Deep Purple "Machine Head 50 (Deluxe)" 3CD+LP+BD-A w/ Atmos, US quad and 5.1 bonus (3/29/2024 -Universal)

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Hardbound books included in music boxsets are great, but I buy these for the music. So, if I can pay less for a set with a booklet so be it. Just my opinion.
And if you can pay more and still not get the goods it’s a whole other matter indeed.
 
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Have not really had the opportunity to give it a focused listen, but first impressions are...

1 - the quad and 5.1 mix are both quite a bit louder than the Atmos mix. I would maybe attribute this to the fold down process (I have a 5.1 setup), but prior experience has given me louder Atmos mixes compared to the 5.1 (Abbey Road is a good example). Maybe the 5.1 mix was mastered loud, but the quad too?

2 - the Atmos seems to be lacking some punch. Part of this was remedied by turning up the volume to address the aforementioned volume difference, but it still seems a bit thin to me at times. The thing with Deep Purple is if you take away that low end, the heaviness really disappears. There is some reverby delay stuff going on in the rears on Smoke On The Water during the chorus that I haven't noticed before and I thought that was cool.

3 - the quad mix has some serious crash cymbal hi-end frequency going on. Perhaps this is consistent with the original. It bugged me at first-- why wouldn't they do a targeted EQ or roll off the high end a bit?-- but then I figured they're retaining the original quad, including its warts. Ultimately, it felt more like being in the studio with them once I got used to it, so maybe it's not so bad. I can live with it. And the quad to me retains the heaviness that seems lacking in the Atmos.
 
Have not really had the opportunity to give it a focused listen, but first impressions are...

3 - the quad mix has some serious crash cymbal hi-end frequency going on. Perhaps this is consistent with the original. It bugged me at first-- why wouldn't they do a targeted EQ or roll off the high end a bit?-- but then I figured they're retaining the original quad, including its warts. Ultimately, it felt more like being in the studio with them once I got used to it, so maybe it's not so bad. I can live with it. And the quad to me retains the heaviness that seems lacking in the Atmos.
Yes, entire drum kit on most songs has a clarity not heard in stereo mix. Like "Paranoid" has that sheen about the kit as well. Glad they didn't tame it at all. To my ears it won't be worts, but lovely fidelity. Thanks for commenting.
 
really enjoying this stealth Quadio title
it's so nice to see 1974 US Quad Mix at 192kHz DTS-HD Master Audio

:)
Beautiful to behold! And it’s going to (maybe) blow the UK quad away just by being nicer mastering!
 
Wow, I am going to have to RIP the ATMOS and QUAD tracks and fool with them. The three 5.1 tracks are so much better than all the other mixes on the Blu-Ray that it's astounding. For instance, where's the bass in the ATMOS and the QUAD? This music should have balls and those 3 tracks are the only ones that are satisfying to listen to. Maybe once I pump up some things the other tracks will also sound good.
 
while neither Quad mix is perfect and Kilngberg/Kellogg's early 2000's 5.1 remix is too polite, clean and sterile sounding and underwhelming from a Surround perspective, i find any other Surround option overall a more enjoyable listen than the mess of an Atmos mix.
 
It’s not a downmix but it is a stereo remix by Dweezil. It’s a crazy reinvention that’s for sure.
fwiw i found the Atmos of Machine Head streaming on Apple Music to be faintly dreadful for the most part, i haven't heard the remix in Stereo but if it is derived from the Atmos you can count me out on that as well.

from the outset you're assaulted by bursts of mindless panning that often feel like they're done just for the sake of it, instrument balances are often kinda wonky and so many times what i was hearing resembled no other version of the material i had heard before!
kick drums sometimes felt overegged at the expense of true extension of lower end, the midrange muddy and on the streaming version at least there's a grungey haze schmutzing the top end.

i won't be voting in the Poll because i loathe the Atmos that much it just feels unfair since there's more to the box set than the new mix but if i were to vote it'd be 5 or below territory, just an awful awful remix, i can't sugarcoat it.
 
