mdpm99
09-18-2003, 01:05 AM
by Marc Phillips
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Part XL: Tales from the Dark Side
* * I predict that by the end of this year, everyone in the world will know what the initials
* * "DSOTM" mean.
* * I started spotting this little acronym out of the corner of my eye about a year ago. It seemed
* * that every audio and music magazine was talking about DSOTM, and I rolled my eyes and told
* * myself that I'd have to take the time and figure out what they were talking about. Was it a new
* * digital format, like SACD or DVD-A? Was it a new type of processing, like DTS? Was it a new
* * style of cable interface, like AES/EBU?
* * No, no, and no. "DSOTM" stands for Dark Side of the Moon. Yes, the Pink Floyd album. Yes, the
* * one that stayed on the Billboard charts for nine-hundred-and-something weeks. Evidently the
* * hottest news in music this year is a thirty-year-old album. I'm seeing kids in their early
* * teens wearing DSOTM T-shirts. Go figure.
* * It IS the thirtieth anniversary of DSOTM, though, and of course that means a "new,"
* * collectable, remastered version had to be released, just like on its 25th anniversary and its
* * 20th and so on. But this year, there's a lot of hype, mostly because DSOTM was released on
* * SACD, the one new digital format I actually like. Over the last year or so, software support
* * for SACD has been steadily growing to the point where there are currently over 1000 titles
* * available. SACD is starting to look like a success story, albeit a modest one. Last year, when
* * Abkco released most of the Rolling Stones catalog on SACD, many people took that as a sign to
* * go ahead and buy an SACD player. Earlier this year, a big chunk of the Dylan catalog was
* * released in that format too. Now, with DSOTM on SACD, interest in the format has increased
* * again. I may start to look at SACD players again this Christmas.
* * Ironically, two things happened after the release of DSOTM earlier this year. First, there was
* * a bit of a controversy over the reg'lar CD layer on the SACD. Many SACD discs now come with
* * dual layers, one CD, and the other SACD, ostensibly so one can compare the difference, among
* * other reasons. Well, the CD layer of DSOTM supposedly sounds like shit. I haven't subjected
* * myself to the horror of yet another abysmally poor-sounding CD but the word is that it sounds
* * compressed, distorted, and basically unlistenable, and there is some conjecture among the
* * conspiracy buffs that this was done to further underline the superior sound of SACD. After all,
* * as we've learned from the LP vs. CD debacle, buying something because it sounds better is not
* * necessarily an easy sell.
* * But the other thing that happened is much more interesting, at least to me. An LP version was
* * also released, and those in the know discovered that this was the one to own, the best-sounding
* * DSOTM ever. Now, let me go on record (no pun intended!) and say that while I am a big Floyd
* * fan, DSOTM is by no means my favorite Floyd album. That honor would go to Meddle. In fact,
* * DSOTM isn't even among my top three choices for Pink Floyd. I've always felt that DSOTM was
* * heavy on gimmicks, and light on actual music. Hell, there's only really four or five real songs
* * on the thing. But I have to respect its historical significance. DSOTM was a sonic benchmark.
* * It sounded ten times better than every other rock album made up to that point. In fact, it
* * still sounds incredible, even on CD!
* * And, strangely enough, considering my relative indifference to it, DSOTM is now the only album
* * where I own THREE DIFFERENT VERSIONS. I've plenty of titles that I've doubled up on, be it one
* * copy on CD and one copy on LP, or one copy on LP, and one copy on some special audiophile
* * version. But I own three versions of DSOTM: a Mobile Fidelity LP, a Japanese EMI CD, and now
* * the new thirtieth anniversary LP that comes with cool posters and stickers and stuff. I took a
* * chance, plunked down my $30, and listened anew. Yes, I have to admit that listening to this
* * version, on my awesome new turntable, was almost like listening to it for the first time.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * _______________________________________________
* * "Speak To Me"
* * Actually, this isn't a real song, but a slowly building crescendo of sound effects, voices, and
* * screams that sets the tone for the rest of the album. As the scream builds toward the end and
* * segues into "Breathe," it should induce goose-pimples. Actually, however, on this version the
* * crescendo was a little anti-climactic, because there was quite a bit of surface noise in the
* * opening grooves that really never subsided until the mix got loud and noisy. As much as I live
* * and breathe by the superiority of LP's over CD's, excessive surface noise still really bums me
* * out. I tried cleaning the LP again with my Nitty Gritty machine, and much of the noise
* * disappeared, but there was still SOME, enough for me to contemplate sending it back and getting
* * another copy. But what a pain in the ass that is, especially since I ordered it on the
* * Internet. I decided to deal with ninety seconds of pops and ticks, especially considering that
* * the ubiquitous heartbeat that runs through the album sounded deeper and clearer than I'd ever
* * heard before.
