Millions of people also enjoy McDonalds hamburgers, mediocre movies (lowest common denominator is the norm for commercial success), mediocre music, crappy earbuds, great "Home Theater in a box" systems with 50 cents worth of speaker parts, so what? Is that really a measure of success these days? Is this the goal, multichannel before anything else, regardless of the actual sound quality? I think the guy was thinking along those lines, and when I see (and hear) most Home Theater soundbars (some are now probably Atmos capable...), I would tend to agree.
Does this guy have any clue?
- Thread starter boxhead
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Hmm... Have they ever contained 'ham'?
Not sure...there is probably a lot of hormone enhanced beef. For a few generations of healthy, complacent consumers.
No. I believe the Ham in Hamburger is more related to the city of Hamburg. Something about the shape of their steaks?
Mr. Afternoon
Mixing Engineer & Artist
Don't forget the cancer chemicals!
hafquark
400 Club - QQ All-Star
Due to a growing interest in home hi-fi consoles and "panning audio" from the 1930s, stereophonic music is back on the map. But I believe that this is just a trend. Music sounds awful in stereo, and without massive advancements in technology, monophonic will remain the format of choice.
--Milton Clulez (Arts Are Us magazine, 1959).
--Milton Clulez (Arts Are Us magazine, 1959).
Maybe that was a true statement in 1959, have you heard the early ping-pong stereo releases? From today's perspective they are probably fun recordings, but at the time I can understand the serious music lover's adverse reaction to it, little could he know at the time how stereo would evolve from the ping-pong stereo approach, and electronically processed for stereo horrors.
The classic ‘ZZ Top’. I still have the moustache I grew in the 70s!
Well mine is not that long. lol. As for the 'stache, Army made me cut mine in Basic so I've had the present one, oh maybe 52 years?
Anyway, I'm sure hoping this whole "surround sound" fad hangs around while I'm still above the grass.
hafquark
400 Club - QQ All-Star
Oh, sure. I've heard many of them. My dad had several, including one of nothing but various locomotive trains moving from one speaker to another (he used it to show off his Wards stereo to unsuspecting guests.)
watsontr
600 Club - QQ All-Star
The pertinent point for me was that most recording, as I know it, is recorded in mono and mixed with everything else. Not necessarily recorded in stereo as a whole. Had he said mixed in stereo, entirely different matter
The reason the guy "struck a nerve" is not because he doesn't like surround. It's because he just flat doesn't know wtf he's talking about.
tarkusnj
400 Club - QQ All-Star
Rear "firing" never EVER meant upwards to me but if someone is "firing" a gun at you you better hope that means upward!Well, upward-firing means they are pushing sound upwards, so rear-firing must actually mean "Front Speakers". If he really is putting rear-firing speakers behind his listening position no wonder he is disappointed.
(I scanned the article but clearly it is not worth spending time on, but this mistake was too fun to miss.)
barfle
2K Club - QQ Super Nova
I remember back in the 70s or 80s, I read an article complaining about quad. The knucklehaed who wrote it said something to the effect of “when you’re listening to music, you’re walking around, chatting with friends, etc., and the sound keeps changing as you do.” Clearly, he (or she, I don’t remember if it was noticeable) never went to a concert in an auditorium, or actually LISTENED TO MUSIC in ANY format.
I know most people don’t share my love of good sound, and think I’m a bit crazy. That’s OK, I don’t share rheir love of Thai food, horseback riding, or doll collecting. But I’m not going to publicly say that a type of doll isn’t worth putting in a collection.
I know most people don’t share my love of good sound, and think I’m a bit crazy. That’s OK, I don’t share rheir love of Thai food, horseback riding, or doll collecting. But I’m not going to publicly say that a type of doll isn’t worth putting in a collection.
Not everyone has to be jazzed on Atmos and surround…but to make an unqualified blanket statement such as “Music sounds awful in surround sound” is, as our friends across the Pond might say, complete and utter bollocks…
All music?
To everyone?
On every system?
I would argue the opposite. Stereo has to be played in surround to be at all enjoyable! Otherwise you might as well just listen to mono.
I enhance everything via the S&IC, Sansui QS, Involve or even Circle Surround. The stereo gets pulled apart, as if you are listening via a magnifying glass. It's the only way to truly really enjoy stereo and to clearly hear everything that is going on in the mix!
With such derived surround or with true (discrete) surround you don't even have to sit in the sweet spot to enjoy.
“When you’re listening to music, you’re walking around, chatting with friends, etc.” , the sound is still great with directional effects coming from all around regardless of your position!
I enhance everything via the S&IC, Sansui QS, Involve or even Circle Surround. The stereo gets pulled apart, as if you are listening via a magnifying glass. It's the only way to truly really enjoy stereo and to clearly hear everything that is going on in the mix!
With such derived surround or with true (discrete) surround you don't even have to sit in the sweet spot to enjoy.
“When you’re listening to music, you’re walking around, chatting with friends, etc.” , the sound is still great with directional effects coming from all around regardless of your position!
Definitely, but rarely performed in Atmos. ;-) Maybe there will be Atmos recording studios in the future. “George, a few steps higher man. John, Paul, steady the ladder! Ringo, yes, you’ll have to stand now to reach the very high hat.”
I think there is a difference how people perceive sound (and with that music), some people (the writer in question probably belongs there) value fundamentally correct sound from the speakers (timbrally and spatially) more than the surround sound itself. In other words, for them, give me good stereo sound from the first rate speakers (which ARE capable of creating a huge dome of ambiance and spatiality it almost sounds like there are more speakers in the room), than the surround (or Armos) sound from the average speakers. And many an average speaker user, with less than optimum setup (various domestic decor conditions compromises), will not know or be aware how great a good two channel system can sound. A lot of misunderstanding stems from here, and that is not far from entering the territory of audiophiles and various snake oil accusations that inevitably follow.
That may be…the corollary would be that if the writer had only heard surround sound on a crummy “all-in-one box” surround system, he may well think music in surround sounds awful…but to then issue a blanket statement based on that would be a bit presumptuous…or at least ill informed…
His loss…more for me!
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