HiRez Poll Jefferson Starship - RED OCTOPUS [Blu-Ray Audio]

[rtbluray]

Please post your thoughts and comments on this new reissue of the classic Jefferson Starship album "Red Octopus".
This new Blu-Ray audio release is part of Rhino Records' Quadio series and marks the first time that the original 1970s Quadraphonic mix has been properly remastered and reissued on a high-res disc format.

 

[Gimme 4]

Sounds a bit compressed and highs a little muffled to me. But I just listened to Paranoid before, so my ears might be a little desensitized. I gave it a 7 for sound quality. Content is as expected.

Edit: I realize now that was the "master stereo" mix. The Quadio mix is clear and bright compared to the stereo mix. That's what I get for playing the stereo mix first, the version I am familiar with.

 

[key_wiz]

Playing “Red Octopus” now. This was an album I played a lot when it was new (or least Side 1. Other than “Play On Love” I barely remember any of the other Side 2 tracks). But I probably haven’t played it since 1977 or so.

I was curious how well it would hold up. Well I know now why I only listened to Side 1. Lol. Most of the other side is pretty filler-ous and dated sounded. Even for mid 70s. But I’m liking it more than I feared I might. Those first 6 tracks all gave me some nice nostalgia.

The quad is OK. More front-heavy than most quad mixes are. Almost a modern sound to it with the rears supplementing the fronts more than a full four-corners feel but certainly very nice.

Another listen or two before I rate.

 

[Gimme 4]

OK I gave it a 9 overall. Subtracted 1 point for the stereo mix. It's probably true to the original stereo LP sound though. I always thought the Jefferson Starship (and Airplane) mixes on LPs were a little lacking.

 

[marpow]

I voted 9.
Really hard vote for me, never was a 10, and I went back and forth between 8 & 9.
I think my votes are starting to come down as my surround library has grown to the point that 10's have to be stellar in all requirements of above.
This lacked in content, the music, the songs. My only experience prior was the original LP and CD. As a San Francisco person anything Jefferson or Starship has been listened to many times and seen live of course.
What I thought great about this 4.0 listen was the sonic evenness of the sound. All sound coming out basically pretty even between the 4 speakers, except for some discrete guitar/violin solos and what not in the rears. A very relaxing listen and does not need to be played loud.
Phantom center with vocals works really well.
My listen was the rip played through JRiver, USB out to ExaSound DAC and analogue out to pre/pro.
Bass, was only via the large speakers.
I note this as , my first listen with all the new 4 Quadios was via the Blu Ray player HDMI out which I have set up with bass management and I was missing out on the great sound of the pure 4.0.
In all fairness to this new 4.0 release, it is the best I have ever heard.
I did not listen to the 2.0, I am sure others will and have done so.
My favorite note is Craig Chaquico is now a member.


Please keep poll threads pure to your personal listening experience only.

 

[Matt Wilson]

It's another 9 for me. All four of the recent quads from Rhino are at least a 9. The album is okay (Starship were no Airplane), but the mix is good, and the price reasonable enough for me to recommend it to any Jefferson fans who might be undecided.

 

[quicksrt]

The song “Miracles" which several have said is total burnout for them from the radio over-play, turns out to be quite the quad demo on this disc. One can't help but be impressed with all those layers of vocals and strings weaving in and out here.

 

[GOS]

Just finished listening to my copy. My God, what a knockout release. Granted, I seem to be in the minority in terms of really liking this album. Always have, totally not burned out on it. Miracles is still one of my guilty pleasures.....to the point that this quad version gives me goosebumps. I listened pretty damn loud, and it sounds awesome. I don't find anything to nitpick.

Fidelity - 10
Content - 10
Surround - 10

 

[barfle]

Unfortunately, when I tried to play my copy, my Oppo 105 would not output video, so I couldn’t see the menus. Something is making my Oppo blank out video, just from BDs. Its menus are fine, and DVDs are fine. Leaving it unplugged overnight - that usually helped.

 

[enrik98]

Hi! I think, the remastering job is excellent. The sound is clear, crisp, and well-balanced.

 

[fetchmybeer]

Again, a strong and balanced quadio release that is mostly static in its presentation. I always though Miracles was a cheezy song and this doesn't change that, except that it sounds fantastic in quad presentation, as does most of this album.

For the most part, I like the songs too, especially the opener Fast Buck Freddie. A few of the songs like Play On Love and I Want To See Another World are misses for me, the latter especially feeling like a hippie song that should've been released in the previous decade. But I try not to let my enjoyment of individual songs influence my rating and this one is no exception. This is a strong 9, I think.

All the recent quadio releases have been strong.

