DT15: A View From The Top Of The World (Timeline for DT15)

[sfam2112]

I got an email last night that my AVFTTOTW artbook set is being delayed to December.

So I've got THAT going for me...

Where did you order from? I haven't gotten that email. Not yet. Wondering if I should be on the lookout for it.

[emtee]

Checking to see if anyone is aware of a free download offer with purchase of the CD?

[Kotowboy]

My birthday is 4 weeks tomorrow so asked my bro if he would get me the 2xLP 1CD version as it's only £26 on Amazon.

[GasparXR]

Checking to see if anyone is aware of a free download offer with purchase of the CD?

It appears to come with the 2LP+CD version, at least from CenturyMedia. I am unsure about the CD just by itself though.

[Glasser]

Checking to see if anyone is aware of a free download offer with purchase of the CD?

Usually Amazon offers a free download if you’re a prime member.

[emtee]

Checking to see if anyone is aware of a free download offer with purchase of the CD?

Usually Amazon offers a free download if you’re a prime member.

I am and I did get one when I ordered Firepower but not with the new Neal Morse. I'll probably get it from Amazon though because I know it will be here on release day.

[Fiery Winds]

Crossing my fingers there won't be a delay with the boxset, but I figured we would have heard something by now (I ordered from Lasercd.com).

Then again, seeing articles like this doesn't help: https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2021/10/04/vinyl-shortage-2021/

[DoctorAction]

Still another fortnight to wait. This has felt like a looong window between announcement and release. 

[The Letter M]

Still another fortnight to wait. This has felt like a looong window between announcement and release. 

A lot of Inside Out albums typically have a 2.5-3 month distance between announcement and release. At this point, I'm pretty used to it, but given slower-than-ever transport shipments and low resources at factories, the wait to receive physical media is only going to get longer.

-Marc.

[Glasser]

It literally blows my mind that vinyl made a “comeback” during a time when people are like “come on man, everyone streams music now”. I grew up with vinyl now there’s a shortage? I buy digital and cds for certain releases. The industry needs to make up its mind, vinyl, mp3, streams? 

[Kocak]

It literally blows my mind that vinyl made a “comeback” during a time when people are like “come on man, everyone streams music now”. I grew up with vinyl now there’s a shortage? I buy digital and cds for certain releases. The industry needs to make up its mind, vinyl, mp3, streams? 

In terms of vinyl, there's a global shortage of raw material, along with facilities to manufacture vinyl. There are a very small number of vinyl pressing plants and it is a very specialised job. As such, with the increased demand for vinyl, record labels/bands are having trouble getting them manufactured. Selling them does not seem to be a problem at the moment.

[Glasser]

It literally blows my mind that vinyl made a “comeback” during a time when people are like “come on man, everyone streams music now”. I grew up with vinyl now there’s a shortage? I buy digital and cds for certain releases. The industry needs to make up its mind, vinyl, mp3, streams? 

In terms of vinyl, there's a global shortage of raw material, along with facilities to manufacture vinyl. There are a very small number of vinyl pressing plants and it is a very specialised job. As such, with the increased demand for vinyl, record labels/bands are having trouble getting them manufactured. Selling them does not seem to be a problem at the moment.

I guess my point is you can stream music on your small phone or play a small pizza on a bulky turntable. Progress or regress? We do not need vinyl, clearly a novelty that makes no sense and is pointless in 2021. Like I said I grew up with vinyl and cassettes and we had no other options until cds which sonically are superior. Yeah I know vinyl has a warmth about it that also packs crackles and possible skipping. Just a novelty like kids wearing Maiden and AC/DC shirts but have never heard a single song. Yes I do know there are some that do but I have been told by my kids friends it’s a fad to wear vintage shirts without knowing the bands music. I don’t get it.

[ledlemos08]

It literally blows my mind that vinyl made a “comeback” during a time when people are like “come on man, everyone streams music now”. I grew up with vinyl now there’s a shortage? I buy digital and cds for certain releases. The industry needs to make up its mind, vinyl, mp3, streams? 

