10 Most Underrated Surround Albums on Digital Formats ONLY!

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Quad Linda

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Please list up to 10 albums on lossless or lossy modern surround formats that deserve wider recognition. You could list Rumors or DSOTM, but something at least somewhat obscure might be a better choice. Resurrected Quad titles are OK. There is a separate thread for Quads on analog formats. Please don't argue that all surround titles are rare or what is/isn't obscure enough. Though most were widely distributed, I'll bet most of you have never heard all, or even most of these. Remember guys, I know where you hang out!

1- Mondo Head - Kodo SACD 5.1 fantastic fidelity
2- Dig - Boz Scaggs DVD-A
3- Blue Country Heart - Jorma Kaukonen SACD 5.1
4- Come on in this House - Junior Wells SACD 5.1 & DTS CD
5- Rage Hard - the Sonic Collection - Frankie Goes to Hollywood UK SACD 5.1
6- Passion Dance - Herb Alpert DTS CD
7- Spirit & the Blues - Eric Bibb SACD 5.1
8- Beyond Words - Oregon SACD 5.1
9- Jasmine Nightdreams - Edgar Winter (formerly an SQ LP) DTS CD
10- Women on Top DVD-A
 
OK my initial thoughts...

In no particular order:

Olu Dara - Neigborhoods DVD-A
Ziroq - Ziroq DVD-A
Tipper - Surrounded DVD-A
Mostly Autumn - Passengers SACD & DVD-DTS
Magenta - Seven DVD-Dullby

I really want to get

Jean Pierre Ferland - Jaune DVD-A I have it on backorder from Amazon.ca
 
"Passion Dance- Herb Alpert DTS 5.1" based on your recommedation I just pulled the trigger on this one. Herb was one of the inspirations for my taking up the trumpet in 4th Grade! And my very unsuccessful subsequent career........... must have been the countervailing Al Hirt influence......

Anyway, with all the "must be hi-rez" hub-bub, many of the DTS mixes get scant notice now, I'd add the Poco "Crazy Eyes" to the list of the under-appreciated...very dynamic quad mix there.(y) John
 
Herb and Judy Collins are the nicest musicians I've ever met! And I've met hundreds. I got to hang with Herb & his wife Lani Hall backstage on the TJB reunion tour. I've met Herb several times. Saw him & Lani on tour last summer. Let us know how you like Passion Dance, John. Herb sold more albums in the US in the 60's than anyone, including the Beatles!

I agree about the DTS CD's. Some of them sound tonally better than their lossless equivalents, no doubt because of the equalization. Blasphemy!

Crazy Eyes is great. I have a Q8 & DTS CD of it.

"Passion Dance- Herb Alpert DTS 5.1" based on your recommedation I just pulled the trigger on this one. Herb was one of the inspirations for my taking up the trumpet in 4th Grade! And my very unsuccessful subsequent career........... must have been the countervailing Al Hirt influence......

Anyway, with all the "must be hi-rez" hub-bub, many of the DTS mixes get scant notice now, I'd add the Poco "Crazy Eyes" to the list of the under-appreciated...very dynamic quad mix there.(y) John
 
I took a quick a look at my digital titles, and these are the ones not mentioned that stood out as being under-rated and/or obscure and good.

1. Superfurryanimals – Love Kraft (SACD)
2. Pere Ubu – The Modern Dance Dualdisc (dualdisc DVD-A)
3. Subotnick – Electronic Works 1 & 2 (DVD-A, DVD-V)
4. Nektar – Journey to the Center of the Eye (SACD)
5. Hooverphonic – No More Sweet Music (dualdisc DVD-V)
6. Medeski, Martin and Wood – Uninvisible (DVD-A)
7. Helmet of Gnats – S/T (SACD)
8. Yazoo –In Your Room (DVD-V)
9. Uriah Heep – Gold from the Byron Era (DVD-V)
10. Cornelius –Five Point One (DVD-V)
 
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Morton Subotnik! Well, you've got us there, I had not seen any discussion of these on here before. When I saw that I had do a google and saw that these DVDs are available from his personal website. How are these in 4.0, or 4.1, or 5.1? Whichever they are, ...are they Dolby or DTS encoded? Maybe have to dig out my copy of Sidewinder once again..... Thanks for the tip. John
 
