Daddyjt

That’s sure not a popular truism in todays culture….!

Welcome - TFM 15/6 amps are seeing a fairly large resurgence with the need for many to amplify anywhere from 2-10 surround/Atmos speakers in modern home theaters.

If we are going to chat about “limited series” shows, I’d be remiss if I did not mention HBO’s spectacular series Chernobyl. It’s only five (5) episodes, which is a shame, as I could have watched 10 or more. I remember when the Chernobyl disaster happened - I was in high school. I also remember joking about it with my friends at the time. After watching this impeccably created documentary-drama, I have to admit that I feel like an ass for joking about this horrific event. the entire series is a master class - from the depiction of the initial explosion, to the political ramifications, to the depiction of death by radiation sickness (that will haunt me for the rest of my days), to the second-by-second breakdown in the final episode of what happened that night to lead to the explosion… All of the performances are fantastic, but Stellan Skarsgard flat-out steals the show. He portrays Boris Shcherbina, and his character arc is off the charts - from the ignorant party line bureaucrat to the most touching end scene - he’s excellent. I can’t recommend this series highly enough…

Ok, so maybe not quite stellar, BUT… Considering how BAD most 80’s hair metal is recorded (if you’re even a passing fan of the genre, you know exactly what I mean), the “Rock Candy” remaster of Ratt’s Out Of the Cellar was a blast to listen to! The worst thing about almost all hair-metal recordings is the drums - flat, no attack, and all the cymbals melt together in a sort of white noise hiss. Not so with this remaster of Out Of the Cellar - tight snare and toms, punchy bass and the cymbals - just wow! A bit of sibilance on the lead vocals, but all in all this album leaves me wondering why all hair metal can’t sound so good! As for “Rock Candy” mixes, I’d never heard of them before - but I will certainly be seeking out more… https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HHIN9OW?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

Welcome!

Welcome aboard. Are you using the system for music, movies or both? Are you looking for a remote? Phono stage?

I have discovered another Atmos gem - Tears for Fears release of Songs for a Nervous Planet. Both Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith are still very much engaged in their music, and while Roland sounds great, Curt Smith seems to have not aged a day, vocally. He literally sounds identical to his ‘80s prime. This disc is a fabulous mix of new, old, studio and live recordings, and is mixed by Steven Wilson (who also did Tori Amos and Thompson Twins) - thanks for that tip @PhilDent! I didn’t count, but theres got to be 30+ tracks on the disc too - great stuff! https://superdeluxeedition.com/news/tears-for-fears-songs-for-a-nervous-planet/

There’s something about a good “true story” (or even “based on a true story”) film that I really enjoy. Somehow, watching the plot/events unfold and knowing that they really happened adds a weight and enjoyment to the film. And when the story is of significant interest, and the film well enough made, I come away with the name of the “character” and story indelibly etched in my memory. Such is the case with Wladyslaw Szpilman of The Pianist, Ken Miles of Ford vs Ferrari, Gary Gordon & Randy Shughart from Blackhawk Down, Philippe Petit from The Walk - these are stories and names I will never forget. Last night I added another name to the list - Nicky Winton. If you’ve never heard this name, don’t feel bad - I had never heard of him either. But I will never forget his name after watching “One Life”. A heartwarming, yet profoundly sad story of one man’s refusal to stand by and do nothing. Nicky and his collaborators accomplished heroic feats through sheer will and determination. I highly recommend you give this film 2 hours of your time - you will never forget it.

Since the home theater flooded last year and I had to rebuild it, I decided to upgrade from my old 7.1 setup to a 7.2.4 Atmos configuration. During the course of construction and equipment acquisition, I collected a few Atmos music discs, and was understandably excited to audition Atmos music at home. Well. To say that I was underwhelmed would be an understatement. I have learned that Atmos mixes come in two (2) varieties. This first (and most common - unfortunately) is the obnoxious practice of throwing a cacophony of sounds and instruments at random speakers, literally abusing the surround and Atmos speakers. Such things as a guitar stating at right-center, then bouncing over your left shoulder, or the snare being dead center, but the hihat behind you. Stupid stuff The second (and spectacular) use of an Atmos mix is SUBTLE use of the surrounds and Atmos speakers to create a sense of space and ambiance. THIS is what I experienced a couple nights ago with two very different discs: Tori Amos - Unrepentant Geraldines. I’ve been a fan of Tori’s since Little Earthquakes debuted when I was a kid. The sound of this disc in my Atmos HT is simply stunning. The mix creates such an intimate sense of space, and the details of her vocals and piano are amazing. There are some subtle percussion bits sprinkled around the room, but far from annoying or unrealistic. Thompson Twins - Into the Gap. Laugh if you want, but I have a soft spot for ‘80s synth-pop (the music of my high school years). This one is a much more aggressive Atmos mix that Tori Amos, but man - it’s crystal clear, hits like a hammer, and the singing ability is quite a bit better than I remember. Demo material for sure. Both of these discs came from the same place - SDE Shop out of England. https://superdeluxeedition.com/news/tori-amos-unrepentant-geraldines-sde-exclusive-blu-ray-audio/ Needless to say, I have several more on the way. PLEASE feel free to post any great finds you’ve come across for Atmos music mixes - seeing (or hearing, as it were) what’s possible with this format, I’m definitely IN!

Don’t forget Trading Places for a Christmas movie….

We did Die Hard last night in the re-born theater room. Sad how many of the film’s stars are no longer with us - Hans, Karl, Theo, Takagi, Dwayne, Gail and Franco. RIP to you all - you created an indelible piece of American entertainment that will live on forever.

“Every lie we tell incurs a debt to the truth. Sooner or later, that debt is paid.” ~ Valery Legasov

For the longest time I knew Hugh Grant as the kitschy rom-com actor, and I never gave him much thought (except for Love, Actually - the most guy-watchable rom-com of all time). However - I saw him in last year’s Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre with Jason Statham, and I have to say, Hugh Grant flat out stole the show. His dialogue and delivery were marvelous, and he played the creepy billionaire perv perfectly. Then, my son drags me to see Heretic the other night, and again, I’m treated to a master-class performance by Hugh Grant. The movie itself is pretty mid, but Grant’s performance was spectacular. I now find myself optimistically anticipating his next role, and wondering WHY he waited until so late in his career to treat us to this level of acting…? https://youtu.be/7g-vhmIEvX0?si=Ff6g469XDneB__Hx https://youtu.be/jpWUOxRozZg?si=HlgOe7_h_OHZ0kVu

I was surfing the web the other night and had this pop up. Never was much of a fan of the original, but this gal’s voice just blew me away. Incredible rendition…

What part of Idaho are you in? I live just north of SLC and travel most of southern Idaho for work…