HiRez Poll Styx - THE MISSION [Blu-Ray Audio]

[sjcorne]

Gave it two spins at home and one in the car. I really like this! This album feels like it could've come out in the late '70s or early '80s, but somehow got stuck in a vault and didn't see the light of day until now. I love the sci-fi concept and the songs are super catchy. So far my favorites are the rockers, "Gone Gone Gone", "Hundred Million Miles From Home", and "Radio Silence". The slower "Locomotive" and "Red Storm" are growing on me as well.

The surround mix: at first, I kept trying to equate it to other "big stereo" type mixes, such as those on the Tom Petty and Pink Floyd 5.1 releases, but listening further I'm finding it has a unique character all it's own. There's definitely a lot of moving elements, even a few full 360 pans, but these pans are more like a timed volume boost in each channel rather than discrete movement.

The placement of the lead vocal is what's really interesting to me. Someone else mentioned that it sort of "bounces" between the front and rear and I think that's a good way of describing it. On some songs the vocal does have a bit of a bias towards the rears, or at least it appears to at first, but the instruments up front seem well balanced with what's in the rears, so I don't think a 3 dB cut in the rears is necessary for this mix.

Could it have been more discrete and adventurous? Probably.

If you're one of those people who likes to take the mixes apart and see what's in each channel, you might be disappointed. However, I'm one of those people, and I think that when it all comes together it actually works really well. I'm surprised I like it as much as I do.

Finally, as others have noted the CD/Blu-ray packaging is perfect. I probably wouldn't have sprung for this otherwise.

A very strong "8" from me. If you support new surround releases, there's really no reason not to check this out.

 

[4-earredwonder]

I had never listened to the Mission before in any format so I beheld the BD~A 5.1 remix with fresh ears. The all analogue recording was marvelous......smooth as silk.......and the fact that SHAW placed the lead vocals in ALL speakers was akin to being INSIDE HIS HEAD which did tend to obfuscate the surround flourishes which were definitely in ample supply.

As far as the channels being reversed [as some have surmised] and the rears being louder than the fronts ........ I experienced NONE of that.

And who was the idiot prematurely calling for replacement discs? [ooh, that was ME.....sorry mates]

Will listen to it again on my Main system in the Man Cave later on tonight.

I DO feel a vote of 8 coming on......possibly, a 9!

 

[Jeffrey Michael]

And who was the idiot prematurely calling for replacement discs? [ooh, that was ME.....sorry mates]

I’ll take the blame. I know you said it but I’m sure it was me that got you in that mindset.

I’m going to listen to this one more time and tinker, but it’s looking like a 7, possibly 8.

 

[4-earredwonder]

I’ll take the blame. I know you said it but I’m sure it was me that got you in that mindset.

I’m going to listen to this one more time and tinker, but it’s looking like a 7, possibly 8.

Water under the bridge, Perp. We both put the cart before the horse. But seriously, I made the mistake of playing the D~V POCO QUAD SACD two~fer [finally for the very first time on my MAIN system] and in comparison, I'm afraid the Mission pales in comparison mix~wise.

Perhaps I shouldn't compare apples and oranges but hey, the Poco albums were recorded analogue in the 70's and sound remarkably fresh, vibrant and the use of surrounds is.......TEXT BOOK!

 

[Mesozoic Mike]

Finally gave this two listens today. Interesting mix with a lot of the lead vocals from the rear. Drums mixed in all channels sometimes. I liked it.
Surround mix an 8.
Fidelity a 9.
Songs a 7.5
So my overall rating was an 8. I particularly liked "Locomotive" and "The Greater Good".
I recommend this disc and will be giving it more listens. Thanks STYX and UM.

 

[marpow]

Listening now, 2nd time, to Styx The Mission. I changed my vote from a 7 to an 8. Getting used to the surround and starting to hear the more discrete parts which open it up a little more.

 

[Clint Eastwood]

For those that have the AXS channel(340 on Directv)tomorrow at 10am(EST)Tommy Shaw Sing For The Day and the Contemporary Orchestra....

 

[4-earredwonder]

For those that have the AXS channel(340 on Directv)tomorrow at 10am(EST)Tommy Shaw Sing For The Day and the Contemporary Orchestra....

Also available on BD~V: http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Tommy...th-Orchestra-Sing-for-the-Day-Blu-ray/205191/

 

[Scott65]

A '9'. 8 plus one point for packaging (including cd, booklet and animated screens). More in this format please.

 

[IMachine]

Well...I think that a mistake happened here.
The fronts and rears should be flipped.

