I just finished watching the 'Joe Bonamassa: Live from the Royal Albert Hall' blu-ray for the second time. It is a very good concert, but the audio has a very "echoey" washed out sound compared to most other blu-ray concerts. It doesn't necessarily sound really bad, but it doesn't have that "direct from the soundboard" kind of razor sharp clarity. It almost sounds like it was recorded from room mics.
I have noticed that if I turn my surround speakers down a few notches, it does clean it up a good bit, and gives it a better front imaging sound stage. It's also a tad light on bottom end, so I cranked my subs up just a bit. I shouldn't have to do this, but I don't mind. I'm OCD enough to know exactly where my settings need to go back to afterwards.
Also, the back of the blu-ray case just says "DTS surround", and even the audio options menu on the disc says this too, but I can confirm that it has DTS-HD MA 5.1 and DTS-HD MA 2.0.
The video quality is about the same as the audio. It ocasionally looks a bit washed out, and you can't really make out fine detail like pores or the wound guitar strings or cymbal lathing, but it looks reasonably good, and is very colorful.
There is also a 22 minute interview and one bonus song.
There is no pop-up menu for this disc.
On a side note, it is really cool to see the double drumming of Bogie Bowles and Anton Fig(Late Night with David Letterman drummer).
It's really not that bad, but it could've been much better.
An intimate look at the Woodstock Music & Art Festival held in Bethel, NY in 1969, from preparation through cleanup, with historic access to insiders, blistering concert footage, and portraits of the concertgoers; negative and...
I agree with Ken Brown's review of the U.S. Amazon exclusive set, and a big thanks to Grubert for the heads up on the U.K. region free version with all six exclusive songs included.
I just want to clarify that the U.S. Amazon exclusive set includes three extra songs:
1) Country Joe and the Fish: "Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine"
2) Grateful Dead: "Mama Tried"
3) Jefferson Airplane: "Volunteers"
And the U.S. Target exclusive set includes three different songs:
1) Canned Heat: "Woodstock Boogie"
2) The Who: "Sparks"
3) Jimi Hendrix: "Spanish Castle Magic"
The U.K. version has all six of these extra songs, and all other featurettes included in the other versions. The paper insert in the case only lists the three extra songs that are on the Target exclusive, but don't worry, all six are included on the second disc.
I also want to point out that while disc one is the director's cut of the film in 1080p and Dolby TrueHD 5.1, disc two contains all of the extras in 1080p and Dolby Digital 5.1(the exact same configuration as the U.S. versions).
This is the definitive ultimate version with all available songs included in the exact same A/V quality as the various U.S. versions, and it has been consistently much cheaper than the U.S. versions too.
In an alternate reality, it's 1985, costumed superheroes are part of the fabric of everyday
society, and the "Doomsday Clock" - which charts the USA's tension with the Soviet Union - is
permanently set at five minutes to...
This is one of my favorite blu-rays. I've never read any of the comic books, but I love this movie. The A/V tranfer on this is great, but the movie itself, and the soundtrack is absolutely incredible.
Interscope | 2007 | 92 min | Not rated | Region free
| Feb 27, 2007
Chronicles the 2005/2006 Live: With Teeth arena tours, primarily featuring footage from two performances: March 28, 2006, in Oklahoma City, OK and March 30, 2006, in El Paso, TX. Also includes bonus footage from 2005 rehearsals...
If you like Nine Inch Nails at all, this is a must have. This disc has a more discreet surround sound usage for instruments and vocals than any blu-ray concert that I've ever heard. Most just have some reverb and crowd noise in them. The LFE is really excellent too. Very clean, balanced, and deep.
I almost gave the picture quality a 5/5, but there are a few (very few) shots that have a hint of digital noise, but you pretty much have to be actively looking for them.
I really love this concert a lot. It has a real solid, almost studio quality perfomance, plus the A/V is awesome. It's the complete trifecta; great show, great picture, amazing sound!
Paramount Pictures | 2010 | 138 min | Rated R | Region free
| Jun 08, 2010
It's 1954, and up-and-coming U.S. marshal Teddy Daniels is assigned to investigate the disappearance of a
patient from Boston's Shutter Island Ashecliffe Hospital. He's been pushing for an assignment on the island for...
25th Anniversary
Time Life Records | 2009-2010 | 320 min | Unrated | Region A, B (C untested) | Nov 02, 2010
On October 29th and 30th, 2009, rock 'n' roll royalty held court at Madison Square Garden for what haven been called "the best concerts ever," where "rock 'n' roll history was made."
This concert has a little bit of everything, from Simon and Garfunkel to Metallica. It has almost five and a half hours of awesome performances by a wide variety of artists, with guest artists sitting in from song to song.
