HiRez Poll Los Angeles Guitar Quartet (LAGQ) - SPIN [SACD]

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Rate the SACD of LAGQ - SPIN


  • Total voters
    7

JonUrban

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Please post your thoughts and comments on this HiRez 5.1 title! (y) :phones (n)
 
I dug this one out to give a second listen before i voted and i could not get the whole way through it. As i was listening to it, all i could think of is i would rather be listening to one of the other releases in surround than listen to this in stereo. I have the other 2 SACD releases by them and they are GREAT (A guitar in each speaker). But this one is only STEREO, very minor reverb in the rears. The music is as good as the others, so if you don't mind no surround mix then you would be happy. I was so unhappy with this one i wrote to the company to let them know how i felt, and i did it nicely, stating how much i liked the other 2, but of course there was no reply, as i expected. I really don't know how to rate this one, there is no surround mix, so that part gets a ZERO. The music was good, so overall i vote 3.
This one is going to eBay next chance i get. Not a keeper.(n)
 
I dug this one out to give a second listen before i voted and i could not get the whole way through it. As i was listening to it, all i could think of is i would rather be listening to one of the other releases in surround than listen to this in stereo. I have the other 2 SACD releases by them and they are GREAT (A guitar in each speaker). But this one is only STEREO, very minor reverb in the rears. The music is as good as the others, so if you don't mind no surround mix then you would be happy. I was so unhappy with this one i wrote to the company to let them know how i felt, and i did it nicely, stating how much i liked the other 2, but of course there was no reply, as i expected. I really don't know how to rate this one, there is no surround mix, so that part gets a ZERO. The music was good, so overall i vote 3.
This one is going to eBay next chance i get. Not a keeper.(n)

I heard the LAGQ perform at the recent HE 2006 show in Los Angeles. They mentioned that Spin was their first attempt at using an "ambient" mix rather than a "middle of the band" surround mix.

Since there is another LAGQ album planned, it's a good idea to let the label and the group know your thoughts on the Surround Mix now - before the next one is recorded!
 
I understand the criticisms regarding the "ambient" mix - this being a quad forum. I own the other 2 LAGQ releases "Latin" and "Heroes" that are essentially 4.0 multichannel with the individual guitars placed very discreetly in the the 4 corners. While at first pass the novelty of being surrounded by the quartet is kind of neat - but over a longer period it becomes a bit tiring - to my ears, the quitars are recorded "dry". I actually find it quite distracting to hear the 4 guitars in this fashion - it is of course my personal taste. There are very intricate parts being played and a critical component of a guitar quartet - in of itself an unusual formation, is the interplay. I approached "Spin" with some concern on first listen as I had heard that it was not a discreet mix, but found it actually to a be a very rich, and much warmer recording than the previous two. The sound stage is very wide and of course you have, as in many classical surround recordings, the sense of being in the audience with the added colors or ambience of the room or concert hall. It is a matter of taste and preference, but one should note that musically at least, it is a very rich and challenging work - if you enjoy gutiar and/or modern classical music, you will (IMHO) be rewarded. I give it an 8.
 
I understand the criticisms regarding the "ambient" mix - this being a quad forum. I own the other 2 LAGQ releases "Latin" and "Heroes" that are essentially 4.0 multichannel with the individual guitars placed very discreetly in the the 4 corners. While at first pass the novelty of being surrounded by the quartet is kind of neat - but over a longer period it becomes a bit tiring - to my ears, the quitars are recorded "dry". I actually find it quite distracting to hear the 4 guitars in this fashion - it is of course my personal taste. There are very intricate parts being played and a critical component of a guitar quartet - in of itself an unusual formation, is the interplay. I approached "Spin" with some concern on first listen as I had heard that it was not a discreet mix, but found it actually to a be a very rich, and much warmer recording than the previous two. The sound stage is very wide and of course you have, as in many classical surround recordings, the sense of being in the audience with the added colors or ambience of the room or concert hall. It is a matter of taste and preference, but one should note that musically at least, it is a very rich and challenging work - if you enjoy gutiar and/or modern classical music, you will (IMHO) be rewarded. I give it an 8.

I'm torn on this one. I like the music but I'm not a fan of the very ambient Surround Sound mix. I'll give it a 6.
 
...there is no surround mix, so that part gets a ZERO. The music was good, so overall i vote 3.

Short answer: if you like the music and don't care about the surround mix, consider this one...

I am with MIDIQ on this one. I understand the sonics and the musical content are supposed to inform the rating, but I am not such a fan of the music that I would buy it in stereo, and even though the sonics are fine, I want to send the message of disapproval that the mix is useless surround-wise. I can add my own reverb in the rears if I want. On this release there is nothing discrete in the rears. If they are really divided on what type of mix to use, then go to Blu-ray audio and provide BOTH flavor of surround mix. In this manner the fans and critics of the discrete placement can each have their preference.

I voted a 3 - a protest vote since I know they can do better.
 
Short answer: if you like the music and don't care about the surround mix, consider this one...

I am with MIDIQ on this one. I understand the sonics and the musical content are supposed to inform the rating, but I am not such a fan of the music that I would buy it in stereo, and even though the sonics are fine, I want to send the message of disapproval that the mix is useless surround-wise. I can add my own reverb in the rears if I want. On this release there is nothing discrete in the rears. If they are really divided on what type of mix to use, then go to Blu-ray audio and provide BOTH flavor of surround mix. In this manner the fans and critics of the discrete placement can each have their preference.

I voted a 3 - a protest vote since I know they can do better.

No problem with you voting a 3 but who are you trying to send a message to? Telarc was bought out by Concord several years ago and they no longer release anything in surround.
 
Rage against the machine, perhaps?

OK, I was in a bit of a rush before. Here is a more considered response to the question of why one would cast a "protest vote."

#1. This is a poll, and people use these polls to inform their buying decisions. I know I do. If you glance at a poll and see that the votes are clustered between 6 & 10, as most are in this poll, and this being a surround forum, one might make the assumption that this title has a decent surround mix, and therefore go buy it. If however you come across one or more 1s, 2s, or 3s, you might be inclined to dig a little deeper in the comments. Why would someone give it such a vote, especially when someone else gave it a 10?

#2. This is a public forum, easily accessible by whomever can be bothered to seek out the information. Perhaps a band member, an industry person, or a bean counter - aka someone who IS in a role as decision maker in such matters - perhaps one or more of these people will come across my and other comments expressing strong pleasure or displeasure on a given topic. By strongly expressing my opinion, hopefully not in an obnoxious way, I am making sure that this considered opinion is "on the record" somewhere. For whatever it is worth.

And for the record - this title was particularly a disappointment to me precisely because their other titles took a far more discrete and interesting approach to the surround mixes. I prefer the more discrete mixes.
 
Mark, there are 4 discrete mch SACDs by the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet and SPIN is especially well done. http://hraudio.net/search.php?format=1&keywords=Los+Angeles+Guitar+Quartet

Only 1 left [SPIN] brand new @ AmazonUS for $7.59 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000EGDBAQ/?tag=hraudio-20

As much as I like Spin as a well recorded piece of music, it is not a discrete recording - ambience only in the rears. If you like great modern classical guitar music then this is a no brainer - if you're looking for a guitar in each speaker a la "Heroes" you will be disappointed.
 
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