HiRez Poll Hawkwind - IN SEARCH OF SPACE [Blu-ray Audio]

[rtbluray]

Please post your thoughts and comments on this brand new reissue of the classic album "In Search of Space" by Hawkwind.
This reissue from Esoteric Recordings features the album remixed in stereo and 5.1 surround by QQ's fav @Stephen W Tayler.

 

[oxenholme]

I have yet to listen to it. But it's going to lose a point for its imbecilic packaging. I was not impressed when the whole caboodle fell out of the cardboard slip case and went sprawling all over the place. I wasn't particularly delighted to see the Blu-ray rolling across the room and ending up face down on a ceramic tiled floor. As a bare minimum I would expect the discs to be in individual card sleeves. But I would very much prefer them to to be in digipak trays. Here endeth my rant.

 

[oxenholme]

Pursuant to the above post I am very pleased indeed that Cherry Red have provided a surround mix.

 

[beerking]

I'll start by saying that in my view this is Stephen W Tayler's best mix to date.

I love the way he's stuck with the theme of this release and embellished it with some fantastic mixing.

Yes it has Silver Machine but this is so much more than that superb single.

How lucky are we that there is label support to get Hawkwind's early albums released in surround.

I'm searching for superlatives to describe how wonderful the mix is on 'In Search of Space'

If you are into the unique sound of Hawkwind then you cannot go wrong with the passion so evidently used in producing this wonderful box set.

A Silver 10

 

[DuncanS]

When I got it for Xmas '71 I listened to my pre-recorded cassette probably twice a day for ages, it was mid-72 before I managed to buy a couple more albums (I got a weekend job). I know this album note for note and still love it as much as I did. The box arrived yesterday, so as it was the first proper album I got I just had to play it.

I agree Stephen W Taylor has nailed it, what a great mix, where I'd imagine panning it happens, and the clarity is so much better than every other format/copy I have (I have a few!). It took me back 52 years to being 14 again and being wowed by an album. I heard things in the mix I'd missed before, and loved the bonus tracks as well.

Shame I can't go to 11 but its a rock solid 10.

I'm going to listen to it again in a minute!

 

[~dave~~wave~]

I have yet to listen to it. But it's going to lose a point for its imbecilic packaging. I was not impressed when the whole caboodle fell out of the cardboard slip case and went sprawling all over the place. I wasn't particularly delighted to see the Blu-ray rolling across the room and ending up face down on a ceramic tiled floor. As a bare minimum I would expect the discs to be in individual card sleeves. But I would very much prefer them to to be in digipak trays. Here endeth my rant.

The only thing that saved my discs from hitting the floor is I noticed a rattling sound when I got the shrink-wrapped box out of the mailer.
So two discs landed gently on the clean tabletop instead of the floor.

The slots in the cardboard folder are identical to the previous two box sets.
I had forgotten that even though the Space Ritual blu ray was in a cardboard sleeve, it slid out un-protected during shipping as well.

Take care when opening & check all your discs.
Apparently Atomhenge has not had enough returns or complaints on the previous editions to re-think their packaging.

Everything of mine was immediately sleeved.

 

[Matt Wilson]

Oh hell yeah! Keep 'em comin, Stephen! I hope you get to do every '70s Hawkwind album in 5.1 which hasn't received that treatment yet.

10

 

[Clement]

I'm with @beerking : this is @Stephen W Tayler 's best mix to date! This album just begged for a surround treatment, and Tayler more than delivers! The opening track alone is worth the price of admission ($80 at my local brick and mortar store: Squeezebox): "You Shouldn't Do That" morphs and swirls and throbs for nearly 16 minutes of multichannel mind-melting magic – and it only gets better! "You Know You're Only Dreaming" continues the album's trippy wonderfulness, with mixmaster Tayler solidly in control, taking this listener on one helluva flashback through his thorough exploitation of the soundstage!

Next up is a foreboding foray of head-banging fun, "Master of the Universe," which explodes with rhythm guitar, bass (echoed in the rears), and drums up front and rolling waves of synths in the rears. The album takes a contemplative turn with "We Took the Wrong Step Years Ago," a pro-ecology thing of beauty with its acoustic guitars and the return of electronic seagulls (first heard in track two).

The penultimate tune of the original album is another improvisational masterpiece, "Adjust Me," which begins with some serious feedback fun followed by mournful moaning vocals and pulsating waves of shifting sonics that ultimately lead into the final track, "Children of the Sun," an upbeat acoustic anthem.

But wait! There's more! @Stephen W Tayler has mixed four bonus tracks into 5.1, and they follow on the blu-ray disc. All are welcome, spacey additions to the original release, with "Silver Machine" being especially good. Tayler's mixing prowess on the original album and the additional tracks is really unrivaled, and i can't imagine giving this anything less than a big fat 10, or, for all you Roman numeral fans, X(in Search Of Space)!

 

[Stephen W Tayler]

wow! SWTx

 

[Clement]

wow! SWTx


View attachment 109055

Right where it should be–top of the heap! Stay Surrounded, Comrade!

 

[bgf1973]

It's not my favorite type of music but I really enjoyed listening to it..........10

 

[DuncanS]

wow! SWTx


View attachment 109055

Dave Brock doesn't live that far away, so rather than see his old truck from time to time in the town I'll expect to see a new Roller (which is unlikely!)

