Elton John "Madman Across The Water" 50th Anniversary Box Set (3 CDs & 5.1 Blu-Ray)

[fredblue]

so.. good things to say about the set so far (now i'm getting over the shock of there being no Lossless 5.1 option on the Blu-ray!) the Book is superb and almost worth getting the set for!

even though, also rather shockingly, i can find no mention made of Greg Penny anywhere in the book at all (and only the most teeny tiny scant reference to the 5.1/2004 SACD!) the book is a real labour of love thing, its brilliant, so i can forgive any such omissions.

the bonus tracks are great, genuinely never released EJ stuff is a real treasure.. and the video content looks and sounds as good as we're ever gonna get.

would i still get it, knowing what i do about it now? probably. could it have been better? Lossless 5.1, Atmos and some transparency and mention about mastering etc., would have made it near perfect. oh well, maybe they'll get it right on the Honky Chateau box..

 

[marcb]

If the Blu-Ray is a little less loud and a little more dynamic, that’s a good thing, right?

It doesn't look any more dynamic to me. Excepting the LFE channel (which appears to be a different question entirely), it just looks to me like they pointlessly reduced the amplitude of the BD/DTS9424 by several dBs - but leaving the peak limiting intact (just at a lower amplitude). So, if anything, worse actually.

 

[rtbluray]

Let's all keep a little perspective on this, shall we?

Yes, some of the things regarding the Blu-Ray are a little annoying and irritating, but of course, the flip side could have been that they did not need to include the 5.1 mix in this box set at all.
At least by including it, they acknowledged that it existed and should be a part of the set, so if future 50th anniversary box sets happen, then those boxes should also included their relevant 5.1 mixes too (where applicable)
This of course means that with any luck (and a little more patience) we might FINALLY be able to hear the 5.1 mix for an album like "Don't Shoot Me..." for the very first time within the next year or so!

 

[fredblue]

if its the only way to get the unreleased 5.1 mixes out, i'll accept it, of course.

although, i have to say i would do so somewhat begrudgingly.

for me SuperDeluxeEditions of Elton's 70's Classic albums are worthy of the best packaging, books, posters, photos, genuinely worthwhile bonus tracks and video content and so on but for me they should also strive to have the best sound quality possible. when all's said and done shouldn't it all be about the music?

if only the BD in this set had a template like the BD's on say, Yes' Panegyric stuff; Flat transfers, Lossless Surround, needledrops..

and how about the Atmos if you really want to make it definitive!?

go for it, all out, don't hold back, its Super, its Deluxe, make it so! stick another 10-20 quid on, if you have to.

having the 5.1 in Lossy DTS on a Blu-ray at this stage of the game (especially when the 5.1 was previously available in Lossless 5.1 on Surround SACD) just feels like a letdown and even though it pains me to express my disappointment and displeasure at what i consider to be a poor decision in a set full of good things, i can't hold back.

yes, i can admit i'd still be whinging if this had been a £20 2-disc CD + DVD-V Deluxe Edition with the 5.1 in Lossy DTS but when considering a SuperDeluxe set from Universal in 2022 with a Blu-ray included i'd really hoped for better. Lossless Surround felt like a given and Atmos, if possible, would have made the set really special.

as it is, for me its a good set, worth getting, great in parts but i find the BD is somewhat lacking.

if/when there's a QQ Poll, i simply couldn't give it the "10" i'd hoped it would have merited. even without Atmos, Lossless Surround may just have done it.

so.. Who or what's next? Honky Cat in Dolby Digital..!? wah wah wah! i certainly hope not but at least now i'll know what to expect from an SDE if they decide to do a similar one for that album

 

[4-earredwonder]

Sorry, the LOSSY BD~A 5.1 is UNFORGIVABLE! If this portends the future of the Anniversary EJ box sets ....even MORE unforgivable. A major talent like Elton certainly deserves better.

I'll stick with my SUPERIOR Greg Penny LOSSLESS 5.1 SACD [and sealed back~up copy of Madman] and cancel my order IMMEDIATELY with AmazonUS!

 

[marcb]

Let's all keep a little perspective on this, shall we?

