HiRez Poll Deep Purple - MACHINE HEAD [Blu-Ray Audio (Dolby Atmos)]

[mandrix]

That's what's surprising to me...others reported the Atmos mix has a bad ass low end, and I'm just not hearing that. I even cranked the sub up a little (never had to do that before). Now, I just have a single 12" sub, about all I can fit in this room. But it's always worked well before.
Regardless, I still like the Atmos mix. I'm not going to dissect every song but I thought it was well done.

 

[Sal1950]

It is ok to rejoice that they included the US Quad. Were it a standalone Quaduo release, how would you rate it?

An easy 9. I'd still have to deduct for the missing 5.1 and 2ch files.
This was a pricey "Deluxe" package.

 

[Sal1950]

Were it a standalone Quaduo release, how would you rate it?

As a standalone quad, yes a 10.

 

[edisonbaggins]

As a standalone quad, yes a 10.

Excellent! You could deduct a point for lack of package value, and vote 9. Unless sound quality and musical content deserve deductions, too.
There is no rule that says we all have to vote purely on the Atmos mix. It’s only one feature of the set.
Not trying to tell you how to vote, rather discussing options for voting styles.

 

[~dave~~wave~]

...there are times when stuff has clearly been added in and was not there in the original mix. The most obvious for me are the vocal scream at the end of Highway Star, which sounds like it was cut and pasted from the beginning (it's still there in the beginning, so don't worry), and the delay on the vocals in the Smoke on the Water chorus. These are interesting editorial choices, and I do like them, but if they weren't part of the original tapes then I don't want them there. If they were just omitted in the original mixes and added here from the original source material, then that's ok by me (the delay in Smoke sounds vintage to me). I would like to know if these were Dweezil add-ons or omissions that he later included.

---I did want to read Dweezil's notes about mixing and did. They don't really explain what I'm hearing.

Anyway, I am not voting yet until I know something about the mixing decisions, but am leaning toward a 7 or 8. Would probably be a 7 if Dweezil is taking liberties .

For the record, the quoted member apparently missed the interview with Dweezil two weeks ago.



Transcript:

Dweezil:
"There's so much about this classic record to love.
But now with another version in this box set, you have a chance to hear some things maybe you didn't know existed, and that was the whole goal.

So if I've done a reasonable job at all, I think people will hear some things they'll probably enjoy, because there's more detail that you can hear...


Smoke On The Water:

...One of the goals was I want to make the drums as big as possible. I want to hear every single tom fill and I want to hear more things happening from the keyboards.
So I would take those parts and I would make those much louder.

Especially in Atmos I would actually start moving them, so that they would sweep into the new section and give you like a bigger impact on the choruses. Doing the slight little changes, it kind of gives you, like, pockets of grooviness...

At the end of the song we're going to be able to hear some stuff that definitely wasn't on the original... so at this point there's some flange happening and you start hearing more keyboards... the keyboards move around a bit... but there's more vocal.

Rarely do you get to hear one of your favorite albums as if you're hearing it for the first time again... and hear details [you] didn't even know were there..."

 

[ar surround]

Good things about the Atmos - adventurous panning, clarity, the drums. Bad things - lack of low end and "balls."

That's what's surprising to me...others reported the Atmos mix has a bad ass low end, and I'm just not hearing that. I even cranked the sub up a little (never had to do that before). Now, I just have a single 12" sub, about all I can fit in this room. But it's always worked well before.
Regardless, I still like the Atmos mix. I'm not going to dissect every song but I thought it was well done.

That's what has been keeping from buying this set, the reported lack of "balls" by some members. I have the same complaint about the DSOTM Atmos mix. I honestly do not know what can be done for those who want more bass as judicious use of the tone controls on Atmos seems to bloat the mid-bass, which is worse than having somewhat anemic bass. (Note: All of my floor speakers are giant full range beasts with a brutally low WAF.)

 

[MIDIQ]

It is ok to rejoice that they included the US Quad. Were it a standalone Quaduo release, how would you rate it?

I would still rate it 10. I really like the US Quad mix.