The A/V presentation is perfect all the way around. This is one of the gems of my entire collection.
Eagle Rock Entertainment | 2005 | 90 min | Not rated | Region free
| Oct 31, 2006
From the beginning, this band has been on a mission. Throughout the group's
history, there has been a sense of potential and an abundance of ideas that have
been thrilling to explore. The Way Up is a long form piece that...
This is an awesome concert, if you're into semi-improvisational instrumental jazz. I had never heard of any of the musicians on this, except for Pat, but they are all world class artists. Some of the musical sections are a little mellow, but others are smokin' hot. It's a very dynamic performance. The musicianship on this is absolutely suberb!
The video presentation is pretty much perfect. The stage lighting is fairly minimalistic, with mostly whites, with an ocasional flash of color here and there. Black levels are awesome, and the overall picture has a very natural realistic look with some real depth to it.
The 5.1 DTS-HD MA audio is one of the most balanced recordings I've heard. Every instrument is easily discernable at all times, but at the same time, it's a very dynamic mix overall.
Some people might find some parts boring and drawn out, and other parts too complicated, and irritating, but I love the variety of insrumental jazz on this blu-ray!
This is one of my all time favorite movies. It is intriguing, and hilarious. I have seen it many times, and it just keeps getting better with each viewing.
I didn't notice any video anomalies, except for quite a bit too much DNR. I really didn't notice any other flaws at all, but the image is a bit too smooth. I did notice quite a few background signs and things that I could easily read that I had never noticed before, but it's also just too smoothed out, and I feel like I should be seeing more details in faces and clothing fabric. I do have to admit that it's the best I've ever seen this movie, but if they would've just left the DNR off of this transfer, it could have been so much better.
The audio is very clean and clear. Dialog is very easy to understand, and the great music in this movie comes through nice and full. I did notice that there is very little LFE for the most part, and not much surround activity to speak of, but for a dialog driven movie, it gets the job done just fine. This may not be reference quality stuff, but it's the best I've ever heard it sound.
There are enough extras to keep you busy for quite a while. Some are recycled and a few are new.
Overall, I'm glad to have this in my collection, because I sold my DVD over a year ago, not realizing how long it would take to get this on blu-ray, but if they would've just left well enough alone with the DNR, it would've pretty much been a 300 game.
The Gecko brothers -- two dangerous outlaws on a wild crime spree kidnap a father and his two kids and head south to a seedy Mexican bar to hide out in safety. But when they face the bar's truly notorious staff, they're forced...
I just finished watching the Alliance version for the first time, I have not seen the EB version.
I was completely blown away by the audio dynamics, surround usage, and LFE output!
After hearing that the Alliance version was supposedly the lesser of two evils, plus after looking at the comparisons, I got it, and it was much better than I expected it to be.
There was lots of detail, for the most part, and it looked very natural. There were a few specks here and there, but not near as much as I expected. My only real complaint is that the deepest blacks were not quite as dark as they should have been.
I haven't seen this movie in probably six or eight years, and with all the research I've done on the specs of this disc, I forgot how entertaining the actual movie is. It starts out like a thriller, and turns in to an extremely campy horror movie, but it's funny and enjoyable as hell! It also has a killer soundtrack!
Director's Cut
New Line Cinema | 1995 | 97 min | Rated R | Region free
| Sep 08, 2009
Just another day. But what a day. A day that shows a lighter side to life in the ’hood.
That
brought Ice Cube (Barbershop) and Chris Tucker (Rush Hour) to a wider audience.
And that’s
now even more uproarious in an...
20th Century Fox | 2005 | 120 min | Rated PG-13 | Region A (locked) | Dec 04, 2007
After five or six years of vanilla-wedded bliss, ordinary suburbanites John and Jane Smith are stuck in a rut the size of the Grand Canyon until the truth comes out! Unbeknownst to each other, they are both coolly lethal, highly...
I saw this once on DVD several years ago on a 25" CRT tv. I found it for cheap and thought I'd give it another try. It was like watching it for the first time!
The video is great, but the audio is amazing! It has one of the most effortlessly smooth and clean sounding audio presentations I've heard. Great surround usage and really tight, deep LFE.
I really don't care for most romantic movies, but this one is smart, exciting, and really funny!
Blu-ray + Digital Copy
20th Century Fox | 2010 | 107 min | Rated R | Region A (locked) | Oct 19, 2010
Royce, a mercenary, reluctantly leads a group of elite warriors who come to realize they've been brought together on an alien planet... as prey. With the notable exception of a disgraced physician, they are all cold-blooded...
