New Pixies box set: Minotaur (Deluxe Edition)*

Ah, right. Good point. It's been a long time since I put a DVD-Audio disc into a DVD video (only) player. . . .

But I can't imagine a single disc having room for the entire Pixies catalog in DTS 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Digital 2.0, and DVD-Audio of at least 96/24.

So count me as still confused, despite all the photos.

Craig.

 

It seems, from reading a post on the Pixies website forum board, that the set, in fact, only includes 1 Blu-Ray disc with all the albums and videos inclusive on the one disc. There are 2 DVDs, and it seems that all the albums are on one DVD, while the videos are spread out between the two discs and the live show is only on DVD 2. The post doesn't indicate if the live show is also on the Blu-Ray disc (as it was supposed to be).

From reading the description of the set on the Artists in Residence website (both the one with the vinyl and the one without), it would seem you would get a CD, DVD and Blu-Ray for every album - but it seems that is not the case.

I guess we will have to wait for a more inclusive review of this set to be very sure of what is what, and whether the Blu-Ray disc(s) include both 5.1 and stereo mixes at 192/24.

 

A member of the Quadraphonicquad Forum has just confirmed that the versions on the DVD are only DTS and Dolby (no high-rez!). All albums are on one DVD and the surround mix seems to be pretty bad (just reverb on the rears). So if you don't have a Blu-ray Player, you won't get any high-rez. That's more than disappointing cause it still says on the A+R Site:

Includes all five Pixies' studio albums (Come on Pilgrim, Surfer Rosa, Doolittle, Bossanova, and Trompe le Monde) in the following formats: 24k gold plated CD's; five 12" - 180 gram virgin vinyl LP's cut from the original analog tapes; Blu-ray audio mastered for 5.1 surround sound and 2 channel stereo at 24/192; DVD mastered for 5.1 surround sound and 2 channel stereo at 24/96.

At that price it's more than a typo in my book.

 

Thanks for the info. I am staying away from this release. I did read that they were not remastering the audio, so I guess they created fake 5.1 mixes to "lure" people into purchasing the set that might want surround sound.

I'll stick with my original CDs and the MOFI SACDs.

 

Well, that sucks. I'm breathing a sigh of relief that I wasn't tempted to buy this box set. It's looking more and more like an aesthetically pleasing ripoff that doesn't deliver the goods sonically (unless you have a Blu-Ray player, arguably, and I don't), the more I learn about it now that it's been released.

Like MikeT, I'm very happy with the SACDs, and just hope that MFSL will find a way to continue and complete the SACD series.

Craig.

 

I was tempted to buy this set, glad I didn't.

 

Unboxing video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTTfVqhZs6I

 

Just finished watching it... it looks like A+R used felt inner sleeves on this... they did the same thing for the Beck box that I bought from them and these sleeves are HORRIBLE. They're just a little bit too small for the record, so you end up having to pull the record out with some force instead of it just slipping out.

Looks like the smaller books in the standard Deluxe Edition contains all of the artwork from the big book, just miniaturized.

Can anyone confirm what masterings are used on this? The standard 4AD?

 

Has anyone here gotten this set as wondering if the surrounds put on the BR sound any better than the DTS\DD only on the Dvd's in this same set.
There sure isn't much information on this set, maybe everyone staying away like me due to the high price for something of unknown quality.

 

I know it's not an apples to apples comparison, but the deluxe edition of The Velvet Underground - New York Art book has 2 rare acetate tracks (both on 45 and CD) from Mo Tucker's personal collection and the edition has been signed by Lou, Mo and Doug Yule. I preordered bought mine at Amazon for around $185. The editon size is 400.

I think I got the better deal.

Btw, 3000 is a huge edition considering the price tag IMHO.

 

as i am a collector of vaughan oliver artwork, i got the "little" deluxe edition at 110£ on amazon uk
The package is amazing ...
i can do pics if you let me understand REALLY what u want - considering i'm not english mother tongue...

FYI i am really happy with that beautiful set - i would have refused , like all of you as i understand to get the one with the lps
1. the price is far too high
2. i hate the cover with that sort of c##K.

 

abor1g (and whoever else has bought this thing): can you provide a little information on the actual audio content? It seems confirmed that the DVDs do not include PCM 5.1 audio. What about the BluRay disc? What audio format have they used for it? And is the 5.1 mix so horrible as some people claim? Thanks.

 

I just looked on amazon and they made no mention of it being signed. What gives?

 

Some useful informations can be found here:

http://www.quadraphonicquad.com/for...-Blu-Ray-Disc-Audio-continues-with-The-Pixies

 

Thanks. This thing is definitely dropping out of my shopping list.

 

I would definitely like to acquire the Blu-ray Disc without paying for everything else.
Having all the albums in 24/192 on one disc is a great idea, mastered from the original analogue tapes.

Shame AiR aren't offering just the BD separately.

 

Uncompressed 24/192 can only be stereo not 5.1, so considering the little attention they gave to the audio in the box and the period of the recordings I would not rule out that 24/192 could just be an upsampled version of the same mastering used for the CDs.

 

Isn't that similar to what happened to the DVD-Audio version of Led Zeppelin's How The West Was Won. I recall reading that while the DVD-Audio of HTWWW offered a limited surround mix, the audio quality was the same if not identical to the run of the mill red book pcm compact disc.

Cheers, Michael

 

Really? It's the first thing I hear about that... That would be disappointing!

 

sorry i am unable to answer you : i only have a stereo system, based on what was done in the seventies...
so no surround, no dts no blueray or whatever...

i frankly dont know if it's worth having all this...
i feel sometimes like being a... dinosaur

 

what i can tell you is that the vinyls are not fantastic... i have the originals ( i am a vaughan oliver collector) but the comparison between the vinyls and the dvd doesnot make me happy to have these analogic items. i may keep these for the artwork and the booklets... period.
does it mean that the dvd is good ? i dunno
i prefer that dvd sound, yes... and my system is not that bad... considering what Mickael Fremer says about the pro ject III debut.

 

How The West Was Won DVD-Audio Revie

I finally got around to looking for the review.

http://www.highfidelityreview.com/reviews/review.asp?reviewnumber=14072126

Cheers, Michael

 

Well, that review points out the surround mix is nothing to write home about; it doesn't say anything about it being merely an upsample of the CD version...

 

You are probably looking at the (unsigned) regular edition. The deluxe edition has long sold out at Amazon.