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

[skherbeck]

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.

This is just a hard pill to swallow... but it's my own fault. Ever since AFTK SW mix was released I've been looking forward to Hemisphere's by SW, so this is a huge let down. Also, Rush is really difficult to mix into surround, but SW pulled it off! I just don't trust anyone else to do it right (I even think ES would have difficulty mixing this... he tends to put accessory instruments, percussion and background vocals in the rear channels and there isn't much of that on Hemispheres). But who knows, right? If this was a $30 disc, I'd take a chance on whoever mixed it... but for $100 and up, I'm still deciding if I want to roll those dice...

 

[skherbeck]

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.

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Rick C DID do a nice job on Dream Theater's self-titled album, but that disc only cost me about $20...

 

[edisonbaggins]

Rick C DID do a nice job on Dream Theater's self-titled album, but that disc only cost me about $20...

I seem to recall 2112 and Moving Pictures being a bit better than any of the Sectors DVD-A mixes. But I won't lie, I like the Signals DVD-A and By-tor and the Snowdog, from Fly By Night is pretty awesome too.

 

[jimfisheye]

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?


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If something sounds right to you then it is right.

I have sympathy for anyone who is not able to hear something I can hear that I think is awesome too. So... If you don't hear what I'm hearing in their original stereo mixes that I'm holding at such a high level then I feel sympathy too. (I don't mean that as a rebuttal. Just trying to explain myself.)

I'm generally not a fan of remixes at all because there's always some nuance from the period that is lost. Often there are remixes that even feature higher fidelity elements but miss some subtle nuance of the original that was important. Steve Wilson is the odd one out that has very consistently demonstrated perception at that level. Still not 100% every time mind you but shockingly good. That's a tough act to follow!

Those sector remixes... The volume war and high end blast hype means you can't even turn the mixes up to "rock volume" without putting an ear out. The noise reduction crudely shutting on and off throughout. Missed cues everywhere. Guitar solos left buried even. The original stereo mixes are more immersive. If I had only ever heard the CD versions of their albums (which all sound quite stepped on) I might be none the wiser but their original vinyl releases sounded pretty great and we have the HD masters now.

I'm having a great time BTW!
This is the golden age of audio to me. We have releases coming out at such a high level that I wouldn't have dreamed of even 10 years ago. I've obviously become snobby and critical but it's because so many music releases have set the bar so high. And they still sneak out here and there. SW's remix of Kings was one of them. I honestly can't remember getting more excited for anything than some of these surround releases that have come out in the last few years.

I don't know... Maybe if some of the lazy ones in the industry get called out on their more bs releases they'll step up their game a little?

 

[edisonbaggins]

Jim, I've had the fortune of hearing vintage Rush LPs on great systems and the HDTracks releases. I have also heard and noted the same problems with the Sectors DVD-As. It just seems clear that I managed to find more to enjoy anyway. Take that for what it's worth!

 

[fredblue]

This is just a hard pill to swallow... but it's my own fault. Ever since AFTK SW mix was released I've been looking forward to Hemisphere's by SW, so this is a huge let down. Also, Rush is really difficult to mix into surround, but SW pulled it off! I just don't trust anyone else to do it right (I even think ES would have difficulty mixing this... he tends to put accessory instruments, percussion and background vocals in the rear channels and there isn't much of that on Hemispheres). But who knows, right? If this was a $30 disc, I'd take a chance on whoever mixed it... but for $100 and up, I'm still deciding if I want to roll those dice...

its tough to mention names when weighing up the odds of this being a personal surround hit or miss since i'm nothing but an armchair critic and every engineer has their off day(s).. but afaic if its someone of the calibre of Elliot Scheiner or Bob Clearmountain (or even, bit leftfield, Frank Fillipetti.. he's still doing decent 5.1 for the likes of Universal, if the GNR set is anything to go by) at the helm, I'll gladly put up and shut up and lap it up!

no disrespect (and I have omitted to mention a few other chaps who are currently active on the scene whose 5.1 work I enjoy, incl Bruce Soord) but it seems unlikely the job would have gone to those guys.. however, if its any one of a raft of others doing 5.1 for the majors at this point (candidates including but by no means limited to Jakko Jakszyk.. and Adam Kasper has done a few mixes now under the UMe umbrella) its gonna be a bit of a gamble imho and I'll have to reserve judgement til I hear the mixes.. an expensive gamble if no surround engineer details emerge before release but that seems unlikely and some info on who did indeed mix it in surround will hopefully come to light soon..!

 

[Jeffrey Michael]

Has anyone thought of emailing the label directly to find out who the Surround mixing engineer is on this set? I see there are many people on here that just have to know.