 

[beerking]

I'm a complete virgin, listening to this release for the very first time.
Must have missed it due to my Bay City Rollers stage !!

It has a sweet harmonious feel to it. Like the band were really enjoying themselves getting into the groove.
And I think it's aged well with nice tunes.

The mix is superb

A Slick 10

 

[DuncanS]

I'm a complete virgin, listening to this release for the very first time.
Must have missed it due to my Bay City Rollers stage !!

It has a sweet harmonious feel to it. Like the band were really enjoying themselves getting into the groove.
And I think it's aged well with nice tunes.

A Slick 10

Graced with a good score!

 

[mandrix]

Ever the contrarian, I'm going to pan this disc a little. I give it an 8, which I think is generous... and ....well I thought Gracie's vocals in Fastbuck Freddie were too bright, yet muffled somehow.
I've listened to this album a lot over the years, and I understand how Balin's vocals go in Miracles, but I think an opportunity was missed to bring them out a little better. Maybe I'm reflecting back on hearing this live all those years ago , IDK. Maybe too much radio diddling back in the day colored my perceptions.
It seems like the sound gets better as the album progresses, though still not my cuppa tea. After Poppa John Creech, a bright spot on the album, well I was just disengaged.
The rears generally had some good elements, soundwise. But the front /centered vocals. Yipes. I've heard Gracie sing live in an arena setting that sounded better. Yes, she sings in a high timbre, but that ain't all there is to it.

I do miss those wild contact lenses of Gracie's though.
JMHO.

 

[mrcond]

The mix and sound quality on this are really good. The proggy instrumental track Sandalphon sounds like Kansas and is a highlight for me, along with Miracles and the other instrumental Git Fiddler. The rest of the songs range from meh to pretty good.

 

[jhw59]

8 rating. Good not great mix as a bit lacking in rear channels. I've always liked this release and it certainly sounds better than the remastered cd I had. Not as impressive as B$B though, IMO.

 

[quicksrt]

8 rating. Good not great mix as a bit lacking in rear channels. I've always liked this release and it certainly sounds better than the remastered cd I had. Not as impressive as B$B though, IMO.

Did you find rear channels with not enough action? Because my impression was that the quad mix reveals much more sophistication in the arrangements on some of the songs, and the rear chans are an important part of this more evident sophistication.

But yeah, the stereo mix is a slightly duller affair, EQ'd like some early 70s (singer-songwriter) albums. The quad cracks this one wide open like never before. This album has a couple of tracks that are filler. So it won't get a 10 from me, but I'm leaning on a 9.

 

[timbre4]

As planned, I did sit down with another Quadio on the quad system this weekend and completed a focused playback to review this release.

It's 1975; I'm working in a grocery store with radio on all working hours. It's America, Dan Fogelberg, other top 40 songs day in day out. Jefferson Starship made inroads to radio with this second album Red Octopus. Miracles was in regular rotation, Play On Love was heard once in a while. The local FM station would also play I Want To See Another World as a deep album cut I suppose. My friend Jon had the 8 track in his truck. When I would cruise town with him, like the high school students were, I'd hear this tape on a semi-regular basis. I had quad at home and in the car but I just never thought to buy the Q8 tape.

The band had 3 lead vocalists (if you count Paul Kantner) so the material presented supported their aims for the most part. The instrumentalists - Papa John Creach, Craig Chaquico, David Frieberg & Pete Sears all provided solid backing for these vocalists with the occasional nice riff moment here and there. They were afforded the opportunity to kind of cut loose and show what they had on the instrumentals Git Fiddler and Sandalphon. There are some ripping bass parts and nice keyboard textures here, no doubt. Like other music from this era, it seems rather tame as compared to music heard since.

The sound quality here is the best I've ever heard this material, referencing the quad conversions of the past. It is smooth throughout, compression applied and nothing too challenging to present. The balance of instruments in the quad field was fairly natural, flattering and even-handed. This is probably the best execution and delivery this material will ever see. I remembered half the songs and the others made me check the onscreen time left to play. I got up and started bringing neglected guitars back to my seat to clean them to keep busy with something while it played. I didn't feel the need to do this with Paranoid or Nightmares.

This pop rock hit album is a solid Quadio release, I can find no technical quibbles. My thoughts about the content are largely unchanged from 1975. 7 for me.

 

[Quadmon]

I’m going with an 8. Mostly due to what I feel are weak songs. My thoughts on Airplane/Starship in general is the good stuff is really good but I can’t think of any of their releases I would give a ten due to the inconsistent quality of their material.

 

[edisonbaggins]

Chaquico gets pretty shreddy on this!
Especially on I Want to See Another World and Sandalphon.