Yes, some of the things regarding the Blu-Ray are a little annoying and irritating, but of course, the flip side could have been that they did not need to include the 5.1 mix in this box set at all.
At least by including it, they acknowledged that it existed and should be a part of the set, so if future 50th anniversary box sets happen, then those boxes should also included their relevant 5.1 mixes too (where applicable)
This of course means that with any luck (and a little more patience) we might FINALLY be able to hear the 5.1 mix for an album like "Don't Shoot Me..." for the very first time within the next year or so!

Sorry, but I can't go along with a "glass is 10% full" perspective here. IMO, the only reason this was included was because it padded an otherwise underwhelming box set. I don't see how the inclusion of the old mix 5.1 mix here (in lossy form) can be seen as a reason to be optimistic.

 

[fredblue]

ohh... hang on just a rotten peaches pickin' minute!! ️

its not a SuperDeluxeEdition after all! silly me!

its only a 50th Anniversary edition! now, seeing as Universal released standalone LPs for the 50th Anniversaries of the "Elton John" album and "Tumbleweed Connection", i guess i should be happy with what we just got for the 50th of "Madman Across The Water" which is certainly preferable

 

[fredblue]

Sorry, but I can't go along with a "glass is 10% full" perspective here. IMO, the only reason this was included was because it padded an otherwise underwhelming box set. I don't see how the inclusion of the old mix 5.1 mix here (in lossy form) can be seen as a reason to be optimistic.

from a fan perspective, i feel some of the bonus content is genuinely worthwhile. after all, most of the piano demos have never been released before and the book is really nice

 

[4-earredwonder]

if its the only way to get the unreleased 5.1 mixes out, i'll accept it, of course.

although, i have to say i would do so somewhat begrudgingly.

for me SuperDeluxeEditions of Elton's 70's Classic albums are worthy of the best packaging, books, posters, photos, genuinely worthwhile bonus tracks and video content and so on but for me they should also strive to have the best sound quality possible. when all's said and done shouldn't it all be about the music?

if only the BD in this set had a template like the BD's on say, Yes' Panegyric stuff; Flat transfers, Lossless Surround, needledrops..

and how about the Atmos if you really want to make it definitive!?

go for it, all out, don't hold back, its Super, its Deluxe, make it so! stick another 10-20 quid on, if you have to.

having the 5.1 in Lossy DTS on a Blu-ray at this stage of the game (especially when the 5.1 was previously available in Lossless 5.1 on Surround SACD) just feels like a letdown and even though it pains me to express my disappointment and displeasure at what i consider to be a poor decision in a set full of good things, i can't hold back.

yes, i can admit i'd still be whinging if this had been a £20 2-disc CD + DVD-V Deluxe Edition with the 5.1 in Lossy DTS but when considering a SuperDeluxe set from Universal in 2022 with a Blu-ray included i'd really hoped for better. Lossless Surround felt like a given and Atmos, if possible, would have made the set really special.

as it is, for me its a good set, worth getting, great in parts but i find the BD is somewhat lacking.

if/when there's a QQ Poll, i simply couldn't give it the "10" i'd hoped it would have merited. even without Atmos, Lossless Surround may just have done it.

so.. Who or what's next? Honky Cat in Dolby Digital..!? wah wah wah! i certainly hope not but at least now i'll know what to expect from an SDE if they decide to do a similar one for that album

Adam, I share your pain and disappontment and the shoddy way UMG treated what should have been a spectacular ATMOS remix/remaster of Madman!

And ALL those unreleased EJ Greg Penny 5.1 remixes would, IMO, make splendid Universal 5.1 SACDs in special 7" packaging....only, at present, that's the province of SONY Japan!

Perhaps cancellation of this box set by me and others will send a clear message to UMG and the EJ CAMP........"WE'RE MAD AS HELL AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!"

 

[fredblue]

Adam, I share your pain and disappontment and the shoddy way UMG treated what should have been a spectacular ATMOS remix/remaster of Madman!

And ALL those unreleased EJ Greg Penny 5.1 remixes would, IMO, make splendid Universal 5.1 SACDs in special 7" packaging....only, at present, that's the province of SONY Japan!

