HiRez Poll Rush - HEMISPHERES [Blu-Ray Audio]

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Rate the BDA of Rush - HEMISPHERES


  • Total voters
    32

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Please post your thoughts and comments on this 2018 reissue of the classic RUSH album "Hemispheres".
This 40th anniversary edition contains a new 5.1 surround mix on Blu-Ray along with 4 bonus videos.
The package also contains an extra CD of live material from the era.

(y):)(n)

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This is certainly my favorite of Richard's surround mixes but it is not a home run in a surround sense. The fidelity is great and there certainly are discrete moments here and there. While I do love focusing on Alex's solos in the center speaker, they come across a bit too loudly. It does succeed in opening up the mix a little more but I prefer more use of the surrounds. Still, all mixes do sound very good here. Both the 5.1 and stereo (I played it both on Blu-Ray and the LP) sound very, very good.The books are done very well and the package as a whole is very nice. Thankfully they put the title info on the side of the box this time. It is also nice to have the lyrics as Geddy can be hard to understand at times! I voted a 7 overall. It looks and sounds great but the surround definitely could have been more adventurous.
 
This sounds fantastic! Because it's "Hemispheres", by Rush!!!
Not because of Rich Chycki. :confused:.
This is exactly what I expected this mix to sound like, which doesn't mean it's terrible... it means it's comparable to his surround mix for "Moving Pictures": For the most part a stereo mix presented with a room-filling sound stage (translation: lots of ambience) with intermittent moments of discrete activity from the rear speakers every minute or two (and what appears in the rear channels is exactly what you'd expect to be there in the most basic surround mix of this content... there are no daring surround mixing choices here). And while I know it's easy to play "armchair mixer" without knowing what there was to work with, I hear so many missed opportunities for creating a more enveloping surround mix. On a better note, though, the fidelity is pretty good. So I'll probably make this my go to version.

Content = 3/3
Fidelity = 2/3
Surround Mix = 1/3
No bonus point.

So 6 it is.

Jeeze... I guess it's cool that we got this... at least I'm trying to believe the people who keep saying that, but I think I would be happier right now if this mix didn't exist... and a truly great Hemispheres surround mix was still being created by a mad mixing genius in a dark studio somewhere.
 
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This sounds fantastic! Because it's "Hemispheres", by Rush!!!
Not because of Rich Chycki. :confused:.
This is exactly what I expected this mix to sound like, which doesn't mean it's terrible... it means it's comparable to his surround mix for "Moving Pictures": For the most part a stereo mix presented with a room-filling sound stage (translation: lots of ambience) with intermittent moments of discrete activity from the rear speakers every minute or two (and what appears in the rear channels is exactly what you'd expect to be there in the most basic surround mix of this content... there are no daring surround mixing choices here). And while I know it's easy to play "armchair mixer" without knowing what there was to work with, I hear so many missed opportunities for creating a more enveloping surround mix. On a better note, though, the fidelity is excellent. So I'll probably make this my go to version.

Content = 3/3
Fidelity = 3/3
Surround Mix = 1/3
No bonus point.

So 7 it is.

Jeeze... I guess it's cool that we got this... at least I'm trying to believe the people who keep saying that, but I think I would be happier right now if this mix didn't exist... and a truly great Hemispheres surround mix was still being created by a mad mixing genius in a dark studio somewhere.

So...I'm guessing that this mix probably wouldn't convince a stereo user to upgrade to a surround setup?
 
Sadly EB I have to fundamentally agree with your assessment of this mix, I just gave it another listen, my 4th full run through switching between DTS-HD and Dolby-MA, and this time at near the limit of my Onkyo's volume. The fidelity sounds great at max volume, but as you say when the lead guitar solo comes in it is very jarring, crystal clear but several db's louder than everything else so that while it is going on I can barely discern the supporting music, it stands to far outside level of the rest of the mix (and I, like you, are pretty sure it is not my setup).

I could actually almost forgive it if it was just the buried elements and the vocal faux pas (almost) if the solo was just 2 or 3 db's lower in the center mix. I truly hope this a mistake and not the intended intention (and in light of Mr. Chycki's other Rush mixes, as you mentioned I am tending to doubt this thought valid and it has be an error).

I hope you do get a reply from someone with an explanation one way or another because at least for me minus these few negative moments overall this actually sounds pretty good to me, but with these moments, it becomes sadly, annoyingly unenjoyable for me, because I really love this album. We will just have to keep our fingers crossed that we an receive an answer and hopefully a happy solution. Great review by the way, look forward to the next one.
 
It's too early for a vote.....hmmm....there were high expectations regarding the Farewell mix and a huge disappointment when it became clear, that Wilson is not the mixing man.
What I like is that the fidelity is the best I ever heard.....but the surround mix is far from being creative......
It is to accept that some engineers have other ways and goals for a surround mix.
So it is not to blame on him.....it's only about the taste of each of us.
I need to listen more a few times.....something between 5-7 it will be.
 
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Review video, explaining my vote of "4":


Wow, what a RUSH, Mike. Thought it was 'cute' how you stated you weren't going into the contents of the box set .... but you did....as you should have.

Also noticed your wall of SACDs behind your desk and can't believe what similar taste we share in music.

Great honest review from the hip. Glad I didn't spring for Hemispheres. Sounds like a pathetic cash grab on Universal/Rush's part and hopefully Steve Wilson will again become involved in any/all of Rush's future surround mixes. I can envision future DOLBY ATMOS remixes from RUSH in UHD 4K remasters with HD Concert videos, etc. Plenty of Real Estate on UHD 4K to do all of the above ..... and CORRECTLY.

Keep up the good work Mike. Glad you're home and safe! Keeping the Surround Flame ALIVE is [in Bill & Ted's words] a MOST EXCELLENT endeavor and one I think is paying off considering the amount of Surround Music currently being released. Now we just have to work on getting it released in LOSSLESS codecs and dispense with the 90's DTS/DD LOSSY codecs.


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Review video, explaining my vote of "4":


That was a Great review Mike.

I can't believe Chesky buried "The trouble with the Maples". (props to your rendition). That is the signature part of this album IMO and one of the main deciding factors why I chose not to purchase this.

I read you are Home now with Family.

Thank you for your service!
 
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I don't care if the mix sucks, I have enjoyed most of this guy's mixes, as poor as they may seem, at least they give you another perspective...I am gonna wait til it's cheap..
If only because this was the first Rush LP I ever posessed .. my Mexican grandma was visiting us in '78 and she only had money for ONE LP, and this was it.. bless you Abuelita!!
 
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