HiRez Poll Adams, Bryan - RECKLESS [BluRay]

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Rate the BDA of Bryan Adams - RECKLESS [BluRay Audio]

  • 5 -

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 4 -

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 3 -

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 2 -

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 1 - Poor Surround, Poor Fidelity, Poor Contact

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    65
I haven't voted yet but it can't be a 9 or 10 because it simply does not have a perfect/discrete mix and it's dynamics are not among the best either.

I'm really starting to believe that some of the people that listen to these surround discs have some earwax lodged in their ears. This is one of the better dynamic surround albums I own. So, my system must be that good.
 
I haven't voted yet but it can't be a 9 or 10 because it simply does not have a perfect/discrete mix and it's dynamics are not amoung the best either. I'm tossing between a 7 or 8...

This is a good release though, just not deserving to be at the top of my list on audio quality, in fact I'm not sure it would make my 'surround demo list' but at the same time it's a great listen due to so many classic hits.

I need another couple listens before my final vote. (Maybe I'm just a bit disappointed this doesn't sound better...)

At first I thought this was a 7...but now I know it's at least an 8 for me.....more plays and higher volume has really opened this disc up for me...I'm debating whether to go for a 9...the content is what I've been looking for and content is king for me...I've got a lot of the "demo" type discs gathering dust on my shelves...after the novelty of the mix wears off you are left with the content...to give you an example..Warchild...it sounds amazing..but I'm not going to play it much...I have to be in a certain mood to listen to it...Reckless I can just pop it in and let it rip and I get instant gratification...it's uncomplicated music..primal if you will...but that's fine..same with Songs From The Big Chair...no clever lyrics just music...after a steady diet of Yes and Tull it's what the doctor ordered for me...

The mere fact that you are debating aspects of the disc is a good thing:) I think the poll standards have risen from the earlier years on here...and I struggle with comparisons...if you compare a disc like Legend with an 80's rock/pop reverb/synth dominated sound you are comparing apples to oranges...much harder to get that 80's (stink)sound out of the material and make it sound impressive...in some Olympic events judges take into consideration the "degree of difficulty"...maybe we should too...the same guy that did Legend did this disc...and of course Legend sounds better than this disc...no question...but is it fair to compare them?...same with Songs From The Big Chair...nobody(well maybe a few on here would)would question the ability of Steven Wilson...but that disc doesn't sound as good as some of his other discs like aqualung...again...the 80's sonic influence is hard to overcome...

So...do we judge these discs on sound/surround quality alone...or does the content mean more...or the infamous "fidelity"(not even sure what that means anymore)...I'm not sure which way to go...the logical move would be to balance all the categories...but the human element of content makes that very hard for me...and others I suspect...and music does evoke emotion which is good but a downside to that emotion is that sometimes it gets misdirected toward a fellow poster because they don't share our same view in the ratings category...but I do think it's ok to ask a poster why he scored a disc so low that is getting high marks across the board...it might be a problem with his equipment that can be resolved....let's not turn on our fellow posters...just wanted to get that out there and certainly NOT directed toward you...
 
well I have had this for a while now and while not the biggest Bryan Adams fan, this was probably the best and one album I would have picked.

listening to it I becomes quite clear that Bob Clearmountain seems to have a very good grip on 5.1 mixing as this is a pretty neat mix and there is nothing I would really want to change.

I really comes alive at louder volumes, which is great as owing to the epic nature of the music loud is the way to go.

Happy that I brought this
 
Got this one as a Christmas present. I do not have it on CD, so I've nothing with which to compare it. My first impression is that this must have been a difficult album to mix into 5.1 and keep the feel of the original recording. The album definitely has an "arena" sound that doesn't warrant an intimate 5.1 mix. Also, I normally listen in straight 5.1 but turned on the rear speakers for a 7.1 presentation. Although doing so simply duplicates the content of the surround speakers in the rears, I found that having the rears turned on reinforced the "arena" sound thereby enhancing the enjoyment of this disc. So I would say that this rendition is very well done. I gave it an 8.
 
So I finally picked this up with some Amazon vouchers that I got for Xmas and it arrived today.

First up, I'm not a huge Bryan Adams fan. I don't dislike his stuff, I just find it a bit... run of the mill. He writes good songs but doesn't push any boundaries in doing so, and there's nothing wrong with that at all. I'll happily tap my feet or sing his choruses, but nothing will get rooted in my ear. However, there are a couple of his albums that I'd happily listen to and Reckless is one of them, probably because it was played almost in its entirety back in the day on the radio and such like. The other is Into The Fire which is special to me because I own the Fairlight CMI that Ian Stanley used on that album and have some of his original 8" floppy discs from his time in the studio working on it.

