HiRez Poll RUSH - A FAREWELL TO KINGS (40TH ANNIVERSARY STEVEN WILSON 5.1 MIX) [Blu-Ray Audio]

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Rate the BDA of RUSH - A FAREWELL TO KINGS (40TH ANNIVERSARY STEVEN WILSON 5.1 MIX)

  • 6

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 5

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 4

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 3

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 2

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 1: Poor Content, Surround Mix, and Fidelity

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    72

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Please post your thoughts and comments on this 2017 reissue of the classic RUSH album "A Farewell to Kings".
Reissued for its 40th anniversary, the box set contains a brand new 5.1 surround mix on Blu-Ray remixed by Steven Wilson.

PLEASE NOTE: This thread is to be used to discuss the 40th anniversary Steven Wilson 5.1 surround mix.
To make comments about the 2011 5.1 surround mix, please use this thread: https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/showthread.php?15224-Rush-A-FAREWELL-TO-KINGS-DVD-A-BDA

(n) :) (y)

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Steven Wilson is a genius and a god. (Yes, I pray to him... right now I'm praying for another Rush surround release)

This is the definitive way to listen to this album. No other version, stereo or surround, even comes close.

This is the way I've always dreamed Rush could sound in surround... every song is full of surround surprises! I assumed Steven would put various percussion, synthesizers, and sound effects in the surround channels, but he's achieved so much more with this mix in terms of spreading the drums around the room (and he does it differently from song to song, and even within a given song), varying where vocals come from, or where the instruments are located (again, sometimes varying where they come from within a given song). There's a moment in one song where the bass fades in from somewhere behind you, eventually kicking-in at full volume front and center. Elsewhere, a quiet moment occurs where it's just Getty's voice and his bass, but this time the bass is up front, and his vocals are in the rears, singing to you in stereo. The acoustic guitars spread out around you in "Cinderella Man" are gorgeous. There are guitars popping up in the rears throughout the album. There's a solo on one song where Alex sweeps back and forth between the LF and RF, then at a key moment briefly zooms back to the left rear, immediately returning to the fronts... there are cool little moments like this throughout. The "Xanadu" mix here kicks the mix on Sector's butt. And "Cygnus" is an epic masterpiece of surround... it's never been my favorite song on the album until tonight!

I must say, though, that the most exciting thing about this mix is how incredible the drums sound, especially the way the fills swirl around the room, toms sweeping across you. I thought maybe other Rush albums wouldn't sound very good in surround when the arrangements are mainly just Alex, Getty, and Neil (just guitar, bass, and drums), but I'm confident after hearing this album that Steven would be able to make a great surround mix from the sparcest of Rush albums.

Also, I really found myself enjoying the screen-savers that play during each song... they perfectly capture the mood and are somewhat mesmerizing.

Another thing: there's an endless loop of cool Cygnus sound effects in surround that plays when the menu screen is on... best surround menu music mix ever.

Finally: The ring is cool! This is a 10 all the way.
 
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Could this release dethrone DSOTM? Great to see GG at #2...
 
Is the Super Deluxe package the only way to get the 5.1 mix? That looks to be the case.
 
This sealed it for me. I sprang for the Super Deluxe.


At least you have one thing going for you by not going on the first wave of purchasers...you already know that the surround is good...when you are an early adopter(by getting it thru pre order)you are facing the possibility that the surround is disappointing...I came into the surround hobby later than most...so I was usually in "catch up" mode and paying a premium on the secondary markets for these out of print titles...but by waiting I wasn't wasting money on titles that weren't any good...I remember paying $140 for the tom petty anthology box set to just get the surround disc...others paid less than $30 for it when Best Buy had it as an exclusive...but you know what...I never regretted that decision because it was excellent...the main thing is you will have it..and at the end of the day...that's what counts...you will have chances to save money on other releases...it all works out in the end:)
 
Haven't listened to it yet but man the contents of the box are cool, right down to the crush velvet lining in the box, hope to listen to this puppy soon.
 