Wow, I am going to have to RIP the ATMOS and QUAD tracks and fool with them. The three 5.1 tracks are so much better than all the other mixes on the Blu-Ray that it's astounding. For instance, where's the bass in the ATMOS and the QUAD? This music should have balls and those 3 tracks are the only ones that are satisfying to listen to. Maybe once I pump up some things the other tracks will also sound good.
yes! 🙌 i've been saying it on this forum on and off for years, while the early-2000's DVD-Audio's 5.1's kinda lacking in Surround activity and is really too pristine sounding for it's own good, it's a more satisfying listen than it gets credit for and i'd much rather play that than the new Atmos, by far!
 
fwiw i found the Atmos of Machine Head streaming on Apple Music to be faintly dreadful for the most part, i haven't heard the remix in Stereo but if it is derived from the Atmos you can count me out on that as well.

from the outset you're assaulted by bursts of mindless panning that often feel like they're done just for the sake of it, instrument balances are often kinda wonky and so many times what i was hearing resembled no other version of the material i had heard before!
kick drums sometimes felt overegged at the expense of true extension of lower end, the midrange muddy and on the streaming version at least there's a grungey haze schmutzing the top end.

i won't be voting in the Poll because i loathe the Atmos that much it just feels unfair since there's more to the box set than the new mix but if i were to vote it'd be 5 or below territory, just an awful awful remix, i can't sugarcoat it.
By the sounds of it its awful, so just to add injury to insult I now know I'll get stung for VAT & the tax gathering fee when it arrives!
 
fwiw i found the Atmos of Machine Head streaming on Apple Music to be faintly dreadful for the most part, i haven't heard the remix in Stereo but if it is derived from the Atmos you can count me out on that as well.

from the outset you're assaulted by bursts of mindless panning that often feel like they're done just for the sake of it, instrument balances are often kinda wonky and so many times what i was hearing resembled no other version of the material i had heard before!
kick drums sometimes felt overegged at the expense of true extension of lower end, the midrange muddy and on the streaming version at least there's a grungey haze schmutzing the top end.

i won't be voting in the Poll because i loathe the Atmos that much it just feels unfair since there's more to the box set than the new mix but if i were to vote it'd be 5 or below territory, just an awful awful remix, i can't sugarcoat it.
I agree completely! I like panning for the most part but to me Dweezil’s remix felt gimmicky for the sake of being gimmicky!

At least in stereo, Lazy sounds so different. Ian Paice’s toms have this unnatural thud to them.

Listening on headphones, one of Jon Lord’s organ solos partway through the song swirled around so much it was making my head spin 😵‍💫🤯
 
By the sounds of it its awful, so just to add injury to insult I now know I'll get stung for VAT & the tax gathering fee when it arrives!
i'm sorry to hear that Duncan 😔
it's so disappointing, i don't want to besmirch any character personally and frankly i'm nobody so what does my opinion matter anyway but i just cannot fathom why the label would not choose to give the task of remixing such a hugely important Classic album to someone else with more experience mixing in Atmos instead..!? the results speak for themselves 🤷🏻‍♀️
 
I agree completely! I like panning for the most part but to me Dweezil’s remix felt gimmicky for the sake of being gimmicky!

At least in stereo, Lazy sounds so different. Ian Paice’s toms have this unnatural thud to them.

Listening on headphones, one of Jon Lord’s organ solos partway through the song swirled around so much it was making my head spin 😵‍💫🤯
i loooove a good gratuitous pan if it makes sense in the context of the music and the mix but there were a couple of points last night (listening in 7.2.4) where there was so much panning going on it was making me feel physically quite queasy!! 😩🤦‍♀️

no wonder when Gillan and Glover heard the remix they went "what?!" since that was my thoughts as well (although with expletives deleted!!) 😅😆
 
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