 

[mandrix]

That's what has been keeping from buying this set, the reported lack of "balls" by some members. I have the same complaint about the DSOTM Atmos mix. I honestly do not know what can be done for those who want more bass as judicious use of the tone controls on Atmos seems to bloat the mid-bass, which is worse than having somewhat anemic bass. (Note: All of my floor speakers are giant full range beasts with a brutally low WAF.)

Well I have to say it's very enjoyable anyway. I thought the Atmos mix brought more spaciousness and I love the panning.
As for the low end, well it is what it is. I don't regret buying it. Noted again I have one 12" sub, I know many of you have multiple subs so....

 

[4-earredwonder]

In the wee small hours of the morning
While the whole wide world is fast asleep
4~ears was listening to the ATMOS and QUAD remixes of MACHINE HEAD at 84 and 82 dbs, respectively, on his new revitalized system!

And what did HE think?

As Larry David would quip

PRETTY PRETTY GOOD!

Loved the packaging, booklet and of course the QUAD remix was SUPERB! And thought Dweezil did an admirable job with the ATMOS remix.....

No problems with lack of bass on my system with four phase aligned subs which at those high decibel listening levels put out some considerable BASS!

Needless to say the album itself with all those legendary riffs was extraordinary!

And of course we can thank RHINO for releasing it and for its continued support of QUAD and now 21st Century ATMOS which bodes well for keeping the voraciously surround hungry QQ Forum crowd knee deep in software ....and supporting that ole adage: MUSIC HATH CHARMS TO SOOTHE THE SAVAGE BEAST!

A very SOLID 10!

 

[~dave~~wave~]

...reported lack... by some members.

It's a quality box set with an alternate Atmos mix.

Now well-established these negative perceptions are system-dependent & subjective, depending on a listener's pre-conceptions & outside influences.

One can listen on Apple Music.
Or pony up for the box, listen once, & sell it.
Financial risk equivalent to a tank of gasoline.

When will curiosity surpass prudent hesitation?
Can't share one's own impressions & vote unless one antes up to get in the game.

 

[fetchmybeer]

For the record, the quoted member apparently missed the interview with Dweezil two weeks ago.



Transcript:

Dweezil:
"There's so much about this classic record to love.
But now with another version in this box set, you have a chance to hear some things maybe you didn't know existed, and that was the whole goal.

So if I've done a reasonable job at all, I think people will hear some things they'll probably enjoy, because there's more detail that you can hear...


Smoke On The Water:

...One of the goals was I want to make the drums as big as possible. I want to hear every single tom fill and I want to hear more things happening from the keyboards.
So I would take those parts and I would make those much louder.

Especially in Atmos I would actually start moving them, so that they would sweep into the new section and give you like a bigger impact on the choruses. Doing the slight little changes, it kind of gives you like pockets of grooviness.

At the end of the song we're going to be able to hear some stuff that definitely wasn't on the original... so at this point there's some flange happening and you start hearing more keyboards... the keyboards move around a bit... but there's more vocal.

Rarely do you get to hear one of your favorite albums as if you're hearing it for the first time again... and hear details [you] didn't even know were there..."

Yeah I missed that. It sounds like he is putting stuff that was originally there back into the new mix, although his explanation for the end of Highway Star is less reassuring. "We bring back the thematic coherence of the vocal," he said. Was it there on the tapes in the first place? I will give him the benefit of the doubt and assume that it was, and they just didn't use it in the original mix.

 

[sbrom]

I have a lot more listening to do before voting. Something weird going on with the Machine Head Atmos mix on my system. As example the low-end during Lazy’s intro seems muddled and over processed, like something in the low-bass was excessively boosted. The intro’s normal dynamics and rotational elements seem disjointed. There’s a dynamic slam almost completely missing at 1:20. As a system check I listened to the U.S. quad and UK mixes, which both sound great as always (UK preferred for me). FYI I verified my Atmos setup with the Abbey Road Blu-ray which sounded great as usual.

