HiRez Poll Godsmack - THE OTHER SIDE [SACD]

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Rate the SACD of Godsmack - THE OTHER SIDE


  • Total voters
    29

JonUrban

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Please post your comments, thoughts and observations.......(y) (n)
 
I didn't know too much about Godsmack before this album. I guess I still don't because I am told that this is very different from their other stuff. I like it very much though. I gave it an 8
 
It took me a while to finally get this one (first time I received the regular CD that I already had, I'm still amazed by the fact that people are unable to distinguish both formats...), but I've been playing the SACD version for some days and I gave it a 8.

At first I was afraid that the rear speakers were only receiving a duplicate from the front speakers, but in fact not. The way the percussive elements are spread around is very subtle and it gives you the impression that you're with the band around a camp fire. Very cool.

The acoustic guitars are quite lound in the rears and it envelops you totally. The choirs are powerful too.

I looked closely at the booklet which is strictly no different than the CD's one, so I'm still wondering who did the 5.1 mix ? Is it Bottrill, like the stereo mix ?

I'm a big, big fan of Bottrill and if I'm not mistaken, this would look like his first 5.1 mix...
 
It's a nice disc, to be sure; and a worthy addition to one's collection. However, I went with a rating of six. Overall, the surround mix is a little bit too subtle for my tastes. The last couple of tracks have a little more surround action, which is more to my liking. The recording itself seems a little on the cold side. It doesn't give me that warm, fuzzy feeling.
 
My bestest trading buddy offered me a copy a while back, but I was unsure of the content, so I declined... I should know your judgement better by now Andy. :)

'The Other Side' is beautifully recorded and well mixed for surround.

I found it still on the shelf at one of the last Best Buys that carry HiRes stock... my luck !

It is kind of unique being a short playing time... just like spinning an LP.
 
I'm still wondering who did the 5.1 mix ? Is it Bottrill, like the stereo mix ?

Yep, 5.1 mix by David Bottrill. AFAIK, he only did mix Mudvayne's The End of All Things to Come (DD 5.1 only, 2005 DualDisc).

I wish this is how Alice In Chains' acoustic stuff would translate into surround... but that obviously didn't happen. Overall, a little bright and shiny sounding (ok, still punchy too!) for my taste, but that's about the only complaint I have. Good use of the rears, although you can't do much with this kind of acoustic stuff, so it's mainly percussion, vocals and ocassional guitars in the back complete with really wide soundstage. And some big sound envelope as well.

Godsmack is really not my thing musically, but if it works for you, you can't go wrong with this release. Solid 7 from me.
 
8.5

great songs, great fidelity and the surround is good but gets taken off a point and a half because it's a little front heavy and not too aggressive

but I do return to this disc a fair amount so it must be good
 
I think the album is very well done. The new tracks and familiar standards are presented nicely in their acoustic format.

Fifteen years ago I thought the surround mix was top notch. That has been somewhat diminished with all the great surround albums that have since been released. Still, as a whole, a solid 9 from me.
 
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