Talking Heads - Brick set Dual Discs

I call bull on this (regarding the errors, not the thickness). I routinely scan different kinds of CDs (and CD-Rs) to measure correctable and uncorrectable errors using Plextools Professional. When I've scanned the CD side of DualDiscs, I get no more errors than the typical new CD. In fact, I've had some new DCC Gold discs (with a flawless surface under a magnifying glass) show higher errors than some DualDiscs.

 

I guess it's nothing for me, then. I'll seek out vinyl or redbook or a download, but I will not invest one dime in the Dual Disc format.

 

I thought this TH box would be my first DD purchase, but if the Hi-rez stereo and the CD layers is anything less than outstanding, it may not happen.

 

Ah, yes, but just how resilient to normal wear and tear will those ultra-thin CD sides be in comparison to an actual CD? That is what concerns me the most after the fact that they will not play in my players.

 

I played the dvd side[speaking in tounges disc] on my dvd player and the Dolby Digital audio wasn't just in 5.1 there is a stereo version also btw.

 

Everyone has been raving about the fact they mixed discretely to 5.1 but how is the sound quality? Does it suffer from compression and bad EQ choices? Is it a flat transfer? Does it have a nice analog sound to it, and not harsh cold digital? How is the CD side for sound quality?

Seems like no one has chimed in on this yet

 

The cd side of S.I.T sounds good and the dvd side isnn't bad either imho.

 

I'm going to go listen to them now, but here's a picture of the cds open and the pictures that are included:

 

Some details.

I played these on my Pioneer 47ai hooked via the 6 channel output to my Harman Kardon Preamp. I wrote down the information given to me using the display button and switching channels with the Audio button on the DVD-Audio side and the Setup menu using the DVD-Video side.

Talking Heads 77 : Thank You For Sending Me an Angel

DVD-Audio Portion of the disc
Audio 1: PPCM 96Khz, 24 bit 3/2.1 Average TR : 7.0-7.2Mbps
Audio 2: PPCM 96Khz, 24 bit 2/0 Average TR: 2.4-2.7Mbps

DVD-Video Portion:
Audio 1: Dolby Digital 3/2.1 Average TR .4Mbps
Audio 2: Dolby Stereo 2/0 Average TR .2Mbs

The DVD-A 3/2.1 TR rate for the song Paper on Fear of Music was 8.2-8.4Mbps.

Naked's Nothing But Flowers DVD-A TR 3/2.1 TR rate was 5.5Mbps. I think it's because the album is very long.

The PPCM looks like it stands for Packed Pulse Code Modulation: A loseless compression system that enables more PCM audio to be stored on a DVD-Audio disc than would otherwise be possible.

This site (http://www.hifi-writer.com/he/applianceretailer/dvda-sacd.htm) says it's another name for MLP.

MLP – Meridian Lossless Packing, the digital encoding technique used for DVD Audio. This is based on the PCM system used for CDs, but uses a higher sampling frequency (typically 88.2kHz or 96kHz for six channel signals and up to 192kHz for stereo signals, compared with CD’s 44.1kHz) and greater resolution (up to 24 bits, compared with CD’s 16, yielding 256 times CD’s resolution). It also employs a special compression technique developed by the British company Meridian which, unlike Dolby Digital and DTS, preserves the original signal perfectly.

 

Wow, thanks for that information! I might be buying my first DualDiscs . . . if the reports about the mastering quality of the DVD-Audio stereo layer are good (i.e., little or no noise reduction, good/careful EQ choices, little or no compression, etc.). Still waiting on those reports to start coming in.

I remain terrified about putting these damn DualDiscs into my equipment, but the promises of these high-resolution Talking Heads recordings is finally starting to convince me to take the chance.

Thanks again for reporting on that technical information for us.

Craig(VC).

