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Reviews: The Doors: Waiting For The Sun

Reviews: 1

Review by Audioflea February 28, 2013 (3 of 4 found this review helpful)
Sonics:  
First-time release of The Doors 6-album catalog on SACD from Analog Productions. Each disc contains both multi-channel and stereo. The surround sound layer comes from the original 96K, 24-bit files that were originally mixed and mastered for the 2006 DVD Audio Doors/Perception release. For stereo purists, the re-mastered, hi-rez stereo layers on all of the discs are fantastic and have never sounded better. However, in my opinion, it’s the multi-channel presentation that, when done right, takes this music to a whole different level. My reviews are based solely on the quality and fullness of the stage presence of the multi-channel layer of each respective disc in the set.

On the classic 1-10 scale, IMHO, here’s how each disc ranks in quality and fullness of the stage presence of the 5.1 layer. Strange Days (9) The Soft Parade (9), LA Woman (8.5), Morrison Hotel (7.5), Waiting for the Sun (7), The Doors (3)

Note that, with few exceptions, the multi-channel layer on all of the Doors discs puts Jim Morrison’s vocal almost exclusively in the center channel, so your enjoyment of the surround-sound experience is going to be directly proportional to the quality of your center speaker. And what better reason to upgrade your CC?


Waiting For The Sun

Slightly less dynamic, over all, in the multi-channel presentation than the “Soft Parade” and “Strange Days” discs. But at its best, “Waiting For The Sun” disc is as good as "LA Woman" and "Morrison Hotel" in many ways. The strength of the multi-channel layer is the crystal-clear vocal that booms from the center channel. When blended with other vocals or instrumentation from the 4-corner channels, there really is nothing like it. Although the guitars & keyboards generally act in more of a supporting role, with regards to multi-channeling, it seems to have been done so by design. In fact, it’s really pretty genius when you listen carefully. In the tracks that utilize the “less-is-more” approach, the reserved presentation actually helps pull out some really great buried subtleties. For instance, back-channel whistling at the end of “Love Street” and Morrison’s restrained, yet clearly audible, groaning in-between lyrics on “Not To Touch The Earth”.

However, to be sure, sonic subtlety is not necessarily the over-riding theme of this disc. I give you the following highlight exceptions:


Track 4—Summer’s Almost Gone; Crystal clear snares and cymbals back Morrison’s driving vocals from the center channel as it pierces the psychedelic landscape that is provided by the keyboards and guitar that swirl around, to-and-fro, between the front and back corner channels. This is some really trippy stuff; rivaling some of the gloomiest moods ever presented by the band in the new 5.1 format.

Track 6—The Unknown Soldier; Starting with Morrison’s eerie, lone vocal that laments from out of the center channel in the first few beats of the track, followed shortly by a sonic bombardment from Manzerik’s key boards that seem to come from every direction. Then marching boots parade from behind your left shoulder, circles around clockwise until it’s finally broken down by the sound of an omni-present drum role; then finally concludes with the sound of gun fire and tower- bells that echo across the sound stage. This song has never sounded more powerful; ever!

Track 10—Yes, The River Knows; Just center-channel Morrison, steeped in 4-channels of room-filling, melodic piano. Breathtakingly simple; but sonically presented in a way that you’ve never experienced it before.

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