HiRez Poll Moody Blues - A QUESTION OF BALANCE [SACD]

[wavelength]

In the last little while I've moved my surround speakers so that they are more to the side instead of behind me. What a pleasant surprise I got when I threw this disc in for a listen. I'm revising my original 4 to a 7 (although I can't change my actual vote). It just sounds a lot better and I can actually enjoy this one now; mainly because the rears have more presence. The quad "feel" is there now.

 

[rtbluray]

Rather than hurting the Moody Blues sound, the more 'stripped-down' approach to this album actually benefited their sound and produced some of the best Moody Blues tracks like "Question", "Melancholy Man", and "It's Up To You".
"Don't You Feel Small" is also one of the tracks that benefits the most from this surround mix, as it's such a fun track.
Like all of the Moody Blues SACDs, I love the clear sense of separation from the front and rear speakers, making for a truly discrete experience in surround.

 

[Quad Linda]

9.

 

[Philip Spinner]

I give this 5.1 mix a 10 except for Questions, which only gets an 8. When I listen to the stereo mix of Question I nearly get knocked out of my sweet spot. The 5.1 version is missing too much. But the rest of the 5.1 mix really takes off afterwards. It just gets better and better as it plays.
Phil.

 

[wavelength]

I set the center channel to "off" in speaker configuration - sounds quite a bit better. Not sure exactly - instruments are better defined; mix is more grounded. I know, I know "what the hell does that mean?" With the center on the mix just doesn't sound as good - seems a bit disoriented.

 

[JonUrban]

I set the center channel to "off" in speaker configuration - sounds quite a bit better. Not sure exactly - instruments are better defined; mix is more grounded. I know, I know "what the hell does that mean?" With the center on the mix just doesn't sound as good - seems a bit disoriented.

Sounds better because it is! The center channel is fabricated to make a 4.0 mix a 5.0/5.1 mix.

 

[MyCuff]

Jon, QQ'rs
Is that your experience with all the Moody Blues SACDs? I have not tried that. Any other QUAD to 5.1 "reissues" that might benefit from unplugging the center speaker? Maybe I can just play those disks through my Sansui then!
Cheers,
Mike

 

[hirez]

I set the center channel to "off" in speaker configuration - sounds quite a bit better. Not sure exactly - instruments are better defined; mix is more grounded. I know, I know "what the hell does that mean?" With the center on the mix just doesn't sound as good - seems a bit disoriented.

Currently I have center channel disconnected and am listening to "To Our Childrens Children" and I completely understand your comment about being more grounded. TOCC is my most played Moody Blues SACD and hence the one I'm most familar with. It sounds definitely better without the center channel. I'm surprised I never thought to do this with any of my Moody Blues SACDs. Henceforth the MCH SACDs of the MB will all be played with the center channel disconnected. THANKS FOR THE TIP.

 

[JonUrban]

Jon, QQ'rs
Is that your experience with all the Moody Blues SACDs? I have not tried that. Any other QUAD to 5.1 "reissues" that might benefit from unplugging the center speaker? Maybe I can just play those disks through my Sansui then!
Cheers,
Mike

Mike,

I don't know EXACTLY what they did to the Moody Blues quads to transform them into 5.0/5.1, but maybe Tad knows more. I know that they "blended" the fronts into the backs a little to make it less "quaddie", and they created some sort of center channel. I never took the time to record in the SACDs and look at the closely. I remember I did do a song of two from "Seventh Sojourn" and post the findings in the forum somewhere. If you look for that thread (good luck), I think I even uploaded some audio samples.

I'll see if I can find it.

 

[fredblue]

You can merrily knock out the synthesised centre on the Sony Single Layer SACD Quads (Jeff Beck/Blow By Blow.. Herbie Hancock/HeadHunters.. Isley Brothers/3+3.. O'Jays/Ship Ahoy..)

 

[JonUrban]

Here's the thread. It wasn't "Seventh Sojourn", I used a track from "Days of Future Passed", and further down the thread, I did the same thing with "Dear Diary" from "On the Threshold of a Dream"

https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/showthread.php?6480

 

[quadtrade]

I have no idea what Justin did with the Sacd releases. With the DTS we just blended a bit of the fronts for the center for the DTS demands, turn it off for all the former quad dts releases, like Poco and Stills.. Justin probably screwed up the sacd a bit. Musicians reworking rereleases are usually not a smart thing. I would not bother with either, the quad reel conversions are just dandy.

