[Digi-G]

Has anyone else heard any of these? The CD's are hybrids so they include 2-ch redbook, 2-ch SACD, and 5.1 SACD.  They include many bonus tracks, some on a second cd.  Apparently the surround mixes are from the Original Quad mixes that were done in the early 70's by Tony Clarke (original Moody's producer).

I just got Question of Balance and To Our Childrens Childrens Children.  Just so you know the other versions I've had of these are on vinyl and the original standard CD releases (i.e. I don't have the remastered jobs).  

I listened to both CD's in the 5.1 SACD format - I haven't listened to the other versions yet.

Both CD's sounded really good.  The surround mix of QOB is a bit more laid back than the surround mix of TOCCC.  More polite.  Both are very, very clean sounding with TOCCC sounding a bit warmer and it had a bit more depth.  The more aggressive surround mix on TOCCC serves the music really well... and it's not over-done.  Most of the surround effects on QOB, to me at least, sounded mostly like ambient type effects, although occassionally there was definitely some discrete sounds.  Vocals are (primarily) up-front and instrumentation is easily discerned.  Drum transients take on a new life (esp. on TOCCC), and the many layers of backing vocals seem to have appropriate 'space' in the new mixes.

For the most part the choices for the surround info (on both discs) was very tastefully done.  I've got a few DTS surround discs (indluding 2 Moody Blues) that tend to lean towards the extreme (i.e. main vocals coming from the rear or a lead guitar from left rear?!?!?  Bizzare).  Again, the SACD surround mixes are very tasteful.

If you've never heard To Our Childrens Childrens Children, THIS is the way to hear it.  It's a thematic album about travelling in space and the loneliness that could come with it (it came out in 1969 - the same year Neil Armstrong walked on the moon).

Oh yeah, the bonus tracks.  They were kind of a mixed bag.  I liked the studio stuff (which sounded pretty good), but the live BBC stuff didn't do much for me (it sounded like it was from a tape source that hadn't fared too well over the years).

Has anyone else heard any of these (esp. the ones that I haven't heard)?

[Doug_B]

I did receive Lost Chord, Threshold (2 copies!), and QoB. Hope Days of Future Past and Children's Children both come. Hadn't remembered that Lost Chord doesn't have a multich mix, though the liner notes do make mention of a 5.1 mix (but no mention anywhere that it's SACD).

Let's see if I have the problems I experienced straight: My Question of Balance disc has nothing coming out of the center channel. I tried setting ridiculous trim levels on my controller to pump up the center to no avail. I guess this might be as intended, as it's from a quadrophonic master, but there were definitely musical elements missing from the opening of Question, including the leading Ahhhhh prior to the opening lyrics. Again, this may have been what the original quad master contained (or didn't contain).

On Threshold, the center channel was present but very low. I had to play with trim levels to extremes to start hearing the center.

I did not check out sub output on multich mixes; surrounds appeared "normal".

My channels are calibrated OK. I popped in Dark Side SACD and it sounded fine in center and other channels. If I'm alone in this experience, I guess I'll get my other multich SACD player out of the closet and try them.

2 channel SACD and redbook layers seem to be OK. Haven't sat down to really listen yet.

I guess these discs are from Europe. Packaging states "Made in the E.U." Disc labels are plain white with black lettering; makes them look like bootlegs. I ordered from cd-wow.

Doug

[Digi-G]

I don't think anything is wrong with your setup - I think it's like you said - these are from Quad Masters.  Back then a 'center channel' wasn't even a gleam in some forward thinking audiophile's eye.     I honestly can't say I noticed if there was any center channel action from either disk.

That mix of Question (with the extended instrumental intro sans horns (or mellotron)) is indeed different than that on regular cd and album issues.  I believe this mix may have also been the 45 release and it was used on the 'This is the Moody Blues' compilation.  That was actually the first version I heard, so I tend to like it better than the cd/album version.

Upon second listening to Question of Balance (in 5.1 SACD), I think I need to revise some of my statements.  Some of the mixes DO have main vocals coming from the rear.     Not sure how I missed that the first time thru.

Just on the basis of surround mix/fidelity, I'd have to give QOB a 7/10 while I still think To Our Childrens Childrens Children would get a 9/10.

How do the other disks (Threshold) sound?

[Phil A]

I rec'd Days of Future Passed and a couple of others yesterday.  I listened to the 2-channel SACD layer and it is outstanding.  I got a chance to a listen to a bit of the surround layer on it and will listen more later.  While not normally to my taste (I like ambient), what I heard was very well done and not overly gimmicky in use of the surrounds.

[Doug_B]

I did take the time to listen to Threshold in surround, and I thought it was fairly well done. This is up there on my favorites list, with of course Days of Future Passed. Threshold has that kind of airy, ethereal feel to it that makes a multi-channel presentation work, possibly moreso than most of the other albums. But I still need to check out the others.

By the way, from just casually listening to the surround version of Threshold, it seemed many times as if the center was gleefully pumping away at decent levels. In fact, it was just spot on center imaging from the mains. Especially strong in the vocals of Dear Diary. Since imaging is very system and environment-specific, YMMV.

Doug