Rush "Hemispheres" (40th Anniversary Box Set with 5.1 Blu-Ray Audio!)

[jsulzinger]

It is interesting to see the varied opinions on the Hemispheres mix. Steven Wilson's remixes are far superior to the Chycki surround mixes I've heard. Mixes such as Snakes and Arrows and Signals are unlistenable to me, and I was disappointed in Moving Pictures and 2112.

However, I am glad I purchased Hemispheres (I almost didn't but saw a few reviews that indicated Chycki is moving in the right direction). On my system, the Hemispheres 5.1 mix sounds pretty solid. I am not hearing the balance issues that some are experiencing. The levels sound quite faithful to the 2 channel mix on my system (Cambridge Audio Azur 851C and Anthem AVM-50 pre), and I am hearing some discrete output. Hemispheres definitely does not sound like an upmix on my system, though admittedly Snakes and Arrows sounded horrific. I lasted 2 tracks on the S&A 5.1 and then had to reach for the air sickness bag.

Anyway, while this isn't a reference 5.1 mix by any means (Talking Heads Remain In Light is an example of what sounds ideal for my taste), to my ears on my system Hemispheres is hands down the best Rush surround work Chycki has done. It is enjoyable and is a nice companion to the original 2 channel mix.

Welcome T.O.G.!

 

[GOS]

OK, I can't help myself here. I hadn't listend to AFTK (Kings) in quite a while. I promise you, I am not biased in any way. I was immediately reminded how much better AFTK multi-channel mix is compared to Hemispheres. I guess I just don't see much of a contest. From the very first song, Peart's drums are much wider and not muddy. Geddy's bass can be heard....his vocals are solid, but not too loud. Alex's guitar is plenty loud, but not obnoxious like it tends to be in Hemispheres.

I'm trying to be reasonable...but geez.......I mean, the first 50 seconds of the first track on AFTK pretty much set the tone.

 

[edisonbaggins]

OK, I can't help myself here. I hadn't listend to AFTK (Kings) in quite a while. I promise you, I am not biased in any way. I was immediately reminded how much better AFTK multi-channel mix is compared to Hemispheres. I guess I just don't see much of a contest. From the very first song, Peart's drums are much wider and not muddy. Geddy's bass can be heard....his vocals are solid, but not too loud. Alex's guitar is plenty loud, but not obnoxious like it tends to be in Hemispheres.

I'm trying to be reasonable...but geez.......I mean, the first 50 seconds of the first track on AFTK pretty much set the tone.

You mean Wilson's AFtK, right? Even Chycki's AFtK is better than his Hemispheres. I wish I were joking.

 

[Frogmort]

OK, I can't help myself here. I hadn't listend to AFTK (Kings) in quite a while. I promise you, I am not biased in any way. I was immediately reminded how much better AFTK multi-channel mix is compared to Hemispheres. I guess I just don't see much of a contest. From the very first song, Peart's drums are much wider and not muddy. Geddy's bass can be heard....his vocals are solid, but not too loud. Alex's guitar is plenty loud, but not obnoxious like it tends to be in Hemispheres.

I'm trying to be reasonable...but geez.......I mean, the first 50 seconds of the first track on AFTK pretty much set the tone.

I completely agree! I've never heard a mix where the lead vocals are both too harsh, yet too muted and muffled at the same time like this. I swear, I noticed a section where the single lead vocal is present in all speakers except for the center. Like Chycki is trying to do the exact opposite of SW.

 

[Nova]

OK, I can't help myself here. I hadn't listend to AFTK (Kings) in quite a while. I promise you, I am not biased in any way. I was immediately reminded how much better AFTK multi-channel mix is compared to Hemispheres. I guess I just don't see much of a contest. From the very first song, Peart's drums are much wider and not muddy. Geddy's bass can be heard....his vocals are solid, but not too loud. Alex's guitar is plenty loud, but not obnoxious like it tends to be in Hemispheres.

I'm trying to be reasonable...but geez.......I mean, the first 50 seconds of the first track on AFTK pretty much set the tone.

Wilsons AFTK is Open and very dynamic , the drums are up front and wide , vocals are clear and well balanced , Bass has good low end , Hemispheres is nothing like this , for the price very disappointed ! Nice Packaging book ect. Don't need the Vinyl .
Don't mean to bitch but a dog is a dog ! hoping that this is another first run Thick As A Brick and we will all get a corrected disk .....
well I can hope.

 

[skherbeck]

Wilsons AFTK is Open and very dynamic , the drums are up front and wide , vocals are clear and well balanced , Bass has good low end , Hemispheres is nothing like this , for the price very disappointed ! Nice Packaging book ect. Don't need the Vinyl .
Don't mean to bitch but a dog is a dog ! hoping that this is another first run Thick As A Brick and we will all get a corrected disk .....
well I can hope.

