FINALLY, Jethro Tull and Rhino / Parlophone have announced a release date for the "Aqualung" and "WarChild" Dolby Atmos editions. In the following video, I'll explain what's included in these new editions and why I think they are worth double dipping if you already own the boxed set editions.

The 5.1 mixes were originally made over 10 years ago. That's nearly an eternity in music technology years - plugins have evolved a lot since then, but also Steven Wilson has had over a decade of experience since he last worked on them. His more recent mixes have tended to be warmer, more adventurous and also somehow *more* faithful to the originals. Plus, the old DVD versions are lossy - the new versions would be presented in true lossless for the first time. I'm so happy that these mixes are being released on affordable, single disc blu-ray editions instead of repressing the large boxed sets. However, I do have some reservations about the lack of bonus material on WarChild.

Personally, I've been waiting for these for some time and I hope we get more Jethro Tull Atmos mixes in these affordable, standalone Blu-ray editions. Are you as excited for these as I am? What would you like to see next from the Tull Dolby Atmos series? Let me know in the comments below.

#jethrotull #warchild #aqualung #dolbyatmos #stevenwilson #reissue #blurayaudio #physicalmedia

System specs as an intro.

Yamaha RX 681

Mains: Polk Monitor 75t

Surrounds: Polk Monitor 50

Sub: Polk PSW505 (12")

Sources: TV/YouTube over eArc

Sony SCD-CE595 sacd (stereo only)

My receiver doesn't have 5.1 analog inputs, and the Sony won't play SACDs over optical, so, stereo only until I get a 4K Blu-ray player that also plays SACDs.

I'm really enjoying the few YouTube 5.1 audio channels out there and was wondering what most of y'all are using for sources? SACD, DVD-A, streaming?

Eager to get started on your multichannel and immersive music collection? This video will guide you in making informed decisions, featuring entirely in-print, affordable and acclaimed surround mixes from across a variety of genres.

Don't forget to like and subscribe to both of our channels. If you're an established multichannel collector, which of these titles would you recommend to a surround newcomer? If you're just building your collection, which intrigues you the most?

#surroundsound #dolbyatmos #recommendation #beginners #EntryLevel

Can highly recommend Fish Out of Water, Chris Squire. Its a dense album, but the separation really brought it to life. Flesh and Blood, Roxy Music also really bangs. Hoping for Siren

Join me, Mike from Life in Surround, Jonathan from Immersive Audio Album and Ryan from the Quadraphonic Quad forums as we discuss 20 of our favorite releases from the first half of 2026! Included are releases from Jethro Tull, Yes, Rush, Gentle Giant, Marillion, The Who, Richard Barbieri, Frank Zappa, Snarky Puppy, Motorhead, Kraftwerk, Jeff Buckley, Bruce Soord, Steven Wilson and more.

Don't forget to leave us a comment. What are your top 5 surround mixes of the year so far? Please also consider subscribing to the three channels collaborating here if you haven't already. Thanks and take care!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKtaoUkMtCA

Timestamps:

00:00 Teaser (LATER ... that same evening)

00:35 Intro

01:27 Mark Doyle "Out of the Past"

04:47 Carly Simon "s/t" and Modern Jazz Quartet "The Last Concert" (Quadio)

10:57 Motorhead "On Parole Sessions"

18:04 Rush "Grace Under Pressure"

27:29 George Michael "Faith"

31:34 Richard Barbieri "Hauntings"

36:21 Jeff Goldblum & The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra “Night Blooms”

40:50 The Who "Quadrophenia"

47:34 Marillion "Marillion Dot Com"

54:11 Heaven 17 SDE bundle

58:22 Jeff Buckley "Grace"

01:10:04 Squeeze "Trixies"

01:14:20 Steven Wilson "Hand Cannot Erase"

01:24:37 Bruce Soord "Ghosts in the Park"

01:28:54 Snarky Puppy "We Like it Here"

01:36:15 Kraftwerk "Radio-activity"

01:43:17 Gentle Giant "The Power and the Glory"

01:53:17 Yes "Tales from Topogaphic Oceans"

01:59:32 Frank Zappa / Captain Beefheart / Mothers "Bongo Fury"

02:07:39 Jethro Tull "Under Wraps" / Ian Anderson "Walk into Light"

02:19:38 what's next???

#surroundsound #dolbyatmos #musicdiscussion #podcast #quadraphonic

Hello,

Foreign Tongues marks the return of The Rolling Stones with their 25th studio album, following the success of Hackney Diamonds released in 2023.

