Doors Box set DVD-A 5.1

[Cai Campbell]

Sorry, expressionistic; that is, not trying to convey a realistic image of a band up front, but rather distorting reality for emotional effect.

Virtually all multi-track pop recordings "distort reality" by recording and re-recording discrete elements to be assembled in some "expressionistic" fashion. Whether the end result is stereo, ambient surround or full surround is inconsequential; distorted reality and expressionism were factored in from the very beginning.

Felix, this isn't the first time that you've hinted that "full surround" mixes are somehow more expressionistic or less realistic than other mixing approaches. Recording and mixing pop titles is all smoke and mirrors anyway, and I simply don't buy an argument that favors some illusion of reality in the end result over one that incorporates less pretense. Given the process, they are equally expressionistic and borne from the same distorted reality.

[The Quadfather]

So whoever said that the band up front was the way it's supposed to be? That condition is imposed by the limitations of venues designed to seat a lot of people so revenues could be maximised. It is certainly more interesting to sit in on a jam session where the band is all around you. But few get to do that with bands that are top notch, such as the Doors. And most of you certainly can't do that every weekend even with lousy bands. But with agressive surround, you can do just that with the best bands! So if you want to pretend that the "proper" way to listen to music is with band up front and echoes in the rear, go ahead and listen that way. You will enjoy the music, no doubt, but you will miss much. I consider the sound field to be another canvass for the artist to paint on. I like mine with full discrete surround.

The Quadfather

[rusinurbe]

How well do the mixes relate to the original LA Woman DVDA ?

[Felix E. Martinez]

I'm not favoring any approach, just that compared to the other albums in the set, the 5.1 mix for "The Doors" seems very restrained, which was a surprise to me.

[daved64]

Found this on SH....might explain things about the first album

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/sh...8&postcount=11


Whole thread:

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/sh...ighlight=track

[Felix E. Martinez]

Yeah, makes sense, Dave. Not sure why Botnick kept most of the ambience up in the front three speakers for that album, tho. There's really nothing but a ghost of ambience in the rears for that first album. He states in the liner notes that he used the ReVibe and Altiverb Impulse Response room simulation reverbs as well as the analogue EMT 140 reverb plates (same used on all the Doors albums), so I would have thought the space could have been opened up a bit more. Toggling between the hi-res 2-channel and 5.1 didn't reveal much of a difference.

How well do the mixes relate to the original LA Woman DVDA ?

After the first album (which was again, the only album recorded on 4-track - the rest were 8-track), the catalog comes together more consistently and makes greater use of the 5.1 space.

[Kazaam]

Perhaps b/c this album was recorded on 1/2" 4-track prompted Botnick to take a much more conservative approach...?

That could be.

Admittedly, I haven't heard the CD-4 LP; so I might have been pleasantly surprised with a discrete mix. But I don't know if having gone with a conservative mix on the first album is such a bad idea. I've sometimes thought that even the LA Woman DVD-A should've been more of an ambient mix. So if there was less to work with on The Doors maybe it was for the best. Granted, as a collection, it would seem a bit odd to have more-or-less discrete mixes on all the other albums, but then not on the first.

[Kazaam]

Found this on SH....might explain things about the first album

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/sh...8&postcount=11


Whole thread:

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/sh...ighlight=track

Thanks for the links, Daved64. Interesting stuff!

[bizmopeen]

Well, it would have been nice to have them "open up" the first album more, but I'm still all over this. My "LA Woman" DVD-A still gets a lot of play...

[Felix E. Martinez]

Overall, the set is absolutely phenomenal, no question about it. Life isn't perfect, but this box is damn near it!

[daved64]

Pre-order at CDU

http://www.cduniverse.com/productinf...=7301532&BAB=M

[JonUrban]

I bet these will be at the local Costco/Sams/BJs...............it's a great "Christmas Gift for Dad"!! (or Grandpa!! )

[daved64]

I bet these will be at the local Costco/Sams/BJs...............it's a great "Christmas Gift for Dad"!! (or Grandpa!! )

Did the Talking Heads Brick make it there? If so, how much was it?

