Author Topic: Best mix/sounding DT album? (Read 4282 times)

alexofsweden · « **on:** November 20, 2015, 05:53:49 PM »

Just listened to "Dream Theater" and realized how much the terrible mixing/drum sound completely ruins this album. This is of course my opinion, kinda curious how this forum feels towards this. Please vote for your pick of the best mix/sounding DT album.

Personally, I'm a sucker for Images & Words...even though the drums are triggered and stiff...it's just that the awesome songs mixed with my first experience with DT makes this album sounds like THE DT album for me. Otherwise I like the roughness of A Change Of Seasons...especially the drums! Seems like it always comes down to the drum sound!

Thoughts?

jakepriest · « **Reply #1 on:** November 20, 2015, 06:01:27 PM »

Train of Thought hands down. It's not even a contest.

Also LOL at that vote for DT12.

KevShmev · « **Reply #2 on:** November 20, 2015, 06:38:11 PM »

As always, it's a close call between I&W, Awake, FII and 6DOIT.

Quote from: jakepriest on November 20, 2015, 06:01:27 PM

Train of Thought hands down. It's not even a contest.

You're kidding, right?

I am not saying ToT sounds bad, but it doesn't sound great. I always say, the beginning of This Dying Soul sounds like someone threw a blanket over your speakers.

IDontNotDoThings · « **Reply #3 on:** November 20, 2015, 06:42:37 PM »

Rough list:

I&W
Octavarium
6DoIT
M2:SFaM

Awake
BC&SL
FII
ToT
SC

ADToE
DT12
WD&DU

CharlesPL · « **Reply #4 on:** November 20, 2015, 06:49:23 PM »

Images And Words

12. ADToE
11. DT12
10. SC
9. WDaDU
8. ToT
7. 8V
6. SFAM

5.6DoIT
4. BC&SL
3. FII
2. Awake
1. IaW

goo-goo · « **Reply #5 on:** November 20, 2015, 06:52:12 PM »

1 - Awake
2 - FII
3 - Six Degrees
4 - BCSL
5 - ACOS

Those would be my top 5 sounding albums

jakepriest · « **Reply #6 on:** November 20, 2015, 06:56:17 PM »

Quote from: KevShmev on November 20, 2015, 06:38:11 PM

As always, it's a close call between I&W, Awake, FII and 6DOIT.

Quote from: jakepriest on November 20, 2015, 06:01:27 PM
Train of Thought hands down. It's not even a contest.

You're kidding, right?

I am not saying ToT sounds bad, but it doesn't sound great. I always say, the beginning of This Dying Soul sounds like someone threw a blanket over your speakers.

I'm a huge fan of the drum and guitar sound + the bass isn't buried in the mix and the keyboards cut through. On the other hand I don't get the love for FII's sound, it's surely one of the better ones but by no means a top 3 sounding album to me.

1. ToT
2. Octavarium
3. SFAM
4. SDOIT
5. SC

BlobVanDam · « **Reply #7 on:** November 20, 2015, 08:07:55 PM »

FII
SDOIT
IAW
Awake
8V / SFAM / ToT

SC
BCASL

DT12
ADTOE
WDADU

Darkstarshades · « **Reply #8 on:** November 20, 2015, 08:24:16 PM »

I honestly can't possibly tell what's wrong with ToT mixing, lol.

seasonsinthesky · « **Reply #9 on:** November 20, 2015, 10:03:37 PM »

Quote from: Darkstarshades on November 20, 2015, 08:24:16 PM

I honestly can't possibly tell what's wrong with ToT mixing, lol.

Mud instead of chocolate cake.

Voted FII. Just takes a listen through LITS or TOT to understand.

Close:
- SDOIT (too bad about the obnoxious snare ring though)
- Octavarium (just barely falls short of FII)
- SFAM (the non-David Bottrill songs)

Lucien · « **Reply #10 on:** November 20, 2015, 10:39:41 PM »

Voted Octavarium, FII would have been second

Nothingface · « **Reply #11 on:** November 20, 2015, 10:46:55 PM »

I choose Images and Words, but voted for Dream Theater - take that society.

JayOctavarium · « **Reply #12 on:** November 20, 2015, 11:42:59 PM »

FII / TOT / 8VRM

jayvee3 · « **Reply #13 on:** November 21, 2015, 01:30:07 AM »

FII. By a country mile.

