read the short story while listening to the album. A song like "Dunkirk" doesn't have lyrics, but you get what is going on by just listening to that song. "Rhayader Goes to Town" is another one. The music just sounds like a guy walking. Love it!

The music captivated me as soon as I heard it when I was young. Without any idea of the story behind it.

It was only a few years ago when I read about the Gallico novel on which it is based. I found it quite sad and emotional.

 

[SomethingAnything]

The music captivated me as soon as I heard it when I was young. Without any idea of the story behind it.

It was only a few years ago when I read about the Gallico novel on which it is based. I found it quite sad and emotional.

I own a copy. Beautiful illustrations. First edition, I think. It was a shame that Gallico disliked the album. From memory, I think he may even have tried to prevent its release. He certainly was opposed to it. (It's not really a novel, more a cross between a children's story and a picture book.)

 

[madscot]

I own a copy. Beautiful illustrations. First edition, I think. It was a shame that Gallico disliked the album. From memory, I think he may even have tried to prevent its release. He certainly was opposed to it. (It's not really a novel, more a cross between a children's story and a picture book.)

He stopped them releasing it as “The snow goose” which is why they changed it to “Music inspired by….”