* * "Breathe"
* * Now we're cookin' with fire, I thought. The surface noise disappeared, and the heavens opened,
* * as they do so often now with my new killer 'table. Crystal clear and potent. Authoritative. Not
* * bad for 1973.
* * "On The Run"
* * More gimmicky sound effects, and a really, obnoxious, compressed crash at the end, but this
* * track really excited me for a couple of reasons. First, the loud, zooming tape effect that
* * sweeps from side to side several times during the song now actually travels in an arc TOWARD
* * THE LISTENER, and then away. I almost ducked. Also, you can really follow the movements of the
* * "fugitive" all over the soundstage. No, you can't tell what brand of shoes he's wearing (maybe
* * the SACD reveals that), but you can make educated guesses.
* * "Time"
* * Honestly, this song has always kind of annoyed me with all of the clocks binging and ringing
* * and clanging at the beginning. Traditionally I turn the volume down a tad when this happens,
* * but this time I let it ride. And, for the first time, it didn't sound like a recording of a
* * bunch of clocks ringing at the same time. It sounded like I was in a room with a bunch of
* * clocks that were ringing at the same time. I could focus not only on the sound of each
* * individual clock much more easily, but I could also pinpoint its location in the room. It was
* * exhilarating, instead of annoying, probably as Floyd originally intended. I also noticed how
* * much the rest of the song is cut from the same cloth as "Breathe," as if they'd been recorded
* * one after the other on the same cloudy English afternoon.
* * "The Great Gig in the Sky"
* * Or, as we all used to call it back in the '70's, "The Orgasm Song." Not since Ravel's Bolero...
* * well, you get the idea. Again, this song was never my cup of tea, mostly because it was so
* * weird and different for Floyd. I mean, back when we were teenagers, we used to giggle all
* * through this song. Now, I think it's a great song. And one thing this new version does is
* * really flesh out Clare Torry's impassioned vocals (I just got into an argument with someone who
* * swore the singer was Aretha or Gladys or someone more "famous"). As the song ends, and her
* * singing grows more calm, sedate, and centered, you can practically hear her light up a
* * cigarette.
* * "Money"
* * Along with "Young Lust," this is the rare song where Pink Floyd really lets loose and rocks
* * (yes, I hate writing that phrase as much as you hate reading it). This time, however, I clearly
* * understood why this song has so much momentum and power. It's David Gilmour's guitar. For the
* * entire length of the song, Gilmour never lets up. He's inventive, he's musical, he's clever,
* * he's concise. Gilmour has always been one of my very favorite rock guitarists because he's not
* * interested in wowing you with technique or speed. He plays the song. Every note is the right
* * note in his solos. He's a very emotional player, and this really comes out, of all places, in a
* * song about cynicism, avarice, and ruthlessness.
* * "Us and Them"
* * I've mentioned this before, but I love this song for the simple reason that my mom once came
* * into my room while I was playing it, and she said, "This is a really beautiful song. Why don't
* * you listen to more music like this?" For years afterward I referred to her as a Pink Floyd
* * groupie. On this version however, I was disappointed with the overall sound quality. This has
* * nothing to do with the format, but with the recording itself, and the harsh compression during
* * the louder sections. I think there's just too much going on in the mix, and it all fades into a
* * homogenous mess. That's the problem with having high-quality playback equipment, that you can't
* * polish a turd sometimes. You get what you get. In general terms, the song doesn't sound that
* * bad, but the flaws are severely highlighted in contrast with the rest of the album.
* * "Any Colour You Like," "Brain Damage," & "Eclipse"
* * I'll condense the last three tracks together, mostly because I view it as a suite rather than
* * three separate songs. I didn't really have any unique observations during the LP's final
* * minutes, other than the sound quality continued to be superb, even after the muddle of "Us and
* * Them." I found myself anticipating the fade out however, with the heart beating and the quiet
* * proclamation that there is no dark side of the moon (in fact, it's all dark). Until I purchased
* * my Japanese EMI import CD, I'd never even noticed that last voice. I was hoping that the voice
* * would be louder and clearer on this new LP than the CD, but it wasn't. Perhaps that's the way
* * it was meant to be.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * _______________________________________________
* * Of course I had to compare this new LP to my two other versions. First up was the Mobile
* * Fidelity LP, which I bought in the late 70's. I actually owned a garden-variety DSOTM once upon
* * a time, but I gave it to a friend when I bought this version. At one time this was the most
* * valuable LP in my collection, capable of fetching anywhere from $125 to $175 over the years.