 

[Jeffrey Michael]

I set the center channel to "off" in speaker configuration - sounds quite a bit better. Not sure exactly - instruments are better defined; mix is more grounded. I know, I know "what the hell does that mean?" With the center on the mix just doesn't sound as good - seems a bit disoriented.

Currently I have center channel disconnected and am listening to "To Our Childrens Children" and I completely understand your comment about being more grounded. TOCC is my most played Moody Blues SACD and hence the one I'm most familar with. It sounds definitely better without the center channel. I'm surprised I never thought to do this with any of my Moody Blues SACDs. Henceforth the MCH SACDs of the MB will all be played with the center channel disconnected. THANKS FOR THE TIP.

This is odd. I hear absolutely nothing with the center channel speaker with all of these Moody Blues SACD's. How is turning off the center channel to produce better sound when these are really a quad mix? Please, enlighten me.

 

[wavelength]

This is odd. I hear absolutely nothing with the center channel speaker with all of these Moody Blues SACD's. How is turning off the center channel to produce better sound when these are really a quad mix? Please, enlighten me.

Jon's post - #31 - in this thread explains things.

 

[wavelength]

"Revelation!" I've been playing my Question Of Balance sacd today and finally, FINALLY!...these are the moodies I remember from my ill-spent youth in the 70's. I'm so happy I just ordered Favour and Children. I already have Threshold - and I'm loving that one too.

Oh, and just for good measure, I turn off the sub as well. And you know what...finally I get what you quad guys are always ranting about. Loving the quad!

 

[Jeffrey Michael]

Jon's post - #31 - in this thread explains things.

Thanks, I saw that but this was in response to the center channel.

Regarding Jon's Post, I like the futzed with rear channels. To my ears (YMMV), it makes the SACD sound more enveloping.

 

[wavelength]

Thanks, I saw that but this was in response to the center channel.

Regarding Jon's Post, I like the futzed with rear channels. To my ears (YMMV), it makes the SACD sound more enveloping.

If you turn off all your speakers except the center you will hear a signal there. But yes, it's listener's choice.

 

[Jeffrey Michael]

If you turn off all your speakers except the center you will hear a signal there. But yes, it's listener's choice.

I've no reason to try that but can't anyway. There is no way to turn off to redirect all the signal into the center speaker. The L&R channels always stay on. Even if you can, why bother? You would just get all directed sound into a mono speaker.

 

[wavelength]

I've no reason to try that but can't anyway. There is no way to turn off to redirect all the signal into the center speaker. The L&R channels always stay on. Even if you can, why bother? You would just get all directed sound into a mono speaker.

I was not suggesting that you redirect anything. On my system if I turn off all speakers except center I can hear this weak, pathetic music signal that was created for the sacd's center channel. It's so bad sounding that the first reaction is "why is that even there?" You earlier said nothing was coming from the center speaker and I thought this would show that there is a center channel signal.

I am hearing a vast improvement when I shut the center and the sub off. However, I don't know exactly what my player does when I'm in 5.1 mode with the center and sub channels turned off as far as redirecting channels goes. It is interesting though that when I switch off the center the volume of all the other channels drops considerably which indicates some sort of processing by the player.

Obviously our systems are quite different and comparisons may not be possible.

 

[Jeffrey Michael]

I was not suggesting that you redirect anything. On my system if I turn off all speakers except center I can hear this weak, pathetic music signal that was created for the sacd's center channel. It's so bad sounding that the first reaction is "why is that even there?" You earlier said nothing was coming from the center speaker and I thought this would show that there is a center channel signal.

I am hearing a vast improvement when I shut the center and the sub off. However, I don't know exactly what my player does when I'm in 5.1 mode with the center and sub channels turned off as far as redirecting channels goes. It is interesting though that when I switch off the center the volume of all the other channels drops considerably which indicates some sort of processing by the player.

Obviously our systems are quite different and comparisons may not be possible.

I'll check it tonight, but I'm pretty sure the center channel is dead quite.