Talking Heads Stop Making Sense remaster sound quality

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by jojopuppyfish, Oct 30, 2018.

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  1. Jack_Straw

    Jack_Straw Forum Resident

    Location:
    Wichita, KS
    I just got the Blu-Ray recently, and I love how they included both the "feature film" and "studio" 5.1 mixes.

    The Stereo PCM track sounds like a downmix of the "studio" mix, and it's phenomenal. The best I've ever heard this album or film sound.

    The other 5.1 mix is more "live" sounding - more room sound and not as much detail. Something akin to being in the middle of the theater vs. being in the front row. All three audio tracks are dynamic and excellent sounding, just different flavors.

    What a great concert film.
     
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  2. albertop

    albertop Forum Resident

    There seem to be different versions of the Blu-ray, from 2009, 2014 and then 2015. Are there any differences, or these are just reissues of the same video/audio?
    Cheers
     
  3. I prefer the 1999 mix to the mix on the original CD, but the mastering is not good. They really need to re-do this one, including the 3 bonus songs that are on the DVD/bluray but not the CD.
     
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  4. Jack_Straw

    Jack_Straw Forum Resident

    Location:
    Wichita, KS
    I seem to remember reading that the one from a few years ago was a straight reissue, but I could be wrong.

    The one I have is catalog # PALMBR3167

    This one:
    Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense

    It’s pretty much perfect, as far as I’m concerned, except for the sync issues that all versions have (when they used audio and video from different shows). Doesn’t bother me that much.
     
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  5. albertop

    albertop Forum Resident

    This is my release:
    Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense

    There's no 5.1 of the studio mix, only a 5.1 mix (featured film) and a pcm stereo track (I guess downmix of the 5.1).
    Sorry for the silly question, but what's the difference with the studio mix, and how can the studio mix be in sync with the video? I've ripped the pcm stereo track from my blu-ray and is quite different from the 1999 CD. Lots of edits, apart from the different mix. Is it worth looking for the 2009 blu-ray just for the studio mix?
     
  6. Sevoflurane

    Sevoflurane Forum Resident

    According to the booklet notes on my BD: “The Studio Mix 5.1 audio track was created in May 1999 by Eric “E.T.” Thorngren, the original mix engineer”, “E.T. created a tight studio-like account of the performance” and “the listener will feel like he is at the mixing board”.

    The Feature Film 5.1 mix is a remixed version by Jonathan Porath supervised by David Byrne, where “the listener will experience something much like being front-row”. The stereo mix has the same engineer and intent and is “a PCM version of the remixed and remastered Feature Film mix”.

    Essentially, three options from the multitrack tapes. I don’t have a 5.1 system working right now and cannot remember how different they were, but I liked both 5.1 mixes and thought it was nice to have a choice.
     
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  7. albertop

    albertop Forum Resident

    Thank you. My blu-ray doesn't have a booklet, but I've listened to the 1999 CD and I believe that's what they call the Studio Mix. It would be great to get a blu-ray from which I can rip that one too!
     
  8. Sevoflurane

    Sevoflurane Forum Resident

    I cannot remember which CD version I have; it came in a mini box set IIRC with True Stories and Little Creatures. The only version I now listen to is the stereo mix ripped from the Blu Ray with the additional tracks on.
     
  9. albertop

    albertop Forum Resident

    Do you listen to the studio mix or the Feature Film?
     
  10. Sevoflurane

    Sevoflurane Forum Resident

    Neither, really. The stereo mix is on the BD as a third mix but is said to be derived from the Feature Film mix.
     
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  11. albertop

    albertop Forum Resident

    Thanks. I've ripped that one, and it sounds really nice, especially compared to the 1999 CD. It needs a bit of editing at the beginning and the end... but that's fine.
     
  12. Electric

    Electric The Medium is the Massage

    I really ought to reconnect my Hi-Fi VHS player to my main system and play the Hi-Fi VHS concert tape I still have. I remember it sounding pretty good.
     
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  13. albertop

    albertop Forum Resident

    Another note: my German Blu-Ray edition (2014) has the two bonus tracks, Cities and I Zimbra, only with DD audio, which is lossy. I think this release is not the one to have, considering it doesn’t include the studio mix in 5.1, plus all the menus and extras are in German or with German subs.
    What about the bonus tracks on the 2009 BR? Do they come with lossless audio?
     
  14. wolfram

    wolfram Slave to the rhythm

    Location:
    Berlin, Germany
    I'm not sure about the 2009 (Palm?) Blu-ray. I recently bought the 2015 Second Sight BR and it seems to have more mixes than any other release. The main movie has 4 audio tracks, the movie and the studio mix each in 5.1 DTS HD MA and in PCM stereo. The bonus tracks are in 5.1 DTS HD MA, though of course they don't sound as good as the tracks in the main movie.

    The resolution for all audio tracks is 16/48.

    I'm happy with this release. It looks and sounds pretty great and it's region free.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Dec 24, 2019
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  15. albertop

    albertop Forum Resident

    That's what I've just ordered, great!
    I gifted my German blu-ray (2014) to my parents, who have enjoyed the concert :)

    In my German Blu-ray, all tracks are 24/48. Are you sure they are 16/48?

    @wolfram , do you prefer the feature film mix or the studio mix? I've only heard the former, and it sounds good to me.
     
    Last edited: Dec 24, 2019
  16. wolfram

    wolfram Slave to the rhythm

    Location:
    Berlin, Germany
    Yes, I'm pretty sure. I ripped the stereo tracks to my hard drive (and did some editing to them) and they are 16/48. I can't say for the surround tracks for sure, but I think they are 16 bit as well. But don't worry too much about it, they sound good.
    I haven't had the chance to spend much time with it, so I haven't decided yet. But both have their advantages. As I remember it, the movie mix sounds a bit fuller and livelier, while the studio mix is a bit clearer and more detailed.

