Many around here have heard of the band Magenta, who have several releases with good or better surround mixes. Today I am reporting on two of their live DVDs - Chaos From The Stage (2016) & The Gathering (2005). I received the latter (disc only) as a free bonus when ordering the former. I cannot think of how I found these but they do not seem to be mentioned on QQ anywhere. I ordered them on the strength of their other mixes.
Since Magenta does have a good name around here, I wanted to bring these to your attention, and to tell you that if surround is your main interest, skip these. They both boast a DTS soundtrack, and while Rob Reed is credited with the "DVD edit" on the Chaos release, there is no specific mention of who mixed either of them. And with good reason. The mix on these is exceedingly weak. The vocals are placed in the center, so you could call it three channel stereo, but the rears are almost exclusively ambience. There is a touch more keyboard than other instruments, but otherwise even the audience is ambient in the rears.
One of the great things about QQ is as a resource for doing research before making a surround buy. I am not knocking Magenta or their music, and in fact you can find favorable polls for their other releases here:
https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/fo...496-Dolby-DVD)&p=188617&viewfull=1#post188617
https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/fo...Dolby-5-1-DVD)&p=176311&viewfull=1#post176311
https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/fo...Dolby-5-1-DVD)&p=176309&viewfull=1#post176309
https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/fo...-(DVD-DD5-1-Mix)&p=76872&viewfull=1#post76872
But as for these DVDs, if you like their music in stereo these are fine, but concerning surround, they are not worth it.
Since Magenta does have a good name around here, I wanted to bring these to your attention, and to tell you that if surround is your main interest, skip these. They both boast a DTS soundtrack, and while Rob Reed is credited with the "DVD edit" on the Chaos release, there is no specific mention of who mixed either of them. And with good reason. The mix on these is exceedingly weak. The vocals are placed in the center, so you could call it three channel stereo, but the rears are almost exclusively ambience. There is a touch more keyboard than other instruments, but otherwise even the audience is ambient in the rears.
One of the great things about QQ is as a resource for doing research before making a surround buy. I am not knocking Magenta or their music, and in fact you can find favorable polls for their other releases here:
https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/fo...496-Dolby-DVD)&p=188617&viewfull=1#post188617
https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/fo...Dolby-5-1-DVD)&p=176311&viewfull=1#post176311
https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/fo...Dolby-5-1-DVD)&p=176309&viewfull=1#post176309
https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/fo...-(DVD-DD5-1-Mix)&p=76872&viewfull=1#post76872
But as for these DVDs, if you like their music in stereo these are fine, but concerning surround, they are not worth it.