I think they'll be issuing a corrected Hemispheres disc right after they issue the corrected 5.1 mixes from the Sectors set.

 

[thatoneguy]

I went back and listened to this again, trying to understand the issues some are having with balance of instruments, no discrete mixing, vocals sounding harsh and distant compared to original mix, etc.

Some of the issues others are having could be replicated when changing settings on my preamp. When I used alternate digital settings, dialogue normalization, changed speaker distance from listening position settings, removed algorithm settings from the frequency sweep from each speaker that addresses room anomalies, etc., I was able to make this sound more like like an upmix /and or out of balance in places.

However, when I returned to my correct customized preamp settings and used DTS-MA from the blu Ray it would again sound good. Not Steven Wilson level good, but it definitely didn’t sound like the horror show some are describing in this thread. Incidentally, I have a few grand invested in properly mounted RealTraps and ran the frequency sweep and set algorithm after room treatment. That has been a Godsend for evaluating source material more objectively because my room isn’t screwing things up.

While this mix may simply suck based on the tastes of many, I would encourage folks that may have any settings or room issues to resolve those and revisit La Villo Strangiato. Sounds pretty balanced, somewhat discrete, and has dynamic range on my system. Good luck. Sounds like we’re all Rush fans and we all want the best possible experience. While I’m disappointed Wilson didn’t mix this, I am pleased Chycki gave me something that I can enjoy as a companion to the original 2 channel. I don’t feel that way about most of his other mixes I’ve heard.

 

[Clint Eastwood]

I went back and listened to this again, trying to understand the issues some are having with balance of instruments, no discrete mixing, vocals sounding harsh and distant compared to original mix, etc.

Some of the issues others are having could be replicated when changing settings on my preamp. When I used alternate digital settings, dialogue normalization, changed speaker distance from listening position settings, removed algorithm settings from the frequency sweep from each speaker that addresses room anomalies, etc., I was able to make this sound more like like an upmix /and or out of balance in places.

However, when I returned to my correct customized preamp settings and used DTS-MA from the blu Ray it would again sound good. Not Steven Wilson level good, but it definitely didn’t sound like the horror show some are describing in this thread. Incidentally, I have a few grand invested in properly mounted RealTraps and ran the frequency sweep and set algorithm after room treatment. That has been a Godsend for evaluating source material more objectively because my room isn’t screwing things up.

While this mix may simply suck based on the tastes of many, I would encourage folks that may have any settings or room issues to resolve those and revisit La Villo Strangiato. Sounds pretty balanced, somewhat discrete, and has dynamic range on my system. Good luck. Sounds like we’re all Rush fans and we all want the best possible experience. While I’m disappointed Wilson didn’t mix this, I am pleased Chycki gave me something that I can enjoy as a companion to the original 2 channel. I don’t feel that way about most of his other mixes I’ve heard.

Welcome to the forum

 

[thatoneguy]

Welcome to the forum

Thanks, and I meant “La Villa Strangiato” in my previous post. Typo!

 

[ssully]

I went back and listened to this again, trying to understand the issues some are having with balance of instruments, no discrete mixing, vocals sounding harsh and distant compared to original mix, etc.

Some of the issues others are having could be replicated when changing settings on my preamp. When I used alternate digital settings, dialogue normalization, changed speaker distance from listening position settings, removed algorithm settings from the frequency sweep from each speaker that addresses room anomalies, etc., I was able to make this sound more like like an upmix /and or out of balance in places.

I've seen some strange setups reported here so I do suspect that differences (when they aren't just the usual placebo effects) often are due to having different setups (room acoustics + gear settings).

My room has some treatments (4" fiberboard panels at certain reflection points), and my system uses 5 identical bookshelf-size monitors with good on and off-axis response + 1 subwoofer. On top of that, Audyssey MultiXT32 Room EQ and careful attention to making sure speaker channel levels and distances are equal at the main listening position. Audio data is delivered bit-perfect to the AVR from files on a hard drive via HDMI.

 

[thatoneguy]

I've seen some strange setups reported here so I do suspect that differences (when they aren't just the usual placebo effects) often are due to having different setups (room acoustics + gear settings).

My room has some treatments (4" fiberboard panels at certain reflection points), and my system uses 5 identical bookshelf-size monitors with good on and off-axis response + 1 subwoofer. On top of that, Audyssey MultiXT32 Room EQ and careful attention to making sure speaker channel levels and distances are equal at the main listening position. Audio data is delivered bit-perfect to the AVR from files on a hard drive via HDMI.

Sounds like a great set up! Regarding setup, when we moved a few years ago I gave up a huge dedicated custom built theater room for a more typical man cave space. Before RealTraps and preamp setup, even great 5.1 discs such as “Sea Change” or “Gaucho” sounded like poor mixes in my new space due to reflections on the top end and mud and/or holes in the bottom end.

