Customer Reviews

Wish You Were Here - Immersion Box Set

5 star:		(52)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I've also written a review for The Dark Side Of The Moon - Immersion Box Set set and am continuing this review in a similar vein.

Wish You Were Here (Immersion) brings together every important piece of the WYWH album. You have the 2011 remastered audio CD. Also included is a live CD (previously unreleased legally). The third disc is a DVD-Audio disc which includes the 5.1 surround mix from 2009, the 1975 Quad Mix, the 2011 stereo remaster in LPCM and two more versions of the multichannel audio in case your system can't support the higher bit rates of the other two versions. The fourth disc is the visual material (with LPCM stereo and 5.1); these are the "concert films" that played behind the band when they performed in 1975. This DVD also includes a 6 minute Storm Thorgessoon film.

The reason for me to purchase the set, however, is all on disc 5. You have all the audio and visual content from the 2 DVDs, however you get the quad and the 5.1 mix, along with the newly remastered (2011) stereo mix, in lossless with 96 Khz sampling rates. I'm not the same quality of fan as those that know every note of every song, so if you think it might be changed in a way you won't like, try to find someone who will let you listen first. It is remastered, not remixed as commenter states below and the remastering is subtle at best (this is a good thing).

For those of you familiar with Pleazurize Music's dynamic range tool (check it out on Google please), here are the numbers for Disc 1 (2011 remaster):

2011 Disc 1 - DR 12

1984 - DR 12
1992 - DR 12
2007 - DR 13 (this was from the Oh By The Way-Box according to the unofficial Dynamic Range Database)

So anyone who is worried about them screwing up the dynamic range on this to go for the artificial loudness of current day releases, FEAR NOT. This is just as good as, at the very least, the original CD release in 1984. The only thing with a better DR is the Oh By The Way Box, and I'm not sure the 1 level of difference would be worth buying the box for, but I leave that up to you).

For those wondering about the Dynamic Range on the LIVE CD (Disc 2), it comes out as DR 10. Since there isn't anything to compare it to unless you have a bootleg, I don't know if the number is meaningful. It certainly sounds good to me.

The physical extras are, as was the case with TDSotM, pretty much worthless. The books are pretty nice, but they could have been consolidated to a single book. The scarf won't keep you warm. The marbles this time out are completely clear, and again, seem pretty meaningless over all. I don't really care about the ticket stubs either. I do like the artwork on the coasters (anyone that pays the $120 for this set and uses the coasters must have lost their marbles, and not the ones in the box, if you know what I mean).

They did, however, fix a HUGE ISSUE from TDSotM box set. While the cardboard box still has hubs for 4 of the 5 discs, instead of shipping them to you on these hubs, they've kindly and smartly placed them in chintzy (but serviceable) cardboard sleeves so that you can place them on the hubs (or not) if you so desire. This will DEFINITELY cut back on the scratched discs issues from the previous TDSotM set. The Blu Ray disc still comes housed in another sleeve however and only 4 of the 5 discs can be used on the hubs on the bottom of the box. Not sure how they'd fix that for The Wall Immersion set coming next year.

So just as with TDSotM, the biggest reason to buy this is for the exceptional lossless audio on the Blu Ray. Since there is no SACD available for the quad or 5.1 mix, if you only have a DVD player it might still be worth picking this up for the unique experience afforded by multichannel audio. Unlike many of the quad mixes from the time, this one actually uses the rear channels to make for a unique experience that adds, not detracts, from the complete experience.

I still wish there was a way to treat the Blu Ray like a CD in that you wouldn't have to turn on the TV to use it, but they didn't license Pure Audio (Blu Ray's answer to CD like functionality). Not a huge deal and this comment did NOT affect my star rating of the set.

I gave this 4 stars because the only thing most people want is the music. The physical extras are OK (if you even care about them), but in reality not something anyone is likely to do much with at all. So ~$120 for the set, when all most people want is the audio, is high. If there were this Immersion set and another of just the discs and a booklet for $60, that $60 set would be where my money would have been spent. Since that set doesn't exist and this is the only way to get the multichannel and the lossless versions of the album, I bought this set.

Still, all told, a pretty high quality release over all.

Seems like people have been staying away from commenting on this record after the DSOTM fiasco. Since I blasted that release, I feel that it is fair to give praise if praise is due.

