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5.1 Music Titles that are worth buying DVDA, Blu Ray, etc.


Max2

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I don't think there are too many people here into multi channel audio, but I think there are some titles out there that are very worthy to break the ice with. I just purchase titles for those bands that just never go away in my life.  A lot of people may just think its another "soundscape" mode or something, but I have some titles that are truly remarkable and undeniably crystal clear with dynamics unheard of by most.

 

I will also note that in most cases I prefer the straight 5.1 as opposed to the DTS mixes, but it offers a different take which is nice. Most of the Studio mixes are what really sound the best to me, but even the live offerings are quite good, with a few let downs here and there.

 

List what you want and give a rundown of what you like and don't. If the thread takes off, I will pull out more that have been pushed to the back and give them a go again to give an honest opinion

 

 

 

 

 

Not numbered by favorite, just the standouts in my small collection

 

1. Steely and Donald Fagen. I have 4 or 5  of these and they're all fabulously clean and dynamic. I have loved these guys since I was a kid, sadly my wife cant stand them...….  that's just un American in my book.

 

Gaucho

Everything must Go

The Nightfly

Morph the Cat

 

2.Rush  These titles may be my favorite among the more progressive rock scene.  The Camera Eye, Xanadu, YYZ, its all mixed very, very good and is probably my go to disk to get a wow. There are a few effects here and there with the rear channels, but not over done by a long shot.  Great dynamics on all of these, but bass is short on a few tracks in Signals, but Im chalking it up to the DTS mix only on the Blu ray.  Hemispheres is my next purchase, but the price is going to have to come down.

 

Moving pictures

A Farewell to Kings

Signals

 

The Doors.   Very clean almost wet sounding  mix and its well balanced.  If you're a Doors fan, this is a must have and you will discover elements you never knew were there,  I cant even listen to  a lossless ALAC of them after getting a dose of this.

 

Perception: All studio Albums plus live content in studio

 

Jethro Tull   I have been a big fan of JT for quite some time.  This is a great album and sounds very good, but a few tracks have the vocals a little too focused on the center channel. This isn't always bad, but I think the vocals sound better in some instances blended with the mains.  This title is loaded with a  ton of top tracks.

 

Aqualung

 

The Allman Bros.  Who doesn't like one of the first real Jam Bands?   Its all good here and mixed well.  Hot 'Lanta, Mountain Jam, Stormy Monday, Whipping Post and more.  This may be one of the better live disks that I enjoy. There are multiple versions and multi disk of this out now, so look at what you're buying.

 

Live at the Fillmore

 

Fleetwood Mac.  Cant go wrong here.  All the big hits and super sound, but has a moment here are there that sound like its a little too hot on some vocal track channels. Not to discourage, but what I once thought was one of the best mixed has become a little more disappointing when compared to some newer mixes.

 

Rumors

 

The Grateful Dead   AS much as I love the Dead, this was a bit of letdown.  Not much thought went in to this one, just piping in background to the rears.  It still sounds great and has dynamics, but a little dull compared to the rest of my titles.

 

American Beauty

 

 

The Beatles.   First off, not a huge fan of the Beatles.  They have their moments with me, but this Blu ray didn't sound bad, its just that the mixes are misleading and all over the place.  I was hoping for mixes of studio tracks, but its way out there from that. You may get a beat to one song and the vocals are oriented to another.  The disk got great reviews, but I am asking myself, "how did the remaining guys approve this?"  Its dirt cheap on the used market and folks apparently love it, so who am I to judge.

 

Love

 

Queen    Just more goodness here. DTS HD, straight PCM, take your pick.   Extremely dynamic and clean. Excellent mix with a few surround effects in the rears that are really nice and not over baked.   Death on two Legs will make you hair stand on its end and Bohemian Rhapsody will likely be the best rendition you have ever heard of it. Flipping over to the album The Game, it has some standout tracks.  Obviously, Dragon Attack is over the top and the roto toms and bass lines are incredible.  A little mix magic going on with this one moving the toms from channels add a little spice to the mix and man does it deliver.  Don't try suicide, is not really that song you want to crank up, but its delivery is so good, you will. The low bass just crushes in this song and then the delicate solo moments just proves the range in DVD formats are just above it all.

 

A Night at the Opera

The Game

 

 

David Bowie    Big DB fan and probably own more of his music than any other musician.  I have the live Reality Tour DVD and its very nicely done in multi channel.  Very clean, no tricks or effects, just good live music.   The Best of Bowie is basically music video's, but sounds great and mixed well in 5.1

 

A Reality Tour Live

 

The Best of Bowie

 

Queens of the Stone Age   And lastly, how could I almost forget these guys?  IMO, this band may be one of the best modern bands that still brings real rock to the table.  The live recording is great for all 5 channels. Excellent bass, guitars and vocal clarity for a live recording and if you just like a song or two of theirs, this DVD will add all the tracks to your list.  It is that good and can be had for very little.

