Your favorite sounding DT album (best mix)

[Guitarjon]

I'm curious to know which mixes of all DT albums like best.
I'm personally a fan of Kevin Shirley's mixes on SDOIT and TOT.
I like the energy and overall feel those mixes have.
Mike's drums sound very nice as well as all the other instruments.
I've been listening to ADTOE a lot recently but I can't really get over how weak and dry the drums sound on that album.
I mean, I still listen to the record, it's not that it sounds bad, I just think at least the drums could have been better.
Funny because Andy Wallace did that one and he also did BCASL and I really love the sounds on that album.
Curious to know which mixes you guys like and maybe which ones you dislike (if any and why).

[DTA]

Awake has always been my favorite. Everything sounds very spacious and the mix seems to have a lot of open space and depth as compared to something like Systematic Chaos where the mix seems devoid of empty space and everything is as tight and squeezed as possible.

[Guitarjon]

Awake has always been my favorite. Everything sounds very spacious and the mix seems to have a lot of open space and depth as compared to something like Systematic Chaos where the mix seems devoid of empty space and everything is as tight and squeezed as possible.

It's definitely a mix that was very well done!
For me personally, I would have liked it better with less reverb/ambience, especially on the drums but that's just taste.
I guess it fits the time when it was released in that regard.

[SeRoX]

FII, no doubt.

[Renzo]

I think my favorite sounding albums are BC&SL and TA

[Evai]

Toss up between SFAM and I&W. Least favourite is Awake, all that reverb makes it sound like they're in the room next door

[Guitarjon]

I think my favorite sounding albums are BC&SL and TA

TA is definitely a good mix, especially considering all the different elements it contains.
Must have been a monumental task!
How do you feel about the drums though?

[Ninjabait]

My favorite mixes I think would be The Astonishing, A Dramatic Turn of Events, and Octavarium. Least favorite would be Systematic Chaos, Black Clouds & Silver Linings, and DT12. And When Dream and Day Unite, of course, but that almost goes without saying.

[Renzo]

I think my favorite sounding albums are BC&SL and TA

TA is definitely a good mix, especially considering all the different elements it contains.
Must have been a monumental task!
How do you feel about the drums though?

Drums sound definitely better than ADTOE and DT12. I think the mix on TA is definitely a step in the right direction. In my humble opinion 

[Fritzinger]

I always found Falling Into Infinity to have the best sound of every DT albums by far.
That drum sound is just monumental.

[Guitarjon]

I always found Falling Into Infinity to have the best sound of every DT albums by far.
That drum sound is just monumental.

Interesting!
I haven't listened to that record in a while and definitely not in that way.
Will definitely give it a listen again soon.

[nikatapi]

Awake, Six Degrees, Train Of Thought are my personal favorites, each one for different reasons.
Awake is the darkest, great guitar sound, amazing bass tone, everything has space to breathe and still sound heavy.

Six Degrees is amazing since it sounds heavy but balanced, i love that every instrument has it's own space even though it is a little compressed.

Train Of Thought is definitely the heaviest DT sounding album,i love the way the guitar is crunchy but clear, and bass is still audible matching perfectly with the guitar tone.

[gzarruk]

Funny because Andy Wallace did that one and he also did BCASL and I really love the sounds on that album.

Andy Wallace only mixed ADTOE. SC and BC&SL were wixed by Paul Northfield.

[Architeuthis]

Probably The Astonishing and Octavarium..

[Guitarjon]

Funny because Andy Wallace did that one and he also did BCASL and I really love the sounds on that album.

Andy Wallace only mixed ADTOE. SC and BC&SL were wixed by Paul Northfield.

Oh I see, guess I was wrong!
Makes sense then why they sound so different.

[The Silent Cody]

Falling Into Infinity, mainly because of the perfect drum sound on it. And Awake because of the overall sound which I found bery unique and characteristic only for that specific album.

[TheCountOfNYC]

Despite Falling Into Infinity being my least favorite Dream Theater album, it without question has the best production in their entire discography.

[ChuckSteak]

FII by far.

[Mladen]

Despite Falling Into Infinity being my least favorite Dream Theater album, it without question has the best production in their entire discography.

Unfortunately, this is very possible with me as well. It's an average album that sounds fantastic. So odd.

[Evai]

It's the only DT album where each instrument is given equal importance

[gzarruk]

I agree on the comments about FII. It's one of my least favorite DT albums, but the sound is fantastic

[erwinrafael]

Falling Into Infinity. The Astonishing is also very good except for the snare sound and would have preferred the cymbals to be higher in the mix.

[gzarruk]

The bass is mixed way too low on TA, so I wouldn't consider it one of their best.

[erwinrafael]

The bass was mixed low in TA because it was supposed to blend into the orchestral landscape of the album. Myung also said that's the reason why he played the way he did in the album.

[pg1067]

I'm going with SFAM, but I'm also going to give a nod to the "alternate" mixes on "The Making of Scenes from a Memory."  I think those mixes are more even and balanced between the guitar, bass, drums and keys.

[Ben_Jamin]

I'm going with SFAM, but I'm also going to give a nod to the "alternate" mixes on "The Making of Scenes from a Memory."  I think those mixes are more even and balanced between the guitar, bass, drums and keys.

Yes. There are certain sections that were buried on the studio that are louder on the alternate mix. Some Keys, Some guitar, and I think even Vocals. I actually prefer the alternate mixes then the Studio, for some songs.

[Anxiety35]

Awake or FII for me.

[mikeyd23]

My go to in terms of mix is usually SDOIT.

SFAM and FII are also excellent.

[cramx3]

FII

Must say I really enjoy the mix of Images and Words, feels like it fits that album so well.

SFAM and TA are also really good mixes IMO.

[pg1067]

I'm going with SFAM, but I'm also going to give a nod to the "alternate" mixes on "The Making of Scenes from a Memory."  I think those mixes are more even and balanced between the guitar, bass, drums and keys.

Yes. There are certain sections that were buried on the studio that are louder on the alternate mix. Some Keys, Some guitar, and I think even Vocals. I actually prefer the alternate mixes then the Studio, for some songs.

For me, it's the fact that the bass is generally more audible.  I remember multiple occasions in which I was surprised at a live show about what JM was playing because it wasn't really audible from the studio recordings.  I would go back and really listen for the bass and then wonder why they would bury such interesting bass lines.

[Elite]

Easy answer: Awake

[gzarruk]

My go to in terms of mix is usually SDOIT.

SFAM and FII are also excellent.

All of them mixed by Kevin Shirley, btw.

Would love to see him working with DT again, even if it's only to mix an album.

[IDontNotDoThings]

Images & Words
Octavarium
Black Clouds & Silver Linings

Honourable mention: Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence

[gzarruk]

Images & Words
Octavarium
Black Clouds & Silver Linings

Honourable mention: Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence

IMO, Black Clouds has the best clean guitar sounds of all the DT records.

[hockeydude25]

Easy answer: Awake