The DVD-A of "Chicago II" really Makes Me Smile

I just played the DVD-A of Chicago's second album (silver cover) in 5.1 surround, and I am truly amazed at the improvemeny in sound quality over the Rhino CD. Major goose-bumps.

First of all, the compressed mush of the Rhino CD is gone, gone, gone!

Also gone is the bloated, flabby bass guitar. It has been replaced by a tight, growling Fender Bass that goes down REAL LOW!! You can hear each note that the bass player playes.

The drums are now centered in the center channel, where they should be. However, when the drummer does a drum roll, you can hear the sound slowly move from the center speaker to the left speaker as the drummer moves from the snare drum, to the small tom toms, to the floor tom, toms. It is as though he is in the room with you. In addition, the cymbals sound like real cymbals. As you may know, I am a drummer and I get off on things like that.

The voices are now out front instead of being burried in the music. The piano sounds like a real musical instrument, not some kind of kid's toy.

I just wonder how they fixed this recording. I thought that the reason that this recording sounded so bad was because of a mistake made during the original recording. Or was the mistake made during the original mixng. Or, maybe I'm just totally confused!!!

Anyway, this is now the recording that I will use to show off my surround system.

 

Supposedly some of the tracks on the multi were recorded out of phase.

But I can't wait to hear this.... My copy is finally coming.

 

I love it even tho I consider it rather conservative compared to the quad mix, but it's still wonderful. Listen to the whole album in just the center speaker alone...awesome!

 

Wow! I get goosebumps just reading your description!! I ordered the disc last week but they still don't have it in

 

Just got mine today from Elusive Disk... listening to a few tracks, so far very very good and I totally concur with Johnny K! Great bass, nice blend of instruments, about 10,000 times better now!

 

Some of the horns, most notably on "Make Me Smile" and "25 or 6 to 4" still have some of those qualities. Doesn't seem as bad now though. Almost seems like those two songs were recorded at nearly the same time as the rest of the album actually sounds better.

I can't wait to hear your thoughts Sckott.