Leaving aside the artistic merits of these arrangements (type Q3607 in Search Reviews), this multi-channel SACD version of the Bell/Brohn homage to Bernstein reveals both the plusses and minuses of the new format. Sonically the overall presentation falls lighter on the ear than the CD in side-by-side comparison. In particular, percussion instruments have spatial integrity within the orchestra (in back and to the left), and the soundstage itself is, almost by definition, much wider and deeper–deep to the point of sounding cavernous, over-reverberant, and therefore somewhat artificial.
Discrete multi-channel recording engineering clearly is a work-in-progress, evidenced by the struggle to find the appropriate mix between ambient and direct musical information. In this instance, the violin and orchestra feature prominently and equally in all five primary channels with only the slightest boost accorded the soloist in the center channel, which places the listener in the orchestra, not in front of it. Hence, the effect is no better than one could achieve synthetically through Dolby Pro-Logic (or other surround processing techniques) without the need for a dedicated multi-channel SACD player.
One solution of course is to lower the levels in the rear speakers, but it’s hard to imagine anyone except the most fastidious audiophiles messing around with meters and equalization just to enjoy some music. Another way to solve the problem is to keep changing your seating position (move forward away from the rear speakers) to nullify the same effects, yet wasn’t the point of multi-channel to avoid that other audiophile obsession–finding “the sweet spot”? Of course, the question remains whether it makes any difference at all, since this may very well be one of strongest cases in which form truly does not overcome content.