Anyhoo, after pressing play, it is easy to get right into this album, such is its accessibility, musically. It's easy to sing along to, most of the songs are instantly familiar and it's just good fun. However, the 5.1 mix really does lift it up a notch. Clearmountain hasn't much to work with. The album isn't awash with lots of layers of instrumentation. A couple of guitars, bass, drums, organ, vocals... that's pretty much it, in the main. But the mix is dynamic and sympathetic to the source material and everything sounds big, emphatic and detailed. It properly fills the room. I really enjoyed the first listen and will give it repeated spins without question.

For me, the mix gets a 9.

However, as with most HFPA titles, I continue to feel huge opportunities are being missed and the scant packaging and limited content do not justify the price tag. There is no reason, other than one of financial greed, why all the box set content couldn't go on here and with room to spare. I know I've flogged this particular horse all too often, but I'd happily pay £40 for a single Blu Ray with ALL the box set content on it. And for that I'll mark it down a 6.

Overall, the 5.1 mix plus the few bonus hi-res 2.0 tracks you get, along with the double CD edition you get in the form of the MP3 download mean that I give it an 8.

Once again, Universal, more effort is required.
 
I wasn't sure what to make of this surround disk as it came after I listened to some amazing disk's Xtc,Yes and Tears for Fears. The songs on this album are very catchy but is this actually a surround demo disk, I think not. Most surround disk's I sit in the sweet spot and just let the music drift over me and around me so today I tried something different with this one, I got on my feet and just danced around the room to the music. It worked, this music isn't meant to be sat down to and as I moved around the room and listened to this LOUD it sounded pretty darn good. Based on my latest I would give this one a very strong 8 for sure as initially would have only given a 7(on sit down listen) but as there are also 7 bonus songs in stereo as well will give this one a bonus point for that so will give it a 9, maybe a bit high but feeling generous today.
Try it out then, get on your feet and DANCE,DANCE,DANCE, :)
 
I wasn't sure what to make of this surround disk as it came after I listened to some amazing disk's Xtc,Yes and Tears for Fears. The songs on this album are very catchy but is this actually a surround demo disk, I think not. Most surround disk's I sit in the sweet spot and just let the music drift over me and around me so today I tried something different with this one, I got on my feet and just danced around the room to the music. It worked, this music isn't meant to be sat down to and as I moved around the room and listened to this LOUD it sounded pretty darn good. Based on my latest I would give this one a very strong 8 for sure as initially would have only given a 7(on sit down listen) but as there are also 7 bonus songs in stereo as well will give this one a bonus point for that so will give it a 9, maybe a bit high but feeling generous today.
Try it out then, get on your feet and DANCE,DANCE,DANCE, :)

I'm exactly where you are at this point...I started out in "clinical mode" and just sat there and tried to evaluate every song under the microscope...and I too had been exposed to some "demo discs" prior to my first listen...but after repeated "casual" listening sessions.... where I didn't sit there and look for flaws...and just let the music do the talking.... I was really into the music...but the clincher for me was cranking the volume up...made all the difference in the world....after all this is ROCK music...this isn't Mrs. Peacock in the Conservatory...this is letting the rough side drag baby...Rock on...I really want to go to 9...especially since my buddy Gos(2.0) shortchanged this disc with a 7...he knows he messed up...but he's still my bud..next time he will not jump right in after 2 plays and give his evaluation.......but it's just not quite there for a 9....BUT..I will be playing this 8 a whole lot more than some of the 9's and 10's I have...so a STRONG 8 for future generations that read this poll after most of us are dust...
 
I, like many, realized that this disc absolutely needs to be played loud to enjoy its benefits. But...I didn't realize it until my 3rd listen...
 
However, as with most HFPA titles, I continue to feel huge opportunities are being missed and the scant packaging and limited content do not justify the price tag. There is no reason, other than one of financial greed, why all the box set content couldn't go on here and with room to spare. I know I've flogged this particular horse all too often, but I'd happily pay £40 for a single Blu Ray with ALL the box set content on it. And for that I'll mark it down a 6.

I'm with Failed Muso: I'd like to see each album released on BD to also include all content from the box set (single mixes, B-sides, demos and any live tracks from the particular era of the album) in stereo and 5.1 where possible, with a "Play All" option on the menu so I can just hit it and let the good times roll.

