DTS Entertainment's "Classics" DVD-A Series

[The Bright Side]

Hey guys,

somebody mentioned this Mozart DVD-A somewhere here:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mozart-Classics-CD-DVD-Audio/dp/B000A2H9M0/ref=pd_sim_m_h__2

For a laughable 2 pounds, I figured I'd give it a shot, and I must say, I like the disc. It contains a beautiful selection of Mozart's music (only about 50 minutes or so), and the mix is subtle and enveloping. Sonics, to my mind, are excellent.

I noticed that it's part of a whole series of classical music DTS released in 2005. Check out the "Customers who bought this also bought" suggestions. To my knowledge, there are six more of these discs out there, some of them as cheap as 85 pence.

May be worth a shot if you guys like classical music. I just ordered Schubert and will probably get the others as well at some point.

Question: does anybody already have any or all of these discs? Is the Mozart disc representative of the others quality-wise and mix-wise?

 

[Kal Rubinson]

May be worth a shot if you guys like classical music. I just ordered Schubert and will probably get the others as well at some point.

Au contraire. These are not for those who already like classical music as they are generally mediocre performances. They are like training wheels for bikes.

 

[0tto]

i have this one and few more. they not bad but as Kal said, perhaps purposed for background playback during romantic dinner.

 

[fredblue]

I'm much more a rock & pop man anyway but I had a stack of these DTS discs of Classical music.. and ended up giving them away to a friend, as they just didn't do anything for me.

Now DTS' other releases, on the other hand, are mostly excellent!

In particular most of their vintage Quad transfers are superb.

My personal Quad to DTS CD recommendations, if you don't already have them, are Edgar Winter's "Jasmine Nightdreams", Clapton's "There's One In Every Crowd" and The Ohio Players' "Honey" and "Fire" albums, they are all exceptional quad mixes and their fidelity is great too.

Also, a fair number of DTS' newer artists' 5.1 mixes (new of the time, I mean, i.e. 10+ years ago) are mostly cheap and easy to find still and mostly excellent surround mixes.

Too many to list here individually, if you have a trawl through the QQ Polls you'll discover plenty of great DTS 5.1 surround mixes on DTS CD and DVD-Audio.

In the main, DTS Entertainment CDs & DVDA's are still inexpensive and easy to obtain, however among the exceptions are the 2 "Wings" quad DTS CDs ("Band on the Run" and "Venus and Mars") which fetch a premium now, among a few others that are also sought after these days and go for higher prices.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

i have this one and few more. they not bad but as Kal said, perhaps purposed for background playback during romantic dinner.

Barf.

 

[vinylguy4]

So these would be the 5.1 equivalent of the Montovani London Blue Back LPs?
Musically, not what classical fans would consider first rate classical perfomance they are 5.1 or audiophile recordings/LP pressings?


vinylguy4

 

[Kal Rubinson]

So these would be the 5.1 equivalent of the Montovani London Blue Back LPs?

Not at all. I was never a Mantovani fan but he was very good at what he did. These performances are mediocre, competent but mediocre. So, if you are not a practiced listener, they will play the tunes for you. If you know the music, they're annoyingly uninspiring.

 

[The Bright Side]

Thanks for the feedback, guys! Fredblue, I'll look into those DTS titles for sure. Already have a bunch, but Winter and Clapton sound tantalizing.

 

[Bleedink]

Barf.

If the music doesn't put an end to the romantic dinner, I have a feeling the barf will absolutely demolish it.

 

[jhw59]

I would appreciate recs on classical surrounds that have good SQ AND performance. thanks

 

[vinylguy4]

I would appreciate recs on classical surrounds that have good SQ AND performance. thanks

http://www.stereophile.com/category/music-round
Most of the Music In The Round columns will also have some surround music reviews, many in the classical genre.

vinylguy4

 

[fredblue]

I would appreciate recs on classical surrounds that have good SQ AND performance. thanks

for that kind of stuff I'd visit www.sa-cd.net

 

[John Svensson]

Others that have good original quad mixes are Beck, Bogert and Appice, Poco- Crazy Eyes <crazy ears in this case...>, Steven Stills- Stills, Allmans- Fillmore East...more rears than the SACD if I recall, I don't think the SACD was the original quad mix, Clapton's - 461 Ocean Blvd., and Santana - Abraxas.....good mix, lack of bass makes it almost unbearable though! John

 

[phydo]

I would appreciate recs on classical surrounds that have good SQ AND performance. thanks

Check this link: https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/fo...RCA-Living-Stereo-SACDs-7-99-at-Tower-Records. I own at least six of these recordings and have not encountered a dud yet.

Justin

 

[jhw59]

thanks folks!

 

[fredblue]

Others that have good original quad mixes are Beck, Bogert and Appice, Poco- Crazy Eyes <crazy ears in this case...>, Steven Stills- Stills, Allmans- Fillmore East...more rears than the SACD if I recall, I don't think the SACD was the original quad mix, Clapton's - 461 Ocean Blvd., and Santana - Abraxas.....good mix, lack of bass makes it almost unbearable though! John

good set of suggestions in the main!

the Poco DTS is very nice. I didn't know the album beforehand so the fact it sounds a lot dryer than the original LP means nothing to me.

I can never find the Stills one for sensible money (I've been literally trying for years)..

the B,B,A mix is nice but I don't like the material as much as JB's "Blow by Blow" & "Wired" plus I'm not a massive fan of the vocals.

the 461 OB sounds rough (on the DTS disc, at least) its all over the shop, with bits missing and/or muted in the mix and fidelitys not great either, Claptons' There's One In Every Crowd quad>DTS is miles better. the SACD of 461 OB is cheap and easy to get and in 5.1 - it is amazing! I highly recommend the SACD over the DTS of 461.

I agree with you about Abraxas, although I have a rip of the original quad and it's not as bass-shy and bright, so something must have gone awry in the mastering for the DTS, or the source they used was duff. still the quad mix is a lot of fun, either way.