The new Rush AFTK is, in a word "Fantastic"! First of all this is my favorite Rush album (followed very closely by 2112). So I know them both by heart. The box is very nice, more than I needed but very nice. I think the LP's are a nice addition. I like vinyl, so maybe I'm biased in that regard. The Steven Wilson mix on the Blu-ray is very good as well. As many have said it would be tough to remix this album, again, but he did a great job. It has a much cleaner sound. The use of surrounds for the many sound effects on this recording are finally utilized. After listening I have a whole new appreciation for the song "Cinderella Man". Wow! The visuals that accompany the album are also a nice touch and a bit mesmerizing!

I must add that I do like the Richard Chycki mix on the previous Sector box as well. Allow me to explain. The RC mix is probably a little more dynamic, and when cranked has a bit more visceral impact, probably due to it being mostly in the front speakers with some ambiance and a little discrete use of surrounds. This gives it more of a concert feel, however it fails to take advantage of all the subtle textures on this album that are so perfect for surround listening. On the SW mix, he brings out so much more detail of the recording and smooths out the rough edges. So at a slightly more normal listening level you are enveloped in the mix, and hear things never heard before. That is what I look for in a good mix and SW does not disappoint. Neil Peart's drumming is so layered and complex and spreading some of it to the rears helps open it up. I guess it's all in what you want. As a Rush fan and collector of 5.1 music, I'm glad to have both mixes!

One observation; At the very end of Cygnus X-1, the heartbeat sound has been removed for both 5.1 audio options - DTS-HD MA and Dolby True HD. It is still intact on the stereo version.

Still, an easy 10.

Dennis
 
Ok so first time round I must say Mr. Wilson slammed this one out of the park, it is just perfect to my ears. I am amazed at the perfect balance of the entire surround field on this one. This to me is dam near the gold standard of a how
a 5.1 should be done for this type of music. Dam fine stuff. And to top it off that cork heading into the black hole just adds icing on the cake. This package is a work of art.

Roger and Dave, take some notes and get animals done like this!
 
Just got mine last night. Have not had a chance to spin anything yet. The packaging is real cool, but I do have one little stupid nit-picky gripe. None of the box sides have any lettering on them at all, so unless you have the room to display the box facing forward (I don't), it is going to just be a brown blob on the shelf. Gilmour's Rattle That Lock had the same annoyance (or was it Endless River? One of the two). It is unimportant in the larger scope of things, but it bugs me. :)

I'll report back after the weekend when I've had a chance to check out the important stuff. :)
 
I got my box set yesterday, and have now spun the surround version a couple of times. Really pleased with the mix. Did anyone else notice the new "oooohh" from Geddy coming right after the solo in Closer to the Heart? Never heard that before! (It's only on the surround mix)

Sent fra min SM-G950F via Tapatalk
 
Just got mine last night. Have not had a chance to spin anything yet. The packaging is real cool, but I do have one little stupid nit-picky gripe. None of the box sides have any lettering on them at all, so unless you have the room to display the box facing forward (I don't), it is going to just be a brown blob on the shelf. Gilmour's Rattle That Lock had the same annoyance (or was it Endless River? One of the two). It is unimportant in the larger scope of things, but it bugs me. :)

I'll report back after the weekend when I've had a chance to check out the important stuff. :)

If you don't mind....let us know what your plans are for the RING...are you going to wear it...display it....give it to someone special:spot
 
Gilmour's Rattle That Lock had the same annoyance (or was it Endless River? One of the two). It is unimportant in the larger scope of things, but it bugs me. :)
Both, actually, as well as the Bruford Seems Like A Lifetime Ago box. Is it really too much to ask for text on the spine?
 
In fact, I could drill holes in the marbles from the Immersion sets and make the coolest necklace of all time... ?
 
I got my box set yesterday, and have now spun the surround version a couple of times. Really pleased with the mix. Did anyone else notice the new "oooohh" from Geddy coming right after the solo in Closer to the Heart? Never heard that before! (It's only on the surround mix)

Sent fra min SM-G950F via Tapatalk

ya I did right away, forget to mention that in the last post
 
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