Perhaps cancellation of this box set by me and others will send a clear message to UMG and the EJ CAMP........"WE'RE MAD AS HELL AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!"

you know Ralphie, i'm wondering if Greg Penny was even consulted about this set..?

there's no mention made of him anywhere in the packaging that i could find

seems strange because Greg Penny not only created the 5.1 mix on the Blu-ray but also has been such an advocate for Elton in 5.1 and getting the mixes out to a wider audience, recently doing Diamonds in Dolby Atmos, etc.

hmm.. i smell a Honky Rat! right, time to forget about Quad for a while and pull up a Piano Man on the rocks or three

 

[GOS]

WE'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!

Twisted sissster? lmao

 

[4-earredwonder]

you know Ralphie, i'm wondering if Greg Penny was even consulted about this set..?

there's no mention made of him anywhere in the packaging that i could find

seems strange because Greg Penny not only created the 5.1 mix on the Blu-ray but also has been such an advocate for Elton in 5.1 and getting the mixes out to a wider audience, recently doing Diamonds in Dolby Atmos, etc.

hmm.. i smell a Honky Rat! right, time to forget about Quad for a while and pull up a Piano Man on the rocks or three

BTW, for those interested, UMG has released a new 50th Anniversary 2 RBCD deluxe set with a 40 page booklet and a second disc of bonus tracks for $25

https://www.deepdiscount.com/elton-john-madman-across-the-water-50th-anniversary/602435836249

 

[fredblue]

BTW, for those interested, UMG has released a new 50th Anniversary 2 RBCD deluxe set with a 40 page booklet and a second disc of bonus tracks for $25

https://www.deepdiscount.com/elton-john-madman-across-the-water-50th-anniversary/602435836249

if it has the piano demos (?) and you already have the SACD, i'd say go for that!

 

[4-earredwonder]

if it has the piano demos (?) and you already have the SACD, i'd say go for that!

Nah, I'll probably go ALL FOREST GUMP and settle for a BOX OF CHOCOLATES instead, ADAM!

 

[~dave~~wave~]

Sorry, the LOSSY BD~A 5.1 is UNFORGIVABLE!

In hindsight, the SDE unboxing video showed (1:30) in the blurry fine print on the back of the box that the 5.1 is DTS-HD High Resolution audio 96/24.

Which we (mostly) cheerfully accept on all the Jethro Tull DVD-Vs.
(In my case, my damaged old ears can't perceive a difference.)

But it is shocking and unexpected, on a 2022 blu ray, to use this format.

I admit I was seduced into ordering by the unboxing video.
But here we are today:

• All content on the three CDs streaming (in CD-quality) on the major services.
• The 2004 Hybrid SACD still in print & can be delivered tomorrow by Amazon for $17.19.
• I've been listening to the Ronson alternate take on the Tumbleweed SACD for five years now.

So yeah, I have a $55 book with a folded poster inside being delivered later today.
(And some videos, to be fair.)
That's what I get for trying to support legacy deluxe re-issues.

Oh well, in for a (Greg) Penny, in for 45 GB Pounds.
Makes my cdjapan Toto order look like a bargain.
Not to mention, I can't even fill my gas tank for that much any more.

 

[humprof]

Here's a review by Mark Smotroff. Impressionistic, uncritical, and not terribly technical. Not what you'd expect--or maybe you would--from a nominally "audiophile" site. (Among other things, he erroneously describes the 5.1 mix as DTS HD-MA.) But sympathetic and enthusiastic, with occasional details about what's going on in individual song mixes.
https://audiophilereview.com/audiop...art-3-the-hi-res-surround-sound-stereo-mixes/

 

[GOS]

I really fought it. I fought the urge to buy this. Why? GOS buys everything. Now, after all is said and done, I'm pretty glad I didn't bother. Now, Rock of the Westies Deluxe Set? In same format as this one? I'll fall all over myself ordering that one. lol

 

[marcb]

from a fan perspective, i feel some of the bonus content is genuinely worthwhile. after all, most of the piano demos have never been released before and the book is really nice

I said underwhelming, not entirely worthless.

 

[mrcond]

Just confirming the bonus tracks are available on Apple Music. No sign of the 5.1 though (you can still get Atmos on Tiny Dancer on the Diamonds set).

 

[fredblue]

I said underwhelming, not entirely worthless.

yes, i read what you wrote and didn't suggest what you said as meaning the set was entirely worthless