My copy of this release is of much higher quality than the Immersion Series release of DSOTM. I went through two Amazon copies of that and gave up. Wish You Were Here comes in a black plastic resealable bag with the original album cover inside. The record itself is in a pink poly sleeve, not a paper sleeve like DSOTM. The quality of the vinyl and pressing is immaculate. The edge of the record is smooth and there are no physical marks on the vinyl. I just listened to both sides all the way through and heard NO ticks, pops, etc. This is a very nice pressing, one of the best newer pressings of any record I've recently purchased. How this high quality can be 180 degrees from the poor effort of DSOTM escapes me. Perhaps EMI United States ditched the pressing plant of the US version of DSOTM and used the European plant after hearing all the negative comments? (An Amazon user suggested European pressings of DSOTM for the Immersion Series were better than the US versions, but I have yet to buy a European version to verify that.) If anybody has an answer, please comment.

About the sound quality: I mentioned the lack of surface noise. I do not have any other vinyl copies to compare this to. However, I can say that the dynamics are incredible. I have the volume turned up to hear the detail in the low-level passages, but the dynamic peaks make this dangerous! I have not heard detail or dynamics like this in either my old CD copy or the Sony Super Bit Mapping gold CD. (Played back on a Sony SCD-1 player.)

Some DSOTM comments hated on audiophiles for being so negative about the DSOTM Immersion release sound quality. I don't understand why. These records cost $30 retail. To me, that is not a trivial amount of money. Furthermore, Capitol/EMI is hyping up these releases as the latest and greatest. Supposedly the 30th Anniversary vinyl edition of DSOTM was supposed to be the greatest. When that went out of print, its price went up. A month or so later, the Immersion series was announced and was suggested to be the best yet. If you talk the talk, you better walk the walk.

This record was cleaned on a VPI HW-16.5 wet/vacuum cleaner with L'Art du Son solution. Warning: the center label of this Wish You Were Here release seems to be very sensitive to wetness. Be especially careful to not splash any solution on the label.

I won't waste your time critiquing the album,if you're considering dropping this kind of money on it, you already know how brilliant it is. Like the DSOTM Immersion, I bought this for the Quad and 5.1 mixes. In the description I read of this set, there was no mention of the quad mix on the Blu-ray disk. Fear not, it is on there. I find the quad mixes of both Immersions and the recent Aqualung Anniversary addition to be fantastic. I don't mean to diminish the 5.1 mixes they are great as well, it's just a personal preference. You really get a better appreciation for the musical arrangement in multi channel. There is a lot more here musically when you listen in quad or 5.1. Bottom line, if you already love multi channel music or are interested in an introduction to it, this might be the perfect opportunity. Yes, it's pricey and that may turn away a lot of casual fans of Floyd but, if you have a room full of speakers a decent multi channel decoder and some disposable cash, you will enjoy this. You get some extra stuff, book, marbles(why?),coasters (again why?)etc. In the grand scale of things, this costs about the same as two tanks of gas but, you'll have it forever.

Music, that is. The 4.0 Quad and the 5.1 Surround mixes both sound wonderful. Like DSOTM Immersion, I find the Quad version to be my favorite of the two.

However, the real treat is hearing the live version of SOYCD Live. Wright's organ work is simply outstanding. I don't think most people realize just how much Rick meant to the band.
If only they had included Echoes and some versions of the songs from the Animals Tour. Speaking of which, they could have included some screen films from the '77 Tour as well. They did this with the DSOTM set and should have done so here, too.

The trinkets are okay, but I would have traded them for more live versions of the WYWH album. Maybe, hopefully, they are holding this back for an Animals Immersion. I have to give the set 5 stars because the music is just that good. I do think they could have added more music without being so repetitive.

*** THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE 2011 SINGLE-DISC VERSION ***

I've reviewed the 2011 remasters of Pink Floyd's "Meddle" (1971) and "Obscured By Clouds" (1972) - both of which are sonically amazing - but hugely disappointing on the packaging front (miniscule booklets that exclude original details and don't expand your knowledge a jot). It's pretty much an identical story here. But to the details first...