Blu-ray + DVD
Disney / Buena Vista | 2003 | 143 min | Rated PG-13 | Region free
| Mar 01, 2011
When the Governor's daughter Elizabeth is kidnapped by a band of pirates, love-lorn Will Turner goes to her rescue. However, he needs help to get on board the pirates' ship, The Black Pearl, so he enlists Captain Jack Sparrow....
This disc is amazing! Perfect picture and sound, plus the best movie of the series.
This is exactly the same as the original, the only difference is it comes with a DVD copy.
Dc3 Music Group | 2009 | 97 min | Not rated | Region free
| May 04, 2010
Chickenfoot brings together the talents of ex-Van Halen members Sammy Hagar (guitar & vocals) and Michael Anthony (bass), Red Hot Chilli Peppers drummer Chad Smith and legendary guitar hero Joe Satriani. Coming together initially...
The A/V on this is great! The DTS-HD MA 6.1 sounds great, but I turn the surrounds down just a bit on this one for better front imaging.
I really enjoyed this concert for the most part, but the NASCAR song kind of weirded me out a little, and after a while some of the songs seemed vaguely formulaic (is that called having a style?). Overall it's a pretty fun show.
Great musicianship all around; Satch shreds quite a bit, Sammy really sounds as good as ever, Chad Smith is funky and solid on the drums, and Michael Anthony is as reliable as it gets on the bass, with some great "Halen" harmony vocals.
I'm glad to have this in my collection for the "modern/classic" rock vibe but it seems to get a little repetitive after a while, but I think that after I get more familiar with the songs, it could definitely grow on me a little more!
The bonus interview/comedy sketch is almost as good as the concert. I laughed my ass off several times! Sammy Hagar reminds me way to much of "THE DUDE", only on caffeine(even in the concert) but that's a good thing!
If you like good ol' staight up classic hard rock with some modern tech/metal guitar, then GIT IT!!!
Eagle Rock Entertainment | 2009 | 77 min | Not rated | Region free
| Aug 31, 2010
Filmed live on Halloween night 2009 at Voodoo Experience in New Orleans, Live Voodoo sees the reunion of the classic Jane's Addiction line-up of Perry Farrell (vocals), Stephen Perkins (drums), Eric Avery (bass) and Dave Navarro...
If you are even a mild Jane's Addiction fan, this is a must have. It's a great Halloween in Nawlins '09 show. Half naked women on stage, people in costumes, plus a pretty awesome performance of some of their best songs. Perry Farrell is a bit flamboyant, but I guess that's good stage presence for a frontman.
The picture quality is very good. It is a little dark overall, but quite colorful and detailed. Also, there is some stage fog that occasionally makes the depth seem less, but generally, it looks great.
The DTS-HD MA 5.1 is incredibly well balanced and full. The bass guitar and kick drum are both very full and never seem to be fighting with each other to be heard. The vocals are mainly in the center channel (which I like so I can turn the vocals up or down to my taste), and seem very well balanced with the music. The guitar is very balanced, but it wouldn't bother me if it was a decibel or two louder, but I'm SERIOUSLY knit-picking!
Another plus is that this is the original lineup with Eric Avery back on bass. You can tell the band and the audience are both having a great time, and it comes through on this blu-ray! Perry has some fairly adult things to say, so this may not be for the children, or prudes, but this show is a helluvalotta fun!
Not much extras, just two bonus songs in 4:3 and 2.0 LPCM, a short interview and some photos.
I would put this up there with Jeff Beck, Return To Forever and Nine Inch Nails for A/V quality, and it just has a really good vibe!!!
Eagle Rock Entertainment | 1997 | 91 min | Region free
| Jun 22, 2010
English prog-rock collective Emerson, Lake & Palmer skyrocketed in the 1970s as a bona-fide supergroup, headlining arenas and selling over 40 million records. After a hiatus, keyboardist Keith Emerson (of The Nice),...
I thought this was a great concert. The picture quality is very good. The audio was pretty good over all, but the keyboard is a little too loud. The drums and vocals occasionally get overpowered. The bass guitar is probably the most consistent in the mix. The vocals and drums are pretty balanced most of the time, but when they use quieter dynamics, the keyboard still seems too loud. If you can deal with Keith Emerson being a touch too loud occasionally, then I would highly recommend this.
Blu-ray + Digital Copy
Universal Studios | 2008 | 120 min | Rated PG-13 | Region free
| Nov 11, 2008
After an ancient truce existing between humankind and the invisible realm of the fantastic is
broken, hell on Earth is ready to erupt. A ruthless leader who treads the world above and the
one below defies his bloodline and...
