HiRez Poll King Crimson - THE COMPLETE 1969 RECORDINGS [Blu-Ray Audio]

[Hamilton59]

Wait, are you all saying that there are other discs in there besides the ATMOS mix ?!?!?!?

 

[AYanguas]

Wait, are you all saying that there are other discs in there besides the ATMOS mix ?!?!?!?

Yeah!.... I think so...

After so many times I have listen to this Album, now even in Glorious Atmos, it looks a little repetitive... (Oh, I beg you pardon)

So, I begin to listen to the "Let's Make A Hit Waxing":The copy at the Atmos Bluray. (I think it also exists in other discs )
Very Interesting to hear some kind of "deconstructed songs". The mix (2.0) DSU upmixed sound fantastic. It is a very refreshing way of listening the same notes of the same songs but in a different manner.

I'm hypnotised with the "I talk to the wind" parts with only the Drums, Bass and flute...

 

[Clement]

Yeah!.... I think so...

After so many times I have listen to this Album, now even in Glorious Atmos, it looks a little repetitive... (Oh, I beg you pardon)

So, I begin to listen to the "Let's Make A Hit Waxing":The copy at the Atmos Bluray. (I think it also exists in other discs )
Very Interesting to hear some kind of "deconstructed songs". The mix (2.0) DSU upmixed sound fantastic. It is a very refreshing way of listening the same notes of the same songs but in a different manner.

I'm hypnotised with the "I talk to the wind" parts with only the Drums, Bass and flute...

I did the SAME thing today! You aren't kidding about the upmixed sound--it was a blissful 68 minutes . . . if memory serves!

 

[marpow]

If anyone is still interested in buying this set......IMPORTCDS is having a 10% discount on items included in their list on eBay......it's currently $187.54 but if you buy another item on their list you get another 10% off that which is $168.84 with FREE shipping!!!

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update: Dec. 6 at 10:19am

Well I guess nobody is really interested in this set because no replies and so far nobody has even rated it yet!! No wonder the price is DROPPING and probably will continue to DROP.

King Crimson 2020 Dolby ATMOS Mix

I’ve listened to this release over 20 times now. It is my favorite version of this album and I think it is the best ATMOS remix I’ve heard of a classic album. (Booka Shade’s Dear Future Self has a few tracks that are more extremely, discretely mixed)

This is a difficult release to review simply because we have two previous releases to compare it with and it’s natural to want to know exactly what are the differences. I’m not setup to be able to A/B compare two disc at the same time, so I have to rely on memory.

Something I’ve noticed with ATMOS mixes is that it is more difficult for me to tell where a sound is coming from when it is mixed somewhere in the space above me. I have a 7.2.4 ATMOS setup with upper front ceiling speakers and wall mounted rear ceiling speakers behind me. It is easy to hear the location of a sound in the base plane of the 7 speakers around me but much harder when it is mixed somewhere above my head unless it is mixed hard to one speaker or pair above me. I keep finding myself looking around above me trying to locate where a sound is coming from during these songs...

Ok let’s start off with a Great Simple Menu...just press play...

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21st Century Schizoid Man

The intro sounds that float around you are mainly coming from the height speakers. The song starts with the full room ATMOS mix that raises the sound stage above and around you. The guitar chords on the verse still move around you but not in the discrete circle of the previous mixes that I really liked. I simply cannot follow pattern (?) this time..This is the only point of the mix in entire album that I actually prefer the last mix to the ATMOS mix. Fripp’s lead guitar wonders all around and above you and I get the sensation at times that it is quickly moving in a circle above me.

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I Talk To The Wind

Simply beautiful. The music surrounds me. I have to get up and walk to each speaker to find out, surprisingly, that the the music is mainly coming the height speakers. The cymbal taps are coming mainly from the front speakers. Greg’s vocals are in the front center but the harmony vocals are in the heights! The woodwinds are in the rear channel 7 speakers. But I can’t really hear these discrete placements sitting in my listening position.... they are simply surrounding my ears with the music....
Fripp’s guitar notes move across and around me. The flute solo wanders about and around.

