Dark Side of The Moon - the best in surround - sounds worse than CD in stereo

[JerryDelColliano]

http://www.avrev.com/music/revs/darkside.shtml

This is the "other" SACD that never leaves my player. I absolutely LOVE Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon on SACD in surround. It is possibly the BEST concept record ever with not a bad note to be found.

Some suggest the stereo mix is terrible on the hybrid SACD. I wouldn't know because I always listen to the James Guthrie surround mix.

What do you think of the stereo mix versus the surround mix?

Let us know

[kennyt]

The two channel mix is pretty poor, but like you, I never listen to it.

[timbre4]

Stereo? Oh yeah you do get one of those. Never listen to it.

There are great elements of both the SACD 5.1 Guthrie mix (modern tools) and the 4.0 Parsons mix (musical choices that fit surround better) so I listen to both, mostly the latter because it's truer to original intentions.

Guthrie's mix is pretty tame on DSOTM but much braver on the Pulse DVD which I didn't have much in the way of expectations for. Perhaps an atonement?

[GBishop]

Until you mentioned it, I forgot there was a stereo mix on the disc.
After spending a significant amount for a 5.1 SACD system, why would I play the stereo mix?

[wazzzup]

I think it's there for nerds to compare and analyize the differences in the mix. I have found some pretty good "All channel" surround formats on my Integra DTR-10.5 receiver so I can fill up my room with "faux" surround. Im sure it creates weird nodes and acoustical annomilies but who cares when its rocking loud out of all my spizzeakers...

[jdc115]

Originally Posted by timbre4

Stereo? Oh yeah you do get one of those. Never listen to it.

There are great elements of both the SACD 5.1 Guthrie mix (modern tools) and the 4.0 Parsons mix (musical choices that fit surround better) so I listen to both, mostly the latter because it's truer to original intentions.

I find this response a bit curious, do you really listen to it because it is closer to the original intentions and not because your personal preference? If you enjoyed Gurthrie's mix more but Parsons' mix is closer to what the artist originally intended, do you still listen to the mix that you rate 2nd?

Also, maybe it is closer to the original intentions, but may not be closer to what the band itself prefers now? A lot has changed and maybe their preference is the new mix. I have no idea, just an idea.

Maybe this come up in movies much more, but I tend to stick with my preference given 2 choices and maybe not that of the director. The one example that I can think of at the moment is Donnie Darko. Originally they cut out parts of the movie when it was released. It bombed in the theatre but because a big hit on DVD. So then they re-released a Director's cut of the movie putting back parts that he wanted in and re-arranging some of the soundtrack in the film.

Maybe the director's cut is what he originally intended but my preference is the original theatre cut and I won't watch the director's cut again.

Just wondering...