* * Imagine my disgust when I placed it on the Michell Orbe SE and was overwhelmed by surface
* * noise. I'm not sure what happened to it, since I've probably only played it two or three times
* * in my life, but it was definitely not up to my standards. I'd probably be lucky if I could get
* * eight bucks for it now.
* * The Japanese import CD actually did very well. I bought this back when compact discs were new
* * and exciting. In fact, this was the first import CD I ever purchased. I remember being amazed
* * at how quiet it was (and still is), and how you could really hear what all the voices were
* * saying in the background. During casual listening, I might actually prefer this CD to the new
* * LP, especially if I decided to use headphones, as DSOTM fans like to do. But when the gimmicks
* * fade out, and the band starts playing actual songs with actual musical instruments, the lively,
* * exciting LP walks all over the quiet, pristine CD.
* * So what about the SACD? Well, I've been trying to borrow an SACD player for some time now, but
* * no such luck. I don't even know anyone personally who has one. Gene Rubin, my audio dealer,
* * does not offer a single SACD player. I've been planning on revisiting SACD, especially since a
* * couple of audio notables objected to my premature eulogy of it a few columns back. I have heard
* * SACD on a few occasions, but that was either at the Consumer Electronics Show or a dealer's
* * showroom. I liked it much more than regular CD, but it's hard to make a decision unless it's in
* * your own audio system. Something tells me that as good as SACD is, it can't beat listening to
* * LP's on a world-class turntable.
* * But if I get an SACD player, DSOTM will probably be the first title I'll buy. And then I'll
* * have four versions. It never ends, does it?
* * * * * * * * * * * * *Contact the Vinyl Anachronist at vinylanach@aol.com
* * * * * * * * * * * * * _________________________________________________
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *Check out the rest of PERFECT SOUND FOREVER
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * MAIN PAGE ARTICLES STAFF/FAVORITE MUSIC LINKS
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * http://www.perfectsoundforever.com
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Part XL: Tales from the Dark Side
* * I predict that by the end of this year, everyone in the world will know what the initials
* * "DSOTM" mean.
* * I started spotting this little acronym out of the corner of my eye about a year ago. It seemed
* * that every audio and music magazine was talking about DSOTM, and I rolled my eyes and told
* * myself that I'd have to take the time and figure out what they were talking about. Was it a new
* * digital format, like SACD or DVD-A? Was it a new type of processing, like DTS? Was it a new
* * style of cable interface, like AES/EBU?
* * No, no, and no. "DSOTM" stands for Dark Side of the Moon. Yes, the Pink Floyd album. Yes, the
* * one that stayed on the Billboard charts for nine-hundred-and-something weeks. Evidently the
* * hottest news in music this year is a thirty-year-old album. I'm seeing kids in their early
* * teens wearing DSOTM T-shirts. Go figure.
* * It IS the thirtieth anniversary of DSOTM, though, and of course that means a "new,"
* * collectable, remastered version had to be released, just like on its 25th anniversary and its
* * 20th and so on. But this year, there's a lot of hype, mostly because DSOTM was released on
* * SACD, the one new digital format I actually like. Over the last year or so, software support
* * for SACD has been steadily growing to the point where there are currently over 1000 titles
* * available. SACD is starting to look like a success story, albeit a modest one. Last year, when
* * Abkco released most of the Rolling Stones catalog on SACD, many people took that as a sign to
* * go ahead and buy an SACD player. Earlier this year, a big chunk of the Dylan catalog was
* * released in that format too. Now, with DSOTM on SACD, interest in the format has increased
* * again. I may start to look at SACD players again this Christmas.
* * Ironically, two things happened after the release of DSOTM earlier this year. First, there was
* * a bit of a controversy over the reg'lar CD layer on the SACD. Many SACD discs now come with
* * dual layers, one CD, and the other SACD, ostensibly so one can compare the difference, among
* * other reasons. Well, the CD layer of DSOTM supposedly sounds like shit. I haven't subjected
* * myself to the horror of yet another abysmally poor-sounding CD but the word is that it sounds
* * compressed, distorted, and basically unlistenable, and there is some conjecture among the
* * conspiracy buffs that this was done to further underline the superior sound of SACD. After all,
* * as we've learned from the LP vs. CD debacle, buying something because it sounds better is not
* * necessarily an easy sell.
