QQ Top 10 Surround Music Discs of all time! (?)

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Unlikely but if Kal comes up with a list, most of us could live happily without any of them. :D

No doubt.

That list becomes more intriguing all the time. Of course, my own list has yet to materialize. I can't even begin to imagine how I would begin one. But I do so enjoy everyone else's.
 
Thread resurrection.....

I've been listening to a lot of multichannel music discs since getting my Sony MEX-DV2200 installed. My favorite 10, in no particular order.....

Barenaked Ladies: Maroon (DVD-A/DVD-V DD)
Pink Floyd: Wish You Were Here Q8 (DTS-CD)
Queen: A Night At The Opera (DTS DVD)
Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers: Keystone 3 (SACD)
Lyle Lovett: Joshua Judges Ruth (DTS-CD)
Peter Gabriel: Up (SACD)
Donald Fagen: Morph The Cat (MVI DVD)
Paul McCartney & Wings: Venus And Mars (DTS CD)
Genesis: Wind & Wuthering (DTS DVD)
Steely Dan: Everything Must Go (DVD-A/DVD-V DTS)

I've also been completely thrilled with how great DVD concert videos with 5.1 soundtracks sound in the car if they are mixed well. U2's "Popmart" is amazing.
 
Thread resurrection.....

I've been listening to a lot of multichannel music discs since getting my Sony MEX-DV2200 installed. My favorite 10, in no particular order.....

Barenaked Ladies: Maroon (DVD-A/DVD-V DD)
Pink Floyd: Wish You Were Here Q8 (DTS-CD)
Queen: A Night At The Opera (DTS DVD)
Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers: Keystone 3 (SACD)
Lyle Lovett: Joshua Judges Ruth (DTS-CD)
Peter Gabriel: Up (SACD)
Donald Fagen: Morph The Cat (MVI DVD)
Paul McCartney & Wings: Venus And Mars (DTS CD)
Genesis: Wind & Wuthering (DTS DVD)
Steely Dan: Everything Must Go (DVD-A/DVD-V DTS)

I've also been completely thrilled with how great DVD concert videos with 5.1 soundtracks sound in the car if they are mixed well. U2's "Popmart" is amazing.

Which version of "Queen: A Night At The Opera"? The first 'review copy' is basically unlistenable due to over-aggressive noise-gating and entire tracks missing from the final mix. And contrary to what DTS claimed, copies DID make it to retail - I found it on the shelf at Best Buy in Gladstone and other KC Metro stores. The 2nd, Brian May supervised, mix is much, much better. And the overall fidelity is greatly improved. I also like the more recent remix, but it has way too much 'normalizing' applied to it - there's no dynamic range at all! It sounds like it was meant to be played in discrete multichannel over AM radio.
 
How can I tell which version I have? I have the anniversary edition CD/DVD combo and it sounds great to me. Maybe too much compression ('normalization' would not affect dynamics, just the overall volume) but for listening in the car I don't mind that much.
 
All of the votes for Porcupine Tree - Fear of a Blank Planet makes me even more aware of the fact I need to get that one. I love the four PT surround discs I do own. I wish I could find it at a more attractive price not requiring import from the UK.
I would think that you could get FOABP directly from Burning Shed even though you didn't want to order from the UK. They are reasonably priced and, depending where your located, arrive in 1-2 weeks.

There are some great lists here! I will have to contemplate my list over the next day or two. As others have stated, a top ten will be some work. I do know Roxy Music's "Avalon" will be at the top along with The Beatles "Love" and Porcupine Tree's "The Incident".
 
Thread resurrection... here's this week's Top 10 in no particular order:

ā€¢ Pink Floyd "DSOTM" (Alan Parsons 4.0 mix)
ā€¢ Steely Dan "Gaucho" (SACD / Elliott Scheiner)
ā€¢ Jeff Beck "Blow By Blow" (SACD)
ā€¢ Porcupine Tree "FOABP" (DVD-A)
ā€¢ Tomita "Planets" (the original on QR)
ā€¢ Talking Heads "Remain In Light" (DVD-A)
ā€¢ Depeche Mode "Violator"
ā€¢ Roxy Music "Avalon" (SACD)
ā€¢ Miles Davis "Kind Of Blue" (it's only 3.0, with the rears being rechannelized + reverb, but those three channels in the front are just so good)
ā€¢ Bjork "Vespertine"

Honorable mention to Hugo Montenegro "Hugo In Wonderland" which I just got to hear and sounded .... 'wonder-ful' (pun intended) as well as "Prelude" and "Deodato 2", the two Deodato releases that were on QR from CTI.

This list might already have changed by next week.
 
Cool Thread! I'm limiting this to DIGITAL official releases, so I won't include Sundown or Nilsson Schmilsson.

