[IPodPJ]

Ok, well here's the verdict on sound quality... both the CD and the high-res audio suck.

The CD has better dynamics it seems but the vocals are not clear and the bass is virtually non-existent. The high-res audio is very flat but the vocals are clearer and the bass is more defined, however the drums sound almost muted and distorted.

Extremely disappointed. Worst sound quality I've heard from any PT album yet. Major fuggin' let down. If I have to choose between the two it will be the high-res version.

There is virtually no micro-detail. I have an extremely neutral, high-fidelity headphone rig that reveals everything on every album I listen to so I know a good recording when I hear it -- and this is pathetic.

I don't know what the hell SW & Co. were thinking.

 

[roadtonowhere08]

Quote:

Originally Posted by IPodPJ /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ok, well here's the verdict on sound quality... both the CD and the high-res audio suck. The CD has better dynamics it seems but the vocals are not clear and the bass is virtually non-existent. The high-res audio is very flat but the vocals are clearer and the bass is more defined, however the drums sound almost muted and distorted. Extremely disappointed. Worst sound quality I've heard from any PT album yet. Major fuggin' let down. If I have to choose between the two it will be the high-res version. There is virtually no micro-detail. I have an extremely neutral, high-fidelity headphone rig that reveals everything on every album I listen to so I know a good recording when I hear it -- and this is pathetic. I don't know what the hell SW & Co. were thinking.

It's been kind of a standard for a while now with PT: Everything sucks sound quality wise unless it is the DVD-Audio version. I cannot comment on the vinyl version, as I have never heard it and have no way of playing it.

That is why I said I am waiting for the DVD-Audio. It is obvious that Steve Wilson cares about sound quality, but it just sucks that he has to succumb to crappy quality for the CD+DVD versions. It kind of kills his well intentions with the DVD-Audio. Even saying this, the front left and right channels of In Absentia are JACKED in volume. Truly a pity.

Even more importantly, it REALLY sucks for those who shelled out serious money for the UBER edition he was pushing. "Thanks for the money... here's a nice package and to hell with the sound". I think he really screwed you guys in that the DVD-Audio will really be the definitive version for a LOT less than you paid.

 

[IPodPJ]

No no.... the last albums (CDs) were excellent in sound quality compared to this version of CD and DVD.

 

[roadtonowhere08]

Quote:

Originally Posted by IPodPJ /img/forum/go_quote.gif No no.... the last albums (CDs) were excellent in sound quality compared to this version of CD and DVD.

Really? All I heard was the complaints of compression of all recent albums (IA to present) in the CD format. All I have are the DVD-Audios, so I confess I cannot compare between the two mediums. I'll take your word regarding the issue.

Either way, to release such an expensive product with inferior sound is really a disservice to hardcore fans.

 

[Patu]

IMO Deadwing is the worst sounding (meaning sound quality, not the music) PT album so far. This new one sounds quite ok to me when Deadwing sounds like it would play inside of a barrel or something.

I've now listened through The Incident 5-6 times. First I didn't like it but it has grown up on me slightly through every listening. I still don't think it comes close to the best PT albums but it's fun to listen to. I think I even prefer FOABP to this one. The best trakcs are definitely the last tracks from both CD's, I Drive the Hearse and Remember Me Lover, and then the longest track, Time Flies. My favorite one must be I Drive the Hearse. It has those awesome and familiar PT melodies, especially after the first half of the song. The track which I slightly dislike is the fifth track on the first CD, Drawing the Line. Chrorus is almost horrible on this one. It just doesn't sound like PT.

 

[IPodPJ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patu /img/forum/go_quote.gif IMO Deadwing is the worst sounding (meaning sound quality, not the music) PT album so far. This new one sounds quite ok to me when Deadwing sounds like it would play inside of a barrel or something. I've now listened through The Incident 5-6 times. First I didn't like it but it has grown up on me slightly through every listening. I still don't think it comes close to the best PT albums but it's fun to listen to. I think I even prefer FOABP to this one. The best trakcs are definitely the last tracks from both CD's, I Drive the Hearse and Remember Me Lover, and then the longest track, Time Flies. My favorite one must be I Drive the Hearse. It has those awesome and familiar PT melodies, especially after the first half of the song. The track which I slightly dislike is the fifth track on the first CD, Drawing the Line. Chrorus is almost horrible on this one. It just doesn't sound like PT.

Deadwing is actually one of the better ones. The dynamics are very good and every instrument is well balanced. It is recorded quite loud for sure, and if your system (usually the DAC) has trouble with tracks that peak, it can sound a little congested. I experienced this on some of my earlier equipment.

I remember back when I had just my iPod, a Go-Vibe and my D5000 the best sounding music was the lower quality recordings with less stuff going on. Also, I compared lossless tracks and the ones with the lower bitrates always sounded better. I wasn't sure why this was since I knew some of the albums I had were recorded very well. As I got better equipment, the tides started to turn and the higher quality recordings sounded better. My gear was less prone to distortion. Now everything is revealed accurately and a good recording will sound good and a bad one will sound bad.

