HiRez Poll Various Artists - CONCERT FOR GEORGE [Blu-Ray Audio (Dolby Atmos)]

[rtbluray]

Please post your thoughts and comments on this exclusive Blu-Ray Audio release from SuperDeluxeEdition.com of the all-star tribute concert to George Harrison simply titled "The Concert For George".
Originally released on various formats over the last 20 years (including DVD-V and Blu-Ray editions) this is a brand new AUDIO ONLY edition of the concert that features a brand new Dolby Atmos mix from mixing engineer Paul Hicks.

(Please note this poll thread is only for discussion of this new Blu-Ray audio edition and not for any of the previous editions on DVD-V or Blu-Ray.)

Pre-release discussion: ‘Concert For George’ is the next release in the SDE Surround Series

 

[LennonCobain]

Looking forward to seeing the feedback on this exclusive Dolby Atmos mix. Hopefully it is much better than the mix available on the streaming platforms.

 

[GilWave]

I eagerly awaited this, finally received it and fired it up on the Oppo and...

I'm underwhelmed.

 

[mediumwave13]

Disclosure - I'm evaluating this on a 5.1 system, but this is disappointing, to say the least. This feels like an enhanced stereo mix with just the audience and reverb in the surrounds. It is interesting, if nothing else, to hear a newer mix of this album, but that's it.

Also, the stereo PCM track of Jeff Lynne/Ryan Ulyate's original mix is crushed, just like all the other recent Paul Hicks-Lennon/Harrison releases. I would suggest for anyone looking for the best stereo version of this album look to the original 2011 concert BD, which has a much less compressed stereo track and sounds a lot nicer than the CD. It is, unlike the version found here, actually unedited without the added audience crossfades between songs.

Sadly this release, for me, is typical of Paul Hicks' approach to surround, which is infuriating because he used to be a lot better than this! He did the 5.1 mixes for the McCartney Years DVD in 2005, and those mixes sound infinitely better than his current atmos mixes.

This release is a '2' for me. Literally pointless.

 

[chaz25]

I also noticed something wonky with the authoring of the disc on my OPPO 105. Once you start playing either the stereo or atmos mix, no track numbers are shown on the display of the OPPO, just a bunch of dashes. You cannot select a particular track number on the remote to play play a song. The only way is to scroll up or down through the onscreen menu and select it by name there. this happens for either stereo or atmos. I have no other SDE blurays that do this. I voted a 2. And that’s generous.

 

[Fourplay]

I can report two other discs which display neither chapter numbers nor time readout - just dashes. --:--:--

I am also listening in 5.1 - not very far into the disc, but I can report there is more than just reverb in the rears. That said, "enhanced stereo mix" is still as good a description as any, because the rears seem to be mostly duplicates of the fronts. Again, I am early in the disc, so maybe other tracks are different.

 

[4-earredwonder]

Hey, it's the complete concert in two LOSSY codecs on a single Pure Audio BD~A ....... so the ATMOS is tame purrrr .... play it in Stereo and engage your DSP surrounds! PRESTO!said the wise owl! I voted

 

[Fourplay]

OK - I have it figured out. The absence of time demarcation is meant as a metaphor for the timelessness of the music, and as a reminder to not be attached to conventions and expectations of authoring. Very Zen George... I get it!

I am voting a solid 5 on this one. Keeping in mind I am listening on a 5.1 system, so Atmos is not in play. The music is fine - the inclusion of Monty Python content is particularly welcome - but the aforementioned flaw in presentation combined with deeply underwhelming surround presentation counts for points deducted. Also, honestly these are not the best versions of the songs included, no matter how joyfully they were presented.

It was probably awesome to be in the venue at the concert.

 

[mercury]

very disappointed, and more because the expectations from the SDE preorder review, a missed opportunity to be in the stage with musicians

 

[beerking]

I've given this release my lowest ever rating...even 6 is being generous.
Did you listen to it, Paul?
In Atmos?
Coz there ain't any....grrr

 

[edisonbaggins]

This place never ceases to amaze me, with the wildly different experiences reported.
Guess I'll have to give this thing another spin.
Which is ok by me!