There is so much capacity on a BD (50GB), they should be cramming them full of content and charging us accordingly.
 
I'm with Failed Muso: I'd like to see each album released on BD to also include all content from the box set (single mixes, B-sides, demos and any live tracks from the particular era of the album) in stereo and 5.1 where possible, with a "Play All" option on the menu so I can just hit it and let the good times roll.

There is so much capacity on a BD (50GB), they should be cramming them full of content and charging us accordingly.

I have to disagree...I don't want all these versions....needledrops...b side..studio demos etc...etc..etc...so I am glad there is a single blu ray without all this stuff on it...that's what box sets are for...the diehard fan that wants any scrap of information they can get...this keeps the price of the single blu ray down...I have been forced to buy these box sets in the past just to get the blu ray disc I wanted...I can now buy these single blu rays in the range of $25 or lower...and that's a great price...and I don't need books with pictures of the band...marbles ..or scarfs or anything...just the music....let's keep it simple...this gives people choices..I don't want to go back to the old way of forcing people to buy box sets with a lot of stuff that is redundant and most people don't want...
 
I have to disagree...I don't want all these versions....needledrops...b side..studio demos etc...etc..etc...so I am glad there is a single blu ray without all this stuff on it...that's what box sets are for...the diehard fan that wants any scrap of information they can get...this keeps the price of the single blu ray down...I have been forced to buy these box sets in the past just to get the blu ray disc I wanted...I can now buy these single blu rays in the range of $25 or lower...and that's a great price...and I don't need books with pictures of the band...marbles ..or scarfs or anything...just the music....let's keep it simple...this gives people choices..I don't want to go back to the old way of forcing people to buy box sets with a lot of stuff that is redundant and most people don't want...

I don't want all the junk that the marketing doofuses think will fool people into thinking they're getting something special by purchasing the box set either. I hate all that stuff (fancy cardboard box, pictures, booklets, marbles, scarves). All I want is the tunes, in the highest fidelity available and in surround where possible, thank you very much ("It used to be about the music, man!").

While I agree with Clint Eastwood in that keeping it simple is a great way for us to buy these albums (often for the umpteenth time) at a decent price, there's so much room on a BD, it's a wasted opportunity to not include everything from the release of that album's era on it. Doing so would make each BD release a little time capsule that the fans could purchase and know that they have everything from that particular era. If we were just charged an extra $10 per BD, that's not too much more to pay when you consider how much we've all paid for our hardware.

I realise that not everyone wants all of the music from a particular era but even if it is there, it doesn't need to be listened to. I don't particularly care for demos and live tracks. I've only listened to the needle-drops on the Yes BD's once or twice but they're there if I choose to check them out in future (and I'm pretty sure I will). It's not like having the music on the disc is taking up any extra space in our cabinets like the box sets do - it's just using the space that we've already bought. Just as an aside. in terms of B-sides, I was thinking more of Cure B-sides which, as Cure fans know, are often better than the album tracks. Imagine how much of a definitive edition a Disintegration BD would be if it included the album, single mixes, extended mixes, the demos from the recent 3CD reissue and Entreat? It'd freakin' rule to have all of that on the one disc, especially if it was in surround also. It'd be just like all the extras on XTC's Drums and Wires BD - tons of tunes on one disc.

The non-album tracks on Reckless are a perfect example of someone finally using the space available. We get more music at little-to-no extra cost. John Coltrane's A Love Supreme BD similarly has alternate takes and a live version of the album. Both of these albums have more than made their money back multiple times over the decades, so I can't see why everything can't finally be bundled up for us now that the high capacity delivery system that is Blu-ray is finally here - other than the label feeling they need to squeeze every last buck out of it.
 
I sort of wish they would take the extra space and at least make the screen you are staring at a bit more pleasant. THAT, is what I don't get. Talk about generic.....plus, the font is so small it's hard to see the damn song titles. Ridiculous IMO.
 
I don't want all the junk that the marketing doofuses think will fool people into thinking they're getting something special by purchasing the box set either. I hate all that stuff (fancy cardboard box, pictures, booklets, marbles, scarves). All I want is the tunes, in the highest fidelity available and in surround where possible, thank you very much ("It used to be about the music, man!").

While I agree with Clint Eastwood in that keeping it simple is a great way for us to buy these albums (often for the umpteenth time) at a decent price, there's so much room on a BD, it's a wasted opportunity to not include everything from the release of that album's era on it. Doing so would make each BD release a little time capsule that the fans could purchase and know that they have everything from that particular era. If we were just charged an extra $10 per BD, that's not too much more to pay when you consider how much we've all paid for our hardware.

