11.1 channel studio mix of Soundgarden's Superunknown

2-feign-reluctance

Oh fuck people! This was a nice surprise that came with the deluxe box set.
www.soundgardenworld.com/superunknownx
Listening to the playback right now with a pair of AT studio headphones, and I'm pretty sure I've never heard the record like this before. Highly recommend ordering this deluxe set.

BinFrog

Jesus I am out of the surround sound loop. They are up to 11.1 (11.2?) now?!?! Good lord.

2-feign-reluctance

That's what I said. I have never had a surround system, ever. Still rocking my 2 channel Jensen's from 1993. This is mix was designed for headphone (2 channel) playback though. Its amazing. Everything is spread out in a way where you can hear a shitload of nuances and parts that I never picked up before.

2-feign-reluctance

Its such a fresh take on this record - yeah, I'm playing it back on an iPhone app with quality headphones - which may not be ideal, but I'm not lying here people. If you love this record, really love this record, this set has been worth every penny.

BinFrog

the mix is designed for the new 11.1 dts:x headsets as far as I can tell.

2-feign-reluctance

The download card says to enjoy the album 'in the most immersive and realistic surround sound using any set of headphones.' I'd say what I'm hearing is just that.

BinFrog

Sounds like that's just a stereo mix of the 11.1 mix. You can't have an immersive surround sound experience with 99.99% of existing headphones on the market...they are simply stereo. No doubt you are hearing things for the first time with the new mix, but you're not listening to it in 11.1.

toolfan2305

Haters gonna hate

BinFrog

toolfan2305 said:

Haters gonna hate

...ok?

Newch91

Exciting to hear! I need to pick up this set. One of my all-time favorite albums by anyone. It amazes me how great it is.

2-feign-reluctance

BinFrog said:

Sounds like that's just a stereo mix of the 11.1 mix. You can't have an immersive surround sound experience with 99.99% of existing headphones on the market...they are simply stereo. No doubt you are hearing things for the first time with the new mix, but you're not listening to it in 11.1.

Lets just say what I heard today was incredible & worth getting if you love this record.

2-feign-reluctance

Worth buying - all the way from the book, packaging to the 5 discs of content. Hearing Cornell's 10 minute version of 'Like Suicide' was a real highlight.

BinFrog

2-feign-reluctance said:

BinFrog said:

Sounds like that's just a stereo mix of the 11.1 mix. You can't have an immersive surround sound experience with 99.99% of existing headphones on the market...they are simply stereo. No doubt you are hearing things for the first time with the new mix, but you're not listening to it in 11.1.

Lets just say what I heard today was incredible & worth getting if you love this record.

I'm down with that.

MedozK

2-feign-reluctance said:

Oh fuck people! This was a nice surprise that came with the deluxe box set.
www.soundgardenworld.com/superunknownx
Listening to the playback right now with a pair of AT studio headphones, and I'm pretty sure I've never heard the record like this before. Highly recommend ordering this deluxe set.

Wow.. very cool.. Had no idea about this

2-feign-reluctance

The app has a DTS demo and asks you to choose how you are listening: in the ear buds, over the ears and sitting on the ears headphones. There is a function to turn off the DTS as well. So during the demo it goes through a soundcheck of 11 different channels, and even in these shitty iPod headphones here at work, you can hear its channel represented - the high left and right and rear left and right are the most interesting dynamic in the soundcheck and when I'm listening because its clear even though I'm wearing two channels, how everything is nicely spread across those different parts of the stereo field. No, its not sitting in a DTS theater with 11 physical speakers surrounding me, but what I'm hearing is Superunknown in 11 channels, there is sound coming at me in every place the demo produced. I can hear panning of instruments, placement of different parts of Matt's drum kit, all of Thayil's guitar parts, and Cornell's amazing vocals (which is the best part of this experience after one listen).

I'm no 'sound expert' but I am an indie musician with experience in a studio and at home with my own hand mixing instruments, setting up arrangements, microphone placements, etc., So maybe I hear things a bit differently than the average listener - I don't know - but I can clue into both the 'whole' and individual parts without much effort. So, to me this immersive experience is all ear candy to me regardless of what science says is really going on when I'm listening. Guess I should also throw in to the equation that I've been listening to this record since the day it came out on CD (I was 16 at the time) and there is what is burned into my mind through repetition - my mind's recall of Superunknown, one that I can hear in my head if I simply think about it, and then there is this new sound experience that I'm babbling on about in this thread.