Spend more time listening to The Incident and comparing it to other PT albums and see if you don't change your mind. If you can't hear it on your headphone rig, try your speaker system. I assure you though, Deadwing is far superior in quality to The Incident.

And I can prove it to you: talk to me about the bass on The Incident. Where is it? What is it? Where's the detail? Compare it to the bass of the last 3 PT albums. Good bass detail is one of the hardest things for a DAC to reproduce, and likewise if the studio's ADC wasn't up to snuff it won't encode it accurately. But the bass is just one of many shortcomings on this album. It is just flat and lifeless.

 

[Patu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by IPodPJ /img/forum/go_quote.gif Deadwing is actually one of the better ones. The dynamics are very good and every instrument is well balanced. It is recorded quite loud for sure, and if your system (usually the DAC) has trouble with tracks that peak, it can sound a little congested. I experienced this on some of my earlier equipment. I remember back when I had just my iPod, a Go-Vibe and my D5000 the best sounding music was the lower quality recordings with less stuff going on. Also, I compared lossless tracks and the ones with the lower bitrates always sounded better. I wasn't sure why this was since I knew some of the albums I had were recorded very well. As I got better equipment, the tides started to turn and the higher quality recordings sounded better. My gear was less prone to distortion. Now everything is revealed accurately and a good recording will sound good and a bad one will sound bad. Spend more time listening to The Incident and comparing it to other PT albums and see if you don't change your mind. If you can't hear it on your headphone rig, try your speaker system. I assure you though, Deadwing is far superior in quality to The Incident. And I can prove it to you: talk to me about the bass on The Incident. Where is it? What is it? Where's the detail? Compare it to the bass of the last 3 PT albums. Good bass detail is one of the hardest things for a DAC to reproduce, and likewise if the studio's ADC wasn't up to snuff it won't encode it accurately. But the bass is just one of many shortcomings on this album. It is just flat and lifeless.

I've listened to the new album mostly through my speaker rig, as I use it much more than my headphone rig nowadays. I'll give some more critical listening to it when I have time but for now it has sounded ok to me. I haven't really paid that much attention to the basses. IIRC on the 4. track there's some nice punch on the bass right before the fifth track starts with the not-so-good chorus which I mentioned earlier. This far I've mostly just listened to the music, not the sound quality.

IMO Deadwing sounds very muffled and it's not loud as you say it is. Maybe we just have to disagree on this one. I have read about Deadwings recording quality before and it should be very good but I just can't hear it. With my headphone and speaker rigs I can tell which albums sounds good and which doesn't.

 

[Moontan13]

Nitpickers!! I hope my tastes never become so refined that I can't enjoy something like this. $106 well spent IMO.

The Incident is awesome, just don't forget it's one song. My biggest gripe is that the discs didn't come in their own case.

Kudos Steve and PT, can we get The Incident live on DVD?

 

[Drumonron]

First of all, why are you listening to Porcupine Tree or Steven Wilson at all if what you expect is consistency from album to album? What, you want every album to sound like In Absentia or Deadwing or FOABP, C'mon? What are you guys smoking? I really love the sound quality of The Incident and am going to totally disagree on the production or lack of it. As for the content of the album, I love the ride it takes me on and cannot wait to hear them perform it live.

That's my 2 cents and I'm out!

X2 Moontan13...my sentiments exactly...well spent and loving it!

Quote:

Originally Posted by IPodPJ /img/forum/go_quote.gif Spend more time listening to The Incident and comparing it to other PT albums and see if you don't change your mind. If you can't hear it on your headphone rig, try your speaker system. I assure you though, Deadwing is far superior in quality to The Incident. And I can prove it to you: talk to me about the bass on The Incident. Where is it? What is it? Where's the detail? Compare it to the bass of the last 3 PT albums. Good bass detail is one of the hardest things for a DAC to reproduce, and likewise if the studio's ADC wasn't up to snuff it won't encode it accurately. But the bass is just one of many shortcomings on this album. It is just flat and lifeless.

Please, no need to prove anything. I'm enjoying the fact that is not the same as other albums. PT is like an oasis in the desert and I know that no PT album is released without Wilson's Signature on the sound and it is an outpouring of his innermost feelings. I really don't think that the content was built or constructed to groove to thus the lack of snappin, funkin', grooving bass.

To Ipodpj, sorry it is not your bag, man. Perhaps, the next album will be built just for you.
But I'm surprised that your not diggin' Bonnie The Cat....It's got a great bass groove.

Lastly, you give the album a "flat and lifeless" rating...Bingo!...you hit the nail on the head...that's what the album is about!

