Just got through listening to the Blu-Ray... was torn once again on whether or not I wanted to like/love this because of disagreeing with how it's being made available (or more accurately,
not). But no matter what has transpired since '73, the content is just so unassailable, someone would really have to bork it up bad to get low marks, I think. Forgetting the box and just going with the Atmos mix itself, it's pretty damn hard to argue with. I'm not an expert on the quad or the 5.1 although I've listened to both a few times, and know the stereo like the back of my hand of course. Notables for me would be:
1. The menu is pretty damn thrilling, FWIW.
2. "On The Run" definitely has some different tonal qualities in it that I think go beyond just things getting pulled out of being buried in the mix. There are a few moments of "huh, that sounds/feels new". But all in a good and not jarring way. had the same thing happen but a little less so in "Any Colour".
3. Throughout, the recorded quotes are easier to hear and separated out maybe more than ever before. Often in the overheads, too.
4. There are a few pedal tones in the beginning of Time that are like WOAH in the LFE. 1-2 of them are hitting as overkill in my particular setup, same was true with Animals for me though.
5. Had a WTF at the fade out of "Great Gig" - with the pronounced pitch shift in the held piano chord as it's decaying... at first thought "uh-oh, here comes the avalanche of complaints and replacement discs and all of that jazz", but it turns out I guess
I don't know this like the back of my hand because it's on every other version I could stream, the 5.1, the 4.0, etc. What the...? How in the world did I never...? I'll see myself out, thanks.
6. It's all pretty thrilling, but as stated already, the vocals during the chorus of "Us and Them" along with the crisp pedal tones is pretty freakin' sweet. There's some cool overhead movement on the vocal delays in the verses too. Similar feeling on "Brain Damage/Eclipse".
I'll have to go back and revisit the quad again in short order to see what would be my automatic go-to version going forward, but in truth, right now it's hard to imagine it being anything other than this. The quad
placement may certainly be preferred by some... but the
mastering on this is just insane.
@Sal1950 maybe got into my head a little about the top end being soft due to the age of the tapes... am not sure I would have said that myself without being predisposed to listen for that by him, but I do think it's fair to say I felt it a little compromised in Eclipse for sure.
Anyways, at minimum, a keeper for me. Now if only these old dipshits could just get along and listen to what they were on about all those years ago.