 

Over the Years and through the Woods Live DVD

 

 

 

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back in 04 my wife's Acura TL came with 5.1 DVD audio system and came with a demo disc. Donald Fagen - IGY What a beautiful world

i bought the following and still have

ELP - Brain Salad Surgery

Fleetwood Mac - Rumors

Who - Tommy

Elton John - Yellow Brick Road

Eagles - Hell Freezes Over - track 4 & 9   not a big fan of them either

Yes - Fragile       not a Yes fan maybe played it 6 times. need to sell this

Crosby & Nash - another stoney evening

would love to have the Doors

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35 minutes ago, Budman said:

back in 04 my wife's Acura TL came with 5.1 DVD audio system and came with a demo disc. Donald Fagen - IGY What a beautiful world

i bought the following and still have

ELP - Brain Salad Surgery

Fleetwood Mac - Rumors

Who - Tommy

Elton John - Yellow Brick Road

Eagles - Hell Freezes Over - track 4 & 9   not a big fan of them either

Yes - Fragile       not a Yes fan maybe played it 6 times. need to sell this

Crosby & Nash - another stoney evening

would love to have the Doors

Very Nice.  You sparked my memory as I also have Hell Freezes over and Fragile.      You need the Doors Perception Budman, the wow factor on this one is at the top of all my best. some of the songs like Strange Days have a wide spacey sound, but not fake or running the opposite direction of the studio track and tasteful surround effects. Lost little Girl, Love street and the rest of the delicate recordings just solidify the quietness, black pauses and still have the punch and dynamics of the vocals in DVD audio.  

 

A good mixed DVD just spoils you man

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I quit buying 5.1 "Sound Mixes"

Some were good and some I didn't care for.

On DVD Hell Freezes Over was very good but you got pictures.

Music I can just let the AVR decode stereo into 5 channels.

It works pretty well and saves me money.

As said before, some mixes sound better without the center

but most stereo sounds good decoded through the Denon.

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46 minutes ago, JL Sargent said:

You've got to add "Aja" to that list if available. The best one in my humble opinion.

 

Havent seen Aja in 5.1 yet.   Probably go for Donald Fagens  Kamakiriad next when I can find it affordable.

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23 hours ago, Max2 said:

I don't think there are too many people here into multi channel audio, but I think there are some titles out there that are very worthy to break the ice with. I just purchase titles for those bands that just never go away in my life. 

I am still tremendously interested in this material and listen to it most nights.

6 hours ago, oldred said:
6 hours ago, JJkizak said:

5.1 just doesn't move me very much for bands that are all in front of you. Most of it is audience.

JJK

+1 to that

I guess it's how you listen to music. Imo, the artists/composers I listen to have more going on in their heads than a band performing in front of you like a concert. Not really notes on a page as much as creative expression all around you. There are several threads I've commented on/started dealing with this subject. Fwiw, my favorites are Talking Heads, REM, Steely Dan/Donald Fagan. Depeche Mode, and quite a few other artists albums they made into multichannel that were cult hits (Alice cooper, David Bowie, Bryan Ferry) and the Elton John and The Doors are excellent libraries as well. 

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21 hours ago, Max2 said:

I think the Steely, Fagen and this Doors offering is only going to appreciate

Thanks for this-- I told my wife I have been purchasing them over the years as part of my estate planning. 😎 These disks and the speakers I listen to them on should be worth a fortune when I finally bite the dust! Btw, the only title I really have jonesed for but don't have is Band on the Run.

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25 minutes ago, Zen Traveler said:

Thanks for this-- I told my wife I have been purchasing them over the years as part of my estate planning. 😎 These disks and the speakers I listen to them on should be worth a fortune when I finally bite the dust! Btw, the only title I really have jonesed for but don't have is Band on the Run.

Well as they say, Physical media is dying, but Im staying old school as long as I can.   Never was one for the downloads instead of actually getting a disk which you can rip at a lossless format.    Maybe my son can cash in on these after Im gone, but probably wont cover a night at Applebee's by then:)

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I know you are looking for 5.1 music, but if you need a good concert fix with tons of great camera angles and really good sound; Perfect Square concert, circa 2004-ish from R.E.M. is pretty darn good. I've got several concert DVDs and my returning guests always ask to see that one again and again. The running joke during dinner is - I think I hear REM warming up in the basement. Check 1, 2....check, check.

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Doobie Bros (captain and me)

 Foreigner

Eagles -Hotel California

 Peter Frampton  Comes Alive

Deep Purple -Machine Head

Tom Petty- Bluray audio

Steve Miller- Fly Like an Eagle

All old Elton John, Madman alt version on Tumbleweed Connection is as good as mullti gets.

Eric Clapton -461 OB and Slowhand

Jeff Beck -Blow by Blow  are a few off the top of my head that I listen to often. There is a much larger selection of Concert dvd's/BR, some with great 5.1 audio. Gary Moore and Friends being one of the very best you'll hear. GNR Appetite for Democracy being a great BR.

 

 

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