Enhanced Musical Appreciation

…in the form of set of digital wireless headphones.  I know people have been enjoying music on headphones for quite some time, but these are digital (super high quality) and wireless, avoiding the need to string a long cable between the stereo and the headphones – you can walk around with them on, which is much more convenient.  I got them for my birthday and recently began listening to a series of CDs I’ve had, but until recently have not been able to fully appreciate them.  The best I can imagine describing it is like being INSIDE a fishbowl or aquarium with the fish and marine life, instead of simply seeing a 2 dimensional painting. 

 Some of the “quad” mixes are Hybrid SACD, so they’ll play in regular CD players – like the CD player in your car stereo.  But others are DVD-Video, so they only play on DVD players.

 The Moody Blues, Days of Future Passed.  The Moody Blues albums, from Days onward, are all in stereo – no mono versions.  In fact, the label expressly intended Days to be a showcase of its new stereo technology (1967).  In 1972 Days and the subsequent albums (except for In Search of the Lost Chord) were remixed in quadraphonic sound.  The recent releases are in Hybrid SACD format, meaning they play on regular CD players.  Nonethless, the effect in quad is fanatastic. 

 Black Sabbath, Paranoid.  This is a recent Deluxe Edition, the quad version is in DVD-Video format (only plays on DVD players).  This was the only Black Sabbath album that has a quad mix.  On the headphones, the air raid siren on “War Pigs” pans from left to right. 

 Pink Floyd, Dark Side of the Moon.  I had gotten this a few years ago – this edition has the album cover looking like a stained glass window.  It’s Hybrid SACD so it plays on regular CD players.  As you can imagine, this album in true quad is phenomenal.  "On the Run", a song I usually don't care for, is much better, "Money" is far more intense, "Us and Them" has more depth, and "Any Colour You Like" really hits you in the nuts.  Awesome!

 King Crimson.  In the Court of the Crimson King, Lizard, and Red.  These were recently remixed in 5.1 Surround by Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree.  The 5.1 remixes are in DVD-Video format, so they only play on DVD players.  Of the three, Lizard is by far the most dazzling in its remix: there is lots of stuff going on that you’d never notice in a non-quad mix. 

 Deep Purple, “Maybe I’m A Leo” and “Lazy”, from Machine Head.   Good versions, but not as impressive as the other ones.

 I still have a few to listen to: Brothers in Arms (Dire Straits), Stormbringer (Deep Purple), Still Life (Opeth), Paradise Lost (Symphony X), and Systematic Chaos (Dream Theater).  These are all 5.1 Surround/DVD-Video format CDs which will not play on a regular CD player.   I also have Aerosmith’s Toys in the Attic, which doesn’t play in anything, because it’s in DVD-Audio format; to my knowledge only Playstation 3’s will play that format – none of the DVD players at Best Buy will.