R.E.M. "Monster" (5CD/Blu-Ray 25th anniversary edition arriving in November!)

[GOS]

[emoji79]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[j9]

For anyone interested in A/B-ing the original mix with the new remix, you can go HERE.
Currently there are 30 second clips of each song to sample until November 1, after which the full tracks will be available to compare—if I read that correctly.
And it looks like if you have a Spotify or Apple Music account, you can log-in now and A/B the full songs before Friday.

 

[halbroome]

I ordered from Amazon US -- and just got an email that the Monster is in the mail!

I'll have to warn the postman. . . .

 

[Cheezmo]

According to the credits, it is the Elliot Scheiner 5.1 mix.

But, it looks like the 5.1 mix on the Blu-ray is MUCH more dynamic than the old DVD-Audio mastering....

If not so much on an individual track basis, look how loud Bang and Blame is compared to everything else on the blu-ray! (but yet has headroom where it looked a bit compressed on the DVD-Audio).

Monster (25th anniversary deluxe edition) normalize -b -v -n *.aiff
Computing levels...
  level        peak
-18.0392dBFS -4.1238dBFS  6-01 What's the Frequency, Kenneth_ (5.1 mix).aiff
-19.0853dBFS -4.6874dBFS  6-02 Crush With Eyeliner (5.1 mix).aiff          
-19.7737dBFS -5.0456dBFS  6-03 King of Comedy (5.1 mix).aiff               
-19.6580dBFS -4.8725dBFS  6-04 I Don't Sleep, I Dream (5.1 mix).aiff       
-18.4461dBFS -4.0954dBFS  6-05 Star 69 (5.1 mix).aiff                      
-17.9448dBFS -3.1585dBFS  6-06 Strange Currencies (5.1 mix).aiff           
-20.4099dBFS -5.8957dBFS  6-07 Tongue (5.1 mix).aiff                       
-11.7331dBFS -0.9502dBFS  6-08 Bang and Blame (5.1 mix).aiff               
-17.4857dBFS -3.7399dBFS  6-09 I Took Your Name (5.1 mix).aiff             
-22.0967dBFS -9.1024dBFS  6-10 Let Me In (5.1 mix).aiff                    
-16.2413dBFS -3.1731dBFS  6-11 Circus Envy (5.1 mix).aiff                  
-15.5948dBFS -2.8489dBFS  6-12 You (5.1 mix).aiff                          
Standard deviation is 2.59 dB
Throwing out level of -11.7331dBFS (different by 5.90dB)
-18.4355dBFS average level
6.435535dB   volume adjustment
Monster (DualDisc) normalize -b -v -n *.aiff
Computing levels...
  level        peak
-11.1699dBFS 0.0000dBFS   2-13 What's the Frequency, Kenneth_ (5.1 mix).aiff
-12.4432dBFS 0.0000dBFS   2-14 Crush With Eyeliner (5.1 mix).aiff          
-12.0631dBFS 0.0000dBFS   2-15 King of Comedy (5.1 mix).aiff               
-13.2574dBFS 0.0000dBFS   2-16 I Don't Sleep, I Dream (5.1 mix).aiff       
-10.6281dBFS 0.0000dBFS   2-17 Star 69 (5.1 mix).aiff                      
-11.5746dBFS 0.0000dBFS   2-18 Strange Currencies (5.1 mix).aiff           
-13.1286dBFS -0.0050dBFS  2-19 Tongue (5.1 mix).aiff                       
-9.1042dBFS  0.0000dBFS   2-20 Bang and Blame (5.1 mix).aiff               
-11.4763dBFS 0.0000dBFS   2-21 I Took Your Name (5.1 mix).aiff             
-13.8954dBFS -0.4225dBFS  2-22 Let Me In (5.1 mix).aiff                    
-9.4814dBFS  0.0000dBFS   2-23 Circus Envy (5.1 mix).aiff                  
-9.9651dBFS  0.0000dBFS   2-24 You (5.1 mix).aiff

 

[rtbluray]

Just got my set.
As @Cheezmo has already stated, the 5.1 mix on the Blu-Ray is the Elliot Scheiner 5.1 mix from 2005, but it's either got a new more dynamic mastering, or this is the pre-mastered version just as Elliot originally mixed it. Either way, yes, the Blu-Ray is definitely more dynamic than the DVDA-V disc, but it's definitely the same mix.

Poll thread has been updated to reflect this reissue on Blu-Ray.

 

[GOS]

Just got my set.
As @Cheezmo has already stated, the 5.1 mix on the Blu-Ray is the Elliot Scheiner 5.1 mix from 2005, but it's either got a new more dynamic mastering, or this is the pre-mastered version just as Elliot originally mixed it. Either way, yes, the Blu-Ray is definitely more dynamic than the DVDA-V disc, but it's definitely the same mix.

Poll thread has been updated to reflect this reissue on Blu-Ray.

NOOOOOOOOOOO! Might have to buy it then....lol

 

[halbroome]

Mine came today as well -- will have to wait until tomorrow to open, but I really like the package! Very sensible -- book-like, solid, but with open notches at the top, making the discs easy to remove (I'm guessing, haven't taken the shrink-wrap off yet).

This is cool

 

[Albert Dagger]

It seems the original stereo mix is more dynamic on the blu-ray disc. I'm wondering whether that's the HDtracks fold down of the 5.1 mix or the proper original stereo mix that was transferred without additional mastering. In that case, I might get this release, even if I already own the DVD-A.

 

[jsulzinger]

I am only getting extremely low volume out of my center channel on the DTSMA blu-ray. I put in the Monster dvd-a to double check and it sounds perfect with the center channel, loud and clear. I also tested the Abbey Road Blu-Ray to make sure it wasn't a format issue. AR sounds fine as well with center channel coming through loud and clear. I am running a Oppo BDP-93 through my Yamaha receiver. I checked using both the multi channel in (analog) and the HDMI. Anybody else having an issue with the CC?

 

[jsulzinger]

I am only getting extremely low volume out of my center channel on the DTSMA blu-ray. I put in the Monster dvd-a to double check and it sounds perfect with the center channel, loud and clear. I also tested the Abbey Road Blu-Ray to make sure it wasn't a format issue. AR sounds fine as well with center channel coming through loud and clear. I am running a Oppo BDP-93 through my Yamaha receiver. I checked using both the multi channel in (analog) and the HDMI. Anybody else having an issue with the CC?

Nobody having any issues with the center channel on the new blu-ray?

 

[sjcorne]

Nobody having any issues with the center channel on the new blu-ray?

The center channel on the DVD-A wasn't particularly active, as is the case with most of Scheiner's 5.1 mixes - he tends to use the center as a subtle fill between the front left & right rather than for discrete information such as vocals, guitars, etc.

I think we'd need to compare waveforms between the old DVD-A and the new Blu-Ray to see if there's any difference with the overall volume of the center channel.

 

[edisonbaggins]

I think we'd need to compare waveforms between the old DVD-A and the new Blu-Ray to see if there's any difference with the overall volume of the center channel.

Most excellent idea.

 

[rtbluray]

For all the big R.E.M. & "Monster" fans (like myself) this is an incredible hour-long interview video going through the making of the album with Mike Mills & Michael Stipe: