Best 5.1 music mix ever?

[David DelGrosso]

After listening to more than 1000 surround music tracks over the years, the most impressive 5.1 musical experience for me, is still Queen's "The Prophet Song" (from "A Night At the Opera.")

On a high-quality speaker system utilizing 5 full-range loudspeakers, this 5.1 mix can activate the "highest" (pun intended) reaction one get derive WITHOUT any drugs!

Seriously... Elliot Scheiner and Brian May created all kinds of fascinating movements and spatial images during this full-album re-mix... but none any more brilliant than the swirling accapella section, directly following the bridge of this 8:30 min. classic.

Despite what many feel is "too much gimmikry" in 5.1 re-mixes... this track fully demonstrates an absolutely BRILLIANT use of all 5 main speakers, to dramatically enhance the effectiveness of this odd yet inspiring musical "prophecy."

What is the "most impressive" 5.1 music track you have ever experienced?

DD

[Bob Walters]

David,
Dark Side of the Moon....without a doubt......and that's not even my kind of music!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[timbre4]

My personal favorite is Brain Salad Surgery but the reference recording is probably Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms because the mix just works so well and would convince nearly anyone to cry over the DVD-A indifference in the marketplace today.

[LoxPhlox]

An overlooked fav is a DTS disc titled "Zoë."

Jeff Weber does an outstanding job and creats a wonderful experience with his band providing you can hear past Zoë herself.

[Butch]

Carla Lother 'Captain Courageous' Chesky DVD-A

Lyle Lovette 'She's Already Made Up Her Mind' from Judges, Joshua, Ruth DTS CD

I have listened to very few remixes of music originally produced in 2 channel that sounds better in surround.

[David DelGrosso]

Originally Posted by Bob Walters

David,
Dark Side of the Moon....without a doubt......and that's not even my kind of music!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DSOTM is such a great record that it appears on virtually every "best of all-time" music list. However, the SACD surround re-mix is not without controversy.

If you'll recall, Alan Parsons was the mixing engineer for the original tracking sessions... and at that time, he also created a Quad mix that the band released shortly after the original stereo version.

But for some unknown reason, the SACD folks decided to hire James Guthrie to create their 5.1 re-mix... even though Alan really wanted to take on this new surround re-mix AND had already proven himself via some GREAT 5.1 music mixes... inc. his own album "On Air."

Unfortunately, few people have had the luxury of comparing the SACD surround tracks to the original 4.0 mix (that the band originally approved at that time, as the best surround version of their original creative expressions.)

So... is the recent 5.1 re-mix truly even the "best" surround version of DSOTM, much less the best surround mix of all time??

And with minimal center-channel info, how does it stand up to the original 4.0 quad mix, if you crossover the bass frequencies into your dedicated sub-woofer?

Inquiring minds want to know.

DD