<strong>HERE IS MY "QUICK RUN THROUGH" REVIEW</strong>
I set up both M/C mixes in SF and played them bit by bit, one at a time. I used the SACD and the Tab Conversion of the discrete Alan Parsons Mix ( from Quad 8 ) .
<strong>[SPEAK TO ME/BREATH] </strong>
The Alan Parsons Mix (AP) starts out pretty much the same as the SACD, however the "voices" are much clearer and easier to understand on the SACD. They are in different places, and seem to have more of an "effect" to them. The guitars in the AP mix are firmly planted in the rears, and much easier to "hear" as individual instruments. This is consistant throughout the album. The dynamics on the SACD are incredible, with the vocals jumping out at you. I instantly liked the SACD because of the better dynamic and vocal effect here. However, most of the "directional aspects" have been moved to the front. On the AP mix at about 1:30, Gilmours vocal is in the rear, while it is in the front on the SACD.
<strong> [ON THE RUN] </strong>
The AP mix has much better panning of the "sounds" and the footsteps. The "announcement" that sounds like it is coming from a PA system is firmly in the rears on the AP mix, while on the SACD it is in the center. The running footsteps run across the rears in the AP mix, while they are mostly in the fronts on the SACD. Overall, the AP mix has superior placement of the sounds (some may call this the "gimmick"). The SACD has a broader soundfield, probably due to the increased fidelity and the center speaker. This SACD sounds GREAT!!! However, it seems that the SACD has a bit more echo or reverb to it. One place the SACD does more movement of sounds is around 6:30, there is a laughing dude who stays in the rear left on the AP mix, but on the SACD, he starts in the rear right and swirls around to the rear left. Towards the end of the track, the footsteps are in different locations in the two mixes.
<strong> [TIME] </strong>
A surround specatcular in both versions, the clocks are in different places, but it does not matter. In some respects, the SACD is clearer, with a "Big Ben" clock chiming towards the end of the clock section being brough "up front" on the SACD, while being buried in the mix on the AP version. Once the tune gets going, the Tom Toms sound like they are reverbed on the SACD, while on the AP mix they are clearer. The keyboard "dings" are bright and clear in the AP mix, and a bit subdued and less defined on the SACD. In the AP mix, they are in the rear, SACD in the front. Again, the guitars are discrete and in the rear on the AP, they are blended into the front soundfield on the SACD.
<strong> [GREAT GIG IN THE SKY] </strong>
This track is the most similar between the two mixes of them all. The piano sounds clear as a bell on the SACD, and the vocal is again stunning. Except for the discrete guitar in the rears on the AP mix, they are about the same.
<strong> [MONEY] </strong>
Another surround spectacular, the cash register starts in the front left on the AP mix, and in the center speaker on the SACD. Both versions are super discrete on the opening sound effects, with different placement of the sounds, but both effective. Again, super discrete guitars in the rear on the AP version. Towards the end, there are some differences in the placement of the effects. There is a voice that says " I Was Really Drunk at the Time"....he is in the rear left on the AP, in the fromt right on the SACD.
<strong> [US & THEM] </strong>
Up until now, I was THRILLED with the SACD. It sounds great, and the mix is super. It was on this song that I got brung down.
This, to me, is the masterpiece of this work, and for those of you that read the "Four Sides of the Moon" article, you will know how much work mixing this track in surround was back in the '70s. The AP mix has the echoing voice move from speaker to speaker, discrete as hell. Us-Us-Us-Us-Us-Us-Us swirl around the room with pinpoint percision in the AP mix. In the SACD version, they do not. Sure, they move a bit, but there is more echo and loose placement of the repeated words. This is a MAXIMUM BUMMER to me. Of course, if you never heard the AP mix (and I am not talking about the US Quad 8 track or the UK SQ LP) you will think this sounds great. You will just have to take my word for it and be happy with this, as it does sound great. Those who know the AP mix will know to keep it!
<strong> [ANY COLOR YOU LIKE/BRAIN DAMAMGE/ECLIPSE] </strong>
These tracks pretty much follow suit. The AP mix keeps the guitars discrete and in the rears, the SACD mixes them in. The laughing and voices move around and are in different places on both mixes. At the end of the album, a voice says "There is No Dark Side of the Moon, Really". On the AP mix, this is clear and in the front. It is sort of muffled on the SACD.
The SACD sounds incredible. The mix is great, and should boost the surround sound market tremendously. The only bummer is the mix on US and THEM. Aside from that, it is a wonderful, super-sounding presentation.
One thing, the SACD is mastered LOUD. Many a speaker may blow at the begining.
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