Surrounded by Darkness


So, while my wife was away for the week, I took the opportunity to move one of our couches to about 7ft away from the TV and set the surround sound speakers up all around it.

It was magical. Blu-ray films crisp, sound everywhere. The first couple of films had me reaching for the remote to kill the sound a couple of times as it seemed crazily loud but then I’d remember I was right next to the speakers and relax.

Dark Side of the Moon is probably my favourite album of all time. It still stands the test of time, is so intricate that there’s always something new to hear and is still one of the most inventive albums ever created. And it was also originally intended to be a quadraphonic record. So, all of the times that I’ve listened to it on two speakers or headphones, I’ve not been getting the intended effect.

A few years ago for the 30th anniversary edition, a Super Audio CD was released with a 5.1 mixing of the quadraphonic version. I was delighted. I was excited. Then I discovered that SACDs don’t play in PCs and require a special player. That was annoying. Well, if they had the 5.1 version, surely it’d be available as a DVD then for the majority of people who don’t own SACD players. Well, no. No DVD version to buy.

Step up internet. Hello DVD version.

Oh powers that be marketeers: I tried to buy the disc. I tried to find a DVD version to play on my system. There was none. Limiting formats doesn’t work.

So, with the couch moved, the sound surrounding me, it was finally time to dig out that hand written DVD and see what it was like.

It was so good that my ears have been ruined for other music. Hearing the delay on the vocals on Us and Them bounce around the room was just one of the many highlights.

If you get the chance to listen to the album in this format, I highly recommend you do. There are sources out there that will have to do until a legitimate version is released in a sensible format.

The forthcoming remaster re-release this year doesn’t contain the 5.1 version.

Sigh.