Jethro Tull 'Benefit' - New Steve Wilson stereo and 5.1 remixes*

I don't dispute that, señor.

I personnaly love that US CD. But it is not factually more dynamic than the remix.

 

Moonchild, thank you for voicing a different opinion. It is a good thing if we have different opinions voiced.

I have not heard the new version yet, but I quite like the old US Chrysalis CD.

Peak levels by itself don't tell too much, the remaining dynamic range is more important.

The new stereo mix by Steve Wilson has a dynamic range of DR11. That is pretty decent, I would say. I think the dynamic range of the orginal CD release was about the same.

So, as far as dynamic are concerned, the new mix seems to be comparable. It can still sound louder (relatively speaking) if it makes more use of the headroom (i.e. getting closer to 100% Peak level, by itself actually not a bad thing).

But that doesn't say anything about whether you like the new mix or the original mix better.

I will have to check out the new mix sometime soon, I suppose.

 

Thanks for clarifying, rjstauber. I just find the new mix a bit aggressive and I sort of like
Tull in a "softer sound" ("Stand up" MFSL springs to mind). It is not easy to go against the flow

 

I am asking about the ORIGINAL mix only on the DVD, not the remixes.

 

Don't worry about the flow too much. I also usually prefer my music softer vs. more in your face, and who knows, I might also prefer the original version. I can't say until I listened for myself. But I know that I wasn't a big fan of the Aqualung remix, and I am also in the minority on that one.

 

tlake 6659, that's what i meant: the ORIGINAL mix of the US and the UK album on the dvd. Not the remixes

rjstauber, I'm not a fan of the Aqualung remix either. In fact, I've only played it twice and always turn to the
DCC or the UK original. I think these mixes have not been made to my liking, which is a shame because I am in
the sad minority on these ones.
This is a time and money consuming hobby so I guess I'll pass on the Passion Play future remixes. The MFSL and
the old Chrysalis CD are more than enough.

 

Except for Teacher, right on. & Since you like the US Benefit CD, I would recommend Teacher on the original M.U. The Best Of Jethro Tull CD, VK 41078.

The DVD with the exception of Dolby 5.1 sounds more textured than ever. Always repeating, 5.1 DTS has a wow factor for me. All else pales.

 

Not much to add to this thread - just wanted to say that I love the remix, and have yet to hear a Steven Wilson remix project that didn't bring a smile to my face during critical listening. I often wonder what the reaction would be for these Steven Wilson projects if the new remix was the original, and the old one was the new remix... hard to believe there would be many people who felt the "new" release was sonically superior.

I personally love this whole remix thing. I think it's the next potential cash cow for major labels, for better of for worse. Theres only so much you can do with two tracks frozen to tape. I've never understood the viewpoint that the decisions made during the original mix-down are somehow epic and embody forcefully purposeful decisions. Remixing can be good or bad, just like remastering!

I sometimes have to pinch myself with this bounty of great prog stuff being remixed/remastered. Theres just so much more going on, and it sounds as if layers of crud have been scrubbed away. And those originals never disappear into a puff of logic; you can always listen to the old mix!

 

My sentiments exactly!

 

x3

 

Bickering about a stereo mix when such a great 5.1 mix is right there in your face. Sad indeed

 

Not my face. I've never been able to get a 5.1 set-up.

 

I guess you have tried it (5.1-setup) out in some way and was not that thrilled about it. If not - you do not know what you are missing... It is like comparing a canvas to a sculpture, if you know what I mean. I am beyond even thinking about a main rig at home without the 5.1 set-up. Just the thought of looking at all fantastic 5.1-recordings in my collection and not be able to play them makes me sad...

 

I agree. Just when we thought multi-channel music was dying, along comes this wave of recent releases that last few years. Truly a golden age we're in right now, especially if you're a prog fanatic. Thank god for Steven Wilson, who tastefully handles the remixing on many of these projects. And it's not like you have to love either/or when it comes to stereo and 5.1. It's all good.

 

I'm glad that you are all enjoying the multi-channel music. Never did anything for me, even in home theater, I'm staying with two channel.

 

I love 5.1 for movies but I never really listen to music that way. My two channel stereo systems are separate from my A/V receiver. I do enjoy Wilson's remix on vinyl though.

 

Yup. I've got that one too. In fact, my go-to version for Benefit is a cd-r I made with the US Cd, "alive and well and living in" from the US LITP CD and Teacher from M.U.

 

I listened to the stereo remix for the first time tonight. I love it. But I am a sucker for hearing old favorites redone, different mixes, re-recordings, etc.

