Pink Floyd Discovery Box is here...

Any word on how Pipers sounds from this box set?

 

No poster. Grab the top and bottom with one hand and pull out the booklet with the other from the binding side.

 

Obscured By Clouds (vs Sax)

Okay, my final shoot-out for now. And it's a short one, with a clear result.

After being underwhelmed by Division Bell (I feel the Columbia is the clear winner), and not hearing much difference on Meddle (in fact, I felt that the Sax had slightly tighter bass and a bit more "air"), I was a little wary approaching this title. It's one of my favorites and perhaps the most underrated album in the Pink Floyd catalog.

It turns out, I need not have worried. Obscured By Clouds Discovery Edition is a clear home run. Even more so than Animals. The clarity here is just stunning. The bass is cleaner. The drums are cleaner. And the vocals... are startling in their live quality.

The Sax remaster sounds positively muddy compared to this release. I heard no evidence of compression, limiting, or other digital trickery. In short, I feel that this is the only version of the album I will ever need to own.

I could break it down track by track for you, but I don't see the point. All I would be doing is abusing the words "clean" and "clarity" over and over. Seriously, why are you still even reading this post? You could be out buying one of these right now!

So, my final scorecard:

Oscured By Clouds (Discovery vs Sax): Discovery Edition hands down. Superior in all possible measurements.
Meddle (Discover vs. Sax): Sax by a hair, but Discovery edition is still excellent.
Animals (Discovery vs Shine On Sax): Discovery edition wins for better low-end, cleaner vocals, and yes, more cowbell.
Division Bell (Discovery vs Columbia): My only real Discovery Edition disappointment; Columbia has more top-end detail.

I also bough the Discovery Edition of More, but since I have no other CDs to compare it to (haven't owned this title since the cassette), there will be no shoot-out. I can say that the sound does not really wow me, but then, neither does the album.

 

My feelings as well. The 40th sounded really excellent to my ears. Still I suspect I will get Piper anyway for the full set.

Anyone have an opinion on Ummagumma? That was always a dicey recording, no?

 

I wish I'd gone for a Discovery now after following the thread, but it's so expensive here in the UK. I thought I was content with vinyl and various older CDs and maybe a couple of future Immersions, but...

 

at least you got something! & some better sounds on the new discs , thanks for the quick reviews ..... I need a few more of these

 

I agree, after listening to it this evening. This release is to the Pink Floyd remasters set what "Beatles For Sale" was to the 2009 Beatles remasters.

The 2011 OBC CD feels like it has less generation loss than previous issues of this title, including my original Harvest LP (US domestic), like we're closer to the source. Drums have a lot more impact and the toms sound nicely resonant. It's nice to finally hear this material presented properly.

As for "Meddle", I agree with you that it's not much of an advance, but I do think that this is one of the times when a "louder" mastering pays off, the wind noise at the beginning of "One Of These Days" emerges from the noise floor sooner, it seems to me. I also noticed on "Echoes" that I could hear more of the characteristic rotating speaker noises on the Leslie-amplified acoustic piano in the intro.

 

Did anyone spring for the Japan import version?

 

Lyle ... thanks for the shootout and the "final scorecard".

A simple summary scorecard by others, for ALL of the albums in the Discovery Box, would be greatly appreciated (and surely entertaining!).

It would make it much easier for those of us on the fence, to decide if the Discovery Box, is indeed worth the upgrade.

 

Thanks for the detailed impressions, Lyle. I played the 2011 remaster of OBC last night and Animals earlier this evening, and I came away feeling that this was indeed the best mastering I've heard of these albums. I've got a several copies of Meddle (Shine On, OBTW, MFSL, Harvest CD, and LP), so I think I'll give the 2011 remaster a pass based on your assessment.

 

Spun the Best Buy Sampler.

Some interesting stuff (but not worth the $10).
If they were going to offer only 5 songs, they should all be bonus material.

But the "Another Brick In The Wall Part II" is a different edit then the LP.

Starts clean with the guitar riff, and runs a little longer.
Not sure if it is the single edit, doubt it.

Have A Cigar alternate is great, different vocals of course, Waters singing along with someone, not sure who.

And the "Another Brick in The Wall Part 1" demo sounds great for a demo.
Almost a completely different set of lyrics.
Can't wait to see what the Wall set will be like.

 

Thank you Lyle. I really enjoyed your informative critiques.

 

I remember listening to The Wall completely stoned as a teenager and hearing lot's of things that i hadn't noticed sober.

 

I'm very disappointed that there will be no hi-res and/or multichannel version of The Wall. It's the perfect album for it. I already have DOTM on SACD and a few of the other albums. I'm not sure what to buy. I'm thinking the WYWH SACD is a bargain compared to the Immersion set, though it's tempting.

 

thanks - will give it a go

 

For anyone unaware, the Discovery set is available at Costco for $149.99.

 

Any idea if they carried the DSOTM Immersion box?

 

I haven't seen any mention (on the web by other posters or on Costco site) that they do, and only the discovery set was there when I went to pick it up.

 

How many Pink Floyd albums do you have on SACD?

 

Speaking for myself, in November it'll be two

 

At my local Costco in Canada the Discovery box was $144.99. I didn't realize that was a good price until I went into HMV and they had it for $189.99. Even Amazon.ca is $174.99.

I felt tempted but I just don't play CDs enough to justify the cost I think. It looked like a very nice package though.

 

Friday night at Best Buy...$215.00 !!!!

 

Myke,

At $215 or even $200 it is hard to justify when so far I have picked up six titles at Target for $7.50 each and another four at CD Warehouse for $7.99.

I don't really care about a pretty cardboard box.