1- Mondo Head - Kodo SACD 5.1 fantastic fidelity
2- Chicago (II) DVD-A
3- Blue Country Heart - Jorma Kaukonen SACD 5.1
4- CTA- Chicago DTS Quadio
5- Bach: Organ - Ol' Ernest Power Biggs SACD 5.1
6- Love - Beatles DVD-A
7- Dig - Boz Scaggs DVD-A
8- Tapestry - Carole King SACD 5.1
9- Ship Ahoy - O' Jays SACD 5.1
10- Rumours - Fleetwood Mac DVD-A
 
I have a recent copy of S&V mag, they continue to be surround supportive. The Oct. 12 issue has an interview with Steve Wilson. And other articles regarding the format.
 
How can I tell which version I have? I have the anniversary edition CD/DVD combo and it sounds great to me. Maybe too much compression ('normalization' would not affect dynamics, just the overall volume) but for listening in the car I don't mind that much.

I've got 3 very different versions and I think I am missing the pre-release promo version.
1 - the original DTS-CD "Only 50 copies ever made" version. Sounds stunning - it is how ES & RTB meant it to sound.
2 - The DVD-A release by DTS Ents. fiddled with by Brian May and not as good as the original mix before he got his paws on it. There are 2 different versions of this release (I have both) although the mix is identical, I am assured. I will sit down & A/B them one of these days but AFAIK the difference is in the menu buttons.
3 - the 30th anniversary release - DTS-DVD even more fiddled with by BM, and for the first time including a discrete mix of the final track. Brutally over-compressed to my mind.

@disclord - can you please, please tell me what is missing on the infamous "review copy" please? I have never heard this.
 
I just cannot narrow it down to 10.. but here's my all-time Top 51 ("5.1".. geddit..!?) surround mixes of "non-Classical" available on DVDA/SACD/DTS (of what I've discovered, so far.. in order!). (*)

I've listed only shiny pressed discs here (DVDA/SACD/DTS, etc).. no Q4/Q8/CD-4/SQ/QS (or rips thereof).. a shame as many would appear here too.. but then it'd be a top 100..!

As it is, I've had to leave out R.E.M., The Doors, Talking Heads, Depeche Mode, Moody Blues, Genesis, King Crimson, as I find just about all of their DVDA/SACD 5.1's to be uniformly great (or they're so well represented in surround I felt it cheating to lump one of their box sets in as just one entry) and I just can't choose between any of them (!) .. and besides, that lot alone would gobble up over half my list!

So, here goes..

51.) The Beautiful Letdown - Switchfoot (SACD),
50.) Reptile - Eric Clapton (DVDA),
49.) Red Letter Days - Wallflowers (SACD),
48.) Hourglass - James Taylor (SACD),
47.) Greatest Hits - Al Green (DVDA),
46.) Jean Michel Jarre - Aero (DTS DVDV),
45.) The Stranger - Billy Joel (SACD),
44.) Young Americans - David Bowie (DTS 24/96 DVDV),
43.) JT - James Taylor (SACD),
42.) Rumours - Fleetwood Mac (DVDA),
39.) A Night At The Opera - Queen (DVDA),
38.) Dad Loves His Work - James Taylor (SACD),
37.) There's One In Every Crowd - Eric Clapton (DTS CD),
36.) Freeze - Thomilla (SACD),
35.) Hotel California - Eagles (DVDA),
34.) 52nd Street - Billy Joel (SACD),
33.) Slow Train Coming - Bob Dylan (SACD),
32.) Strange Beautiful Music - Joe Satriani (SACD),
31.) Twentysomething - Jamie Cullum (SACD),
30.) Fragile - Yes (DVDA),
27.) Heathen - David Bowie (SACD),
25.) Nature Boy - Aaron Neville (SACD/DVDA),
24.) Songs in A Minor - Alicia Keys (DVDA),
22.) Moffou - Salif Keita (SACD),
21.) Careful What You Wish For - Texas (SACD),
20.) Matt's Mood - Matt Bianco (SACD),
19.) 3 + 3 - Isley Brothers (SACD),
18.) Timeagain - David Sanborn (DVDA/SACD),
17.) Marvin Gaye Collection (DVDA/SACD),
16.) The Nightfly - Donald Fagen (DVDA),
15.) The Mass - Era (SACD),
14.) Ship Ahoy - The O'Jays (SACD),
13.) The Captain & Me - Doobie Brothers (DVDA),
12.) Homecoming - America (DVDA),
11.) The Game - Queen (DVDA)
10.) Songs & Stories - George Benson (Monster Music DTS),
9.) Blow By Blow - Jeff Beck (SACD),
8.) 461 Ocean Boulevard - Eric Clapton (SACD),
7.) Avalon - Roxy Music (SACD),
6.) Gratitude - Earth, Wind & Fire (SACD),
5.) Frantic - Bryan Ferry (DVDA/SACD),
4.) Captain Fantastic & The Brown Dirt Cowboy - Elton John (SACD),
3.) Winelight - Grover Washington Jr (DVDA),
2.) Jasmine Nightdreams - Edgar Winter (DTS CD),
1.) Gaucho - Steely Dan (SACD/DVDA/DTS CD).

(*) - Top 51 subject to change, as all work in progress still.. as it is for most if not all here at QQ I imagine..!?
 