"Wish You Were Here" was originally released 12 September 1975 on Columbia Records PC 33453 in the USA and 15 September 1975 on Harvest Records SHVL 814 in the UK. This 26 September 2011 single-disc version (released 27 Sep 2011 in the USA) on EMI 50999 028945 2 2 is a straightforward 5-track remaster of that studio album. A 2CD 'Experience' Edition and a 6-Disc 'Immersion' Box Set both arrive on 7 November 2011 (see images elsewhere). This single-disc 'Discovery' reissue comes in a gatefold card sleeve with a newly laid-out 12-page inlay inside (total playing time 44:18 minutes).
[Note: original UK copies of the vinyl LP came in a 'black' shrink-wrap with a centred circular 'clasping-hands' sticker obscuring the cover underneath (US issues had 'blue' shrink-wrap). This new issue doesn't feature either of those, but instead simply uses the now familiar artwork underneath - two men shaking hands (one of them on fire).]

Like all the other albums in this 14-title reissue series - "Wish You Were Here" has been mastered by JAMES GUTHRIE and JOEL PLANTE at the Das Boot Recording Studios in Tahoe in California (Guthrie is a Sound Engineer associated with the band since 1978). The original 1st generation master tapes have obviously been given a thorough going over because it truly feels like each segment has had a staggering amount of time spent on them - worrying out every single nuance possible. The audio result is truly impressive.

On original 1975 vinyl and even later Audiophile represses, this most loved of their albums has always been a sonic disappointment - and frankly the 1994 remastered CD wasn't a whole lot better either. That's no longer the case. Little will prepare fans for "Have A Cigar" (sung by fellow Harvest Records label mate Roy Harper) and "Wish You Were Here" (the two opening tracks on Side 2). The funky keyboards and choppy guitars of "Have..." are unbelievably clear - huge in your speakers - while David Gilmour's acoustic guitar lead that comes in at about 1:10 minutes on "Wish..." is simply gorgeous (lyrics above). The power of the synths on "Welcome To The Machine" still thrills, but the album's centrepiece has always been the 9-part "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" which is spread across both sides of the album (Parts 1-5 opening Side One, Parts 6-9 ending Side 2). Suddenly it's as if a fog has been lifted off the recordings - by the time it hits Dick Parry's astonishing sax solo at 11:10 minutes - I'll admit to having the same chills I had when I first heard it - all those innocent years ago. Another surprise is how good Parts 8 and 9 on Side 2 are - superb keyboard work from Rick Wright and often forgotten in favour of the more famous Parts 1 to 5 on Side 1. It's an impressive remaster, it really is - Guthrie and Plante are to be praised for their work here.

I wish I could say the same for the staggeringly unimaginative packaging. The 'Pink Floyd' logo you see in all the photos advertising these new reissues turns out to be a sticker on the outer shrink-wrap that gets lost the second you unpeel it. The card sleeves are like The Beatles 09/09/09 EMI reissues - glossy and flimsy - so they smudge with finger prints the second you open them and are easy to bend and crease. The CD itself has the new generic artwork (the sticker design on the outer packaging) repeated in different colour variations throughout the series - a sort of Turquoise and Pale Green for "Meddle", a garish Red and Pink for "Obscured By Clouds", Black and Gray for "Dark Side..." and for "Wish You Were Here" we get Blue and Green. But where's the beautifully designed sticker that graced original album sleeves on both sides of the pond? Or the superb logo on the original label? This ludicrous new design has no relevance to the original and speaking of the disc itself - there's no protective gauze sleeve for the CD either so it will scuff on repeated plays. They've put the postcard that came with original albums as a centre-spread in the booklet instead of printing it separately - cheapo, cheapo, cheapo...

But the skimpy booklet is the biggest disappointment. Although it has the lyrics (like this is a major improvement) it seems little different to the 1994 issue. It has no history on the album (it was about Syd Barrett and the music industry), no pictures of European and Worldwide 7" sleeves for "Have A Cigar" (the single lifted off the album), the different US album artwork etc. There are a few pictures of the band in the studio; the gatefold has the man swimming through sand (newish), but naught else to get your teeth into. OK - it does look nice and does the job adequately - but that's all. It's a lazy-assed approach on behalf of EMI and undermines the sterling work done on the sound front. I hate to come across like some nick-picking fan boy here, but it would have been nice to actually 'discover' something on this so-called 'Discovery' version (docked a star for that). And the superb 17:32 minute Parts 1 to 7 'Edit' of "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" on the 2001 2CD Best of "Echoes" is A.W.O.L. too.

To sum up - I'm thrilled to say we finally get five-star sound for this truly unique album, but sadly only 3-star presentation in my book. Still - with an opening salvo price of less than a tenner in most stores - and the truly beautiful sonic upgrade thrown in - the casual listener is advised to dig in, rediscover and enjoy.

