Alicia Keys - Songs In A Minor...Atmos vs DVD-A

[ThomC]

Hi all,
I'm starting to play around with mixing in Atmos and decided to take a look at what Apple has out.
Low and behold I see that Alicia Keys' "Songs In A Minor" is out in Atmos!
I don't have the consumer equipment to hear the discrete Atmos mix and wanted to know if it's anything like my DVD-A mix.
Did they port it over? Did someone do a new mix?
I listened on headphones on Apple earbuds off of an iPhone but the processing was very harsh.
Maybe needs mastering for Atmos?
Really just want to know if a discrete system streams the 5.1 mix I did and if it's somewhat close to the DVD-A.
(Link to album on Apple Music)

 

[EricKalet]

Following…

I never purchased the dvd-a but the Atmos sounds really good.

 

[dabl]

I have the DVD-A but not an Apple subscription

I do have a Tidal subscription but it's in Sony 360 format on that platform and currently there is no USA hardware or software to play that MPEG-H encoded stuff discretely.

Fat lot of good we are eh Thom?

My money is on a straight encode of the 5.1 to Atmos with nothing in the height channels. Nothing wrong with that in my book as it gets a good existing 5.1 mix out to the public.

I personally frown on upmixing before it gets to the consumer as the consumer gear does a pretty good job with that if the end user wants to do that etc.

But maybe somebody actually did a proper remix to Atmos.

Eric is there stuff in the height channels?

 

[EricKalet]

Eric is there stuff in the height channels?

I'm running 7.1 right now, so no heights. Wish I had the dvd-a to do a proper compare.

 

[MrSmithers]

I’m pretty sure the Atmos version on Apple (360 on Tidal) is a new mix. There is stuff in the heights and a few differences on a couple of tracks I checked. Does seem odd to remix when there’s already a really good surround mix in existence but at least they followed the 5.1 DVD-A by being quite discrete. Both sound pretty good. A few too many Atmos mixes are done with the handbrake on and just sound like reverby versions of the stereo.

On Fallin’ there’s some piano in the rears in the 2021 version, whereas it’s Alicia backing vocals on the 5.1. Girlfriend is quite similar to the 5.1 with those ‘yeah’ ‘yeahs’ emanating from the rear channels on both versions. I can do some more checking tomorrow…

Glad you’re getting into Atmos @ThomC that bodes well for some great surround mixes to come. Don't suppose it's Jeff Buckley - Grace by any chance?! That album would be great in surround.

 

[4-earredwonder]

I’m pretty sure the Atmos version on Apple (360 on Tidal) is a new mix. There is stuff in the heights and a few differences on a couple of tracks I checked. Does seem odd to remix when there’s already a really good surround mix in existence but at least they followed the 5.1 DVD-A by being quite discrete. Both sound pretty good. A few too many Atmos mixes are done with the handbrake on and just sound like reverby versions of the stereo.

On Fallin’ there’s some piano in the rears in the 2021 version, whereas it’s Alicia backing vocals on the 5.1. Girlfriend is quite similar to the 5.1 with those ‘yeah’ ‘yeahs’ emanating from the rear channels on both versions. I can do some more checking tomorrow…

Glad you’re getting into Atmos @ThomC that bodes well for some great surround mixes to come. Don't suppose it's Jeff Buckley - Grace by any chance?! That album would be great in surround.

Master Smithers ... Jeff Buckley's GRACE in SURROUND ....GOOD GRACious ME! Just happy to have that magnifico SACD Stereo Remaster from ORG music!

 

[Casper-I]

I prefer the Atmos version, in my experience the DVD-A version sounds more "digital"