Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells 50th - Blu-ray Audio 05.26.23 (Atmos/Quad/5.1/Stereo/Demos)

I was just thinking the same thing before even seeing this post.

 

The Atmos mix is glorious. Just finished part one…so much going on yet so clear with great separation of instruments. Tubular bells from above me…. Lovely.

 

The new David Kosten Atmos mix is indeed rather gorgeous, although it's based roughly on the original 1973 mix and my preference would have been to make it more like the 1975 Boxed remix (but that's just me).

However, there is one massive, glaring problem with it. Has anyone just noticed the bass guitar during the "bagpipe guitar" sequence on Part Two goes horribly out of sync for a minute or so on the David Kosten mix? At first I thought it might be a technical error with the disc/file itself, but now I'm thinking it was a mistake on the original multitracks and was just edited out of every previous mix. (Every previous mix, as far as I can hear, has no bass guitar at this point, just the kettle drums carrying the bass range... or at the very least has the bass guitar mixed way down).

I'm surprised there aren't more people talking about this, to be honest. It really spoils it.

 

Can't hardly talk about it when the parcel hasn't even made it out of the UK yet.

 

I got mine yesterday, the VAT was a nightmare and I'm so done with ordering from outside the EU...

What I don't get is why Mike's 2009 stereo mix isn't also included.

 

that made the exorcist that much scarier, the theme song tubular bells

 

Interesting. I don't hear what you are describing, but my equipment is cheap as chips. Obviously you're talking about the section between 08:50 and 11:40 in Part Two. Can you narrow it down for me?

 

Can the David Kosten Atmos mix be played as regular 5.1 without any problem ?

 

Got mine today. No problems. Yea!!!!

 

Absolutely. Atmos was designed for many speaker configurations in mind.

edit
Post back comparing the Atmos to the quadraphonic!

 

...And it wouldn't be the Hoffman Forums if we didn't also discuss the mastering of the original 1973 stereo mix. Just received mine and am looking forward to diving into all of the content.

 

Yes, that's the section I'm talking about. It's difficult to narrow it down as it's totally throughout that whole bit! It sounds for all the world like there was a monitoring issue when he was recording it, and he couldn't hear the tape properly, so he's at the correct tempo but just out of sync for a couple of minutes.
Make sure it's definitely the David Kosten mix you are listening to. It's maybe more prominent on a surround system with a subwoofer as it really stick out (to my ears anyway). But I've listened to the mix on Amazon Music through headphones as well, and it's definitely there as well.
It's maybe one of those things that is slightly subliminal, but once you hear it you can't unhear it.

 

I'm listening to the new CD via my laptop CD player through ten quid external speakers so I'm probably not getting the full audio picture. I might just keep it that way because I'm enjoying this mix a lot...

 

I've heard that since the original mix. I've always thought it was done deliberately to make that section sound wonky. It is much easier to pick out on the new mix, I agree.

 

I hear it. Sounds like the bass guitar comes in a beat too early and remains that way throughout that section. Took me out of a pleasant listening experience.

 

ha! the whole package was probably done just to get that section out there...

i like the 45 version and viv's section... anyone know why tb was removed from the exorcist at end? replaced w/ orchestral music....the "version you've never seen" issue. maybe it was always that way, but one can hear tb start for a note or two, then the orchestra. surely it wasn't a licensing issue. i'm going from memory, so...

 

Very interesting. Do you hear it on any of the later mixes done by Mike? 1975 or 2009, for example?

 

Can anyone here comment on the pressing quality (not the mix) of the vinyl?

 

Excellent pressing from Pallas/Germany. Comes with black polylined innersleeves, recommended!

 

I hear you. I pre-ordered this 50th blu out of my love for this music and by the time I could hold it in my hands I'd paid €50.57 thanks to that final tax sting. Ouch!

-edit-
I was just checking which Tubular Bells versions I have. Old Virgin CD, old Boxed CD, 25th ann. CD, 2000 HDCD, 2001 SACD, the 2009 big box, and now this 2023 50th bluray. Damn. I reckon that should do me until the 75th anniversary!

 

I haven't heard the 1975 mix, and if I ever heard the 2009, I don't recall.

 

It's still there, but perhaps for a little less time. It also features pre-titles in 'the version you've never seen ' cut. The orchestral music which comes in on the credits is the same in both versions and TB comes back in during both versions' credits and this is its longest appearance in the movie.

Whilst we're on The Exorcist, I would be so happy if just one person out there could confirm that the album can be heard being played in the Jesuit residence (or whatever the location is called, but it's where Karras and Dyer live) in the scene where the two priests drink and Karras grieves for his mum. Its not the opening theme, but a later section from side 1. If it was accidentally picked up being played at the location and Friedkin unknowingly used the same album for post production, then that would be a spooky coincidence. Whenever I refer to this in forums, nobody ever come back with ' oh yeah!' So, just one of you, maybe...

 

The new CD features the original mix. The OP is talking about the new Kosten remix.

 

Oh, you're right, what a plonker I am!

But it's no wonder I enjoyed it so much! Please everyone ignore all my posts about this and I'll go listen to the stereo audio on the Blu-Ray...

 

Is there a post somewhere that explains all the different masterings and versions of this album?

Good news today by the way. The SDE BluRay arrived; listening party is later on in the day.