For me only vinyl and Hi-Res that are interesting. I'm a qobuz subscriber to listen the releases on 96khz, like A View will be. Alien and Invisible Monster are impecable in Hi-Res. Unfortunately to buy vinyl is expensive in south america, but I'll try to buy the new record soon.

[dparrott]

I say vinyl is needed in these days of brickwalling and mixing for iTunes. 

[ledlemos08]

I say vinyl is needed in these days of brickwalling and mixing for iTunes.

God bless vinyl! 

[Glasser]

I say vinyl is needed in these days of brickwalling and mixing for iTunes.

I agree brickwalling and over compression is horrible but that’s why you can buy 24/96 high res files that are much better dynamically (much more breathing room, much warmer sounding). HD Tracks and Qobuz sell them.

[LKap13]

It literally blows my mind that vinyl made a “comeback” during a time when people are like “come on man, everyone streams music now”. I grew up with vinyl now there’s a shortage? I buy digital and cds for certain releases. The industry needs to make up its mind, vinyl, mp3, streams? 

For me only vinyl and Hi-Res that are interesting. I'm a qobuz subscriber to listen the releases on 96khz, like A View will be. Alien and Invisible Monster are impecable in Hi-Res. Unfortunately to buy vinyl is expensive in south america, but I'll try to buy the new record soon.

Are there high res versions available of the alien and IM?

[Glasser]

It literally blows my mind that vinyl made a “comeback” during a time when people are like “come on man, everyone streams music now”. I grew up with vinyl now there’s a shortage? I buy digital and cds for certain releases. The industry needs to make up its mind, vinyl, mp3, streams? 

For me only vinyl and Hi-Res that are interesting. I'm a qobuz subscriber to listen the releases on 96khz, like A View will be. Alien and Invisible Monster are impecable in Hi-Res. Unfortunately to buy vinyl is expensive in south america, but I'll try to buy the new record soon.

Are there high res versions available of the alien and IM?

Yes and the entire album will be as well.

https://www.qobuz.com/us-en/album/a-view-from-the-top-of-the-world-dream-theater/iy6y908dkvffa

[ledlemos08]

It literally blows my mind that vinyl made a “comeback” during a time when people are like “come on man, everyone streams music now”. I grew up with vinyl now there’s a shortage? I buy digital and cds for certain releases. The industry needs to make up its mind, vinyl, mp3, streams? 

For me only vinyl and Hi-Res that are interesting. I'm a qobuz subscriber to listen the releases on 96khz, like A View will be. Alien and Invisible Monster are impecable in Hi-Res. Unfortunately to buy vinyl is expensive in south america, but I'll try to buy the new record soon.

Are there high res versions available of the alien and IM?

Can't wait to listen this mix in Hi-Res!!!


Also, every album since Systematic Chaos are available in HiRes.

[LKap13]

Thanks. The hi res stuff is next level, I'm hearing a huge difference for distance over time especially

[ledlemos08]

Thanks. The hi res stuff is next level, I'm hearing a huge difference for distance over time especially

Subscribe qobuz and you will be happy for life!

[Wim Kruithof]

I guess my point is you can stream music on your small phone or play a small pizza on a bulky turntable. Progress or regress? We do not need vinyl, clearly a novelty that makes no sense and is pointless in 2021.

Depends on your point of view. In mine, I don't need streamingservices and it takes away all there is in music, for me. No other form 'til now can overdue what the needle does, when I put the vinyl on the player. The warmth, the sound, the gatefold sleeve in my hand... music is much more then just to hear. Many more senses are being served with an orinigal vinyl on hand.

[nikatapi]

It literally blows my mind that vinyl made a “comeback” during a time when people are like “come on man, everyone streams music now”. I grew up with vinyl now there’s a shortage? I buy digital and cds for certain releases. The industry needs to make up its mind, vinyl, mp3, streams? 

In terms of vinyl, there's a global shortage of raw material, along with facilities to manufacture vinyl. There are a very small number of vinyl pressing plants and it is a very specialised job. As such, with the increased demand for vinyl, record labels/bands are having trouble getting them manufactured. Selling them does not seem to be a problem at the moment.

