Rush "Hemispheres" (40th Anniversary Box Set with 5.1 Blu-Ray Audio!)

[peterzach]

Well what a letdown from so much excitement about seeing that this was getting a 5.1 and like most of us Rush fans from here I guess I was hoping beyond hope that SW would get to do this as this was a prefect match for him to do this album as it is one that he loves and it would have sounded so fantastic.
Guess we will find out soon enough who did this until then:

Catch the mist, catch the myth
Catch the mystery, catch the drift

 

[Clint Eastwood]

I looked in Amazon US, but can't find.

Here you go

 

[Lute]

I agree...after years of suffering through some bad to average results of Rush music...that was a wake up call..it would be hard to go back to "pretty good"...and again... if SW didn't do this mix...the decision to force you into 3LPs to get the surround disc would be hard for me to accept..

No SW at the knobs. There we have it. Time for some more organ music, I guess. LOL!!!

Well, at least we can actually listen to ONE of their best albums with the best possible sound and mix.

 

[user 1679]

I'd buy a standalone blu-ray in a flash no matter who did the mix - but this thing of making me buy vinyl in a box for $150 to get a 5.1 mix has got to stop. Too many $$ for too little payoff. Can't these people ever learn to package vinyl separately? Can't they look at so many pretty well done and cost-effective releases from labels like Kscope (look at the content and prices for the last few Pineapple Thief "deluxe" editions as a great example)? I get more from those releases at about 1/3 the price. So, no thanks, not going to bite unless I can get it at a price I'm willing to pay (maybe $75 at most, if I've had a couple wobbly-pops)

 

[Jeffrey Michael]

I'd buy a standalone blu-ray in a flash no matter who did the mix - but this thing of making me buy vinyl in a box for $150 to get a 5.1 mix has got to stop. Too many $$ for too little payoff. Can't these people ever learn to package vinyl separately? Can't they look at so many pretty well done and cost-effective releases from labels like Kscope (look at the content and prices for the last few Pineapple Thief "deluxe" editions as a great example)? I get more from those releases at about 1/3 the price. So, no thanks, not going to bite unless I can get it at a price I'm willing to pay (maybe $75 at most, if I've had a couple wobbly-pops)

Or, do what I do. Don’t buy them at all. Getting all the extra stuff I’ll never play (CD’s & Vinyl), or use (trinkets), I’d much rather pass than spend big bucks just to get approximately 40 minutes of music in Surround. I’d rather listen to the best stereo mastered album that I have, upmixed to Auro-3D. Or, Dolby Surround.

 

[user 1679]

Or, do what I do. Don’t buy them at all. Getting all the extra stuff I’ll never play (CD’s & Vinyl), or use (trinkets), I’d much rather pass than spend big bucks just to get approximately 40 minutes of music in Surround. I’d rather listen to the best stereo mastered album that I have, upmixed to Auro-3D. Or, Dolby Surround.

It's almost that double-edged sword isn't it - want us to do 5.1....cough up people....don't pay, well then we won't do any more. Yeah, the labels are somewhat to blame, wanting to milk their catalogues for every penny they can as their industry is in a lot of flux and (dare I say) dying, but I think a high profile band like Rush still has some pull and say as to how these packages are done so they are not without blame either.

 

[Jeffrey Michael]

It's almost that double-edged sword isn't it - want us to do 5.1....cough up people....don't pay, well then we won't do any more. Yeah, the labels are somewhat to blame, wanting to milk their catalogues for every penny they can as their industry is in a lot of flux and (dare I say) dying, but I think a high profile band like Rush still has some pull and say as to how these packages are done so they are not without blame either.

Now that they retired, we are contributing to their retirement fund.

 

[user 1679]

Now that they retired, we are contributing to their retirement fund.

Funny - I didn't put it my comment but in the back of my mind was "pension"

 

[4-earredwonder]

No SW at the knobs. There we have it. Time for some more organ music, I guess. LOL!!!

Well, at least we can actually listen to ONE of their best albums with the best possible sound and mix.

Or put the $$$$$ towards Organ lessons, Brett. It's time. Me, I'll wait for the reviews but really don't want all that paraphernalia [at least for me] which comes with these box sets.

150 bucks sure buys a LOT of Dutton Vocalion TWO FERS!

 

[Lute]

Or put the $$$$$ towards Organ lessons, Brett. It's time. Me, I'll wait for the reviews but really don't want all that paraphernalia [at least for me] which comes with these box sets.

150 bucks sure buys a LOT of Dutton Vocalion TWO FERS!

Seriously, Ralph! Organ lessons sound a hell of a lot better than paying thru the derrière for another miserable mix!!

I'm with you. Definitely waiting for some reviews. There are too many other deserving artists, musicans, and music labels that are spending their time, sweat, and hard earned cash ACTUALLY making quality Hirez surround recordings in 2018!!!

At least the reviews for Imagine are great!! And the box set actually has some good extras!!! Mine is hopefully on the way. Can't wait!!!

 

[edisonbaggins]

It's amazing how negative this tread has turned just because SW didn't do the mix. It's possible that the mix was done well by someone else.
Though sure, maybe the mix is mediocre, as has been said about ALL the existing non-SW MC Rush, though I find some to be quite enjoyable.
It's also possible, I guess, that's it's merely an upmix. If so, Amazon has an easy cancellation policy and I have more surround music than I can easily get to at this point.
The optimist in me says they wouldn't risk poor sales of a big box on a shitty mix. Also, they have to be aware that SW's mix was better regarded than Rick C's were.