These new DTS headphones sound neat, but I would challenge whether they really make what I"m hearing sound so different. Again, through both a $200+ pair of studio headphones (mid-range quality compared to the ones that are thousands of $$) and crappy, free iPod headphones. As far as getting the Blu-Ray disc that came with this set to a proper DTS 11.1 channel surround sound system, yes, I'd fucking love to compare that to this experience I've typed about. I recall the first 7.1 channel experience I had at a friend's parent's place. The Dad had invested some major $$ on the whole thing - names of components I'd never heard of in my life. We threw on a then, 7 channel DVD audio version of Dark Side of The Moon and I remember having a similar listening experience to this Soundgarden DTS experience. Things swirling all around me, like each and every part had breathing room, but the album was all familiar.

BinFrog

Cool. I am a sound/audio guy (I record music, play music, and I have a sick surround sound system capable of playing 5.1 SACD and DVD-Audio discs). I'm just trying to state the facts.

You are essentially hearing a remixed/remastered stereo version through your stereo headphones...there's nothing else your headphones can do. And it's awesome that the version sounds new to you and has a whole new depth and complexity to it, but it's stereo. I've had similar experiences with remixed discs (Rush's "Vapor Trails" comes to mind). It's astounding what they can do when they go back and revisit the original master tapes. In the hands of the right audio engineer, you can do amazing things with a simple stereo mix.

I love surround sound music, so to read up on the new 11.1 format making an entrance, I'm all in. I would love to hear this album in both stereo and 11.1. I'm sure it sounds great.

2-feign-reluctance

Switched over to over the ears headphones & selected that setting in the app. I must have not selected it right when I originally posted because upon another listen, this mix is really something to behold. Worth the cost of the set alone.

Enzed

I listened to Head Down on my iPod with my normal in-ear buds, them immediately listened to the DTS App one. It's like 2D vs. 3D.

2-feign-reluctance

Enzed said:

I listened to Head Down on my iPod with my normal in-ear buds, them immediately listened to the DTS App one. It's like 2D vs. 3D.

Good way of putting it. Now add some over the ear cans for some good bass/depth & wait for your mind to be blown!

buck502000

I would love to hear this in 11.1 but I do not want to buy the whole deluxe package.

benjs

The Best Buy exclusive edition is only $21USD and includes a download code for the Headphone-X version! If someone wants the CD for $6, I'll gladly PayPal them $15 for the download code. This isn't available in Canada, hence why I'd need your help!

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/superunknown-best-buy-exclusive-cd/6336519.p?id=3239870&skuId=6336519&st=soundgarden superunknown deluxe&lp=3&cp=1

2-feign-reluctance

buck502000 said:

I would love to hear this in 11.1 but I do not want to buy the whole deluxe package.

There is no way to share the DTS app & download. Guess someone could always make a copy of the 5th disc which is a BR disc, but I don't have that kind of gear.

buck502000

How did it work? I mean, I could get the app for my iPhone and the files are stored somewhere on your computer, right, as you downloaded them?

2-feign-reluctance

They are loaded into the app - not anywhere else. Stay tuned...

buck502000

was in the US last week. I picked up the Bestbuy version. Totally digging the app. Probably because I am a giant Soundgarden fan.

2-feign-reluctance

buck502000 said:

was in the US last week. I picked up the Bestbuy version. Totally digging the app. Probably because I am a giant Soundgarden fan.

The mix on the app is just astounding! It was almost like hearing it brand new for the first time.

buck502000

I like some off the demo work. I also noticed on the remastered version of Superunknown, it appears Kim has brought the guitars forward in the mix. Which makes sense because he oversaw the whole thing. I wonder if any other bands might use the 11.1 mix app thing?

2-feign-reluctance

Supposedly we'll be seeing more mixes like this in the future from other bands.

hrd2imgn

this is lame, I have a android with a version after the min, but somehow not compatible. Why not just make a fucking desktop app. So I have to use half my wife's memory on her phone to get this to work. Poor job Soundgarden of making this accessible, why do I want to play hi fidelity off a phone

2-feign-reluctance

Trust me, you want to hear this with over the ear headphones (an actual option you can choose) & no other way.

2-feign-reluctance

I just ordered the Best Buy version for $20 and got the DTS download with it. Lost it when I updated to iPhone 6. Still fucking awesome. Anyone else enjoying this?