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Helmet Of Gnats (SACD) - great modern prog/fusion very reminiscent of Dixie Dregs & Blow By Blow era Beck -with a little ELP Tarkus thrown in. Thanks to Cai for the initial recommendation.
Cornelius - Sensurround (DVD - DTS 96/24) - Yes it has videos but it's all about the music - spectacular, creative and discrete mix.
Super Furry Animals - Phantom Power & Rings Around The World (DVD - DTS) - again videos, yes, but these are video companions to the complete albums - both have great surround effects - Welsh version of the Flaming Lips.
Burton, Corea, Metheny, Haynes & Holland - Like Minds (SACD)- a great straight ahead jazz title from Concord - and the playing's not too shabby.
Brazilian - Bossa, Jazz & Romance (DVD Audio) - 3 great compilations from DTS - authentic and discrete.
 
Brazilian - Bossa, Jazz & Romance (DVD Audio) - 3 great compilations from DTS - authentic and discrete.

I "nearly" purchased a cheap copy of the Bossa one, but as usual it wasn't in stock... good to hear that its worth it.. Might have to chase this one down....
 
"Passion Dance- Herb Alpert DTS 5.1" based on your recommedation I just pulled the trigger on this one. Herb was one of the inspirations for my taking up the trumpet in 4th Grade! And my very unsuccessful subsequent career........... must have been the countervailing Al Hirt influence......

Love Herb.... and I too used to play the trumpet & cornet, soooo I pulled the trigger also!!! Its at a very reasonable price on Amazon.
 
Morton Subotnik! Well, you've got us there, I had not seen any discussion of these on here before. When I saw that I had do a google and saw that these DVDs are available from his personal website. How are these in 4.0, or 4.1, or 5.1? Whichever they are, ...are they Dolby or DTS encoded? Maybe have to dig out my copy of Sidewinder once again..... Thanks for the tip. John

I amended my initial post. I had forgotten that in addition to the dts DVD-V disc, there is a separate DVD-Audio disc in 48/24.
 
I looked at the category of underrated and went to the Hi-rez poll to see how many times people had voted on these and all discs were under 15 votes to no poll at all. I have listened to all of these titles this week after the poll went up.

Pere Ubu - The Modern Dance dualdisc/dvd-a
Richard Thompson - The Old Kit Bag dualdisc/dvd-a (could also put Rumour and Sigh)
Paul Weller - Studio 150 sacd
Peter Tosh - Legalize It sacd
The Thrills - So Much For The City dvd-a
Rusty Truck - Lucks Changing Lanes dts disc
Ryan Adams - Rock N Roll sacd (could add Gold)
Snow Patrol - Final Straw sacd
Toy Matinee - Toy Matinee dvda (listed many times as dts in poll)


I enjoy threads like these and am working on my 2 channel albums for another thread. It will be much harder to determine UNDERRATED. Scott
 
1. Toy Matinee DVD-A [desert island disc and go to demo disc when I sold gear]
2. RPWL - World Through My Eyes SACD [great band that found their own sound]
3. Joe Satriani - Strange Beautiful Music SACD [always great, worth it for the first track alone]
4. Helmet of Gnats - s/t SACD [reasons already cited in above posts]
5. Cameron Carpenter Organ - Evolutionary SACD [unusual spaciousness and amazing musicianship]
6. Todd Rundgren - Liars DVD-A [classic artist never disappoints]
7. Nektar - Remember The Future SACD [Brits always thought to be German; good inventive rock]
8. Midnight Oil - Capricornia DTS 6.1 EX [great songs by a great band]
9. Patrick Leonard DTS [piano songs about rivers with sparse instrumentation]
10. Richard Thompson - The Old Kit Bag [not a famous album; he always delivers to a high standard]
 
1. Toy Matinee DVD-A [desert island disc and go to demo disc when I sold gear]
2. RPWL - World Through My Eyes SACD [great band that found their own sound]
.....

Both of these are on my wishlist.....Tried to get RPWL twice and they were not in stock...:(
 
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