I guess my point is you can stream music on your small phone or play a small pizza on a bulky turntable. Progress or regress? We do not need vinyl, clearly a novelty that makes no sense and is pointless in 2021. Like I said I grew up with vinyl and cassettes and we had no other options until cds which sonically are superior. Yeah I know vinyl has a warmth about it that also packs crackles and possible skipping. Just a novelty like kids wearing Maiden and AC/DC shirts but have never heard a single song. Yes I do know there are some that do but I have been told by my kids friends it’s a fad to wear vintage shirts without knowing the bands music. I don’t get it.

From a collector's point of view it's a great medium, to have a big cover and enjoy the experience of listening to an album. What i find interesting is that when i listen to a vinyl, i focus much more on the entire album, while streaming or listening from my phone, from a point onwards music goes on the background and i find myself distracted on other things.

Also, thanks to the way vinyl is produced, ignoring the "warmth" and all the kind of nostalgic elements of the sound (for which i actually have no emotional attachment), usually the master is way better than the CD/streaming ones.

[Dellers]

I guess my point is you can stream music on your small phone or play a small pizza on a bulky turntable. Progress or regress? We do not need vinyl, clearly a novelty that makes no sense and is pointless in 2021. Like I said I grew up with vinyl and cassettes and we had no other options until cds which sonically are superior. Yeah I know vinyl has a warmth about it that also packs crackles and possible skipping. Just a novelty like kids wearing Maiden and AC/DC shirts but have never heard a single song. Yes I do know there are some that do but I have been told by my kids friends it’s a fad to wear vintage shirts without knowing the bands music. I don’t get it.

Loudness war is a good reason. Almost every single CD release (and online) suffers a lot from it, and most of the time the only way to get around the issue is buying music on vinyl. Some DT records are available with better masters online, but not all, and certainly not most of the music I listen to. A lot of music sounds horrible, and even when it doesn't it still doesn't breathe whatsoever. The majority of modern releases are destroyed during the mastering process, nothing more and nothing less.

Myself and others were ripping D/T from the blu-ray to avoid the overly hot CD version, which was not an easy task. I'm assuming that's what needs to be done with the new album as well. Getting the combination of lossless and less hot versions online can require a lot of research, simply because loudness isn't mentioned in stores at all. One may sell the hot master while another sells the CD master, regardless of whether or not we're talking mp3s or lossless. It's no fun being a consumer these days. If bands and labels just had the integrity to drop those overly hot masters entirely everyone would be instantly happy. Even those who have no clue about this can use a volume button I'm sure.

[Fritzinger]

I guess my point is you can stream music on your small phone or play a small pizza on a bulky turntable. Progress or regress? We do not need vinyl, clearly a novelty that makes no sense and is pointless in 2021. Like I said I grew up with vinyl and cassettes and we had no other options until cds which sonically are superior. Yeah I know vinyl has a warmth about it that also packs crackles and possible skipping. Just a novelty like kids wearing Maiden and AC/DC shirts but have never heard a single song. Yes I do know there are some that do but I have been told by my kids friends it’s a fad to wear vintage shirts without knowing the bands music. I don’t get it.

Not sure why this keeps coming up so often.

Most music today is release on CD, Vinyl, digital platforms (and sometimes even cassette) so everyone can pick whatever they want. Some only want the music on their phone. Some want to hold a physical product in their hands and look at a big artwork. Or feel like they actually purchased something from the band and help them to be able to continue what they are doing. When you say "WE don't need vinyl", you really just mean YOU don't need vinyl. I'm a vinyl guy and I don't need CDs. Doesn't mean the whole medium is obsolete.

[jonny108]

Couple of new reviews

Metal Symphony - 9/10 - https://www-metalsymphony-com.translate.goog/dream-theater-a-view-from-the-top-of-the-world-inside-out-music/?_x_tr_sl=es&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=nui,sc
Rock Progresivo - 6.5/10 - https://www-rock--progresivo-com.translate.goog/critica-disco-dream-theater-a-view-from-the-top-of-the-world/2021/10/amp/?_x_tr_sl=es&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=nui,sc

[geeeemo]

That wasn't very positive. I don't think it will be an issue for me, but a bit of a buzzkill. 