 

[Lute]

It's amazing how negative this tread has turned just because SW didn't do the mix. It's possible that the mix was done well by someone else.
Though sure, maybe the mix is mediocre, as has been said about ALL the existing non-SW MC Rush, though I find some to be quite enjoyable.
It's also possible, I guess, that's it's merely an upmix. If so, Amazon has an easy cancellation policy and I have more surround music than I can easily get to at this point.
The optimist in me says they wouldn't risk poor sales of a big box on a shitty mix. Also, they have to be aware that SW's mix was better regarded than Rick C's were.

Love your optimism.

But... The SW mix is absolutely incredible IMHO. After 40 years I finally can listen to A Farewell to Kings the way it was meant to be heard.

Having said that, you're right.. lots of people have no problem with how Rush's or Zeppelin's albums were produced. I often read or hear people praise Jimmy Page's ability to mix an album. Go figure!

 

[Scott M4]

I'm often amazed at how difficult it is to find this information. Blows me away honestly.....

Agree! I found the tiny print on the back of the Roxy Music box noting that Steve Wilson did the surround mix shocking - since pretty much all of us here bought it only for that reason. I already had the vinyl.

 

[edisonbaggins]

Love your optimism.

But... The SW mix is absolutely incredible IMHO. After 40 years I finally can listen to A Farewell to Kings the way it was meant to be heard.

Having said that, you're right.. lots of people have no problem with how Rush's or Zeppelin's albums were produced. I often read or hear people praise Jimmy Page's ability to mix an album. Go figure!

Not sure it's fair to compare some of Rick C's work to LZ reissues. His AFtK effort falls short of SW's, but is far from being a disaster. IMO, much of his work is better than he's given credit for.
That said, I hope he vastly improved his approach or they found another engineer.

Sent from my TA-1025 using Tapatalk

 

[jimfisheye]

Damn...
That went from 100 straight to zero real quick. That's really just too bad then. I never expected to see the rest of the Hawkwind catalog get SW remixes after Warrior but I sure did expect to see the whole Rush catalog (thru Moving Pictures that is). Damn. Well at least if I had one Rush album to pick, it was Kings. (Except I consider Hemispheres album two of a double album so this still sucks!)

Pretty thankful their original stereo mixes were finally mastered to HD digital a couple years ago though. They genuinely sound like what the vinyl must have been cut from. Those chirpy early gen CDs were pretty bad.

 

[Clint Eastwood]

It's amazing how negative this tread has turned just because SW didn't do the mix. It's possible that the mix was done well by someone else.
Though sure, maybe the mix is mediocre, as has been said about ALL the existing non-SW MC Rush, though I find some to be quite enjoyable.
It's also possible, I guess, that's it's merely an upmix. If so, Amazon has an easy cancellation policy and I have more surround music than I can easily get to at this point.
The optimist in me says they wouldn't risk poor sales of a big box on a shitty mix. Also, they have to be aware that SW's mix was better regarded than Rick C's were.

I'm glad you are "upbeat" about the situation...and sure it "could be" a great mix...where I don't agree with you is the part where you stated "they wouldn't risk poor sales of a big box on a shitty mix"...when IMO most of their catalog of concerts and other music has been less than stellar and some were shitty sounding and nothing stopped them from offering them up for sale....now if someone like Bob Clearmountain or ES were at the controls...I'm in...but those 3LPs for me is a big obstacle...Big Pink had 2LPs but Bob Clearmountain was worth the gamble and it paid off as I love that one...I'll wait until the last possible moment to make my decision to cancel or keep the pre order

On a positive note...this negative trend in here might reflect a lot of cancellations at amazon and lower the price for those that keep their orders or inspire others to order

 

[GOS]

LOL! I'm keeping my order for sure.....

GOS 3.01 will take one for the team. If it turns out to be a dud....I'll try to sell it on bee-flay as I really don't need another box sitting on the floor. lmao

 

[jimfisheye]

It's amazing how negative this tread has turned just because SW didn't do the mix...

It's because of the history of those bootleg sounding remixes on those "sectors" DVD and bluray releases. Those are so insulting to the music in light of their original mixes it's not even funny. Surround sound is meaningless if the mix is a disaster. Switching engineers literally mid song for this one doesn't help either.

Their original engineer or perhaps the likes of Elliot Scheiner could do something worthy here. And a dozen other talented people too even if SW is one heck of a bar to meet. But the "Oh no!" thoughts come directly from those Sectors DVD and bluray releases.

 

[edisonbaggins]

It's because of the history of those bootleg sounding remixes on those "sectors" DVD and bluray releases. Those are so insulting to the music in light of their original mixes it's not even funny. Surround sound is meaningless if the mix is a disaster. Switching engineers literally mid song for this one doesn't help either.

Their original engineer or perhaps the likes of Elliot Scheiner could do something worthy here. And a dozen other talented people too even if SW is one heck of a bar to meet. But the "Oh no!" thoughts come directly from those Sectors DVD and bluray releases.

Not for everyone... I'm on record as stating I've been able to enjoy some of his work. I actually feel sympathy for you that you couldn't. Which of us is "right?" It's impossible to say. Which of us evidently had a better time though?


Sent from my TA-1025 using Tapatalk

 

[sbrom]

LOL! I'm keeping my order for sure.....

GOS 3.01 will take one for the team. If it turns out to be a dud....I'll try to sell it on bee-flay as I really don't need another box sitting on the floor. lmao

Me too, keeping my order in place. I got very lucky and jumped on a preorder before Amazon raised prices 50%. This is exactly the opposite of what I did with ‘Kings, when I waited too long and paid maximum coin.