* * But the other thing that happened is much more interesting, at least to me. An LP version was
* * also released, and those in the know discovered that this was the one to own, the best-sounding
* * DSOTM ever. Now, let me go on record (no pun intended!) and say that while I am a big Floyd
* * fan, DSOTM is by no means my favorite Floyd album. That honor would go to Meddle. In fact,
* * DSOTM isn't even among my top three choices for Pink Floyd. I've always felt that DSOTM was
* * heavy on gimmicks, and light on actual music. Hell, there's only really four or five real songs
* * on the thing. But I have to respect its historical significance. DSOTM was a sonic benchmark.
* * It sounded ten times better than every other rock album made up to that point. In fact, it
* * still sounds incredible, even on CD!
* * And, strangely enough, considering my relative indifference to it, DSOTM is now the only album
* * where I own THREE DIFFERENT VERSIONS. I've plenty of titles that I've doubled up on, be it one
* * copy on CD and one copy on LP, or one copy on LP, and one copy on some special audiophile
* * version. But I own three versions of DSOTM: a Mobile Fidelity LP, a Japanese EMI CD, and now
* * the new thirtieth anniversary LP that comes with cool posters and stickers and stuff. I took a
* * chance, plunked down my $30, and listened anew. Yes, I have to admit that listening to this
* * version, on my awesome new turntable, was almost like listening to it for the first time.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * _______________________________________________
* * "Speak To Me"
* * Actually, this isn't a real song, but a slowly building crescendo of sound effects, voices, and
* * screams that sets the tone for the rest of the album. As the scream builds toward the end and
* * segues into "Breathe," it should induce goose-pimples. Actually, however, on this version the
* * crescendo was a little anti-climactic, because there was quite a bit of surface noise in the
* * opening grooves that really never subsided until the mix got loud and noisy. As much as I live
* * and breathe by the superiority of LP's over CD's, excessive surface noise still really bums me
* * out. I tried cleaning the LP again with my Nitty Gritty machine, and much of the noise
* * disappeared, but there was still SOME, enough for me to contemplate sending it back and getting
* * another copy. But what a pain in the ass that is, especially since I ordered it on the
* * Internet. I decided to deal with ninety seconds of pops and ticks, especially considering that
* * the ubiquitous heartbeat that runs through the album sounded deeper and clearer than I'd ever
* * heard before.
* * "Breathe"
* * Now we're cookin' with fire, I thought. The surface noise disappeared, and the heavens opened,
* * as they do so often now with my new killer 'table. Crystal clear and potent. Authoritative. Not
* * bad for 1973.
* * "On The Run"
* * More gimmicky sound effects, and a really, obnoxious, compressed crash at the end, but this
* * track really excited me for a couple of reasons. First, the loud, zooming tape effect that
* * sweeps from side to side several times during the song now actually travels in an arc TOWARD
* * THE LISTENER, and then away. I almost ducked. Also, you can really follow the movements of the
* * "fugitive" all over the soundstage. No, you can't tell what brand of shoes he's wearing (maybe
* * the SACD reveals that), but you can make educated guesses.
* * "Time"
* * Honestly, this song has always kind of annoyed me with all of the clocks binging and ringing
* * and clanging at the beginning. Traditionally I turn the volume down a tad when this happens,
* * but this time I let it ride. And, for the first time, it didn't sound like a recording of a
* * bunch of clocks ringing at the same time. It sounded like I was in a room with a bunch of
* * clocks that were ringing at the same time. I could focus not only on the sound of each
* * individual clock much more easily, but I could also pinpoint its location in the room. It was
* * exhilarating, instead of annoying, probably as Floyd originally intended. I also noticed how
* * much the rest of the song is cut from the same cloth as "Breathe," as if they'd been recorded
* * one after the other on the same cloudy English afternoon.
* * "The Great Gig in the Sky"
* * Or, as we all used to call it back in the '70's, "The Orgasm Song." Not since Ravel's Bolero...
* * well, you get the idea. Again, this song was never my cup of tea, mostly because it was so
* * weird and different for Floyd. I mean, back when we were teenagers, we used to giggle all
* * through this song. Now, I think it's a great song. And one thing this new version does is
* * really flesh out Clare Torry's impassioned vocals (I just got into an argument with someone who
* * swore the singer was Aretha or Gladys or someone more "famous"). As the song ends, and her
* * singing grows more calm, sedate, and centered, you can practically hear her light up a
* * cigarette.