Even though my gear is the same, after treatments and programming the great mixes sound great again. That said, sometimes a mix just doesn’t turn people on. I love both “DSOTM” and “Wish You Were Here” but some Floyd fans say they are poor mixes. So, even when gear and rooms are dialed in, opinions will vary.

I just feel bad for people that love a band but get a release that disappoints them. I really like Genesis but bought the Duke surround mix and it sounds unlistenable to me. Yet, many were happy with that series. So, to each is own. We are all brothers in this quest, even if our preferences vary.

 

[Clint Eastwood]

Sounds like a great set up! Regarding setup, when we moved a few years ago I gave up a huge dedicated custom built theater room for a more typical man cave space. Before RealTraps and preamp setup, even great 5.1 discs such as “Sea Change” or “Gaucho” sounded like poor mixes in my new space due to reflections on the top end and mud and/or holes in the bottom end.

Even though my gear is the same, after treatments and programming the great mixes sound great again. That said, sometimes a mix just doesn’t turn people on. I love both “DSOTM” and “Wish You Were Here” but some Floyd fans say they are poor mixes. So, even when gear and rooms are dialed in, opinions will vary.

I just feel bad for people that love a band but get a release that disappoints them. I really like Genesis but bought the Duke surround mix and it sounds unlistenable to me. Yet, many were happy with that series. So, to each is own. We are all brothers in this quest, even if our preferences vary.

You have to remember the "yard sale" theory...one man's trash is another man's treasure....same with music

 

[ssully]

Sounds like a great set up! Regarding setup, when we moved a few years ago I gave up a huge dedicated custom built theater room for a more typical man cave space. Before RealTraps and preamp setup, even great 5.1 discs such as “Sea Change” or “Gaucho” sounded like poor mixes in my new space due to reflections on the top end and mud and/or holes in the bottom end.

Even though my gear is the same, after treatments and programming the great mixes sound great again. That said, sometimes a mix just doesn’t turn people on. I love both “DSOTM” and “Wish You Were Here” but some Floyd fans say they are poor mixes. So, even when gear and rooms are dialed in, opinions will vary.

I just feel bad for people that love a band but get a release that disappoints them. I really like Genesis but bought the Duke surround mix and it sounds unlistenable to me. Yet, many were happy with that series. So, to each is own. We are all brothers in this quest, even if our preferences vary.

True. I object though when people ascribe deficiencies to a mix, or between mixes (especially between *formats*), that might be due to their playback environment. It's surprising what effect a small mismatch in channel levels can have, or EQ coloration. I try to give even 'bad' mixes a fair shake by making sure I'm not screwing them further in playback. Thus I can confidently say Steven Wilson whiffed badly on Relayer. ;> (I actually like Duke in 5.1, out of all the hugely boosted 1976-81 releases with their obnoxiously jacked-up vocals, it's the most tolerable. Maybe because it was already a loud, reverb-drenched album to begin with. But no surprise, the track I play most from it is the one mostly without singing -- Duke's Travels/End )

 

[huggies66]

Amazon drop to $108.28

 

[Nova]

http://news.cygnus-x1.net/2013/11/rush-inspired-apparel-from-danforth-pape.html

OK what is the meaning of the floating red balloon during TREES ? I was expecting Pennywise to make an entrance !

 

[Modern Day Warrior]

I’m hoping SW gets back on board for the Permanent Waves deluxe. They really missed the boat on this one.

 

[jimfisheye]

I didn't realize at first that Chycki is the same guy responsible for the (not) mixes on those "Sectors" releases. Would have been safe to write this off as soon as hearing that! There's no reason to try sugar coating this. This can't really even be called a mix. It's insulting next to the original stereo mix (which was finally liberated in HD digital a few years ago now). This is more a novelty 'aside' for this specialty edition that wasn't to be taken seriously as a mix. Some people are apparently inexperienced with surround and consider it a novelty. Seems to be what happened here unfortunately. If this would have been taken at all seriously, this mix would have been rejected for rework. Especially after setting the bar with the Kings remix.

This is especially unfortunate because even if SW gets back on board with this band the label is going to be hesitant to re-release these albums again so soon.

This still sounds more like an upmix attempt gone really wrong than an actual mix too. If someone had the actual multitracks in front of them but turned this out from them... for shame.

Missed the boat? Doesn't even know what a boat is!

 

[mlrocker]

how could Richard Chyck be so far off? Go to his website and he has accolades and credits for days. He has some explaining to do right?

 

[JediJoker]

He has some explaining to do right?

 

[Modern Day Warrior]

I’m thinking with the lead guitar blasting out in the mix on a lot of these songs makes me think that Alex definitely had a hand in mixing. Just my opinion though.