 

okay, I'm still on the fence here as to whether I should grab the brick or impatiently wait for the individual releases.

a> do the discs in the brick share the same catalog number, or are there separate catalog numbers for each disc?

b> the first five are no-brainers, but I'm less convinced regarding the last three. what (if any) is the sonic improvement (on the CD side) of 'True Stories', 'Naked' and 'Little Creatures' over the old ones?

c> is there ANY artwork in the brick that makes it worth buying over the individual discs?

my suspicion at the moment is that the only REAL appeal of the brick over the individual releases is that it's being issued first. and at $200CDN for five discs I want and three I'm not so sure about, I'm kinda wary of buyer's remorse.

 

I remember regretting not buying the Dylan SACD boxes, but ultimately getting the single releases for $4 each through BMG just a few months later. I'm going to hold out for a bit, wait and see what the box is selling for on Black Friday, etc.

 

Listen to them with the band

Saw this on the PR newswire today:

Panasonic ELS Surround Listening Events in NYC for Talking Heads Box Set

Two listening events for the release of the Talking Heads' catalog in DVD- A will be held October 6. Press is invited to join members of the band for food, drinks and listening at two locations:
3:00 - 5:00 - Avatar Studios, 441 West 53rd Street
And at the legendary landmark that launched Talking Heads' career
7:00p - 10:00p - CBGB, 315 Bowery
Cars equipped with the ELS Surround audio system will be available at both events to hear the music in an acoustically-correct environment.

You must RSVP with your name and press affiliation to 248-430-2643 to be admitted.

MEDIA CONTACTS: William Pritchard, [email protected] , Jeff Samuels, [email protected] , both of Panasonic; or Beth Dempsey of Day-Forbes, [email protected] .

PRNewswire -- Sept. 29

 

This means that Elliot Scheiner did have something to do with these discs!

 

I've never heard an automobile sound system referred to as "an acoustically-correct environment." When I read that sentence I pictured the original Talking Heads recording sessions as if the band were crammed into a sedan with their instruments and amplifiers!



Craig(VC).

 

I have one, and boy, is it ever! I find it very hard to leave the car!

 

Finally got to pick up mine....very spiffy, neat package, hope everything lives up to expectations....

 

Still waiting for mine to be delivered......

Well it was waiting at the post office....now I am listening to TH 77 in 5:1

 

Mine just showed up. Talking Heads '77 locked up my pioneer 578 in advanced resolution modes.

 

can anyone yet confirm if the discs have separate catalog numbers for each title or if there's one single number for them all?

 

Separate catalog #s, but since there is no side markings or back cover on the outside, just a white jewel box, the individual releases will probably have different #s anyway.

 

Any chance Rhino might out out David Byrne's 'Catherine Wheel' with the remastered audio on one side and the video of the ballet on the other side? (I've got the old Nonesuch laserdisc, but I'd love to upgrade)

Has anyone heard anything about remasters of the solo (and Tom Tom Club) albums? (I know enoweb mentioned that 'Bush Of Ghosts' wouldn't be in the "original masters" series because Byrne was preparing an extended version for US release, but they caveat-ed that with an "it may just be a rumor" - doesn't seem like much of a stretch that the fans who would shell out for the brick would also want the concurrent solo stuff.)

 

Yes, let's petition for Jerry's "The Red and the Black" to get Dual'd.

Have you ever needed a gram ? Well I have ...

or was it a dime ?

See it needs to be reissued so I can check.

 

Got ahold of my copy today . I sampled some tracks from 'Remain in Light" and "Fear of Music" on both the CD and DVD sides. Some excellent concert footage as well .

andI know this may sound like heresy on this board, but I preferred the Dolby Digital 5.1 tracks to the DVD-Audio, probably because my player can only play 2 CH DVD Audio and I have small speakers. But hearing the "Remain in Light" tracks in surround, with all the different parts, was truly relevatory

 

I am truly sorry for those who hate/can't/won't use Dual Discs. This is the best collection of Hi-Rez I have heard. Makes me curse UMG on not releasing those Steely Dan discs. I don't think we will ever get another collection like this in Hi-Rez again...TFB