As far as A/V presentation,this is just about as good as it gets.This is absolutely reference all the way around.If you like the first one at all,then this is a must have! Some movies are slightly more razor sharp than this,but this is the most film-like of anything I've ever seen.The sound is also incredibly engulfing; Check out when Prince Nuada is practicing with his spear in the sewer near the begining. Best 360' sound I've ever heard!
Eagle Rock Entertainment | 2007 | 191 min | Unrated | Region free
| Mar 31, 2009
Rock guitar virtuoso Jeff Beck dazzles the crowd at celebrated London jazz club Ronnie Scott's with an extended set that includes hits such as "Beck's Bolero" and "'Cause We've Ended as Lovers." The former Yardbird proves he's...
This is probably my favorite concert blu-ray! I honestly don't understand the 3 1/2 star video review, because I think it looks great. He really didn't point out any problems, so I just don't get it. The DTS-MA sounds phenomenal. Very well balanced, and the kick drum is deep and punchy. There is another perfomance with the Uptown Playboys as a bonus which is really cool rock-a-billy. Awesome blu-ray all the way around!
Sony Pictures | 2007 | 120 min | Unrated | Region free
| Apr 08, 2008
America loves Cox! Behind the music is the up-and-down-and-up-again story of a legend whose songs would change a nation. On his rock 'n' roll spiral, Cox sleeps with 411 women, marries three times, has 22 kids and 14 stepkids,...
This is one of my favorite comedies. It's goofy but also has heart.The songs are so well worked out and hillarious.Also the A/V presentation is top notch.This movie is not for children or prudes,but if you want some over the top wackiness,this movie rocks...HARD!
Warner Bros. | 1999 | 136 min | Rated R | Region A, B (C untested) | Jan 12, 2010
In the near future, a computer hacker named Neo discovers that all life on Earth may be
nothing more than an elaborate facade created by a malevolent cyber-intelligence, for the
purpose of placating us while our life essence...
Director's Cut
Sony Pictures | 2004 | 132 min | Unrated | Region free
| Jun 05, 2007
From visionary writer and director Guillermo del Toro comes Hellboy, a supernatural action adventure based on Mike Mignola's popular Dark Horse Comics series of the same name. Born in the flames of hell and brought to Earth as an...
I absolutely love this movie! I think Hellboy II is even a little better(especially with DTS-MA 7.1). The picture and sound are perfect,and the movie is action packed and funny.
Eagle Rock Entertainment | 2003 | 138 min | Not rated | Region free
| Feb 19, 2008
Yes is one of the most innovative and successful rock bands of all time, with a
career that now spans five decades. In 2003 the band made their first appearance
at the Montreux Festival, despite having a long association with...
I don't understand all the complaining.I thought this was very enjoyable.Yes,I admit some camera shots could have been a little better,and I would have prefered DTS-MA instead of DTS-HD(high res. lossy),but all in all a great concert.The picture quality is quite good,and with a little tweaking on my sound system(too much surround) it sounded great!I could hear everything very clearly.Chis Squire's bass and Allan White's bass drum came through loud and clear.Maybe BDP51 needs a better sub.I am very happy to have this in my collection.
Disney / Buena Vista | 2010 | 108 min | Rated PG | Region A, B (C untested) | Jun 01, 2010
19-year-old Alice returns to the whimsical world she first encountered as a young girl, reuniting with her childhood friends: the White Rabbit, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the Dormouse, the Caterpillar, the Cheshire Cat, and of...
Disney / Buena Vista | 2005 | 109 min | Rated PG | Region free
| Jan 23, 2007
Here’s the absolutely hysterical, wonderfully wild, cosmic adventure comedy The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Based on Douglas Adams' worldwide best-selling novel, and starring an outrageous intergalactic cast, this is one...
I really love this movie,though I've never read the book.I don't know what's up with some of these audio ratings,because on my setup this is one of the most insane sounding(good)movies that I own!The bass is absolutely incredible.
I think this concert is better overall than Snakes & Arrows,but I think Snakes & Arrows is mixed slightly better and looks better.This concert just seems to have more excitement!Like on most RUSH recordings, the bass is not stellar,but if you crank the bass,it's awesome!
Blu-ray + DVD
20th Century Fox | 2009 | 162 min | Rated PG-13 | Region A, B (locked) | Apr 22, 2010
An ex-Marine finds himself thrust into hostilities on an alien planet filled with exotic life forms.
As an Avatar, a human mind in an alien body, he finds himself torn between two worlds, in a
desperate fight for his own...
This blu-ray just blu my mind! I thought i-robot and star trek were incredible,but this puts them to shame.Absolutely perfect picture and sound.The movie is pretty good too!
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