 

[GOS]

I tried to call Geddy...but he didn't answer. lmao

 

[musicmemorabiliashoppellc]

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.

When was it originally put up on Amazon and at what price? I went to Amazon yesterday and couldn't find the new box set for pre order. But ordered it now at 150 hoping it will drop again

 

[Jeffrey Michael]

I tried to call Geddy...but he didn't answer. lmao

You may have a better chance if he’s on Facebook or has a Twitter account.

 

[jimfisheye]

This is just a hard pill to swallow... but it's my own fault. Ever since AFTK SW mix was released I've been looking forward to Hemisphere's by SW, so this is a huge let down. Also, Rush is really difficult to mix into surround, but SW pulled it off! I just don't trust anyone else to do it right (I even think ES would have difficulty mixing this... he tends to put accessory instruments, percussion and background vocals in the rear channels and there isn't much of that on Hemispheres). But who knows, right? If this was a $30 disc, I'd take a chance on whoever mixed it... but for $100 and up, I'm still deciding if I want to roll those dice...

Yeah, that's what I was trying to say.

For those of us who consider some of these albums as religious artifacts (which is apparently one of the things wrong with me), SW is damn near the only one who gets it and operates on that level. And that bar has now been set with the Kings remix. Can't very well turn back the page!

Try to imagine if say, Bohemian Rhapsody were remixed into that surround bangin' surround mix with the same awesome job done except... they edited the opera out of the middle. Tough choice in some ways right? Excellent sound and mix work but a whole bit that you considered part of the song missing. This is an exaggeration of what I'm trying to say but it's kind of like that when some element in an original mix is missing. If this happens to something you considered a religious icon, you give it kind of a bad review. (If you started screaming "No, that's an easy choice! I'd hate it!" you get what I'm trying to say.)

 

[Clint Eastwood]

When was it originally put up on Amazon and at what price? I went to Amazon yesterday and couldn't find the new box set for pre order. But ordered it now at 150 hoping it will drop again

It was on amazon on Oct 5th at $92.67....I just verified it with my order..I don't know if it was on there before that date but I saw it on here that morning...Ryan posted it at 6:35am and by 9:38am it was increased to $150..

 

[4-earredwonder]

I tried to call Geddy...but he didn't answer. lmao

Because he's too busy 'slapping that bass' and couldn't hear the phone .........

 

[rtbluray]

Has anyone thought of emailing the label directly to find out who the Surround mixing engineer is on this set? I see there are many people on here that just have to know.

Yes, I used the contact email on RUSH’s website to inquire about the “Hemispheres” 5.1 mixing engineer. They probably won’t respond but it is worth a shot, right?




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[GOS]

I spend $92.97 on a few bottles of Cabernet...which I drink and are gone.....

That....my friends...is why spending $92.97 on this title (which I get to keep and not drink) is not a big deal.

 

[Clint Eastwood]

I spend $92.97 on a few bottles of Cabernet...which I drink and are gone.....

That....my friends...is why spending $92.97 on this title (which I get to keep and not drink) is not a big deal.

So you are saying that you just "pissed" that Cabernet away...you my friend are getting good at rationalization...but if this upcoming mix is bad.... the contention could be made that the Cabernet gave you a more "pleasant" buzz...just saying..everytime I think of the importance of rationalization...I think of this

 

[Clint Eastwood]

I know one thing that would ease the pain of Rush without SW....THE DOOBIES QUADIO...bring that baby out in the wild...

 

[4-earredwonder]

So you are saying that you just "pissed" that Cabernet away...you my friend are getting good at rationalization...but if this upcoming mix is bad.... the contention could be made that the Cabernet gave you a more "pleasant" buzz...just saying..everytime I think of the importance of rationalization...I think of this

No, Clinty, I've NEVER gone a week WITHOUT a rationalization but Gene loves VINYL and at least he'll get to play those black beauties while sipping on Cabernet...while the rest of us would be content toking on a possible DOOBIE torched by Clinty's very own ZIPPO lighter!

 

[rtbluray]

Boy, now that Steven Wilson has dropped both Marillion and RUSH from his remixing roster (at least for the time being) it makes me even more grateful that his 5.1 mix of "The Seeds of Love" (from Tears for Fears) is already completed even though it has not been released yet, cause if it was not done, he might have had to hand it off to someone else, or maybe it would not have happened at all...

 

[Frogmort]

So, who actually mixed this into surround? Maybe Alex Lifeson, who apparently assisted Steven Wilson on AFTK, took notes on 'How It's Done™' and created the next best thing? I've heard for years that some of the original tracks were missing, but now everything is accounted for? I will say that along with my massive dissapointment with no Steven Wilson surround mix comes my intrigue with who in the hell did it, instead of him.