Sector 3 [Original recording remastered, Box set, CD+DVD]

Rush | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 21, 2011)
• Original Release Date: 2011
• Number of Discs: 6
• Format: Original recording remastered, Box set, CD+DVD
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Mercury
• ASIN: B005ORVN1Y
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,176 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

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Editorial Reviews

On November 21, 2011, Universal Music Enterprises (UMe) celebrates the legacy of Canadian rock trio Rush with the release of three separate six-disc box sets which together spans their entire historic Mercury Records recording career. Each "Sector" contains five of their 15 Mercury albums in chronological order, all transferred to high resolution 96kHz/24-bit audio and digitally remastered for optimal quality. In addition, each volume includes an exclusive booklet packed with unpublished photos, original album lyrics and credits, and features one album from each set specially remixed on DVD in high resolution 96kHz/24-bit, 5.1 surround sound and stereo, compatible with both DVD-Audio players and DVD-Video players. Each album is packaged in a replica vinyl mini-jacket of the original album release with all three box sets forming a Rush CD road case.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars SIGNALS 5.1, November 23, 2011

By 

Stinky - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sector 3 (Audio CD)

Admittedly, I not only haven't sessioned the whole set yet, but I only listened to the 5.1's from each set and in fact am hearing the Signals dvd audio as I write this. I don't know if anyone else has noticed yet, but they have in most cases used totally different vocal takes, some different instrumental tracks, and in the case of The Weapon, a completely different take altogether - note the extra measures before the choruses. I've noticed alternate takes and extra tracks on other 5.1 remixes I own, they even used a different vocal take for Vital Signs on the Moving Pictures blu ray - I can see how the mixer can be tempted by the available options. But this is like an alternate version of the album, and I for one am pretty stoked about it. So any Rush freaks on the fence, just know that not only are the 5.1's superb sounding, but you'll have what amounts to a fresh angle on the Signals experience. Check out the other reviews for opinions on the sound quality of the regular cds - like I say, I haven't gotten around to those yet, and I think the packaging is just fine. But I got excited about the Signals thing, and I wanted to share.

By the way, noticed some others had problems with the Farewell to Kings dvd audio. Mine plays fine, just using a plain old Pioneer DV610AV dvd audio/sacd player.

Rush are a fine young band, and I predict big things for them.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Last Incarnation, December 2, 2011

By 

Scott D. Harris "Semi-Luddite" (Chattanooga, TN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sector 3 (Audio CD)

The Sector Box sets are the latest and supposedly greatest reissue for what must be one of Mercury Records' most profitable back catalogs - that of Rush, the Canadian trio many of us consider to be one of rock's greatest bands ever. Featuring the last Terry Brown produced album (Signals) in a 5.1 channel mix, Sector 3 provides us with several of the band's greatest achievements, notably Signals itself and 1984's dark and spare Grace Under Pressure. This box also features the fresh, appealing, melodically inventive, though occasionally gimmicky Power Windows and Hold Your Fire, which represents the zenith of the band's increasing use of keyboard and synthesizers to provide color and effect.

Most hard-core Rush fans find a considerable amount to disagree over when it comes to 80's Rush - many believe it to be too gimmicky, too keyboard intensive, they lament that Alex was essentially pieced out of many songs and, in some cases, whole albums (though that is really a stretch, especially when applied to Signals), and that the band fell victim to a penchant for keyboard technology and the fashion of the times (this was the 80's, after all...) I grew up during this time (junior high-senior high) and bought all of these albums on vinyl upon their release, so I can't really hate them. After 25 years, though, I can start to be more objective about them. Some are great, even more so than when they were released - such as Signals and GUP. Power Windows remains a strong album lyrically, but some of its effects and "moments" are growing less appealing with the passage of time. Hold Your Fire, which I used to refer to as "Power Windows II" or "Son of Power Windows", is another very dualistic album for me, with great tracks such as Second Nature, Prime Mover, Lock and Key, and High Water being offset by Tai Shan, Time Stand Still (yes, I said it), and Turn the Page. Finally, we have the last live Rush album of the 80's, A Show of Hands, which I now love instead of merely liking alot.

These CD's have been completely remastered after being transferred from either the original master tapes or 192 khz copies apparently made 7 or so years ago for the band's archive. There is a great internet article about this remastering process where the mastering engineer Andy VanDette talks about his love for Rush, the honor and privilege it was to remaster all of their albums, and the process of doing so. For example, he notes that he tried for 3 days to use the Grace Under Pressure master tape for this set, but just could not get it to sound better than the 192 khz copy; the original tape had just deteriorated too much since 1984. He does not mention every album specifically. What is clear, however, is that VanDette has boosted the bass considerably on these remasters, something he alludes to in the article. Looking at the wave forms of the songs, it's likely that some compression has been used in some places, along with the bass equalization. Overally, there is a heavier feel to the music generally. On Signals and the studio albums I thought this was to the good for most songs, especially for those listeners without speakers like we had in the 80's (i.e. we had very large ones). On A Show of Hands, the new transfer is clearly better than any previous issue - this album finally sounds and feels like a live album! It has weight, presence, and sounds much more like the Rush I remember from concerts during that time.

So is this box worth the price? If you love Rush and you like 5.1, you might consider this a mandatory purchase. However, many folks out in Rush land suspect that all Rush albums will be remixed in 5.1 with the different vocal takes and the other small changes you hear here. If you only listen to CD's and or rip CD's for iPod, these are the best sounding remasters for those purposes. It is unlikely that there will be another remastering done to the Rush catalog again, so this will likely be the final statement. I think it has been well-done, and in good presentation.

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars And last but not least !!!, November 22, 2011

By 

lonesome crow (ca,) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sector 3 (Audio CD)

So I finally finished listening to the rest of the sectors, and what makes me smile the most of this set from the other? ok , lets go back to the original cd releases and the first remastered set ,and th Japanese SHM-CD version. Out of all those three type of releases the worst sounding of all RUSH on Cd was SIGNALS ! the original release sounded so muffled it wasn't even funny, then the remasters of course sounded like loud muffled, and the SHM version was not much better, So of course I put on this version of Signals and the verdict "HOLY FRAK"! I never heard Signals sound SOOOOOO Amazing before, It was absolutly fantastic and mind blowing, justice has been served, as for the rest , they are great too,although I can't speak too much for POWER WINDOWS or HOLD YOUR FIRE, but that problem does not lie in the remastering,it's the fact that both album were 80% keyboards and synths like most 80's music was then, which drowns out any instument, however I can hear Geddy's Bass much more clearer this time, as well as Alex's guitar. So big glorious thank you to Universal/Mercury/Anthem,and everyone that was in charge of making these releases come to life, finally RUSH cd's heard as they were meant to be heard, BEAUTIFULLY!