Please post your thoughts and comments on this HiRez 5.1 title!
I dug this one out to give a second listen before i voted and i could not get the whole way through it. As i was listening to it, all i could think of is i would rather be listening to one of the other releases in surround than listen to this in stereo. I have the other 2 SACD releases by them and they are GREAT (A guitar in each speaker). But this one is only STEREO, very minor reverb in the rears. The music is as good as the others, so if you don't mind no surround mix then you would be happy. I was so unhappy with this one i wrote to the company to let them know how i felt, and i did it nicely, stating how much i liked the other 2, but of course there was no reply, as i expected. I really don't know how to rate this one, there is no surround mix, so that part gets a ZERO. The music was good, so overall i vote 3.
This one is going to eBay next chance i get. Not a keeper.
I understand the criticisms regarding the "ambient" mix - this being a quad forum. I own the other 2 LAGQ releases "Latin" and "Heroes" that are essentially 4.0 multichannel with the individual guitars placed very discreetly in the the 4 corners. While at first pass the novelty of being surrounded by the quartet is kind of neat - but over a longer period it becomes a bit tiring - to my ears, the quitars are recorded "dry". I actually find it quite distracting to hear the 4 guitars in this fashion - it is of course my personal taste. There are very intricate parts being played and a critical component of a guitar quartet - in of itself an unusual formation, is the interplay. I approached "Spin" with some concern on first listen as I had heard that it was not a discreet mix, but found it actually to a be a very rich, and much warmer recording than the previous two. The sound stage is very wide and of course you have, as in many classical surround recordings, the sense of being in the audience with the added colors or ambience of the room or concert hall. It is a matter of taste and preference, but one should note that musically at least, it is a very rich and challenging work - if you enjoy gutiar and/or modern classical music, you will (IMHO) be rewarded. I give it an 8.
...there is no surround mix, so that part gets a ZERO. The music was good, so overall i vote 3.
Short answer: if you like the music and don't care about the surround mix, consider this one...
I am with MIDIQ on this one. I understand the sonics and the musical content are supposed to inform the rating, but I am not such a fan of the music that I would buy it in stereo, and even though the sonics are fine, I want to send the message of disapproval that the mix is useless surround-wise. I can add my own reverb in the rears if I want. On this release there is nothing discrete in the rears. If they are really divided on what type of mix to use, then go to Blu-ray audio and provide BOTH flavor of surround mix. In this manner the fans and critics of the discrete placement can each have their preference.
I voted a 3 - a protest vote since I know they can do better.
No problem with you voting a 3 but who are you trying to send a message to? Telarc was bought out by Concord several years ago and they no longer release anything in surround.
Rage against the machine, perhaps?
Based on the above stellar surround reviews I just purchased, $33.98 Amazon.
Mark, there are 4 discrete mch SACDs by the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet and SPIN is especially well done. http://hraudio.net/search.php?format=1&keywords=Los+Angeles+Guitar+Quartet
Only 1 left [SPIN] brand new @ AmazonUS for $7.59 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000EGDBAQ/?tag=hraudio-20