 

[ogrequad]

Holy hell, this has blown my mind. Absolute 10+ from me! This is exactly how Hawkwind in surround should sound. Initially, I was griping about the price of this set, but it is worth it alone for Stephen W Taylor’s glorious 5.1 mix. This is a true sonic attack!

 

[jimfisheye]

OK, listen #3 and we're doing this differently this time!
Interactive damage control mode. EQ on hand.
I wonder if there might be inappropriate touching in mastering? I hear the 'lit' eq on the vocals and everything, not just the cymbals. I pulled up an eq. High shelf cut above 7.3kHz, 1 octave slope, -5db. I initially pulled it down to -9db listening to Shouldn't Do That and Wrong Step. That lined up with the original mix balances more but sounded choked and damaging and too far, so I compromised with -5db. Crudely on all channels and across the whole album and bonus tracks. Just this small change took away the strong focus on the cymbals (In Search Of Cymbals!) and lets me hear what sounds like a much more intentional mix. The lisp introduced on the vocal in Wrong Step is gone now. I'm a little surprised how much the boosted highs was off putting to me initially and just a 5db cut fixes it. I like this a lot now. It was hard to pay attention the first couple listens while being bashed over the head with the cymbal forward mix. Now I hear balances following the original mixes and just a well done mix with some major fidelity improvements over the originals!

Master of the Universe needs to be singled out. This is the most striking fidelity improvement. I was almost going to still give this track points on the first listen before the EQ correction!

The two rare bonus tracks getting a 5.1 mix is an unexpected treat! That stuff usually gets stuffed on a CD in stereo on these releases. Same with the two single tracks - mandatory as they should be considered. Great mixes of all these! This is more like what I expected after hearing the Space Ritual remix.

Mix work: 9/10
Mastering: D-

The original stereo mix is delivered in good shape here! It sounds identical to the recent 24/96 HD master. That previous master has Shouldn't Do That and Adjust Me a few db quieter. Not sure if I should call them quieter on that edition or call them louder on this edition. I haven't lined it up next to the original vinyl to check. Either are good copies of the original mix. No obvious hype or slamming.

The original artwork is mostly included in the package. Devoid of the original presentation in every way though. This would have been one to make a replica of the multi fold out cover with the log book included like the original booklet. The originals with the book are collectors items now and hard to find and you at least get more than is often the case here.

I need to keep in mind the prevalence of botched mastering these days and not be afraid to jump into damage control mode before posting a review! Grab for an EQ and give this one another chance if you haven't.

 

[Steve Bruzonsky]

Just got back from outer space. 10+++

 

[SomethingAnything]

I nearly didn't buy this (I'm meant to be cutting back on physical purchases!). So glad I did though.
This is brilliant where it counts. In the mix. Guts is still there, yet great use of surround as well. (I listened on my 5.1.4 w auro 3d enabled.)
10 BTW.

 

[jimfisheye]

Is that Calvert on vocals in 7 by 7? I always though the "yelling" vocal mix was still Brock and just an awkward take. The more well known mix is clearly Brock. Clearly a different vocal take altogether. Guess I have to go back and dig through the different versions. There are different mixes, edits, and different vocal takes for Silver Machine too. I believe there are at least 3 different vocal versions with Bob, Dave, and finally Lemmy. Bob sang live at the show. (I think that's on Greasy Trucker's Party.) Lemmy is on the well known single mix.

The original mix included on the bluray is just the album itself. No singles or other old mixes.

There's a new crossfade between side 1 and 2 here. Following the style of crossfades between the songs on each side. Sounds authentic! It also means the clean head and tail on the original are not included here. Hmmm... Very in character though. The end of side 1 had the wind synth fx loop forever in the lead out groove. That could have been incorporated so the original clean ending was still there and the segue used the extra wind fx. A missed opportunity?

 

[The56Kid]

All I can say is that I’m super stoked that @Stephen W Tayler is steering the Hawkwind spaceship as it travels the galaxy in glorious surround! I can’t imagine anyone else doing a Hawkwind surround mix EVER. If you haven’t already, also give Stephen’s stereo remixes a listen. They’re uniformly superb. First Songs For A Tailor and now this sonic masterpiece… thank you, Stephen!!! A big fat 10.

 

[fizzywiggs41]

I got my Hawkwind package last Friday.
I just gotta say ..they must do a better job with securing those discs. I opened mine and out of the bottom, went my bluray disc, and finally landing next to my foot. Luckily it doesn't seem damaged with scratches or worse.

Any way today I played it through and I gotta say the surround is absolutely a stunner.
Stephen ..you really did an amazing job with this very early (71) album tapes.
I love that you used some quad type of panning on a few of the tracks and kept the center speaker to a minimum.

Congratulations, for a job well done , no make that a very well done , and I encourage everyone at QQ that have not yet purchased this gem to do so...HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. THIS disc will definitely get more listening on my system. Instant 10!!!

Thankyou to all at Atomhenge and Stephen W. Tayler,

and next purchase for me is Doremifasalotadadido.

 

[Stephen W Tayler]

Fabulous review!! SWTx