Train of Naught · « **Reply #14 on:** November 21, 2015, 02:26:55 AM »

Train of Thought easily, second probably being Octavarium or SDOIT

CoT67 · « **Reply #15 on:** November 21, 2015, 02:35:17 AM »

BC&SL is the overall winner in sound quality for me, this by comparing the BC&SL stems to other albums' stems. It sounds the most open, organic and punchy mix they've ever had.

Best mixing (as in best balance between instruments) goes either to FII or SDOIT, must have been a PITA trying to make the suite work.
I would have chosen SFAM if it wasn't for the fact that not all the album has been mixed by the same engineer (but I love Petrucci's tone there regardless), and I would have chosen Awake if not for the fact that I don't like Petrucci's quad tracking rhythm tone.

Seriously, they need to get that natural sounding mix going again. Too much processing, too many effects, horrible mastering, etc...
If the last two albums had a comparable sound quality to the older ones, I feel they would have been appreciated much more.

All of this obviously IMHO.

RaasMah · « **Reply #16 on:** November 21, 2015, 03:13:44 AM »

I swear I can never hear what you guys call good or bad production, it all sounds good to me. Ive been hearing music for some time now, and not with junk earphones, and I just cant tell the difference.

The only thing I could notice in DT12 that was bad was that its really loader than the rest. Like, when TBP start to play I always get a little "why is this so damn load?" feeling

Podaar · « **Reply #17 on:** November 21, 2015, 05:58:27 AM »

Quote from: BlobVanDam on November 20, 2015, 08:07:55 PM

FII
SDOIT
IAW
Awake
8V / SFAM / ToT

SC
BCASL

DT12
ADTOE
WDADU

Exactly my thoughts.

DreamerTV · « **Reply #18 on:** November 21, 2015, 06:07:54 AM »

FII by far.

tofee35 · « **Reply #19 on:** November 21, 2015, 06:13:21 AM »

I had to go with Train of Thought. I love the sound of this album. I feel like this is their only album that the production plays/played a major role in the music. For me, the rest of their albums fall into whatever the hard rock/metal production trends are at the time of recording.

-Tof

EraVulgaris · « **Reply #20 on:** November 21, 2015, 06:43:40 AM »

Say what you want about the songs on FII, but the production is really clear on that record. I love being able to hear the bass shine through and would love it if the new album sounded like that.

Funny thing about DT12: I absolutely cannot hear the problems people have with the drums. Everytime people mention DT12, they hate on the snare sound and I just can't hear it. It sounds just fine to me.

Train of Naught · « **Reply #21 on:** November 21, 2015, 06:52:16 AM »

Quote from: EraVulgaris on November 21, 2015, 06:43:40 AM

Funny thing about DT12: I absolutely cannot hear the problems people have with the drums. Everytime people mention DT12, they hate on the snare sound and I just can't hear it. It sounds just fine to me.

Same here, completely fine mixing, in fact, probably not even in the bottom 5.

MajorBoobage · « **Reply #22 on:** November 21, 2015, 07:05:15 AM »

Quote from: Train of Naught on November 21, 2015, 06:52:16 AM

Quote from: EraVulgaris on November 21, 2015, 06:43:40 AM
Funny thing about DT12: I absolutely cannot hear the problems people have with the drums. Everytime people mention DT12, they hate on the snare sound and I just can't hear it. It sounds just fine to me.
Same here, completely fine mixing, in fact, probably not even in the bottom 5.

Yep, i also like mixing on DT12, alot more than ADTOE

noxon · « **Reply #23 on:** November 21, 2015, 07:17:45 AM »

The snare on DT12 is as annoying as the snare on Images and Words. It's incredibly mechanical, flat and waaaay too "in your face". I'm unsure as to whether it's actually a triggered snare (someone else probably knows) but it sounds like a robot playing the drums. Machine gun snares aren't good sounding...

One of my greatest challenges with DT12 was the overall sound being just too much. I had major listening fatigue and couldn't focus on the songs. It took me a LONG time to get into the album, and it was NOT due to the music.

FII is the most organic and open album DT has ever done. I love the dynamics. Trial of Tears is just -perfection-.

TAC · « **Reply #24 on:** November 21, 2015, 08:08:30 AM »

Quote from: EraVulgaris on November 21, 2015, 06:43:40 AM

Say what you want about the songs on FII, but the production is really clear on that record.

I agree. Best sounding by far!

Quote from: tofee35 on November 21, 2015, 06:13:21 AM

I had to go with Train of Thought. I love the sound of this album. I feel like this is their only album that the production plays/played a major role in the music. For me, the rest of their albums fall into whatever the hard rock/metal production trends are at the time of recording.