I realise that not everyone wants all of the music from a particular era but even if it is there, it doesn't need to be listened to. I don't particularly care for demos and live tracks. I've only listened to the needle-drops on the Yes BD's once or twice but they're there if I choose to check them out in future (and I'm pretty sure I will). It's not like having the music on the disc is taking up any extra space in our cabinets like the box sets do - it's just using the space that we've already bought. Just as an aside. in terms of B-sides, I was thinking more of Cure B-sides which, as Cure fans know, are often better than the album tracks. Imagine how much of a definitive edition a Disintegration BD would be if it included the album, single mixes, extended mixes, the demos from the recent 3CD reissue and Entreat? It'd freakin' rule to have all of that on the one disc, especially if it was in surround also. It'd be just like all the extras on XTC's Drums and Wires BD - tons of tunes on one disc.

The non-album tracks on Reckless are a perfect example of someone finally using the space available. We get more music at little-to-no extra cost. John Coltrane's A Love Supreme BD similarly has alternate takes and a live version of the album. Both of these albums have more than made their money back multiple times over the decades, so I can't see why everything can't finally be bundled up for us now that the high capacity delivery system that is Blu-ray is finally here - other than the label feeling they need to squeeze every last buck out of it.

Just a brief response...you can have all the extras you want..that's what these box sets are designed to give the "diehard" fan...to be candid I'm a diehard Beatles fan and I wouldn't want all those different mixes and versions...just because there is space on the blu ray doesn't mean you have to fill it with material...and this concept of the companies making money..that's what I want!...I don't call it greed...it's called profit...because if it doesn't happen there won't be any hi rez format...IMO the price of these single blu rays is perfect...if you have tried to buy some of these out of print DVD-A's and SACDs it's a steal...not directing this at you but no matter what these companies seem to do it's never enough for some...some people want DVD-A's..and break out in a cold sweat if it's DVD-V(oh the shame!)..if it's 24/48 some people go into cardiac arrest because it's not 24/96...some just hate SACD technology...no matter how good the disc sounds...so given all these specialized desires it's a miracle the hi rez format is still alive..and of course there are the complaints about the titles...so given all these constraints I really like the simplicity of the existing "cost effective" way of providing an entry level disc with the new mix and a more elaborate box set with all the extras...keeping this at a low price might even induce more people into the hi rez hobby...
 
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Wahay! Looks like I opened the proverbial can of worms! :D ;)

The thing is, I find myself agreeing with everyone on this. Yes, it's nice to be able to have a disc with just the 5.1/hi-res material on but it's also disappointing to not see the format exploited to its fullest potential. When it comes to albums like Reckless and Songs From The Big Chair, the lines are getting more blurred because both boxes contain 5.1 mixes, whereas in the past this hasn't been the case. We've had to endure labels separating out content so that many of us find ourselves wanting to buy the boxset AND the separate 5.1 mix to get all the stuff we want (recent example being Elton's 40th Anniversary GBYBR) or cramming the 5.1 mix into an elaborate and expensive boxset that some people can't or won't buy just to get the 5.1 mix (recent examples being Soundgarden and Goldfrapp). I guess the old adage about pleasing people some or all of the time was never more apt.

I don't have the answer, and I guess the debate will run on and on, and its probably best to have it outside of this thread. Personally, even though I'm a huge fan of physical media, I'm surprised that no-one has ever come up with a "build-your-own-box-set" idea that is entirely digital. An artist or label can provide a range of items for sale and then the customer visits the website, picks the elements they want and pays a "package price" and then downloads their personal selection. Customers can then buy just the bits they want and get discounts on multiple items. This could even be used with physical stuff, although it might pay just to make those things available separately. It just seems to me that we will never be happy.

But moving back to Reckless, I have to say I was dubious about buying this because I'm not a huge fan of his, but it's really growing on me, both in terms of the songs and the mix. Universal seem to have possibly been listening to our quibbles in the past, if this and other recent releases are anything to go by. Sparkle In The Rain will be the next very interesting release :)
 
Anyway, back to the poll. This one took awhile to get to me and I was very eager for it. I've had a couple of listens now and am a bit torn. It just seems a bit harsh to me musically if that makes sense. In fact of all my surround music I think this is the first one that has me questioning if it is better than the original channel Maybe a few more listens before I actually vote cause right now I'm leaning towards a 7 at best....
 
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