What is the finest-sounding DT album? (pick two)

[SnakeEyes]

If we're just talking SOUND (i.e., NOT songwriting, performances, etc), I'd have to say:

1) Awake

2)  I can't believe I'm saying this.... Systematic Chaos. 

I find both of these albums to be DT's most organic and natural sounding.  Train of Thought has a pretty organic sound, too, but I cannot stand JP's guitar tone on that album. 

[Mladen]

Went with Awake and Six degrees.

[Dellers]

If we're just talking SOUND (i.e., NOT songwriting, performances, etc), I'd have to say:

1) Awake

2)  I can't believe I'm saying this.... Systematic Chaos. 

I find both of these albums to be DT's most organic and natural sounding.  Train of Thought has a pretty organic sound, too, but I cannot stand JP's guitar tone on that album.

I know that people have different opinions and all...But that is just wrong. Systematic Chaos isn't nearly the second best sounding DT record, and is actually among the worst sounding albums I have - and I have more than 1000 albums in my collection. From the point of view of a sound engineer - that album does not sound good. Just to point out something objective that everyone can hear - it almost completely lacks bass for instance.

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

If we're just talking SOUND (i.e., NOT songwriting, performances, etc), I'd have to say:

1) Awake

2)  I can't believe I'm saying this.... Systematic Chaos. 

I find both of these albums to be DT's most organic and natural sounding.  Train of Thought has a pretty organic sound, too, but I cannot stand JP's guitar tone on that album.

I know that people have different opinions and all...But that is just wrong. Systematic Chaos isn't nearly the second best sounding DT record, and is actually among the worst sounding albums I have - and I have more than 1000 albums in my collection. From the point of view of a sound engineer - that album does not sound good. Just to point out something objective that everyone can hear - it almost completely lacks bass for instance.

So? Somebody can still like the way it sounds.

[TheGreatPretender]

If we're just talking SOUND (i.e., NOT songwriting, performances, etc), I'd have to say:

1) Awake

2)  I can't believe I'm saying this.... Systematic Chaos. 

I find both of these albums to be DT's most organic and natural sounding.  Train of Thought has a pretty organic sound, too, but I cannot stand JP's guitar tone on that album.

I know that people have different opinions and all...But that is just wrong. Systematic Chaos isn't nearly the second best sounding DT record, and is actually among the worst sounding albums I have - and I have more than 1000 albums in my collection. From the point of view of a sound engineer - that album does not sound good. Just to point out something objective that everyone can hear - it almost completely lacks bass for instance.

So? Somebody can still like the way it sounds.

What I don't understand is, people say it completely lacks bass. But it's not as if the whole album is mixed in such a way that it's all treble. The sound is still full, even if the bass itself isn't mixed into it loudly enough. At no point have I listened to it and went, "gee, it sounds like it's missing an instrument," or "it sounds like I need to increase the bass output because it's flat.

People also say it's overcompressed. And again, I've heard some overcompressed music, and I'm familiar with the whole "wall of sound" phenomenon, and at no point did I feel like Systematic Chaos was bombarding me with anything even close to that. Yes, there might be some compression, but it's not so overbearing that it makes the album unlistenable, and everything still comes through clean and polished.

I wouldn't say SC is the finest sounding DT album, but I do think it sounds just fine.

[BlobVanDam]

If we're just talking SOUND (i.e., NOT songwriting, performances, etc), I'd have to say:

1) Awake

2)  I can't believe I'm saying this.... Systematic Chaos. 

I find both of these albums to be DT's most organic and natural sounding.  Train of Thought has a pretty organic sound, too, but I cannot stand JP's guitar tone on that album.

I know that people have different opinions and all...But that is just wrong. Systematic Chaos isn't nearly the second best sounding DT record, and is actually among the worst sounding albums I have - and I have more than 1000 albums in my collection. From the point of view of a sound engineer - that album does not sound good. Just to point out something objective that everyone can hear - it almost completely lacks bass for instance.

This is a huge exaggeration imo. In fact, the mix is actually really good overall, and every instrument is clear and audible. There is definitely no lack of bass either. Yeah, the bass in TMOLS is a bit low, but aside from that there's no point in the album where I can't clearly hear JM. There are so many points in every song where he's a standout, and if you can't hear any bass guitar in TDEN, your equipment probably got blown out from all of the bass.

The big problem without a doubt is of course is the mastering, and it's still not overall worse than BCASL or Octavarium in terms of raw squishage. The noticeable difference in comparison is that it clips off the bass drum something fierce, especially during TDEN (where the bass clips out too from having too much bass).

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't for a second argue it's their best sounding album due to the nasty compression problem, but the mix alone still puts it above 3 other DT albums imo (being WDADU, BCASL and ADTOE, which all have serious mixing issues that are much more detrimental than the brickwalling). And if you can't hear any bass on SC, I think you need to invest in a better setup.

[zepp-head]

Yeah, with all the loudness war hate Systematic Chaos got, I can't think of a worse example of hyper compression in DT's catalogue than The Root of All Evil's cymbals.

[Lucien]

I feel like Octavarium has a much more nature-like, open sound, while Systematic Chaos is much more... inside?

[Lucidity]

Falling Into Infinity and Six Degrees are two albums that strike me as having incredible sonic quality. Not to say others are bad, but they stick out. I think Images and Words, A Change of Seasons, and Dramatic Turn are lower par than the rest though.