Cool Thread! I'm limiting this to DIGITAL official releases, so I won't include Sundown or Nilsson Schmilsson.

1- Mondo Head - Kodo SACD 5.1 fantastic fidelity
2- Chicago (II) DVD-A
3- Blue Country Heart - Jorma Kaukonen SACD 5.1
4- CTA- Chicago DTS Quadio
5- Bach: Organ - Ol' Ernest Power Biggs SACD 5.1
6- Love - Beatles DVD-A
7- Dig - Boz Scaggs DVD-A
8- Tapestry - Carole King SACD 5.1
9- Ship Ahoy - O' Jays SACD 5.1
10- Rumours - Fleetwood Mac DVD-A

dammit! I can't believe I overlooked Tapestry, Chicago AND Boz..!!!! :mad:
 
Although it's only a test pressing, Chicago X DVD-A needs to be included, or at least the SQ, which is a different mix, though similar.

Linda, I'm curious - how do you rate X vs. CTA, II and V, both from a music standpoint and from a mix standpoint? You've praised the SQ mix of X multiple times but I felt the songs on X weren't up to the same level as the earlier records.

Always appreciate your opinions!
 
Chicago X:
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I've had a Q8, SQ, CD, expanded CD and DVD-A of X. My memories of X are fond ones. I bought it on Q8 when it was released. Nothing like buying a Quad and playing it in Quad in the car on immediately upon leaving the store! My GF Sue and I were cruising down the road in my '76 Buick Regal digging it. When I first heard You Get it Up, I had to check that it wasn't War! Musically, X is one of their best, and perhaps my favorite. To me, it is the most even musically. Hope for Love is the only track I could do without. Their only #1 hit, If You Leave Me Now, is on here, although it's one of my least favorites on the album. It's the only track most people know. Mama, Mama, You Get it Up, Scrapbook, You Are on My Mind, Once or Twice and Another Rainy Day in New York City are among their best tracks EVER. The mix is great and it sounds like never before in advanced res. The mix, although not the same as the Quad, is very similar. If you can't get the DVD-A test pressing, get the Quad. If you have a copy of this on any format and aren't impressed, listen a couple more times. You'll fall in love with it! I Didn't have the DVD-A test pressing of X when i listed my top 10. As goot as Dig - Boz Scaggs is, it might be the one to come off the list. Musically, both II & X are better than Mondo Head -Kodo, although Kodo may be the best disc sonically, followed by Ol' Ernest Power Biggs.
Allergy warning: made on equipment that proceses peanuts


Chicago Transit Authority (I):
cta-quad-product-shot-large_1266456755916.jpg
I've had an LP, SQ LP, 1/2 speed MoFi LP, 2 CD, single CD, gold CD & DVD-V Quadio of CTA. Out of the hundreds of thousands of songs I've heard, Beginnings is my all-time #1 track by anyone! That makes this a natural for my all-time fave album. It's high, but not my favorite. Liberation and the Chicago '68 Democratic Convention chants drag it down, but Free Form Guitar should have remained in the can. And I love most avant-garde stuff. Still, Introduction, Does Anybody Know, Questions 67 & 68, South California Purples, Listen and I'm a Man make this album a must have. I've always felt the Quad mix of this was my fave of all the Chicago Quads. Crazy, because they had less tracks to work with here than their other albums. They did the most with the least. Sad the Quadio isn't advanced res. They got my hopes up when I spotted the DVD-A logo on the package. Sadly, it's only DVD-V.


Chicago II:
1364031827_chicagoii.jpg
I've had a cassette, SQ, 2 CD, single CD & DVD-A of II. If X isn't their best album, either II or 16 (not in surround) are. THIS ALBUM IS A SONIC REVELATION ON DVD-A! Every other copy I've had, including the SQ LP's sounded like a pre-recorded 2ch 8track, compressed dynamics and lacking in the high end. The DVD-A sounds open and is sonically the best. Mix is great, as are all Chicago Quad/DVD's. Musically 25 or 6 to 4, Fancy Colors, Color My World, Moving In, and Poem for the People are all killer. It Better End Soon is great, but goes on far too long. Unless you hate this band, this album is a must own!


Chicago V:
61sLLUbznbL._SL500_AA300_.jpg
I've had an LP, SQ LP, CD, remastered CD and DVD-A of V. Saturday in the Park is the quintessential Chicago track. Besides being one of their biggest hits, it most typifies their sound. To me, this album has few highlights. A Hit by Vareses and Dialog are among the others. Fidelity and mix are great, as usual for Chicago.

Let's hope that we see the other 5 Chicago Quads (III, VI, VII, VIII and IX [Greatest Hits}) in 5.1 soon. I'd also love to hear the much underrated XIV in 5.1, as well as 16, 17, 19, Big Band and Christmas.

Linda, I'm curious - how do you rate X vs. CTA, II and V, both from a music standpoint and from a mix standpoint? You've praised the SQ mix of X multiple times but I felt the songs on X weren't up to the same level as the earlier records.

Always appreciate your opinions!
 
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