 

I never knew about the UK version of Teacher until this release and I thaught I was a big Tull fan. Better late than never! Almost like hearing a different song...

 

I got the US Chrysalis CD on your recommendation in the Jethro Tull Preferred CDs thread (here's hoping you will do many more of those!), and it was my favourite version as well until I got this new release. The US CD isn't bad at all, but I like the flat transfer of the original mix on the DVD much more. So even if it turns out you don't care for the remix, I think you wouldn't regret getting the DVD. Very good booklet, too.

 

A golden age?. let's see (obviously, in my humble opinion!):
Genesis SACDs (unbearable! and I spent a fortune on them 'cos early Genesis is my favourite band)
Jethro Aqualung - Wilson remix (can't hold a candle to the DCC or even the early UK Chrysalis CD)
Genesis live remasters (I'd better not go into these....)
King Crimson dvds (loud, loud and loud!), and so on...

I honestly envy you guys enjoying these 'cos i feel really frustrated after spending my
hard-earned cash (I'm just a teacher, so go figure my salary!)and the cds end up
resting on my shelves or straight off to Ebay

Today they have the technical media, a wide range of resources and all that's needed
to make everything sound like Stevie Wonder's SOTKOL audiofidelity, the recent
MFSL Blood on the tracks or Mr. Hoffman's Aqualung or Close to the edge and they just don't get it right
(to me, that is)
I envy you guys, I really envy you

 

Nobody's putting a gun to your head. If you don't like them, why do you keep buying them? And if you can't tell the difference between the harsh, overdriven Genesis remixes and Wilson's dynamic work, I'm not sure what to tell you. The misunderstood martyr routine is wearing thin here.

 

Hi it's me again.

I agree that the Genesis remixes on digital are atrocious, but they sound much better on vinyl. Same thing with the Aqualung remix: unfortunately on CD and DVD it was mastered by Peter Mew who only pushed up the brightness and the volume and did nothing to improve Steven Wilson's work. But the vinyl edition was left alone and consequently sounds much closer to SW's mixes.
The King Crimsons remixes were mastered a bit louder than I would have liked but they are not awful by any means... Anyway, Steven Wilson's work is not really comparable with the Genesis remixes...

That's why reading your post, I was wondering... It seems you like an overly mellow sound. I don't see your equipment listed in your profile, but could it be that you don't seem to obtain the right sound for your ears from your current equipment? Have you compared it to anything else? I can't help but thinking you would be happier with the sound of vinyl. Can you play LPs?
Since the situation appears to make you sad, have you thought about changing your equipment to something that would better suit your tastes? Maybe your current equipment is painfully bright or analytical? Or maybe your room is acoustically bright with lots of reflections?

 

I have actually been experiencing an unusual problem with these DVD: More than once, it's abruptly frozen up on me in the middle of a song. I have to shut off my Blu-Ray player (an Oppo BDP-80) and then start it up again. This has never happened with me on other discs. Has anyone else experienced this?

 

Thanks for your advice. Not trying to play the martyr role in here. Not even comparing
Mr. Wilson to Mr. Mew (far from it!). My equipment is not listed 'cos it´s nothing to
write home about: an average denon player, the run-of the-mill yamaha amplifier and
100w denon loudspeakers. The typical one-grand stuff. It's only that I feel that things could
get so much better...
Say Mr. Anesini's Elvis's remasters...that's something! Mr. Hoffman's stuff...that's something!
I keep buying them because (and most of the times) following the recommendations of people-in-the-know
I can get true masterpieces that make up for it. I'm so happy with JT Original masters DCC, the Abbey Road
BT, Floyd's Meddle BT,etc...
As for vinyl, same thing. Crime of the Century Speakers Corner ..WoW,man! Hoffman's Moondance...WoW,man
It's just the inner feeling, something inside keeps telling me that one day I might see AF releasing early Genesis,
Mr.Hoffman putting out some Beatles remasters,etc...
Please, I'm not saying that Mr.Wilson remixes of Benefit are bad, or are the kind of compressed, harsh stuff
we get a lot these days. Just stating that they're not to my liking. Not comparing them to Genesis SACDs,that's
...murder!
Mr.Wilson and other mastering engineers are honest to their trade. We may or may not like their masterings,
but they are honest. On the other hand, other record companies are ripping us off. They want the easy money,
the instant cash-in. And that goes for the Beatles stereo remasters too. They could have been great but they
aren't. they're fine, but they belong to History and they should have paid homage to their music by giving
us and the next generations a true representation of their work and also include the stereo versions on
the fantastic mono cds because there was plenty of room for that
Sorry for the long digression.