[hefdaddy42]

Yeah, SC is not my favorite album in the world, but the sound is not any reason why.  I think it sounds pretty good.

[mocool13]

FII is the best, followed by SFAM

[Lowdz]

Images and FII

Voted this.

And someone voted WDADU? I love that album but even in 1988 it sounded shit.

[Onno]

Awake & FII; SDOIT is a close third.

[weezul]

much love for ToT, it was all downhill from there. Definitely a notch back upwards for ADToE. I think they should hire SW next time, to see the whole thing over

[CodyWanKenobi]

FFI, SFAM, SDOIT, and TOT. Those four albums in a row sound fabulous. TOT has my all time favorite MP snare sound.

[TheGreatPretender]

I feel like Octavarium has a much more nature-like, open sound, while Systematic Chaos is much more... inside?

Searching out, reaching in?

[?]

I'm surprised SFAM has so many votes, it sounds kind of dry IMO.

[mrjazzguitar]

Six Degrees by far, followed by FII

[Sycsa]

What exactly is wrong with the way SFAM sounds?

[PixelDream]

I think what happened with SFAM has everything to do with FII. They wanted a bigger, more aggressive sound production. I really don't think SFAM sounds 'wrong', I enjoy the way it sounds and I think that production style indeed works great for DT.

But I also think SFAM overall sounds a bit too dry, and that Six Degrees retains everything good about the SFAM production and improves on it. They really sound HUGE on that album, and I actually love the way the compression sounds on that. Unfortunately they thought ToT needed even more compression. Oh well.

[Tom Bombadil]

Went with I&W and awake with FII a close third

[SnakeEyes]

Here's my opinion on SC versus FII, SFAM and Six Degrees.  Musically and lyrically, SC (to me) is definitely inferior.  SC is a terrible album.  I hate it.  But, it really SOUNDS good.  I find the other three albums I just mentioned to be OVER produced/ processed/ whatever you want to call it.  For example, listen to JP's solo on Trial of Tears....his tone is so .... processed and fake.... and, all of the vocals on FII sound "fake," like it's not really LaBrie's pure voice we're hearing.  SFAM sounds like that, too. 

SC, on the other hand, sounds a lot more natural.  I feel like that's what the band REALLY sounds like when you put them in a room - or, at least closer than the other three albums.

[Vlasto]

no doubt, sound on FII is amazing in every aspect...
I love drums on Awake, they sound exceptionally, a pity about the rest, it's missing the depth...anyway sound is absolutely clear.
Then SFAM ...

1. FII
2. Awake
3. SFAM,
4. I&W

... the worst is ADTOE...so dry, almost dull sound

[aprilethereal]

... the worst is ADTOE...so dry, almost dull sound

ADTOE may not be the best sounding, but it doesn't sound nearly as bad as WDADU

[theseoafs]

Voted for Six Degrees and Black Clouds.  Now that I think of it, I probably should have voted for FII instead of Black Clouds, but I still think the album sounds really good (though it seems I'm in the minority there).  BCSL generally sounds very full and delicious (though I'm not the biggest fan of the music therein).

[BlackInk]

Even though the music is mostly not very good I actually think BC&SL sounds good.

Also, Scenes From a Memory.

[Red_Queen]

I vote for.. SDOIT and 8V ! Great sounding albums 

[Vlasto]

... the worst is ADTOE...so dry, almost dull sound

ADTOE may not be the best sounding, but it doesn't sound nearly as bad as WDADU

WDADU never irritated me...that sounds unique (like most of DT albums)...can't be heard elsewhere

[aprilethereal]

... the worst is ADTOE...so dry, almost dull sound

ADTOE may not be the best sounding, but it doesn't sound nearly as bad as WDADU

WDADU never irritated me...that sounds unique

Simply because every other DT album sounds miles better.

[Whatsername]

I voted for SDOIT and IAW but as I sit here listening to FII I wish I could revise my vote. FII sonically is a fantastic album, even though the music is a bit quirky for me and it doesn't get as much love for me. Also, I've seen some people complain about SC and BC&SL, but I've never had much of an issue with the sound. Granted, I'm listening to them through $10 Sony earbuds, so I'm probably already at a major disadvantage, but I always thought they sounded good.

In fact the only albums I thought sound off were ADTOE (I really wish I could explain what I didn't like about the sound, but I don't especially) and Awake. I haven't listened to WDADU so I can't speak to that but the little bit I heard sounded awful.

[Voices]

I'm not a big fan of how FII sounds. Sonically is good, but something about it just don't please me at all.

SDOIT and SFAM are really great.

[Sketchy]

FII and I&W

I would be half tempted by SDOIT, because that one really rules in sound apart from it always bugs me that there isn't much of a volume kick when the full band comes in after the bass intro in TGP. I just always feel it sucks back a bit, rather than giving the full BOOM it deserves. Other than that, that album is sheer win in sound for me. I like SFAM, but parts of it can feel a bit unpolished, and TOT has nice sound too.

[LTE3]

At first I was surprised by votes for Falling into Infinity, but then I remembered Kevin Shirley did that one and he can bring out the best sound from bands.

[LTE3]

I voted too quickly, wrongly (IMHO) picking SFAM over Train of Thought (my other pick was 6 degrees) SFAM I wish they would remaster, along with Awake. Both sound dated to me, Train of Thought has beautiful depth, and the drum sound is amazing.

[hefdaddy42]

I've seen a few people say they don't like the sound on Awake, and I'm sitting here baffled about it.