* * "Money"
* * Along with "Young Lust," this is the rare song where Pink Floyd really lets loose and rocks
* * (yes, I hate writing that phrase as much as you hate reading it). This time, however, I clearly
* * understood why this song has so much momentum and power. It's David Gilmour's guitar. For the
* * entire length of the song, Gilmour never lets up. He's inventive, he's musical, he's clever,
* * he's concise. Gilmour has always been one of my very favorite rock guitarists because he's not
* * interested in wowing you with technique or speed. He plays the song. Every note is the right
* * note in his solos. He's a very emotional player, and this really comes out, of all places, in a
* * song about cynicism, avarice, and ruthlessness.
* * "Us and Them"
* * I've mentioned this before, but I love this song for the simple reason that my mom once came
* * into my room while I was playing it, and she said, "This is a really beautiful song. Why don't
* * you listen to more music like this?" For years afterward I referred to her as a Pink Floyd
* * groupie. On this version however, I was disappointed with the overall sound quality. This has
* * nothing to do with the format, but with the recording itself, and the harsh compression during
* * the louder sections. I think there's just too much going on in the mix, and it all fades into a
* * homogenous mess. That's the problem with having high-quality playback equipment, that you can't
* * polish a turd sometimes. You get what you get. In general terms, the song doesn't sound that
* * bad, but the flaws are severely highlighted in contrast with the rest of the album.
* * "Any Colour You Like," "Brain Damage," & "Eclipse"
* * I'll condense the last three tracks together, mostly because I view it as a suite rather than
* * three separate songs. I didn't really have any unique observations during the LP's final
* * minutes, other than the sound quality continued to be superb, even after the muddle of "Us and
* * Them." I found myself anticipating the fade out however, with the heart beating and the quiet
* * proclamation that there is no dark side of the moon (in fact, it's all dark). Until I purchased
* * my Japanese EMI import CD, I'd never even noticed that last voice. I was hoping that the voice
* * would be louder and clearer on this new LP than the CD, but it wasn't. Perhaps that's the way
* * it was meant to be.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * _______________________________________________
* * Of course I had to compare this new LP to my two other versions. First up was the Mobile
* * Fidelity LP, which I bought in the late 70's. I actually owned a garden-variety DSOTM once upon
* * a time, but I gave it to a friend when I bought this version. At one time this was the most
* * valuable LP in my collection, capable of fetching anywhere from $125 to $175 over the years.
* * Imagine my disgust when I placed it on the Michell Orbe SE and was overwhelmed by surface
* * noise. I'm not sure what happened to it, since I've probably only played it two or three times
* * in my life, but it was definitely not up to my standards. I'd probably be lucky if I could get
* * eight bucks for it now.
* * The Japanese import CD actually did very well. I bought this back when compact discs were new
* * and exciting. In fact, this was the first import CD I ever purchased. I remember being amazed
* * at how quiet it was (and still is), and how you could really hear what all the voices were
* * saying in the background. During casual listening, I might actually prefer this CD to the new
* * LP, especially if I decided to use headphones, as DSOTM fans like to do. But when the gimmicks
* * fade out, and the band starts playing actual songs with actual musical instruments, the lively,
* * exciting LP walks all over the quiet, pristine CD.
* * So what about the SACD? Well, I've been trying to borrow an SACD player for some time now, but
* * no such luck. I don't even know anyone personally who has one. Gene Rubin, my audio dealer,
* * does not offer a single SACD player. I've been planning on revisiting SACD, especially since a
* * couple of audio notables objected to my premature eulogy of it a few columns back. I have heard
* * SACD on a few occasions, but that was either at the Consumer Electronics Show or a dealer's
* * showroom. I liked it much more than regular CD, but it's hard to make a decision unless it's in
* * your own audio system. Something tells me that as good as SACD is, it can't beat listening to
* * LP's on a world-class turntable.
* * But if I get an SACD player, DSOTM will probably be the first title I'll buy. And then I'll
* * have four versions. It never ends, does it?
* * * * * * * * * * * * *Contact the Vinyl Anachronist at vinylanach@aol.com
* * * * * * * * * * * * * _________________________________________________
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *Check out the rest of PERFECT SOUND FOREVER
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * MAIN PAGE ARTICLES STAFF/FAVORITE MUSIC LINKS
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * http://www.perfectsoundforever.com