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On 4 Dec 2005 17:52:32 GMT, (---MIKE---) wrote:

Since I got my SACD (DVD) player, I have gotten 5 SACDs. I am not
impressed with the surround sound on any of them. Aside from the two
Living Stereo discs, I have the Dvorak 6th (LSO Live), Mozart Requiem
(DHM), and Rachmaninoff 2nd symphony (Channel Classics). None of these
show any rear channel ambience. Can anyone recommend some discs that DO
use the rear channels effectively for ambience? (I know that the Living
Stereos are only 3 channel or 2 channel).

Hi Mike:
I looked at my SACD multi-channel (w/surround) classical discs
and found the following:

Very minimal surround sound, seems to be a mono mix from the front
channels at a much lower level:
Shippers, Prokofiev/Mussorgsky
Jarvi, Stravinsky
Jarvi, Stravinsky/Nielsen
Michael Murray, Dupre/Franck/Widor

Seems to be the same mono mix in the surrounds, but a higher level:
Waart, Saint-Saens/Mussorgsky
Jarvi, Dvorak/Martinu
Runnicles, Beethoven
Bernstein, Holst/Britten

Seems if classical discs have mainly ambience in the rear
channels. Believe most classical listeners want it this way as they
think it most duplicates a live concert, at least this was the
consensus of the discussions back in the 70s when Quad was introduced.

-=Bill Eckle=-

Vanity Web Page at:
http://www.wmeckle.com