Magenta: Chaos From The Stage & The Gathering DVDs

Many around here have heard of the band Magenta, who have several releases with good or better surround mixes. Today I am reporting on two of their live DVDs - Chaos From The Stage (2016) & The Gathering (2005). I received the latter (disc only) as a free bonus when ordering the former. I cannot think of how I found these but they do not seem to be mentioned on QQ anywhere. I ordered them on the strength of their other mixes.

Since Magenta does have a good name around here, I wanted to bring these to your attention, and to tell you that if surround is your main interest, skip these. They both boast a DTS soundtrack, and while Rob Reed is credited with the "DVD edit" on the Chaos release, there is no specific mention of who mixed either of them. And with good reason. The mix on these is exceedingly weak. The vocals are placed in the center, so you could call it three channel stereo, but the rears are almost exclusively ambience. There is a touch more keyboard than other instruments, but otherwise even the audience is ambient in the rears.

One of the great things about QQ is as a resource for doing research before making a surround buy. I am not knocking Magenta or their music, and in fact you can find favorable polls for their other releases here:

https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/fo...496-Dolby-DVD)&p=188617&viewfull=1#post188617
https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/fo...Dolby-5-1-DVD)&p=176311&viewfull=1#post176311
https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/fo...Dolby-5-1-DVD)&p=176309&viewfull=1#post176309
https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/fo...-(DVD-DD5-1-Mix)&p=76872&viewfull=1#post76872

But as for these DVDs, if you like their music in stereo these are fine, but concerning surround, they are not worth it.

I think that your assessment of "Chaos From The Stage" from a surround perspective is accurate; Rob made it pretty clear to me that this was not intended to be a "discrete" surround mix of the live performance and it isn't.

But, I think it's also worth pointing out that, as live performances and live recordings go, it's pretty superb sound quality.

Neil Palfreyman said:

I think it's also worth pointing out that, as live performances and live recordings go, it's pretty superb sound quality.

Click to expand...

Agreed - not knocking the music or recording quality, but commenting on the surround mix for those who are interested.

Neil Palfreyman said:

I think that your assessment of "Chaos From The Stage" from a surround perspective is accurate; Rob made it pretty clear to me that this was not intended to be a "discrete" surround mix of the live performance and it isn't.

But, I think it's also worth pointing out that, as live performances and live recordings go, it's pretty superb sound quality.

Click to expand...

I would say it is not even a "non-discrete" surround-mix. I felt several times the urge to listen closely (2 cm) to the rears to hear anything from these...

I managed to listen to this today, I agree an excellent gig with superb sound quality, and "wide stereo", great musicianship, its worth getting (and I'm not the greatest fan of any live album!).

Neil Palfreyman said:

I think that your assessment of "Chaos From The Stage" from a surround perspective is accurate; Rob made it pretty clear to me that this was not intended to be a "discrete" surround mix of the live performance and it isn't.

But, I think it's also worth pointing out that, as live performances and live recordings go, it's pretty superb sound quality.

Click to expand...

Like Fourplay I received The Gathering (DD 5.1) by Magenta for free after ordering Chaos From the Stage (DTS 5.1) from http://www.progrock.co.uk/ as has been said it's pretty much audience only in the surrounds but what a cracking performance! I've been a fan since 2008 or so and seen them a few times now, these gigs are up there with the best of them, If you like Magenta you should own these, I'm not usually a huge fan of live stuff which is why I've left it so long to acquire them, I wish I'd done it sooner. Looking forward to seeing them live again next April 6th in Cardiff.