    Let us know which mix you prefer, when you get it. I'm curious.
     
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  17. albertop

    albertop Forum Resident

    They must have changed resolution to fit four different tracks in your blu-ray, maybe. Mine are definitely 24/48, all of them.
    I'll let you know which one I prefer. I like the Feature Film Mix, but I wouldn't mind a more detailed mix with vocals more up front. Sound quality is excellent though.
     
    wolfram likes this.
  18. albertop

    albertop Forum Resident

    I've checked the DR values of my blu-ray, and have compared them with the 2009 edition that I've found on the DR database. It seems my blu-ray has got all the mixes at -3dB:

    Code:
    DR         Peak         RMS     Duration Track
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    DR15      -4.68 dB   -23.37 dB      6:49 01-Psycho Killer
    DR13      -6.85 dB   -23.80 dB      4:02 02-Heaven
    DR14      -4.27 dB   -20.07 dB      2:16 03-Thank You for Sending Me an Angel
    DR16      -3.00 dB   -19.90 dB      3:44 04-Found a Job
    DR15      -3.00 dB   -20.49 dB      4:39 05-Slippery People
    DR12      -3.00 dB   -16.51 dB      4:15 06-Burning Down the House
    DR12      -2.49 dB   -16.52 dB      5:55 07-Life During Wartime
    DR13      -3.00 dB   -18.22 dB      5:44 08-Making Flippy Floppy
    DR14      -3.00 dB   -19.27 dB      4:32 09-Swamp
    DR13      -3.00 dB   -17.33 dB      6:36 10-What a Day That was
    DR15      -3.00 dB   -19.07 dB      5:25 11-This Must Be the Place Naive Melody
    DR12      -3.00 dB   -16.95 dB      5:55 12-Once in a Lifetime
    DR13      -3.00 dB   -17.15 dB      5:03 13-Genius of Love
    DR13      -3.00 dB   -17.17 dB      5:14 14-Girlfriend Is Better
    DR12      -3.00 dB   -17.74 dB      8:06 15-Take Me to the River
    DR12      -3.00 dB   -17.75 dB      9:53 16-Crosseyed and Painless
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    Number of tracks:  16
    Official DR value: DR13
    
    Samplerate:        48000 Hz
    Channels:          2
    Bits per sample:   24
    Bitrate:           1629 kbps
    Codec:             FLAC
    Here's the 2009 blu-ray report:
    Album details - Dynamic Range Database

    I'm wondering if there's some clipping in your blu-ray? @wolfram

    For the two bonus tracks, Cities and Big Business/I Zimbra, the mixes are also different between the two releases... what a mess. The 2014 blu-ray seems to have a Feature Film Mix, while the 2015 blu-ray has a studio mix, allow me to call it that way. The 2014 is lossy, the 2015 is lossless 16/48.
     
    Last edited: Dec 26, 2019
  19. wolfram

    wolfram Slave to the rhythm

    Location:
    Berlin, Germany
    Here are the DR numbers for the two stereo tracks I ripped:

    Movie Mix
    Studio Mix
    I did some minor editing here and there, so these numbers might not be 100% identical with the tracks on the BR.

    I didn't notice any clipping, but I didn't do a thorough analysis of the audio tracks.
     
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  20. albertop

    albertop Forum Resident

    Thank you.
    So far, I'm really liking the Feature Film Mix. I like that 'live' feeling, backing vocals are louder, and most of the times other instruments. Love the bass on Heaven.
     
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  21. Jack_Straw

    Jack_Straw Forum Resident

    Location:
    Wichita, KS
    This is interesting to me, because my recollection of the PCM stereo on the Blu-Ray was that it is more dry and studio-like than the “feature film” mix, with less crowd noise and less reverb/reflections from the room sound. I will have to revisit and compare again.
     
  22. albertop

    albertop Forum Resident

    Now that I've got both blu-ray discs (The German disc, 2014, and the 2015 reissue), I can provide a few more details. Long story short, I wouldn't get the German blu-ray. It only offers the Feature Film Mix, and the two bonus tracks (Cities and Big Business/I Zimbra) have a lossy stereo mix (sounds like an old one). On the contrary, the 2015 reissue offers four lossless audio tracks, both Feature Film and Studio Mix in stereo and 5.1. Extras have a lossless surround mix (you need to downmix to stereo by yourself). The 2014 blu-ray offers audio in 24/48, while the 2015 blu-ray offers 16/48 tracks. To be honest, I haven't noticed any particular difference between the two, and am more than happy with four audio tracks in 16/48, rather than two in 24/48, plus lossy extras.
     
  23. theVodkaCircle

    theVodkaCircle New Member

    Location:
    Canberra
    Hi @albertop . I wanted to ask if you knew a way I can buy a digital version of the 2015 reissue that has 1080p video as well as the DTS-HD 5.1 audio tracks.
    I had the original CD and VHS versions after a crazy afternoon going to see the movie in the cinema for school and I would love to recreate that experience.
    Cheers!
     
  24. albertop

    albertop Forum Resident

    Hello, I am not sure about digital releases, but I bought my two Blu-ray copies from Amazon. It seems that Amazon.com.au has the Second Sight version. I have also seen many copies available from Ebay.com.au (I see you are based in Canberra).
     
  25. theVodkaCircle

    theVodkaCircle New Member

    Location:
    Canberra
    Thanks for your advice. I'll have to ask around my friends to see if anyone has a blu-ray reader in their PC to enable ripping it. And yes, I'm in previously lockdown free Canberra. :)
     
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