This review compares the Blu-ray Dolby Atmos, 5.1 surround, stereo, streaming, and vinyl editions to determine which version delivers the most faithful and engaging listening experience.
For this review, you will find 6 versions tested:

• Ed 1: Tidal MAX – 2026
• Ed 2: Tidal Dolby Atmos – 2026
• Ed 3: Bluray Dolby ATMOS TrueHD – 2026
• Ed 4: Bluray DTS HDMA 5.1 – 2026
• Ed 5: Bluray PCM stereo – 2026
• Ed 6: Yellow vinyl record – 2026

The PCM stereo 24 bits 96 kHz track of the bluray included in the The limited Collector’s Edition of Foreign Tongues presented as a premium box set.
The PCM stereo shows a very low dynamic range with DR6.

The graph here compares the spectrum of the Tidal MAX – 2026 (white curve) with the spectrum of the Yellow vinyl record – 2026 (blue curve).The spectral curves of the two versions overlap almost perfectly between 300 Hz and 7 kHz. Below 300 Hz (green area), the digital version exhibits a slightly higher level, reaching up to 2 dB more at 50 Hz. Above 7 kHz (yellow area), the vinyl shows a slight treble boost between 10 and 15 kHz, peaking at approximately 2 dB, followed by a roll-off beyond 15 kHz that reaches more than 5 dB at 18 kHz before rising again at 20 kHz and above. These differences in the spectre are expected to give the vinyl edition a more detailed and airy sonic presentation.

The Dolby Atmos mix of this album is highly successful, delivering an immersive sound experience in which instruments and vocals are carefully distributed throughout the three-dimensional soundstage. The mix places a strong emphasis on the 180-degree sound field, making extensive use of the wide and side surround channels to create a broad and enveloping presentation.

3D immersive video of the Dolby Atmos on Youtube.

For this new Rolling Stones album, if you want to experience both the best stereo presentation and an immersive Dolby Atmos mix, this collector’s edition combining the double LP and Blu-ray is the definitive choice. The vinyl edition delivers the most engaging stereo experience, offering a more dynamic and lively presentation. Meanwhile, the Blu-ray provides a lossless Dolby Atmos version that reveals the full finesse, detail, and precision of the album s spatial mix.
The standard digital stereo version, whether on Blu-ray or streaming platforms, remains far behind these editions, mainly due to its reduced dynamics and less engaging sonic presentation.

Find all the analyses and measurements of each versions here (link).

Enjoy listening,
Jean-François

Hello all,

I'm thinking about to replace my Z906 surround to a more wireless system and better audio quality.

I would like to use the surround for movies and music(especially Tidal, maybe a CD-player later).

I don't have the budget to buy a full surround set right now. So i would like to do it in steps

I saw the WiiM Ultra, which sounds great for me as the first step. I would use it to connect it to my Z906 at first.

Then slowly start to expand it with better wired active front speakers, maybe using the rear speakers and the woofer of the Z906 and slowly then slowly to the wireless rear and at last a woofer.

But i don't know if i can add a single CD-player to the set. Is that possible?

Is this a logical path?

Or do you have any other options?

I just got done mixing heartbreak hotel by the Jackson in 5.1 and wow i think i did a good job. I wasnt satisfied with the stereo mix on the 2021 remaster so i remixed it in 5.1 on my jbl es 5.1 setup and im intrested if it sounds good on any other setups? It’s encoded in ac3

If you're curious about the new AI assisted remix of Gentle Giant's "In a Glass House," you should check out this interview on the Make Weird Music Youtube channel! Anthony Garone and I asked extensive questions about how the mix was created - the goals and directives of the new stereo and immersive mixes, the level in which AI was used, the source of the master and many more.

If you're concerned about the use of "AI" in this context I think you will learn a lot. Engineer Eber Pinheiro used "stem splitting" tech to derive multitrack stems from a stereo source and described the process as "harder" than a mix with authentic multitrack tapes.

Don't forget to subscribe to my channel as well as Make Weird Music. I'd imagine more collabs and crossovers will happen in the near future.

Take care!

#gentlegiant #inaglasshouse #remix #makeweirdmusic #eberpinheiro #interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdySFTlCbQI

One of the most enjoyable releases in the Quadio Blu-ray series.