Epitaph

Timpani rolls across behind me, music comes up all around and cymbals swish across in front of me.. Vocals and drums are across the front. Other instruments come in and are mixed all around me. Acoustic picked guitar moves about and bass clarinets are behind and beside me. Mellotron is all around and above.

Moonchild

Music moves around, cymbal taps are coming from the ceiling. As always, Greg’s vocals are front center. Drum toms are across behind me. Guitars across the front. The free form improv has instruments floating back and forth above and around you. The guitar is front leftish, the percussion is more playfully mixed around the room. Drums are across the rears. Bells across the top and right front. I am surprised they weren’t more adventurous with the mix. I think I would have slowly spun the entire mix around the room... I personally don’t mind the quiet improv section. It slows things down and takes a break from the songs. And the best thing is it creates the contrast to the stunning intro of...

The Court of the Crimson King

Ahhhh what you want... drums across the front, mellotrons around and above you. Vocals anchored in the front. Guitars picked and flutes around and above. Backing king and ahhh vocals around and above. Flute solo wanders about and above. The ending sections collapse to the center front speaker. Simply Beautiful and Amazing.

This is a fantastic mix for magical music.

10

Hamilton59's review was so terrific, I just had to order the box set. Really looking forward to the immersive Atmos, I mean that's why I built an Atmos room.
I think it arrives tomorrow?

 

[marpow]

I voted 10. (Disc 24)-BD-A Dolby Atmos. My Rig is 5.2.4 (3 subs). I listened at a comfortable 55 volume knob. I used my channel level a bit, mostly pumping up the heights. I am still trying to train my brain to differentiate between the foundation speakers and the heights, and adding a little volume to the heights seems to help. It seems Hamilton59 and I agree on this getting use to fact.
This Dolby Atmos remix was highly enjoyable to the point I was floating in space on all these tracks. Just closed my eyes and let myself experience what was in my room.
I think for the first time I finally got how beautiful and intricate this album is. Tracks 2,3, and 4 are about as delicate as I can imagine.
The Atmos experience really made it enjoyable.
I am a newcomer to King Crimson, maybe about 3 years now, it is an interesting project that is for sure.
I also listened to the remainder of Disc 24, the 4.0 of I Talk To The Wind and the stereo of Lets Make A Hit Waxing with it's fun studio recording of a band practicing on tape, multiple takes, very very long.
The menu, possibly the best I have ever come across.
Really glad I got this, mainly to experience the music in such a way that I was able to release myself into my room and was in a state of pur enjoyment. No computer, no liner notes, just sitting with eyes closed.

 

[kap'n krunch]

holy sheeit!
Was listening to CD 1 and , man that band was deffo one of a kind!!! They started a kind of improv no one else had basically done...

 

[marpow]

Ripping the box set now, whew, what a chore. I think for the surround mixes I will stick with the DVD's. Complicated because the CD's duplicate themselves starting on the sessions. Using DVD AE is much easier than the Blu Rays with MKV and MMH, a little quicker. And 24/48 for stereo is just as good as 24/96.
The one Atmos disc I will just listen from the disc as my JRiver player won't play MKA files.
Need to stop for awhile, too much thinking.

 

[AYanguas]

holy sheeit!
Was listening to CD 1 and , man that band was deffo one of a kind!!! They started a kind of improv no one else had basically done...

King Crimson has always played improvisations and slightly different versions of the songs in each concert.

That's why some of us can stand for and listen to the tons of CDs from their several Box Sets.