Die-hard fans however might want to wait for the Japanese Editions that will inevitably arrive in 2012 on the far superior SHM-CD format (a better make of CD playable on all players). With their faithfully reproduced artwork and audiophile reproduction - they may give your bank manager a cold sweat - but they will absolutely be the ones to get if the best is all you'll accept.

On hearing this fantastic remaster - "Meddle", "Obscured By Clouds" and the magnum opus that is "The Dark Side Of The Moon " (1973) should be your next port of call. I suspect many will feel exactly the same...

PS: fans of memorabilia should note that for this launch - HMV London is giving away a titled banded-envelope containing 6 colour postcards in the same style as the one in the original LP (a girl diving into a lake) for customers who purchase 2 titles in this reissue campaign. They're gorgeous and will probably become future collectables.

PPS: see reviews for the other albums mentioned above.

A friend of mine bought this set, and while some of the unreleased audio tracks are interesting (hence the extra star above one), a true Floyd/WYWH fan is better served by spending their money on a used Columbia 20-bit Mastersound edition of WYWH (sadly out of print, but still available on the used market). I've done careful evaluations of the Mastersound edition against all of the other versions available, and there is no comparison except for perhaps clean vinyl LP of WYWH on a top-line McIntosh tube system.

Think about it. What do a scarf, set of coasters and three marbles have to do with this album? It's a desperate and cynical attempt by the music industry to resell classic albums over and over to "completists," when all they really need is the music itself, not a $100 box full of useless swag.

Listen to the lyrics to "Have a Cigar" again and hear the irony of it being associated with this ridiculous consumerism-driven box set.

This album is so much better than the reissue of Dark side of the moon. The packaging of this album is fantastic, EMI Records have done themselves proud. The highs are high,the lows are low and little to no surface noise, just pure listening enjoyment.Hats off to all the people at EMI records for getting it right. I just might buy another copy, because I know I'll be playing this one over and over.

Okay, I just finished listening to the blu-ray disc and played the album at 96/24 in 5.1 through an HDMI connection. The sound was dynamic (watch those peaks), deep articulate bass and a velvety characteristic with no hint of digital edginess. Another observation is the extremely quiet background with the ability to discern each instrument or vocal alone or together, remarkable indeed!

I will listen to the other mixes on the blu-ray and the DVD audio too. The visual segments I am sure will amaze and the remastered discs will have their benefits too.

Ultimately, the other items in the box, the mementos and discs, are all superfluous in my opinion. It is the blu-ray at 96/24 that will remain unsurpassed. Thank you for finally releasing this gem in this format.

