Open Our Eyes & Homecoming - Audio Fidelity Multichannel SACDs (April 2015)

[Quad Linda]

Open Our Eyes was EWF's fifth album (third for Columbia.) It is the first album of theirs without a female vocalist in the band. Jessica Cleaves (formerly of Friends of Distinction) appeared on their two previous Columbia albums (Last Days and Time & Head to the Sky.) Maurice White vowed he'd not have another woman in the band. Imagine trying to keep order on the road with a bunch of horny band members and roadies trying to seduce her.

Open Our Eyes was the album that solidified their sound. That basic sound continues to this day. Check out these two:
Feelin' Blue: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPsY1ZftZHk
Devotion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXrgnZvRg-c

If OOE sells well, perhaps Head to the Sky, That's the Way of the World and Spirit's Quad mixes will later appear on SACD, as well. I'll be on board for those, too.

Although I'm happy that they did America's Homecoming, I already own the DVD-A of that, which will suffice.

 

[cupboy]

For you pre-ordering types (not me)....

http://www.elusivedisc.com/Audio-Fidelity-Multi-Channel-Stereo/products/910/

 

[Q-Eight]

Audio Fidelity must've just updated their website as they're now showing America "Homecoming" 5.1 and Earth, Wind and Fire "Open our Eyes" 4.0 Quad!

https://audiofidelity.net/category/sacd

 

[Clint Eastwood]

I'm a little puzzled...I'm glad to hear the quad version of EWF sounds great...when I saw Bruce Botnick associated with it I didn't feel so good after his efforts on the Doors catalog..what I don't understand is this statement...Bruce Botnick For Ears under the Quadraphonic Recording and Re-mix and Engineer..HERE

 

[rtbluray]

I'm a little puzzled...I'm glad to hear the quad version of EWF sounds great...when I saw Bruce Botnick associated with it I didn't feel so good after his efforts on the Doors catalog..what I don't understand is this statement...Bruce Botnick For Ears under the Quadraphonic Recording and Re-mix and Engineer..HERE

According to discogs.com, it appears Mr Botnick was the Quad mixing engineer for this album. The "For Ears" I assume is a play on "Four Ears" for Quad…

 

[LizardKing]

I'm a little puzzled...I'm glad to hear the quad version of EWF sounds great...when I saw Bruce Botnick associated with it I didn't feel so good after his efforts on the Doors catalog..what I don't understand is this statement...Bruce Botnick For Ears under the Quadraphonic Recording and Re-mix and Engineer..HERE

Bruce did the quad mixes on "The Best of the Doors". Much better than his later work on Perception:
https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/showthread.php?4723-Doors-The-Best-Of-The-Doors-CD-4-Q8-Q4

He didn't improve with age.:yikes

 

[himey]

I'm a little puzzled...I'm glad to hear the quad version of EWF sounds great...when I saw Bruce Botnick associated with it I didn't feel so good after his efforts on the Doors catalog..what I don't understand is this statement...Bruce Botnick For Ears under the Quadraphonic Recording and Re-mix and Engineer..HERE

Bruce did the quad mixes on "The Best of the Doors". Much better than his later work on Perception:
https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/showthread.php?4723-Doors-The-Best-Of-The-Doors-CD-4-Q8-Q4

He didn't improve with age.:yikes

Was listening to Waiting For The Sun (album not song) last night and loved the 5.1 mix.

 

[zabble]

Listening to the Q8 of EWF "Open Our Eyes" as I type. Yes it is as discrete as I remember it. Great choice! Especially heavy is the mix for "Drum Song": very trippy use of all four speakers .

Already have the Homecoming DVD-A. Let's bring on more Isleys! "The Heat is On" anybody?

 

[himey]

Bruce made a mess of the Doors Mixes. He put the drums in the center and right channel for everything, which I hate. I would of preferred the drums in stereo if they were only record on 2 tracks.

Doesn't bother me. I also like the quad Best of... The S/T album in 5.1 is lacking but the others have nice mixes to go along with better than average SQ for their time. You call them a mess, but I doubt many others have that opinion.

Back on topic, the Homecoming DVDA makes the majority of surround sound music discs seem inadequate. Reference mix and sound quality.

 

[corneredcat]

Doesn't bother me. I also like the quad Best of... The S/T album in 5.1 is lacking but the others have nice mixes to go along with better than average SQ for their time. You call them a mess, but I doubt many others have that opinion.

