ak2112

No amount of better mastering of mixing can improve bad music. VT is easily my least favorite Rush album. It sounds boring and tired. I can never make it through the whole album, bad mastering not withstanding. I'm not going to waste my money on the remix, but that's just my opinion.

Why are people posting compilations? Those dont rate as proper albums IMO. I have all of them, though I listen to Vapor Trails the least because, well...its garbage. My fave is and always has been Hemispheres.

My Counterparts SACD showed up today and I'm just now getting through my first listen. I only have the original 93 CD release to compare it to, but I can say without question that on my system, the SACD blows the original away. Geddy's bass has more balls, the overall soundstage is tighter, with greater separation between instruments. Vocals are also crystal clear and not buried in the mix. Most importantly, the SACD isnt brickwalled to all hell like the original CD is and you can crank the SACD with zero distortion. If you have SACD playback capability, I highly recommend this one. Another interesting aspect of the SACD is that Stick it Out is about 20 seconds longer and Nobody's Here is also longer than the original CD. Kind of neat!

Depends on your receiver. It may read as almost anything. All the important info will be coming from your CD/SACD player.

Love Counterparts and aboslutely detest VP. Its the only Rush album I cannot almost NOT listen to at all. Just tired and unfocused IMO.

Interesting to hear everyones opinion on the album. I think Counterparts was the best album they had put out since Power Windows and is also right up there with Moving Pictures so I'm really looking forward to my SACD arriving! Definately going to compare it to my original 1993 CD.

Has anyone here on the forum got the Counterparts SACD yet? Just curious if anyone with SACD playback has had a chance to listen to it. I ordered it and the Close to the Edge SACD and they shipped on 3/1 but it takes a while to get stuff up here to Alaska. Really looking forward to this one since its the first Rush album to be released on the SACD format. Lots of potential here. Plus, its one of my top 5 Rush albums of all time!

Not after the crap job done on the 5.1 mix for 2112. Absolutely awful...

I'm glad the bluray sounds good to you because I got the DVD-A version which should be identical to yours and its easily the worst sounding high Rez disc I own. The 5.1 mix is weak. The vocals come pretty much out of the front speakers and not the center channel and the surrounds are mostly just echoes of the other channels. Plus the sound is muddied and distorted. Why Rush continues to use Chyki for their surround mix is beyond me. This release is shameful.

For those interested that also have an SACD player, I just read that Audio Fidelity will be releasing the Yes album "Close to the Edge" and Rush's "Counterparts" on SACD before the end of the year! First the upcoming 2112 deluxe version on DVD-A and Bluray and now this. A great time to be a Rush fan! BTW, they'll be hybrid SACD's so even if you don't have an SACD player, you'll still be able to enjoy what will no doubt be an audiophile grade remastering...awesome!!!!

Oops, I just saw that someone else posted the same kind of thread! Sorry about that but maybe having two threads will makes sure we find out what rarities they're pulling out for this tour!

I just got through reading Neils latest update and he mentions the alternating setlists for this tour, which I've seen already. However, he also says that there are some "one-off" songs they're playing on this tour as well. Does anyone know which songs they have played as surprises on this tour? This is the first I'm hearing about this. Pretty cool, but I want to know which gems they're playing. You know, since they now have the whole string section, what a better opportunity than now for them to play my all time favorite Rush song, "Losing It"!!

QUOTE (GeddyLeeRoth @ Oct 3 2012, 08:43 AM) I still have original CD issues of AFTK thru MP and want to finally replace them. I did a little research, and all I see are 1997 remasters. I have all their other 'classics' remastered, but no date is shown. Are these the only versions? The 97 remasters are loud brickwalled crap. The original CD's sound way better. If you want other versions, go with some of the MFSL gold CD's (though stay away from 2112 as its terrible) or get some of the Japanese 25.8P CD's or the original Anthems. The Anthems sound fantastic.

I have waited a while before giving what I consider a full opinion of the new album because I wanted to truly digest it and let my initial enthusiasm wear off so that I could give a "fair and balanced" review. While I dont think its a classic, I do think its a very very strong album and the best one they've made since Counterparts. The best album they've ever made? Not quite, but how many other bands that have been out as long as they have are putting out albums anywhere NEAR this awesome? They dont exist. Heck, Pete Townsend says its a waste of time to even MAKE an album. Then again, what do you expect from a guy who hasnt made a great album since Quadrophenia!

Man, thanks to the OP for starting this thread. I've been a drummer for 30 years now and credit Neil with getting me into the instrument. DW drums are very nicely made, but I do not like how they sound, especially live. Neils drum sound with the Tama's in the early 80's was warm and silky and the DW's sound hollow to me. I'm glad I'm not the only one who notices this. When he switched to Ludwigs in the late 80's I thought it was a step down in sound but its even worse now.