Irony

 

[IPodPJ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drumonron /img/forum/go_quote.gif Please, no need to prove anything. I'm enjoying the fact that is not the same as other albums. PT is like an oasis in the desert and I know that no PT album is released without Wilson's Signature on the sound and it is an outpouring of his innermost feelings. I really don't think that the content was built or constructed to groove to thus the lack of snappin, funkin', grooving bass. To Ipodpj, sorry it is not your bag, man. Perhaps, the next album will be built just for you. But I'm surprised that your not diggin' Bonnie The Cat....It's got a great bass groove. Lastly, you give the album a "flat and lifeless" rating...Bingo!...you hit the nail on the head...that's what the album is about! Irony

You completely missed my point. I'm not talking about the album's content. I love that part of it. I'm talking about the recording quality. Sorry, SW doesn't get to slack on that part of it when so much money is spent -- and that has nothing to do with the "feeling" of the album.

Whoever was responsible, him or the record label, it doesn't matter. The sound quality is crap and it should be rectified before the DVD-A is released.

 

[jilgiljongiljing]

Drumonron, please dont take offense, but are you related to Steven Wilson or something?

Or is it Steven Wilson himself :O

Its a little weird the way you are defending and explaining every single thing thats even slightly less than "its awesome" and take any comment end up saying something to the extent of "thats what its supposed to be like". And to apologize and then say "Perhaps, the next album will be built just for you." is kinda funny, IpodPJ was just giving us his opinion, the album isnt meant for any one individual and I am wondering why you are apologizing.

Everyone has personal preferences and opinions, I dont see the need for someone else to come and justify or explain why he/she did or did not like something, unless its the artist himself giving the explanation.

As for SQ, I dont think its that bad. Its not great, its a little flat sounding, the treble extension is slightly lacking, bass is a tad muddy. But its not as loud as In Absentia and has a similar feel to Recordings, but not recorded as well as "Recordings".

The drum tone and overall sound, especially "Bonnie The Cat" sounds a lot like something from Recordings. Just not quite as well recorded. But I wouldnt say I am as dissapointed as IpodPJ regarding sound quality, but I wasnt going "Wow!" like I did when I first heard Lightbulb sun or Recordings.

 

[YtseJamer]

Honestly I think that the sound of the new album is OK but it's definitely not on par with the production of In Absentia.

 

[YtseJamer]

New review : Porcupine Tree - The Incident Review - sputnikmusic

 

[IPodPJ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jilgiljongiljing /img/forum/go_quote.gif As for SQ, I dont think its that bad. Its not great, its a little flat sounding, the treble extension is slightly lacking, bass is a tad muddy. But its not as loud as In Absentia and has a similar feel to Recordings, but not recorded as well as "Recordings". The drum tone and overall sound, especially "Bonnie The Cat" sounds a lot like something from Recordings. Just not quite as well recorded. But I wouldnt say I am as dissapointed as IpodPJ regarding sound quality, but I wasnt going "Wow!" like I did when I first heard Lightbulb sun or Recordings.

And when you listen to it through your computer speakers or iPod earbuds, it sounds good!

Through a neutral reference, no. This makes me wonder what he was using to monitor the mix. Whatever it was, it wasn't neutral.

 

[Drumonron]

Quote:

Originally Posted by IPodPJ /img/forum/go_quote.gif You completely missed my point. I'm not talking about the album's content. I love that part of it. I'm talking about the recording quality. Sorry, SW doesn't get to slack on that part of it when so much money is spent -- and that has nothing to do with the "feeling" of the album. Whoever was responsible, him or the record label, it doesn't matter. The sound quality is crap and it should be rectified before the DVD-A is released.

Again, you completely missed the part of my statement that was referring to the production(or as you put it, recording) quality:

"First of all, why are you listening to Porcupine Tree or Steven Wilson at all if what you expect is consistency from album to album? What, you want every album to sound like In Absentia or Deadwing or FOABP, C'mon? What are you guys smoking? I really love the sound quality of The Incident and am going to totally disagree on the production or lack of it"

Quote:

Originally Posted by jilgiljongiljing /img/forum/go_quote.gif Drumonron, please dont take offense, but are you related to Steven Wilson or something? Or is it Steven Wilson himself :O Its a little weird the way you are defending and explaining every single thing thats even slightly less than "its awesome" and take any comment end up saying something to the extent of "thats what its supposed to be like". And to apologize and then say "Perhaps, the next album will be built just for you." is kinda funny, IpodPJ was just giving us his opinion, the album isnt meant for any one individual and I am wondering why you are apologizing. Everyone has personal preferences and opinions, I dont see the need for someone else to come and justify or explain why he/she did or did not like something, unless its the artist himself giving the explanation. As for SQ, I dont think its that bad. Its not great, its a little flat sounding, the treble extension is slightly lacking, bass is a tad muddy. But its not as loud as In Absentia and has a similar feel to Recordings, but not recorded as well as "Recordings". The drum tone and overall sound, especially "Bonnie The Cat" sounds a lot like something from Recordings. Just not quite as well recorded. But I wouldnt say I am as dissapointed as IpodPJ regarding sound quality, but I wasnt going "Wow!" like I did when I first heard Lightbulb sun or Recordings.

First of all, I'm not defending so much as offering counterpoints so as to balance it out, sorry you took it that way but I like hearing ipodpjs opinions and when one offers an opinion one can feel free, in a free society anyway, to hear other opinions, or maybe you disagree, eh?