HiRez Poll Clapton, Eric - 461 OCEAN BLVD [SACD]

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Rate the SACD of Eric Clapton - 461 OCEAN BLVD


  • Total voters
    72
Okay folks,

Being that I've now listened to several albums of multichannel music, I'm going to start posting in these threads. This is exciting for me since I've been a lurker for so long! I'm not voting in the poll, however, as I've only listened to this disc once. Onto the first review for QQ:

Music - 8/10 (Very Good)
With only one listen it's hard to pick favorite tracks, but overall I didn't find one track I was bored by. Lots of toe-tapping however. I Shot The Sheriff has always been catchy. I was particularly impressed by some of the latter tracks and loved the unplugged feel to Walkin' Down the Road. The bonus tracks were all gems.

Fidelity - 9/10 (Excellent)
A slight hiss given the age of the recording (at least this isn't NRed to death!) and at times I felt Clapton's voice got a little lost in the music, but overall, a stellar level of clarity, punch, and dynamics. Still recovering from the abysmal quality of the cymbals on the Genesis SACDs, I was especially impressed with the cymbals on 461 OB: splashy, 3-dimensional, and realistic. No razor-blades here! Clapton's guitars were, obviously, the highlight and did not disappoint.

5.1 Mix - 7/10 (Good)
I wasn't a fan of non-discrete mixes like this one at first but I was won over on this disc by A/Bing stereo vs. multichannel. The rear speakers contribute significantly to the "three-dimensionality" of the soundstage and the 5.1 mix does a terrific job bringing the musicians into the room. I did catch an occasional isolated background vocal in the rears, but the rears are mostly an extension of the front three speakers. Points lost only because I think I am partial to more discrete mixes.

OVERALL - 8/10 (Very Good)
It's not the most challenging mix in the world, but for someone who isn't familiar with Eric Clapton prior to the 90s and never heard 461 OB, I was extremely impressed and had a lot of fun listening to this music. Had a hard time deciding between an 8 or 9.

It'll be interesting to see if my opinion changes. But, for now, onto the next disc! :phones

Josh
 
easily one of my all-time top surround mixes!

this "new" 5.1 mix on SACD trounces the old quad to DTS by a zillion miles in every way possible!

sonically, mix-wise, musically, performance-wise, this is an out and out rock classic revisited and represented here to perfection.

one of my top 5 desert island 5.1 records.

effortlessly got a "10" from me on here years ago - and still does.

in 2012, it's still a big fat "10" for EC's 461 OB..!!
 
Just had a listen since it's been several months since I played it. I definitely do not get a surround experience. The rears do not come into play in a discrete way. Disappointing for me.

Do you have the Give Me Strength set? It's worth it just for the ES 5.1 mix of this album! :)
 
Do you have the Give Me Strength set? It's worth it just for the ES 5.1 mix of this album! :)

There are some things the Guzauski mix does better than the Scheiner (EC's vocal hard in the centre on Let It Grow.. much nicer than ES' approach) and vice versa, overall I think I prefer the old Guzauski SACD, there's a punchy immediacy to his version that lifts the material but if ES' mix had come out 10+ years ago and was the only 5.1 we ever heard I'd still rate it highly. I am pretty biased by the material, I love Clapton and particularly this album is a stunner, to have not one but THREE very different surround options is really something.. I just feel, in spite of it being less discrete than the Quad or ES' 5.1, Guzauski's is the most sympathetic to the original, I can see why it was used for the old SACD rather than ES'.
 
There are some things the Guzauski mix does better than the Scheiner (EC's vocal hard in the centre on Let It Grow.. much nicer than ES' approach) and vice versa, overall I think I prefer the old Guzauski SACD, there's a punchy immediacy to his version that lifts the material but if ES' mix had come out 10+ years ago and was the only 5.1 we ever heard I'd still rate it highly. I am pretty biased by the material, I love Clapton and particularly this album is a stunner, to have not one but THREE very different surround options is really something.. I just feel, in spite of it being less discrete than the Quad or ES' 5.1, Guzauski's is the most sympathetic to the original, I can see why it was used for the old SACD rather than ES'.

I was going to get the Give Me Strength set just for the 5.1 mix but it's gotten mixed reviews...I wasn't aware ES did that one....I have the 2004 SACD version with the Guzauski mix....the surround mix is fine...it is still dirt cheap on amazon and other places...I bought that version to see if I liked the content first before considering the Give Me Strenght set...interesting numbers here plus I already had THERE'S ONE IN EVERY CROWD DTS disc...the songs during that period lacked the longer guitar segments which I loved in Cream and beyond...I should revisit that music as I didn't play it enough...in fact I'm playing it right now...maybe it's time to let it breathe again!
 
Is there a poll for the Eric Clapton "Give Me Strength" blu-ray disc in the box set? I was searching the forum but could not find one.
 
Baggy agree dis is not super-discrete. No Yoshi ping-pongin.
It ain't just ambience in da rears doe. Sexy bgvs. Occasional layered guitars. But ya, most music up front.
Wifey come in and say, "this sounds hella good."
Overall, an "8" and well worth da bargain bin prices dat can be found.
 
New question...Did Elliot Scheiner mix the 5.1 version of 461 Ocean Boulevard or was it the 5.1 mix for the Give Me Strength blu-ray that he mixed? I zoomed in on the packaging [online] for the "461" SACD and couldn't find anything about who mixed the 5.1 multichannel audio...
 
What a great album that never sounded very good and even the sacd is not a sonic masterpiece
content 9
sonics 6
mix 6

for an over all 7
 
New question...Did Elliot Scheiner mix the 5.1 version of 461 Ocean Boulevard or was it the 5.1 mix for the Give Me Strength blu-ray that he mixed? I zoomed in on the packaging [online] for the "461" SACD and couldn't find anything about who mixed the 5.1 multichannel audio...

sacd mix credit.png

SACD 5.1 produced by Simon Climie, mixed by Mick Guzauski. Scheiner's 5.1 is on the Give Me Strength Blu-Ray.
 
The Eric Clapton Give Me Strength set that I'm seeing is well out of our price range, so I was wondering if the multichannel mix has ever been released separately like I've seen with other expensive special editions?
 
easily one of my all-time top surround mixes!

this "new" 5.1 mix on SACD trounces the old quad to DTS by a zillion miles in every way possible!

sonically, mix-wise, musically, performance-wise, this is an out and out rock classic revisited and represented here to perfection.

one of my top 5 desert island 5.1 records.

effortlessly got a "10" from me on here years ago - and still does.

in 2012, it's still a big fat "10" for EC's 461 OB..!!

This post was made during that period you had the gas leak in your house that severely compromised your cognitive function, right? šŸ˜
 
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