-Tof

I disagree. The sound is so cold and mechanical. I rarely listen to ToT. When I want to hear these songs I always go to the LaB versions.

alexofsweden · « **Reply #25 on:** November 21, 2015, 11:45:31 AM »

Quote from: noxon on November 21, 2015, 07:17:45 AM

The snare on DT12 is as annoying as the snare on Images and Words. It's incredibly mechanical, flat and waaaay too "in your face". I'm unsure as to whether it's actually a triggered snare (someone else probably knows) but it sounds like a robot playing the drums. Machine gun snares aren't good sounding...

One of my greatest challenges with DT12 was the overall sound being just too much. I had major listening fatigue and couldn't focus on the songs. It took me a LONG time to get into the album, and it was NOT due to the music.

FII is the most organic and open album DT has ever done. I love the dynamics. Trial of Tears is just -perfection-.

Yes the DT12 snare is awful...But the I&W I kinda like, somehow fits into the spirit of the album!
I feel the same towards ADTOE...there's nothing bad about the sound on that album...other than that the drums are a bit low in the mix...but who cares when the songs a fkin brilliant, best DT album after I&W imo 😊

TheCountOfNYC · « **Reply #26 on:** November 21, 2015, 12:12:58 PM »

I voted for Falling Into Infinity but I really love Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence's mix as well.

Kotowboy · « **Reply #27 on:** November 21, 2015, 12:59:42 PM »

My top 5 for audio production ONLY :

1. Falling Into Infinity
2. Scenes From A Memory
3. Octavarium
4. Six Degrees
5. Awake

TheCountOfNYC · « **Reply #28 on:** November 21, 2015, 03:57:53 PM »

Quote from: Kotowboy on November 21, 2015, 12:59:42 PM

My top 5 for audio production ONLY :

1. Falling Into Infinity
2. Scenes From A Memory
3. Octavarium
4. Six Degrees
5. Awake

That seems right. I don't necessarily have them in that order (besides FII) but those sound like the five best sounding DT albums to my ears as well.

pcs90 · « **Reply #29 on:** November 21, 2015, 05:36:14 PM »

FII. SDOIT and some others are close, but FII is so clear.
However I don't understand how so many people are ranking ADTOE's mix below DT12. I mean, neither one sounds great, but I'd take ADTOE's mix over DT12's any day.

BlobVanDam · « **Reply #30 on:** November 21, 2015, 07:11:35 PM »

Quote from: pcs90 on November 21, 2015, 05:36:14 PM

FII. SDOIT and some others are close, but FII is so clear.
However I don't understand how so many people are ranking ADTOE's mix below DT12. I mean, neither one sounds great, but I'd take ADTOE's mix over DT12's any day.

DT12 actually has a decent mix buried in there, it's largely hampered by a poor but intentional drum sound, and the awful mastering. The HDTracks version (which doesn't have the limiting/clipping of the CD) actually sounds ok. It even makes the snare sound better. It's still not amazing, but for a modern metal album, it's not bad.

ADTOE is the opposite, where I actually have no problem at all with the mastering, but the mix is totally wonked to the point of sounding like a rough pre-mix to me. The drums are low and completely dull, lacking any power or punchiness to cut through, and completely dry, while the guitars are boomy and muddy and too loud. I'd actually say the mix is their worst, even below WDADU, although the far better recording quality still puts it ahead overall.

Kotowboy · « **Reply #31 on:** November 22, 2015, 03:57:12 AM »

Yes. Neither Mangini album are in the St. Anger category of almost unlistenable albums.

ZKX-2099 · « **Reply #32 on:** November 22, 2015, 09:19:38 AM »

Quote from: tofee35 on November 21, 2015, 06:13:21 AM

I had to go with Train of Thought. I love the sound of this album. I feel like this is their only album that the production plays/played a major role in the music. For me, the rest of their albums fall into whatever the hard rock/metal production trends are at the time of recording.

-Tof

I agree with Brian Regan.

Gonz · « **Reply #33 on:** November 22, 2015, 04:19:10 PM »

Awake by far.

mikeyd23 · « **Reply #34 on:** November 23, 2015, 06:42:44 AM »

FII edges SDOIT by a hair for me.

News: Video of online chat between fans and members of Dream Theater: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sx8cLlXnHpA&feature=youtu.be (*no chickens were harmed during the filming of this chat)

Poll

Best mix/sounding DT album

Author Topic: Best mix/sounding DT album? (Read 4282 times)