Here's my initial impressions through a few of the tracks when listening on my 7.1 system: Immaculate sound, but too conservative a use of the surround sound space. When things do come out at you from behind, they aren't distracting, but I definitely feel like more could have been done here.
But again, the sound is IMMACULATE, and if that's what drives you more than active use of the surround sound field, this is a winner. I'd have to listen more to give a final score (I had to stop a few tracks in for today), but leaning around a 7.
absolutely, more than fair enough for initial impressions, however i would say please don't vote until you've had the chance to play it through several times more maybe?
in Surround terms, i'd say it's it's a grower, not a show-er!
to me a Surround presentation this deftly executed could never merit just a "7". i save my "7"'s for the just above mediocre.
yes, it is no Surround showcase to wow your friends with but the Atmos mix tastefully broadens the scope and expands the soundfield of the original in a very musical way, panning and placement always seems to suit the material and never draws unwarranted attention to itself.
let's face it, it was not an "everything but the kitchen sink" production in the first place, the original album's a fairly sparse affair with slick yet uncomplicated arrangements and not a multi-layered effect-strewn affair.
the Surround usage at times gives but a sprinkling of sparkle to a track. rarely yet at other times it's a more whizzbang effect but whatever is happening around and about and above you (not a great deal for the most part, admittedly) suits whatever's happening musically in the song itself, most of which is in all fairness anchored to the front soundstage because let's face it the musical heart and soul of it all is Luther.
Luther's at the centre of the stage singing his heart out and the band are right there with him, upfront, all as it should be. it just feels right.
to me it's an artful well-crafted mix of a tight band backing a talented singer, songwriter, arranger and interpreter of song on a strong set of tracks that flows all too quickly, it's all over before you know it!
the Blu-ray disc itself is similarly simple, unsophisticated in it's approach but it works and does everything it's supposed to do.
does that also make the mix workmanlike, as the actual disc implementation is workmanlike? i mean, the mix gets everything right but does no one thing spectacularly.
maybe to some listeners but i feel that for material i find less compelling, or music of a different style with more complex production values, mixed and presented in this way, i may award a score closer to an "8" but here i'm awarding a perfect "10".
