Today I've been sort of wiped out from home renovations and decided to play around on the PC for a while. I never know what's going to get my attention when I open up Sound Forge, but for some reason I decided to "look into" some BS&T. I found that I had my AF SACD rip (which is basically the official Q8 mix sounding better than ever possible on Q8), but I also had files from the two Robin Reels. So I got them all queue'd up and decided to see what the differences might be. In the past it's been talked about but I could not find an older thread looking at the differences so I figured I'd start one up for posterities sake so that future QQ'ers might have a reference.
So here is the first track I decided to pluck out. It's track 6, "God Bless the Child", the old Billie Holiday classic from 1939. There are very stark differences in all three mixes that you can see (and hear), but alas I can only post the visuals. So here goes:
THE OFFICIAL COLUMBIA MIX (Q8/AF SACD): Intro horns in all 4 channels. Vocals in the fronts and at a lower volume in the rears.
THE ROBIN REEL #1: Intro horns in the rears, mostly skewed toward the left rear. Drums and bass solo in the fronts along with lead vocals. Lead vocals again at a lower level in the rears. This is a VERY discrete mix compared to the commercial release.
THE ROBIN REEL #2: This one starts with the horns equally spread out across the fronts. Drums and some horns in the fronts. Lead vocal is ONLY in the fronts with no bleed to the rears.
Again, a very discrete mix, but very strange having the drum kit spread out across the fronts with the vocals. You almost feel like you are at the drum kit!
Three really different mixes. As I putter about I will do the same for some of the other songs if you guys are interested.
Also, I would love to hear from AoQ who spent a lot of time with these mixes as to what he thinks of them and which he prefers. Or anyone else for that matter. I know these things are "out there" in the wild.
So here is the first track I decided to pluck out. It's track 6, "God Bless the Child", the old Billie Holiday classic from 1939. There are very stark differences in all three mixes that you can see (and hear), but alas I can only post the visuals. So here goes:
THE OFFICIAL COLUMBIA MIX (Q8/AF SACD): Intro horns in all 4 channels. Vocals in the fronts and at a lower volume in the rears.
THE ROBIN REEL #1: Intro horns in the rears, mostly skewed toward the left rear. Drums and bass solo in the fronts along with lead vocals. Lead vocals again at a lower level in the rears. This is a VERY discrete mix compared to the commercial release.
THE ROBIN REEL #2: This one starts with the horns equally spread out across the fronts. Drums and some horns in the fronts. Lead vocal is ONLY in the fronts with no bleed to the rears.
Again, a very discrete mix, but very strange having the drum kit spread out across the fronts with the vocals. You almost feel like you are at the drum kit!
Three really different mixes. As I putter about I will do the same for some of the other songs if you guys are interested.
Also, I would love to hear from AoQ who spent a lot of time with these mixes as to what he thinks of them and which he prefers. Or anyone else for that matter. I know these things are "out there" in the wild.