Sound and Vision: Top 5.1 Surround Music Tracks

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JonUrban

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Mike Mettler lists the top 15.1 surround music tracks to show off your system

https://www.soundandvision.com/content/best-51-surround-sound-music-tracks
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Great to see an article like this in 2020, but some of the choices are...interesting, to say the least. I can't say I'd ever demo surround music with anything from Moving Pictures or Sgt. Pepper, but some of the other picks are spot-on ("Ride Across The River", "Bohemian Rhapsody", "1983", etc). I'm also not sure I'd describe the Meddle 5.1 as an "easter egg" 😬
 
Fascinating list. I agree with his #1, although as sjcorne says I wouldn't put 'Bo Rhap' or anything from Moving Pictures in there. Interesting that he put one of the slower Dire Straits tracks (Ride Across the River) as his pick. Personally for me it would have been Why Worry - another slow track. That whole album is seriously good.
 
Fascinating list. I agree with his #1, although as sjcorne says I wouldn't put 'Bo Rhap' or anything from Moving Pictures in there. Interesting that he put one of the slower Dire Straits tracks (Ride Across the River) as his pick. Personally for me it would have been Why Worry - another slow track. That whole album is seriously good.
He probably just really enjoys the music; he didn't exactly spell out his criteria. I'm sure he's well aware of this forum; but how much does he visit?
 
I don't understand, however, Mettler's RAVE REVIEW of Jakko Jakszyk's remix for the Moody Blues recent DVD~V DTS/DD 5.1 of In Search of the Lost Chord. IMO, the highlight of this box set was the Hi Rez Stereo Remaster. Sonically, the 5.1 remix was an abomination even in DD 5.1 as some posters alluded sounded better than the DTS 5.1 remix.

Remaster Class: Moody Blues: In Search of the Lost Chord
 
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...although as sjcorne says I wouldn't put 'Bo Rhap' or anything from Moving Pictures in there.

I think you might've misread my post - I actually agree with Mettler on "Bohemian Rhapsody", though I don't think it's the best surround mix on the A Night At The Opera DVD-A (that would have to be "Death On Two Legs" or "The Prophet's Song").

The only Rush 5.1 I'd demo with is SW's A Farewell To Kings, which didn't even get a 'second take' mention in the article :rolleyes:
 
I think you might've misread my post - I actually agree with Mettler on "Bohemian Rhapsody", though I don't think it's the best surround mix on the A Night At The Opera DVD-A (that would have to be "Death On Two Legs" or "The Prophet's Song").

The only Rush 5.1 I'd demo with is SW's A Farewell To Kings, which didn't even get a 'second take' mention in the article :rolleyes:
You're right - I misread your comment on Bohemian Rhapsody. I must have been thinking top of mind, as I've never really rated the sound quality of ANATO very highly. The music however is another matter!
 
Great list. Abbey Road recordings like Come Together are far superior demos to the earlier surround mixes, though. Somewhat nice to someone else digging Ride Across The River (my favourite in surround of Dire Straits) and Steve Wilson's Pariah. Lots of stuff to revisit in there; have most of it these days... hmm.
 
I don't understand, however, Mettler's RAVE REVIEW of Jakko Jakszyk's remix for the Moody Blues recent DVD~V DTS/DD 5.1 of In Search of the Lost Chord. IMO, the highlight of this box set was the Hi Rez Stereo Remaster. Sonically, the 5.1 remix was an abomination even in DD 5.1 as some posters alluded sounded better than the DTS 5.1 remix.

Remaster Class: Moody Blues: In Search of the Lost Chord

Does the mix really stand out being that poor? In the last couple weeks I ripped all the SACDs and they all sound nice. Somehow I overlooked the additional inclusion of Lost Chord in that big box set.
 
I think he always means well, tries to be supportive of nearly all artists. Taste is always subjective. He's tight with members of Styx and features them quite often, more that I think they merit but that's just me.

Met Mike in NYC 2010 and chatted a bit on the stage where Steven Wilson had just finished hosting the premiere of the Insurgentes film. When I mentioned QQ and started talking surround he thought I was Jon Urban! (no but I have played him on TV) Your impetuous moderator sat in the front row during that SW Q&A and asked the crowd if they knew that Steven had been busy mixing classic progressive rock albums into 5.1 surround? I said "his application for sainthood has been approved!" They broke into some appreciative applause for SW on the spot. PT/KC manager Andy Leff was there and very chatty as well. Jordan Rudess also spotted in the back, Steven (in blue tennis shoes) signed two items for me, it was an awesome event.
 
Not sure how he could not include "Burning Down the House" (remix), but I do understand that he has to really stay mainstream which explains the Pepper track, although I might have chosen "Come Together" or "I Want You (She's So Heavy)"
 
I think he always means well, tries to be supportive of nearly all artists. Taste is always subjective. He's tight with members of Styx and features them quite often, more that I think they merit but that's just me.

Met Mike in NYC 2010 and chatted a bit on the stage where Steven Wilson had just finished hosting the premiere of the Insurgentes film. When I mentioned QQ and started talking surround he thought I was Jon Urban! (no but I have played him on TV) Your impetuous moderator sat in the front row during that SW Q&A and asked the crowd if they knew that Steven had been busy mixing classic progressive rock albums into 5.1 surround? I said "his application for sainthood has been approved!" They broke into some appreciative applause for SW on the spot. PT/KC manager Andy Leff was there and very chatty as well. Jordan Rudess also spotted in the back, Steven (in blue tennis shoes) signed two items for me, it was an awesome event.

[The role of Jon tonight will be played by Timbre4] - never a problem! :)
 
I think he always means well, tries to be supportive of nearly all artists. Taste is always subjective. He's tight with members of Styx and features them quite often, more that I think they merit but that's just me.

Met Mike in NYC 2010 and chatted a bit on the stage where Steven Wilson had just finished hosting the premiere of the Insurgentes film. When I mentioned QQ and started talking surround he thought I was Jon Urban! (no but I have played him on TV) Your impetuous moderator sat in the front row during that SW Q&A and asked the crowd if they knew that Steven had been busy mixing classic progressive rock albums into 5.1 surround? I said "his application for sainthood has been approved!" They broke into some appreciative applause for SW on the spot. PT/KC manager Andy Leff was there and very chatty as well. Jordan Rudess also spotted in the back, Steven (in blue tennis shoes) signed two items for me, it was an awesome event.
I was a Stereo Review/Sound&Vision subscriber for years, until it became too much Vision and not enough Sound. Mike Mettler has been a proponent of surround sound for years but in many of his interviews and record reviews, I felt he wasn't a "critical" enough critic. I also noticed his fondness for Styx, as timbre4 alluded to. That being said, I always looked forward to his reviews and articles which became fewer and fewer, finally resulting in me allowing my subscription to expire. Seeing his top 15.1 is just the kind of thing I used to look for. And I just finished listening to Close to the Edge. I'd forgotten how good that is! So now I'm going to revisit some of his picks which I haven't played recently. 👂 Maybe I'll re-subscribe.
 
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