Salve vorrei aggiungere al mio impianto anche un amplificatore per cuffie non ho proprio idea di come funziona, modelli etc (leggevo con DAC? ) Grazie del supporto, comprensione e consigli!

hello,

The Dolby Atmos mix of History stands out for its immersive approach, which varies from track to track. Each song receives a treatment tailored to its musical character, ranging from a more restrained, front-focused presentation, as heard on “Come Together,” to a far more enveloping use of the soundstage on tracks such as “They Don’t Care About Us” and “D.S.”. Overall, this is a highly successful mix that offers a fresh way to experience the album.

To fully appreciate it, a Dolby Atmos setup with a 7.1.4 configuration or higher is recommended. With this release, History joins Off the Wall, Thriller, Bad, and Dangerous, completing the set of Michael Jackson s five major studio albums now available in Dolby Atmos.

3D immersive video on Youtube

You can find all of the measurements, graphics and explanations for this version here (link)..

Enjoy listening,
Jean-François

Hello,
Muse The Wow! Signal is the tenth studio album by the British rock band Muse. Conceived as a concept album, it revolves around the themes of cosmic mystery, extraterrestrial intelligence, and human connections, drawing inspiration from the famous 1977 radio astronomy event known as the Wow! Signal.

The album continues in Muse s signature style, blending epic rock with electronic and orchestral elements, while venturing further into science-fiction storytelling. Through its tracks, it explores the idea of potential contact with something beyond Earth, using space and extraterrestrial communication as metaphors for emotional and existential questions.

Unsurprisingly, this album suffers from extremely heavy dynamic range compression, just as we already observed when the first single was released. Some will argue that this is simply a characteristic of this style of music, which is expected to sound loud and powerful. However, with an average DR value of 4 (ranging from DR3 to DR5 depending on the track), the processing is clearly excessive, resulting in a completely squashed sound.
A comparison with the Dolby Atmos version shows that it is perfectly possible to preserve Muse’s signature sound while allowing for significantly greater dynamic range.

The graph below compares the spectrum of the Tidal MAX – 2026 (white curve) with the spectrum of the Colored vinyl record – 2026 (blue curve).The two spectral curves almost perfectly overlap across the entire frequency range, with only a slight boost in the vinyl above 10 kHz, varying between 1 and 3 dB.

With its dynamic and lively mix, the Dolby Atmos version makes full use of all available channels, as illustrated by the spatialization visualization video.

With The Wow! Signal, the immersive Dolby Atmos version stands out as the best way to fully experience the album, delivering a more dynamic and enveloping sound. For stereo listening, the vinyl edition offers a more enjoyable experience than the digital version, it’s a bit more “dynamic” with a sound that’s slightly less muffled.

The full review with all graphics and analyses is available here (link).

Enjoy listening

Jean-François

Hello,
With The Night Watch (Live at the Rijksmuseum), Sting delivers an intimate live album recorded in the heart of Amsterdam’s famous Rijksmuseum as part of the Sounds Like Art project. Accompanied by guitarist Dominic Miller, he revisits a selection of iconic tracks from his career, blending classics from The Police with solo hits.
The recording highlights the museum s exceptional acoustics, whose natural reverberation fully contributes to the listening experience. Far from a spectacular production, this performance favors closeness to the artist and the authenticity of the interpretation.

Available in both stereo and Dolby Atmos, this recording is a particularly interesting reference for assessing the ability of an immersive mix to reproduce the unique atmosphere of a truly singular venue.
The concert is available on ARTE s YouTube channel.

For this review, you will find 2 versions tested:

• Ed 1: Tidal MAX – 2026
• Ed 2: Tidal Dolby Atmos – 2026

This intimate Sting album is beautifully showcased by the recording quality. However, the limited dynamic range of the stereo version compromises the naturalness of the presentation compared to the Dolby Atmos version downmixed to stereo. Given that this performance was recorded in a museum, it deserved to preserve the full authenticity of both the recording and Sting’s outstanding performance.

This Dolby Atmos mix does not employ any moving sound effects on the music. Instead, its goal is to faithfully recreate the acoustic environment by using the surround channels to reproduce the venue’s natural reverberation and the audience’s applause. To fully appreciate the benefits of this Atmos mix, it should be compared directly with the stereo version. The added sense of the room’s acoustic space becomes immediately apparent, while the intimate front soundstage is preserved. This approach enhances the realism of the presentation, creating the impression that Sting is performing right in front of the listener. Although the dynamic range is well preserved, the overall presentation lacks a touch of refinement due to the lossy Dolby Digital Plus encoding (with 7.1.4 channel).