Back on topic, the Homecoming DVDA makes the majority of surround sound music discs seem inadequate. Reference mix and sound quality.

i agree with that...a few warts but i'm thrilled to have the content. i wonder if Elliot will work his magic on these..good but could be amazing!

Homecoming is that good...

@GOS you are going to go gaga over the audio quality...so clean amd smooth...the best this album can sound and it's incredible...one of my first biggie expensive $50 discs purchased!! oh little did i know where that was going to lead!..hehe...i've been binging for a year!

 

[rtbluray]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TZILB6K/

(Preorder for America's "Homecoming")

http://www.amazon.com/Open-Eyes-Earth-Wind-Fire/dp/B00TZILCWS/

(Preorder for EW&F "Open Our Eyes")

Both say March 31 as the release date. Hard to think it will be this soon as amazon don't even have "Winelight", Guess Who, or Bread yet.

 

[Q-Eight]

Both say March 31 as the release date. Hard to think it will be this soon as amazon don't even have "Winelight", Guess Who, or Bread yet.

Sometimes, it's best to just go to the source. I ordered right off Audio Fidelity's website and my order already shows as delivered for my copies of BST II, Guess Who and Bread. I just gotta go pick 'em up.

I'd rather support them straight up. They've already bested the old Quadio program in a matter of months. They've won my business! I even got a reply back from Mr. Blonstein the other day on titles I suggested. I can't say I've ever been treated this nice!

 

[rtbluray]

Sometimes, it's best to just go to the source. I ordered right off Audio Fidelity's website and my order already shows as delivered for my copies of BST II, Guess Who and Bread. I just gotta go pick 'em up.

I'd rather support them straight up. They've already bested the old Quadio program in a matter of months. They've won my business! I even got a reply back from Mr. Blonstein the other day on titles I suggested. I can't say I've ever been treated this nice!

I did order "Winelight" from AF, and it might come in this week (or very beginning of next week). Looking forward to it!
I am also planning to order "Homecoming" from AF once it becomes available for purchase.

However, I'm sticking with amazon for Guess Who and Bread. Why? I have an amount of amazon gift card money that almost perfectly adds up to the combined total of both discs (minus $0.01…)

 

[bmoura]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TZILB6K/

(Preorder for America's "Homecoming")

http://www.amazon.com/Open-Eyes-Earth-Wind-Fire/dp/B00TZILCWS/

(Preorder for EW&F "Open Our Eyes")

Both say March 31 as the release date. Hard to think it will be this soon as amazon don't even have "Winelight", Guess Who, or Bread yet.

Amazon usually gets the Audio Fidelity SACDs after the AF web site and the audiophile web sites (Acoustic Sounds, Elusive Disc, Music Direct).
So it wouldn't surprise me that there is an availability gap on these SACDs as well.

 

[haikubass]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TZILB6K/

(Preorder for America's "Homecoming")

http://www.amazon.com/Open-Eyes-Earth-Wind-Fire/dp/B00TZILCWS/

(Preorder for EW&F "Open Our Eyes")

http://store.acousticsounds.com/d/103784/America-Homecoming-Hybrid_Multichannel_SACD
http://store.acousticsounds.com/d/103785/Earth_Wind__Fire-Open_Our_Eyes-Hybrid_Multichannel_SACD

Claiming March 31 as well...

 

[LizardKing]

FYI - Homecoming and Open Our Eyes links on ImportCds:

http://www.importcds.com/music/4170077/america-homecoming
http://www.importcds.com/music/4170134/earth-wind-fire-open-our-eyes

Not yet available for ordering though....

 

[fredblue]

FYI - Homecoming and Open Our Eyes links on ImportCds:

http://www.importcds.com/music/4170077/america-homecoming
http://www.importcds.com/music/4170134/earth-wind-fire-open-our-eyes

Not yet available for ordering though....

Did you get Winelight/Bread/Guess Who from them?

 

[Bob Romano]

I got my Guess Who, Bread, And BST through them and I have ordered a ton stuff from them. Sometimes it takes longer but their prices are great

 

[fredblue]

I got my Guess Who, Bread, And BST through them and I have ordered a ton stuff from them. Sometimes it takes longer but their prices are great

Did your copies of Bread & Guess Who show up yet?

 

[Bob Romano]

Actually I got an email today that they have been shipped. The BST is still on back order