[Revenge319]

I'm not worried about any potentially negative reviews. I've heard many complaints about nearly every Dream Theater album, and I pretty much love all of them anyway. There's no way I'm not going to enjoy this album.

[Pettor]

It literally blows my mind that vinyl made a “comeback” during a time when people are like “come on man, everyone streams music now”. I grew up with vinyl now there’s a shortage? I buy digital and cds for certain releases. The industry needs to make up its mind, vinyl, mp3, streams? 

For me only vinyl and Hi-Res that are interesting. I'm a qobuz subscriber to listen the releases on 96khz, like A View will be. Alien and Invisible Monster are impecable in Hi-Res. Unfortunately to buy vinyl is expensive in south america, but I'll try to buy the new record soon.

Are there high res versions available of the alien and IM?

Can't wait to listen this mix in Hi-Res!!!


Also, every album since Systematic Chaos are available in HiRes.

Is that pic from Qobuz? Looks pretty cool and I've been buying the hi-def versions of DT since some releases back which sounded really good! Not only higher bitrate, but actual difference in the sound.

[LKap13]

It's insane, there are actually different sounds on the high res versions. I'm hearing a big difference in Labrie's effects on barstool warrior. The song sounds totally different

[Pettor]

It's insane, there are actually different sounds on the high res versions. I'm hearing a big difference in Labrie's effects on barstool warrior. The song sounds totally different

Yeah I remember this with the hi-def version of ADTOE, DT12 etc. Usually the whole "MP3 is worthless and FLAC master race is the only way" is quite silly to me but these actually sound different and better. I guess clues / evidence can even be found in HD database:

https://dr.loudness-war.info/album/list?artist=dream+theater&album=a+dramatic+turn+of+events

Check out how much better dynamic range you get with the HDTrack version!

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

That wasn't very positive. I don't think it will be an issue for me, but a bit of a buzzkill. 

I wouldn't put too much weight on the second review. He says a few things that don't make a whole lot of sense, unless Google translate is messing with me.

He says the two singles were almost 'pure self-plagarism'. Invisible Monster is not my favorite song but I don't hear the alleged self-plagarism. He may have a point on the Alien, but I think that term is a bit excessive. Then later he says ADTOE was an example in which the band wanted to 'do something different or explore a secondary route'. How is ADTOE exploring a secondary route? lol.

 

[LKap13]

It's insane, there are actually different sounds on the high res versions. I'm hearing a big difference in Labrie's effects on barstool warrior. The song sounds totally different

Yeah I remember this with the hi-def version of ADTOE, DT12 etc. Usually the whole "MP3 is worthless and FLAC master race is the only way" is quite silly to me but these actually sound different and better. I guess clues / evidence can even be found in HD database:

https://dr.loudness-war.info/album/list?artist=dream+theater&album=a+dramatic+turn+of+events

Check out how much better dynamic range you get with the HDTrack version!

Interesting. For Distance over Time, the dynamic ranges are great for Amazon Mp3 version, and awful for 96/24 Hi Res version. What am I missing?

[Pettor]

Remember that reviews should mean nothing to your own experience. Even if the album got 1/10 from Super Prog Magazine Know it All you should be free to give it 10/10 yourself 😊

DT is a hard one as well since it's so different between reviewers and they all have different favourite eras that must be referenced and bla bla. I will listen to DT albums anyway so reviews just become some hype number at best. I still remember this Swedish review of 8V (the album) which thought it was average but the song 8V was awful and the most boring piece of music. It's my favourite track of all time soooooo ...

[Kyo]

Yeah I remember this with the hi-def version of ADTOE, DT12 etc. Usually the whole "MP3 is worthless and FLAC master race is the only way" is quite silly to me but these actually sound different and better.

This has little to do with MP3 vs FLAC, though. You can convert these files to MP3s and still have them sound much better than the CD because the underlying master just isn't as brickwalled.