If someone could do that as an experiment I would like to know what he thinks about.
I will listen again and move a chair that I have the fronts as rears.

With flipped channels this could be a 10er!

 

[perzon57]

Gave it 9 after two times through.Really like the music and the the mix and fidelity sounds good to me.Some real deep bass here and there.I could easy swap the front and rears,but I see(hear) no reason to do so.

 

[MIDIQ]

I have listened to this a few times now, and am enjoying it, but I am not a fan of lead vocals or drums coming from all speakers. But there are quite a bit of discrete things coming from the rears, so I am pretty happy with the mix. Music 8, mix 8. Overall 8.

 

[MIDIQ]

After a couple more listens, i really do not like surround mix very much at all. So i listened to the stereo mix, but then i missed all the cool surround bits. Anyway, i am changing my vote a 7.

 

[4-earredwonder]

After a couple more listens, i really do not like surround mix very much at all. So i listened to the stereo mix, but then i missed all the cool surround bits. Anyway, i am changing my vote a 7.

I really do believe if STYX has any intentions of remixing their back catalogue into 5.1, they should definitely enlist the services of a Steve Wilson or coax Elliot Scheiner out of retirement.

 

[MIDIQ]

I really do believe if STYX has any intentions of remixing their back catalogue into 5.1, they should definitely enlist the services of a Steve Wilson or coax Elliot Scheiner out of retirement.

Totally agree.

 

[edisonbaggins]

This sounds fantastic on my system in both DTS HD MA and Dolby True HD.
I don't mind the "Mix Plus" technique at all. It's very immersive and plenty discrete for my tastes.
Sounds well-balanced. Nothing weird going on. Rocks, but sounds totally pleasant.
Love the concept, and the execution of it, in terms of music, lyrics, art, story, mix and extras.
Feel like they pretty much nailed it.
Not ready to vote though.

 

[Clint Eastwood]

This sounds fantastic on my system in both DTS HD MA and Dolby True HD.
I don't mind the "Mix Plus" technique at all. It's very immersive and plenty discrete for my tastes.
Sounds well-balanced. Nothing weird going on. Rocks, but sounds totally pleasant.
Love the concept, and the execution of it, in terms of music, lyrics, art, story, mix and extras.
Feel like they pretty much nailed it.
Not ready to vote though.

It usually takes me awhile to adapt to new content...but this one "grew on me" pretty quickly...and the mix serves this content well..I like it a lot

 

[edisonbaggins]

It usually takes me awhile to adapt to new content...but this one "grew on me" pretty quickly...and the mix serves this content well..I like it a lot

Between blips and bleeps, keyboards, vocals and lead guitars whizzing around, this mix is on the active side. To me, I'm not sure why a lot of listeners get up in arms when an engineer brings some elements in to the room. There is no rule that says all parts have to be pinned in to particular channels (hugging the walls).
"Phantom center" is completely accepted in stereo, but has a bit of a stigma in surround.

 

[Clint Eastwood]

Between blips and bleeps, keyboards, vocals and lead guitars whizzing around, this mix is on the active side. To me, I'm not sure why a lot of listeners get up in arms when an engineer brings some elements in to the room. There is no rule that says all parts have to be pinned in to particular channels (hugging the walls).
"Phantom center" is completely accepted in stereo, but has a bit of a stigma in surround.

It's part of the "placement police" attitudes...some think there is some template that has to be followed....although I prefer surrounds to have vocals in the center...it's only a preference...not a requirement...the bottom line is how it works with the entire mix...and the drums seem to always top the list on the "placement police" checklist

 

[sjcorne]

It's part of the "placement police" attitudes...some think there is some template that has to be followed....although I prefer surrounds to have vocals in the center...it's only a preference...not a requirement...the bottom line is how it works with the entire mix...and the drums seem to always top the list on the "placement police" checklist

Obviously we disagree over this, but to me it's really not about a "template". Here's my thinking behind it: placing something dead center (equal power in all channels) in a surround mix creates a really unforgiving sweet spot and can sort of obscure or even overpower the stuff going on in other channels. To me it makes the mix seem less discrete and often unbalanced. It's like listening to a decoded matrix LP, you kinda sorta hear discrete stuff but it's hard to pick it out. I guess I'm looking for "precision" in a multichannel mix, if that makes sense? But you're absolutely right that it is a preference and not a requirement.

I do enjoy this disc quite a bit, there are some catchy tunes and the mix has some great moments- love that clockwise rotation of backing vocals in "Locomotive". It's a great value too, hats off to UMG for going with the all-too-rare CD/Blu-Ray package. I stand by my 8.