 

[edisonbaggins]

Listening this morning with my 5.0 amp off.
Only playing the rears and heights.
Crazy how much music I'm hearing, if there isn't ANY ATMOS.

 

[edisonbaggins]

Flipped the 5.0 amp on for Here Comes the Sun.
Guitar flourishes clearly emanate from above and behind. Oberheim floating in the middle of the room...

Does it sound like I'm in the middle of the band? No. Was that ever advertised? Not that I recall.

Is this more aggressive than the usual live mix? Yes.

Does it sound fabulous? Yes.

 

[Steve Schoultz]

Flipped the 5.0 amp on for Here Comes the Sun.
Guitar flourishes clearly emanate from above and behind. Oberheim floating in the middle of the room...

Does it sound like I'm in the middle of the band? No. Was that ever advertised? Not that I recall.

Is this more aggressive than the usual live mix? Yes.

Does it sound fabulous? Yes.

I like what your saying. I have been tempted to sell my copy unopened, but will have Atmos setup in a few months. Definitely going to wait and see for myself.

 

[WozzaDog]

Hey team,
its my opinion that any recording from the Royal Albert Hall which is one of my favorite venues, will not sound good on Atmos unless the artist performed a surround sound concert like Roger Waters does. So far I have several Atmos live concert recordings and not seeing any benefits, however I do believe that they will have a place once artists perform more immersive live concerts with sounds coming from various places of the venue.

But that's just my opinion, and who am I? Why am I here? George could have helped with that question.

BTW, I am looking forward to the Jeff Beck Tribute Concert Bluray. Will it be in 20k Aural 5D?

 

[M-K]

Hmm, the Atmos mix got not the best votes. How about the the 5.1 mix, if there is one on the BDA?

 

[mac444]

Bought this for the ATMOS mix, there is music coming from my atmos speakers but it sounds like it's just the same sound as my other speakers, double stereo? Disapointed to say the least. I'll give it a 6. Doesn't the mixer or someone concerned with quality control listen to the product before release?

 

[WozzaDog]

Hmm, the Atmos mix got not the best votes. How about the the 5.1 mix, if there is one on the BDA?

Yes there is the original BD release pre-Atmos and the focus is on the front stage. I’ve seen about 20 concerts at the RAH and all were fantastic but it’s not an immersive experience as it was designed to naturally amplify from center out and there is only ambiant reflections with not source from sides or rears.

 

[Quadkid]

Very disappointed as the Atmos mix seemingly gives you nothing extra! Guess you can’t win them all! A 5 from me and that’s generous!

 

[humprof]

I don't know. The pre-release page on the SDE site led a lot of us to expect more, especially with Hicks saying this would be "more immersive and a lot bolder than the original 5.1 mix" (which, to be fair, I haven't heard). He went on:

With the fact that Apple and [others] have embraced spatial technology, I feel that people are ready to go a bit bolder in it now. When we did the theatrical [Dolby Atmos mix], you know, that’s meant for screenings, so was a little bit more traditional. But with how people are listening to Atmos today, I thought we could go a little bit more daring with this [Blu-ray Audio] … the format is [typically] where you’re looking at the band, but for this Blu-ray you’re standing where the singers are—so it’s nice and immersive.​

I wouldn't call this bold or daring, although I guess it's all relative ("a bit bolder"? "a little bit more daring"? I mistook that as English understatement, but I guess he was just speaking plainly). But it's also not the nothing-burger I feared it would be after reading all the early reports. The sonics are good, the booklet is nice, and the overall effect of the mix is certainly ... "surroundy." But I concur with others: it's more or less double-stereo with lead vox shading slightly towards the fronts. As for overheads: fronts lifted slightly into the front heights, with faint ambience in the rears.

Not unhappy to have this, since it's the only version of the Concert I own. But I don't know that it was worthy of an "SDE Exclusive" and the implicit endorsement that entailed. A generous 7 from me.