[Ed Bishop]

Hmmm...this is going to be a very interesting collection, however it shakes out sonically. Ah well, it's the Doors, for some reason a little weirdness fits...

ED

[Felix E. Martinez]

Wow...I'm just working my way thru these discs, and there's just a treasure trove..."Albinoni's Adagio In G Minor" (bonus track on Waiting For The Sun) is absolutely transcendant...I believe it's one of my fave Doors tracks now...cellos in the rear speakers...divine stuff.

Highlights from Strange Days...The title track is ghostly in its use of the surround sound space..."I Can't See Your Face In My Mind" sounds as if Morrison is sitting in front of you, crooning the lyrics...with the lights out, it's damn eerie (he's in the room with you!)...In fact Morrison's voice is perfectly reproduced. Nice low midrange captures his silky baritone. Thank God, they didn't roll off the low end to oblivion to seat his vox in the new mixes...this is perfect!

"Hello, I Love You" from Waiting For The Sun is a new experience. This one had been burnt out for me from all the plays on classic rock radio, but here, it's...unbelievable! I'm in love with it all over again!

A note on the mastering...about 4-5db more dynamic range than most new rock releases nowadays. Bless 'em!! The highs are also perfect, and not tweaked to sibilance. Perfect!

I'm just making my way thru the set...will take quite a while!

[bugdaddy]

Did the Talking Heads Brick make it there? If so, how much was it?

to my knowledge, the brick never made it to Costo (in San Diego at least), and it's pretty much our home away from home.

[tlake6659]

Is the multichannel mix for "L.A. Woman" the same mix as the old DVD-Audio version?

[Quadwreck]

Is the multichannel mix for "L.A. Woman" the same mix as the old DVD-Audio version?

They said no new mix was done for that.

[rusinurbe]

They said no new mix was done for that.

it will however contain some previously unreleased tracks in 5.1 I believe, making the old disc less essential , apart from that great butterfly Elektra logo on the disc

[Guy Robinson]

They said no new mix was done for that.

A good way of testing this would be to see if the "subwoofer" issue is on the new La Woman. When you have all speakers set too large you have pretty much perfect sub output for all songs but "Love Her Madly" where there is just no sub at all. Sounds very anemic to me when compared to the rest of the songs on the DVD-A.

[elmer]

CD Universe is offering the Perception Box set for $104.99 (down from $111.47 just a few weeks ago) - best price I've seen so far.

http://www.cduniverse.com/productinf...=7301532&BAB=M

[daved64]

CD Universe is offering the Perception Box set for $104.99 (down from $111.47 just a few weeks ago) - best price I've seen so far.

http://www.cduniverse.com/productinf...=7301532&BAB=M

Amazon UK had it for less than 50 GPB, but it went way up and then down again to 55GBP.

[Guy Robinson]

Amazon UK had it for less than 50 GPB, but it went way up and then down again to 55GBP.

That's right. My total came in at around $105 CDN delivered.

[daved64]

This doesn't bode well for the box being cheaper on the doors.com site. The new Doors book is $5 more on their site than on Amazon.

[Guy Robinson]

This doesn't bode well for the box being cheaper on the doors.com site. The new Doors book is $5 more on their site than on Amazon.

They will go for the numbered limited edition thing to command the higher price. Same discs and audio content though. I didn't mind paying extra to get the numbered edition of the Porcupine Tree DVD as the main draw of that group is Steve Wilson and he is still alive to enjoy the $$ of extra "tribute" revenue. Jim Morrison who is the main calling card of "The Doors" is dead and will not be enjoying the extra money. I raise a glass of the best Wheat Doppelbock to you Jimbo, but I am going to buy your box for the cheapest price I can get it at.