 

[marpow]

I voted 10.
There was so much to read in the Machine Head thread it helped me focus on things that I might not normally have focused on. When I do a review, I try really hard at a critical listen with pen and paper, so not too many reviews come out of me. My judgement is solely on this box set even though I own other versions in stereo and surround, I did not let them influence me. I highly enjoyed the YouTube video with Dweezil Zappa. His ideas and passion was exactly the same as others I have seen or read about as to the why and hows of there end result choice of mix.
The Blu Ray on screen graphics, are on the weak side.
Box Set: Construction, Liner notes, etc. Really love the metallic sheen of the box, the liner notes just the right amount and love the black and white photos. The makers of the box set really pulled a good color scheme together with great info.
All discs ripped and listened to ripped versions. CD's used Windows Media Player for FLAC.
Blu Ray used MakeMKV for the rip and Music Media Helper for tagging.
All discs of the box set where listened as follows:
EDIT: Purple LP, dang forgot to even look at it.
Stereo/Mono CD's (4): PC>JRiver>Mitch Barnett Filterset included>Multi channel DAC-Analog RCA's out to AVR>2 channel preamp>2 channel amp, 2 (L/R) speakers. all listened at about 65db.
CD 1 2024 Stereo Remix: You can have it. I felt it was linear, flat and dull. Too much was locked in at phantom center with no movement.
CD 1 2024 Stereo Remaster: Great, better drum sound and more robust in general. This will be the one used for USB in car.
CD 2 Stereo Live In London: Great jams on songs after Machine Head came out including a 22:11 Space Truckin'. Great stereo and fidelity.
CD 3 Mono Live In Montreux: Songs pre to Machine Head, a rough sounding disc, kind of like a bootleg, and in Mono of course, but it's all there. Love the early banter between band members. I did find it odd that they closed both live shows with Little Richard's Lucille.
Blu Ray 4.0/5.1: PC>JRiver>Mitch Barnett Filterset included>Multi channel DAC-Analog RCA's out to AVR>2 channel preamp>2 channel amp, 3 channel amp>5 speakers.2 subs LFE all listened at about 65db. FLAC rip.
5.1 (3) songs: Not sure what was the point. They were good, not great, one time listen. 24bit/96Khz. Good Dynamic Range.
4.0: Holy wow, excellent. Super good 4 channel in your face quad release. The organ intro in the song LAZY is the best of the entire box set, really floored me. If I did not have a home Atmos set up and only a floor rig, I would be more than happy to listen to the 4.0 over and over. In fact I will, I know I will have mood swings when I will prefer the 4.0 over the rest. 24bit/192Khz. Great Dynamic Range.
Blu Ray Atmos: PC>HDMI out>JRiver MKV File>AVR>5 floor speakers>3 subs>4 heights. even though I was so positive about the 4.0, it is still not Atmos. The Atmos is where it's at man. The listener must hit that 80+db range for a knock your socks off listen. Keep in mind between all the versions in this box set, THEY ARE INTENDED TO BE DIFFERENT.
The Atmos brings out everything, more movement, more swirling, just more plain fun to listen to.

I hope you are lucky enough to enjoy this 2024 Box Set as I have. If you are a Deep Purple fan, of course a must. If you are a surround music enthusiast, you might not appreciate it as much, but I still think there is enough positive to have in a surround library.

Please Keep Poll Threads Pure to your personal listening experience only.

 

[DennisMabry]

I have been reading all of the myriad of opinions concerning this set (on both threads). Having been a member here since 05, I'm amused and at the same time not surprised.

I am listening to Atmos with a 7.1 set up. So your mileage may vary. When I first put on the Atmos mix. My first impression was that the vocals were a bit buried in the mix. So I switched to the US Quad mix, which is everything I remember from my Q-8 tape back in the day. Great mix, to the point, and aggressive!
Anyway... I went back to the Atmos mix, put on SOTW, and turned the volume up until the vocal level seemed correct. Then restarted the album from the beginning at that level. It was at this point that I realized that Dweezil mixed this recording to be played back loud! Someone posted a suggested level of 80db minimum. I agree! At lower volumes the mix sounds...off. Turn up the volume so all of the sound from all of the speakers available meld together. At that level the bass is right, the vocals are right and the overrall experience is stellar! I have been listening to this recording since 1972 when I got it on vinyl from joining the Record Club of America. Played the dog shit out of it. Since then I have purchased it on Q-8, CD, DVD-A, SACD and now on this set. After hearing it on so many formats for over 50 years it is a bit difficult to get excited about another listen. However IMHO this Atmos mix delivers. Having many original and hi-res stereo versions, I do not need or miss that. I love that they have included new effects that were originally omitted. The live performances from their heyday are cool. And being a vinyl fan, I love the colored vinyl with the new stereo mix. I have not absorbed all of the info in the booklet yet, but look forward to that during a future listen.
I think I paid around $65 with tax and shipping. With all that is included, I think this is a heck of a deal!
Music is subjective, as are multichannel mixes. Everyone has that one little thing that either annoys them or elates them. Do I think the recording and mix are the epitome of perfection? No. Is it the best I've ever heard it in 50 years? Hell yeah!
I don't just hand out 10s unless they deserve it. This one does.