 

[Mcallister]

Had to finally give in and order the set. Can’t wait for next weekend

 

[César]

WARNING: Mis-assembled box sets - no Disc #6, extra Disc #9 in its place

I first bought the King Crimson's The Complete 1969 Recordings box set from Amazon UK. I discovered that instead of Disc #6 there was an extra Disc #9 in its place. I bought another box from Amazon USA. Same exact problem!! A third copy (the Amazon USA replacement) finally had the correct set of one each of all 26 discs. Sheesh!

Be sure to check your copy.

Jim Sheppard

Mine is fine (purchased from BurningShed). Thanks for the heads up anyway

 

[Mcallister]

Set arrived safe and sound with all the correct discs. I’ve been ripping all day, will be taking a listen to the Atmos mix shortly. Can’t wait to get home.

 

[Mcallister]

Just wonderful! Great use of overheads with lots of panning by SW. this box set it very impressive. Part of me hopes they don’t do this for each album because my wife will kill me.

So excited SW now has an Atmos setup to mix on, I want more.

 

[srbjab]

I finally got my copy about a month ago and have been spending a LOT of time going through this huge set with an emphasis on the surround sound. As has been stated, just about every surviving recorded note, take, rehearsal, mix, and live performance leading up to and following the release of ITCOTCK is included here. In addition, there are selected recordings from the short lived Giles, Giles & Fripp band (occasionally with Judy Dyble) that have musical relevance to the debut of KC. This box has the same excellent format as all the other KC mega box sets, with discs inside separate cardboard fold out sleeves sitting in four compartments, replica documents and booklets laying on top. These massive box sets are truly intended for über fans and collectors. The emphasis/value is always the music, much of it live, rather than meaningless swag. Unlike some earlier KC box sets, there isn't as much live material (7 out of 20 cds) with only one concert duplicated on a blu-ray (in hi-res). That's good because the early live KC is pretty poorly recorded. Luckily there are several BBC ‘live in studio’ recordings included which better represent the band in a live setting.

On to the music. It had been a couple of years since I listened to Steven Wilson's 2009 surround mix of ITCOTCK so I’ve listened to all 3 surround mixes in order several times. Compared to the original stereo, the 2009 mix is amazing - it not only opens up the soundstage but also reveals the incredibly layered density of the recording, particularly on the insanely complex Schizoid Man. If the 2009 mix was amazing, the best word I can use to describe the 2019 mix is exquisite. It clearly shows technological advancements as well as the growth of Steven Wilson as a surround engineer. From just a fidelity perspective, both high and low frequencies are better defined and audibly extended beyond what was on the 2009 mix giving it greater clarity and dimensionality. Instruments, voice and various sounds exhibit more separation and space with no hint of harshness or compression. It's like a subtle veil has been removed. Instrument placements in the sound field have been subtly altered and are now more refined. Lakes’ vocals are much clearer and highlighted in the mix. Finally, the 2020 Atmos mix further advances on the 2019 5.1 mix by the addition of rear surround and height channels which are aggressively utilized. Sounds and instruments are more clearly localized in the horizontal plane, while some instruments and sounds have been moved up into the height channels to create a fully immersive, 3-dimensional soundstage. IMHO the Atmos mix is the absolute best way to listen to this incredible 50 year old recording. As Robert Fripp has often stated, ITCOTCK came together somewhat magically, greatly transcending the perceived abilities and expectations of the individuals who created it. An absolute 10 for the music, the mix and the package.

I would never recommend buying a very expensive boxset of an album/group I’m not that interested in just to get a single surround mix - I’ve passed on several of these myself - which makes it a shame that the ITCOTCK Atmos mix will only be heard by relatively few people. Given Steven Wilson’s new found interest (and obvious ability) in Atmos mixing, I’m hoping that Fripp et al. may at some point agree to release more affordable standalone blu-rays of the KC catalog with new Atmos mixes. The music deserves to be heard in this format by the widest possible audience.

 

[gene]

Just got my copy of this MASSIVE box set
Went right to the Atmos Blu-ray
Holy crap! Steve did it again !
10/10