3D immersive video on youtube

This album offers the opportunity to discover Sting in an exceptional setting, presented in an intimate atmosphere with historical instruments. The recording reveals strong sonic potential, unfortunately not fully realized in the stereo version due to dynamic limitations that also reduce the natural feel of this intimate performance. It is the Dolby Atmos version that best conveys the realism and immersion within the Rijksmuseum, thanks to a mix that faithfully preserves the concert’s atmosphere. However, the absence of a lossless Dolby TrueHD Atmos edition is regrettable, as it would have allowed for an even higher level of fidelity to the original recording.

You can find all of the measurements and graphics here (link).

Enjoy listening,
Jean-François

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWXw_WS6C2Q

I feel this release is sliding under the radar a bit. Could be the limited availability, but the release of a concert FILM from a classic band's heyday should be shouted from the rooftops. Particularly when it is as high quality as this one is - the picture quality is excellent, with deep black levels and clear closeups of musician's hands and faces. Ken Scott's Dolby Atmos mix is hardly the most immersive mix on the market, but its so clear, dynamic and punchy that I don't mind that much. It does a good job of putting you in the audience at Hammersmith Odeon, with the band stage placement laid out in your speaker array and the "room sounds" reverberating off your back walls.

As a semi-casual fan of this band I was floored. It's not a perfect performance, but in this age of AI trickery I find hearing a few "human" mistakes absolutely thrilling. Recommended to fans of classic prog / pop / rock and its a must for Supertramp connoisseurs.

Hi,

I currently have a TV without soundbar or any other sound system. I want to move to a simple surround system. It is not my intention to install an advanced system with all the bells and whistles.

I am thinking of buying the LG DS70TR. If I am not mistaken this is a 5.1 system with Dolby Atmos:
- soundbar
- sub
- 2 surround speakers
Nothing fancy, but would already be a good upgrade for me.

Before buying I need to know I can place the surround speakers correctly in my living room, but I am having trouble with that.

I don’t think the setup is quite ideal. I attached a simple map of the room and also indicated where we normally sit on the couch (red circles). Some things to consider:
- the TV is not centered to the couch
- the couch is about 60cm longer than the backwall, so it would be difficult to place the right speaker correctly for the right sitting position
- I cannot mount them to the ceiling
- I have a girlfriend that is not willing to alter the layout of the room (too much) in favour of the surround speakers 🥲
- our heads are about 40cm from the backwall

Question:
What would be the best position of the surround speakers? Also in terms of height and the angle I need to place them. I did some research online, but it remains quite difficult for me to determine the correct position.

It will be difficult to place a speaker to the right of the couch, so that would mean I won’t have surround sound for the right-most sitting position. Will the sound be horrible if I am out of the surround area or will I just don’t have the surround effect?

I’ve already asked another subreddit about this listing but none of them quite actually gave the insight I was looking for. I don’t know what these speakers are nor if they’re great, nor do I think anyone from that subreddit actually looked at the listing.
2 DM560 Speakers
2 DM602S3 Speakers + stands
LCR60 Center Channel
Is this worth the $1000?

This is the first of the boxes to feature an album released during my lifetime (not counting Xmas). As such I remember its release very well and I have a lot of warm feelings of nostalgia for it. Listening to the new Bruce Soord mixes of "Spiral," it seems the bass and drums have been given a nice boost and I can hear more of Martin's fantastic playing. The Atmos mix is befitting the material, subdued compared to the zaniness of [I]Under Wraps[/I] but some cool panning effects when the material calls for it. Better overall fidelity / less limiting than the stereo mix so I'm pleased. I'm a little disappointed that [I]Secret Language of Birds[/I] was not paired with it, but maybe we'll get a boxed set for that one down the line? Oh well, I can't complain much. With all these extra tracks and new mixes, Tull fans are eating well in 2026! further thoughts in the video!

#jethrotull #brucesoord #newreleases #dolbyatmos #jtulldotcom

So I found out my laptop can connect to my Vizio 5.1 through the HDMI port (not eArc). Does this mean Dolby Atmos wouldn't play at full quality/format? And my computer music apps like Amazon Music don't support playing Atmos, unlike the mobile apps. My guess would be to follow Steven Wilson's Headphone Dust webstore on players that could at least play the Atmos and 5.1's I could buy and download from his webstore. But will the -HDMI Only- be an issue? Thanks!

For those of you multichannel heads who held off on buying the big YES boxed sets, now's your chance to own affordable standalone Blu-rays of "The Yes Album," "Fragile" and "Close to the Edge"!

presumably these will be available from Rhino direct and other online retailers. :-)

#yes #dolbyatmos #announcement #musicnews #rhinorecords #fragile #closetotheedge #theyesalbum