Dennis

 

[edisonbaggins]

Voting a strong 9. Docked a point for value - box-locked immersive blu-ray.
I enjoy the features of the set, but more affordable blu-rays are my ideal.
The US Quad and Atmos mixes both make me happy.
Life in Surround Review:

 

[Healthcare29]

Know this album better than most in my collection so the Atmos mix (I only have a 5.1 set up) is a real mixed bag, some positive & negative.
Positive - The Bass Drum is astouding, this is reference stuff, Listen to how Paicey Double times the end of the Solo in Never Before, something I'd never noticed before.
Keys - Sound more discrete to me, you can hear the low notes clearer
Double tracked vocals are more distinct.
Negatives - Pictures Drum intro sounds like they were hitting Pillows, that is a crime as it should sound thunderous
Gimmicks - Smoke is a mess, sounds like it was recorded under the Water, as is the Gimmicks in Space Truckin', Did feel the one Gimmick I heard in Maybe I'm a Leo worked.
So in my opinion the best of all the mixes lie between the new Atmos & the 5.1 , eg clear winner is Maybe in the new Atmos & Blind Man in the 5.1

 

[himey]

sounds like it was recorded under the Water

That must suck.

 

[quicksrt]

It is ok to rejoice that they included the US Quad. Were it a standalone Quaduo release, how would you rate it?

It’s ok to rejoice that the Crown Jewel of missing Warner quad masters was included. Lolol

 

[quicksrt]

I voted 10.
There was so much to read in the Machine Head thread it helped me focus on things that I might not normally have focused on. When I do a review, I try really hard at a critical listen with pen and paper, so not too many reviews come out of me.
(edit)
4.0: Holy wow, excellent. Super good 4 channel in your face quad release. The organ intro in the song LAZY is the best of the entire box set, really floored me. If I did not have a home Atmos set up and only a floor rig, I would be more than happy to listen to the 4.0 over and over. In fact I will, I know I will have mood swings when I will prefer the 4.0 over the rest. 24bit/192Khz. Great Dynamic Range.

Just listened to the US quad right now. Amazing separation front to back as well as left to right discreetness. The strong separation of Ritchie's guitar parts and the organ playing off them in a different channel is just wonderful stuff. This is really great and the best "Quadio" program since Black Sabbath's "Paranoid" was hoisted up and then dropped on us listeners last year.

Yes, that organ intro to Lazy. And some of Ritchie's rhythm guitar parts have strong fuzz on them, and sound like an egg frying, very cool separation. The bass dancing around in the rear channels is nice, sounds like a Rickenbacker bass.

I'm leaning on a 10 just on the inclusion of the rare and elusive (and really fun) US quad mix. Going to have to play this one again but really good and loud the next time. I could end up with a 9 vote because of the extra expense/value, and if the other content does not move me as much.

 

[Wagonmaster_91]

When I first heard the stream of Smoke On The Water, I didn't like it it mainly because the drums sounded so puny, but I was listening on my computer speakers. They are good speakers (Dayton Audios with Heil AMT tweeters). I got the box set and so far I have heard the Atmos mix (in 7.1 - I don't have Atmos yet) on my main system and the new stereo mix LP on headphones. I agree with the comment that you have to listen to this album loud to get the bass & drums. I have now changed my opinion and think the new version is great. As Ian G. said, it is not suppose to be a copy of the original, but rather an updated mix. The book is great, too. I am going to wait to vote until I have heard the quad mix (great to get a clean version of that), but so far i would give it an 8 or 9.