Pink Floyd's ninth studio album entitled Wish You Were Here was released in September of 1975.
I first received this album on cassette tape (Columbia/CBS JCT 33453) for my ninth birthday on January 24, 1985 from my parents accidentally instead of the compilation A Collection of Great Dance Songs but I thank both of them (especially my mom, may she rest in peace) that they did as today (over 26 years after I first acquired the album on cassette and many copies later, including the remastered CD), it is my all time favorite Pink Floyd album (I apologize to those who like Dark Side, Animals and The Wall more than this), it's also the favorite of Pink Floyd's singer and guitarist David Gilmour and the late co-founder/keyboard player/occasional singer Rick Wright (who passed away in September of 2008).
The Wish You Were Here album was the band's first for their new deal with Columbia/CBS for most of the world save Europe where they remained with Harvest/EMI.
The sessions for Wish You Were Here took place between January and July of 1975 at Abbey Road Studios in London with the band once again producing and engineer Brian Humphries engineering.
The lyrics were once again penned by bass player/singer Roger Waters whom came up with the theme of absence in response to the overwhelming success of their predecessor, 1973's 40 million copies worldwide plus selling The Dark Side of the Moon. It also dealt with the greed of the entertainment business.
Wish You Were Here only technically contained four tracks as one of the tracks was split in half, but it is nothing but 44 and a half minutes of sonic bliss.
Wish You Were Here kicks off with "Shine On You Crazy Diamond (parts 1-5)". The music is just amazing and was written by Rick, David and Roger. Rick's synthesizer work on part 1 was very atmospheric before David plays a beautiful sad bluesy guitar solo. Then the four note motif from David's guitar signals Part 2 and Rick's stellar Hammond organ work, Roger's great bass playing and drummer Nick Mason's drumming to come in and play. David is at his bluesiest as far as guitar solos go on part 2. Part 3 has a beautiful Wright synthesizer solo and classic Gilmour solo before segueing into Part 4 at the 8:45 mark. Part 4 is where Roger's lead vocal comes in and he sings the band's epic tribute to fallen Floyd comrade Syd Barrett. Dick Parry's baritone and tenor sax solos on Part 5 end this half of the track which segues into superb machine noises created by the VCS3 to go into the next song. The song "Welcome to the Machine" was the first of two attacks on the record industry with Wright and Waters' synthesizers, David's multi-tracked vocals and acoustic guitars and drummer Nick Mason's tympani flourishes playing flawlessly before ending with superb sound effects thanks to the VCS3 and people laughing.
The second half of the Wish You Were Here album starts with the rocker "Have a Cigar", another biting commentary on the record business. The track featured the band's Harvest/EMI labelmate Roy Harper on lead vocals (and he did a stellar job). The song was released as a single in the US but didn't chart but a classic nevertheless. Gilmour's ending distorted guitar solo disappears into radio sounds which were recorded in David's car and segues into the album's title track. The title cut was spawned from a riff David had played at Abbey Road and Roger liked it so much that the two sat down and wrote the second best loved Floyd track in the band's repertoire. The lyrics reflect on Syd and wishing he was still together mentally. The coughing fit in the beginning was David's then-smoking habits. He thankfully quit smoking immediately for good after the initial playback during mixing at Abbey Road in 1975 because he was embarrased about the cough but was left in there as a sort of reminder. The wind swirls at the end leads into "Shine On You Crazy Diamond (parts 6-9)". Part 6 of the epic nine-part track is dominated by David's superb guitar work on both the Stratocaster and lap steel and Rick's Solina String and Mini-Moog synthesizer flourishes. We then segue into Part 7 from the guitar solo of Part 4. Roger sings part 7 very passionately. Parts 8 and 9 to Shine On You Crazy Diamond is one of the most powerful pieces of music I ever heard with the former a funky exercise and the latter is one of Wright's best pieces of music.
When mixing Shine On You Crazy Diamond (which was also the day David married his first wife Ginger), Syd mysteriously showed up at Abbey Road with a shaved bald head and very plump. The band hadn't seen him since 1970 and wouldn't see him again (Syd sadly passed away in 2006).
When Wish You Were here was released, the album rightfully hit #1 in the band's native UK in its first week and topped the charts here in the US with a bullet in its second week and has sold over 7 million copies to date here in the US (13 million worldwide).
Sales notwithstanding, this is Pink Floyd at its best musically, lyrically and cohesive as a unit despite the fact the feud in the band was starting to brew and the album still sounds great over 35 years later.
Now in 2011, as part of the Why Pink Floyd? reissue campaign, this classic album is re-released with a new remaster. The remastering on this is incredible. What James Guthrie and Joel Plante did with this album is excellent. I've owned the 1992 remaster (which was used for the 1994 UK remaster and the 1990s Sony Gold disc), the 1997 and 2000 remaster (which are identical) and the sound is like night and day. This easily is the best sounding Wish You Were Here since the first vinyl issue (which I'm proud to own). The booklet is rather nice as well. I can't wait for the Experience and Immersion Versions!
Highly recommended!

Here is my most honest opinion. I don't hear the difference between this new version and that of 1994 (the one in circulation until now). I've now compared both versions time and time again on different three-way tower speakers, with different headphones, and the reality is that although there might be a difference it is simply insignificant. I don't lie when I say that I even find the older version more punchy and slightly more vivid with the high frequencies. If anything, the new version might be slightly more sonically dispersed, but again, it is so mildly and insignificantly so, that one constantly asks if it is subjective or really there. Even if it were, again, I find this release just very slightly less crisp and punchy than the '94 release.

This is the second time I see this regarding Pink Floyd re-releases as everyone knows that the 2003 release of Dark Side of the Moon did not sound better than the original '80s CD release. That said, if you don't have these albums then go ahead, no problem, but if you do it's not worth it. Don't fall for this "remastered" claim which is no more than a marketing ploy for the music industry knows that unless they squeeze old productions to their last drop, with today's mediocrities they are going nowhere.

I would have loved for this release to have been a significant improvement but if I am going to be honest I just can't say it is, not for the extra purchase that is. Plus, on a lesser note, how are you going to re-release "Wish You Were Here" and totally omit its famous robot handshake emblem.