DCC Archive Venus & Mars +3

Hi,

Anyone familiar w/ EMI's "Venus & Mars" w/ 3 bonus tracks? Gotta sealed copy that shows it's made in Holland and was curious about the sound quality? Any info. would b appeciated.

The Music Never Stops,
Jeffrey

 

I have that issue and think it's fine....but I haven't compared it to any other stereo versions. I have the DTS surround sound version and think that's really superior, a great multi-channel mix. I find I listen to that and generally avoid the stereo version these days.

 

Hi Jeff,
The one you have is probably the same as the UK remaster. Chockful of the crappy no-noise treatment.
Seek out the DCC gold version. You'll get the 3 bonus tracks as well, and sounds miles better. I sold my remaster the day I got my DCC copy.

 

Not at all. I was lucky enough to get a copy of the cassette demos of V&M, after owning the regular crappy Parlaphone CD and Steve's working on the album.

The neat thing, you can tell it's Steve's in a blind listen. The transition between "Venus & Mars 1" and "Rock Show" is transferred AS IS. The tape box origionally said "Turn down the output right before Rock Show". Interesting fact is, the big splash into "Rock Show" is actually the last part of "Venus And Mars", that last big bang before Rock Show comes trampling in. Listening to the cassette demo, "Venus & Mars" ends with those simple, strong 6 notes.

The Parlaphone CD, the strong splash into "Rock Show" is leveled as the tape box would want you to do. This may be OK as intended, but it's an example of Steve letting the tape do what was "there". I think that's cool. You listen to the disc, and "Rock Show" comes in to kick your ass. I like that, especially because the TAPE does that!

A lot of the long, lingering reverb sounds very sweet on the DCC. The Parlaphone CD sounds ok, but a closer listen will reveal the same sad story of how most of the later EMI Post-Beatles CDs were done. It's true. Just a flat, continuous slathering of No Noise.

The DTS version of this disc sounds neat, but mostly fireworks via surround expectations. The DCC shows that little fact in the tape, and the sound comes through very smoothly.

It's a great album. McCartney and Laine, Linda, made it sound well beyond the time it was recorded. I sometimes wonder if they wanted it to sound and look like a Dark Side Of The Moon.

To those who had the original LP, it certainly ways full of cool stuff. Stickers, 2 posters, neat colors and art. Hey! Just like DSOTM!!

 

I also have the dts CD of Venus and Mars, and I cannot honestly say anything positive about it. Firstly - it is really 4.0 surround - methinks it may be a direct copy of the quadrophonic masters. There is so much sound swirling around my head even I get dizzy. Additionally - the balance between channels is screwed - sounds that travel from channel to channel (to channel to channel) are more prominent in some more than in others. Comparisons with other similar surround material (ELP's Brain Salad Surgery for example) do not seem to have this problem.

Addtionally:
One of the bigger hassles about surround sound is "bass management". I use (and have used, even when my system was 2 channel) a subwoofer to complement my "slightly larger than bookshelf" speakers. The Venus and Mars dts CD has no subwoofer channel - and I cannot seem to find a surround setting that will allow all frequencies less than 90 hz to be diverted to it - unless I play the disc in "effect off" mode. This setting folds the signal to stereo, which finally reveals the lower frequencies. In a similar vein, the dts version of Band on the Run is 4.1. While I do not think the subwoofer channel is "discreet", it really doesn't need to be. Just turning the subwoofer channel on allows the internal crossovers to divert the appropriate frequencies.

I suppose that I could simply defeat my subwoofer and get the full range through all my speakers, however this is not a setting I really want to adjust from program to program. Running this disc through a discreet surround system makes it sound only slightly richer than a transistor radio. Strangely enough - none of the other surround discs I own have this problem.

It does sound INTERESTING in stereo, but not better that the standard 2 channel mix - just different.

 

The DTS of Venus and Mars is the worst one I've heard. It's ridiculous. Instruments and voices are panned in a fast circle over and over. At times vocals and key instruments are isolated behind your head. Worst of all the sound quality leaves a lot to be desired. The drums sound like hell, worse than any no noised remaster I've heard. Sounds like they were played behind a door inside a cardboard box.

Band on the Run DTS is better, but still problematic. The first few notes of the title track are missing for starters.

 

i think mccartney HATED the overall sound and recording of the record. why else call wally heider "the pit"?

that's probably why mccartney ran back to the comfort and superior sound quality of EMI abby road for "speed of sound"

later, chris

 

I like the general sound of V&M though. It's very old-tech for the "now", but the ideas were great. Medicine Jar and Call Me Back Again....
I think he said he hated V&M later on, but he went to a party as people were enjoying it, and he almost didn't recognize what was playing until he concentrated on the song, Ahh!

[ January 07, 2002: Message edited by: Sckott ]