Quadrophenia (Director's Cut Super Deluxe Edition)

I'm reviewing the Blu-ray specifically. As for the album, I'll just it's among my favorites, and if you have the patience to play it all the way through and never put it on shuffle, it will probably be one of your favorites too, unless you hate rock and roll.There are some very bad releases of this album, and the blu-ray is not one of them. Many of the CD's have horrible dynamic range and are very fatiguing to listen to. (This is an especially bad problem for a double album). I've listened to a couple CD's (or digital downloads) and I get tired of the album barely a quarter of the way into it. I turn down the volume and that makes it less stressful, but also much less exciting. When I get to a cool part, I turn the volume up again, only to shortly thereafter become fatigued. There is no ebb and flow; the album doesn't evolve and progress like its story does. It feels monotonous and constant. This is a direct result of compressed dynamic range. The compression isn't as bad as most pop music and it's still a great album, but it really does detract from my enjoyment, and I suspect it will yours as well.My dad's vinyl sounds a lot better. It has great, open, dynamic sound (insert more audiophile buzzwords here, if you wish), but there are pops, clicks, and hisses. Also, changing the disks 3 times during the album is distracting. Still, I can put the volume at a comfortable, exciting level and leave it there for the whole album.The Blu-ray has three versions on it: 1973 stereo, 2014 stereo, and 2014 5.1 surround. I've only listened to the stereo versions (in fact, I bought this specifically for the stereo versions), and they are great. Let's take them one at a time.1973 stereo: I don't think this is a needle drop, but it's probably taken straight from the master used for the vinyl in 1973. This is a very dynamic recording and all of what The Who put into Quadrophenia comes through marvelously. It's a little rough though. I notice a (very) small amount of distortion at various parts throughout the album, usually in the vocals, as if the microphone was clipping a bit. Still, a joy to listen to.2014 stereo: This is a complete digital remix and remaster. Usually that means they just compressed the dynamics so it sounds loud on radio, but not this time. The dynamic range is preserved and everything is resolved wonderfully. All the distortion I heard in the 1973 version is gone.After spending more time than I care to admit comparing the two versions piece by piece (fairly easily done with Audacity), I've concluded that the 1973 version has a slightly more natural dynamic range. The 2014 version is still very dynamic, and it doesn't have any distortion. That's the one I listen to regularly, and I'm happy to do so.In short, I'm very satisfied with this purchase, and there is little else I would ask for. This is the version to get.Now, it is a Blu-ray, and that might be a problem for some. I was able to rip it to my computer without too much hassle, but I am one of those "computer guys," whatever that means. Google led me to MakeMKV and ffmpeg, and I got it done no problem, no money, but your mileage may vary. You certainly do need a Blu-ray drive, though.

I think that the only benefit from having this album is the complete 5.1 mix. After comparing the 1996 remixed to the 1973 original mix (both in stereo), I definitely prefer the 1996 remixed version. I also have the MFSL remastered, Japanese SACD remastered, Director's Cut Super Deluxe remastered, and IMO the best version of this album is the 1996 remixed version. Buy this version of Quadrophenia if you want the full album in 5.1, if you want stereo then buy the 1996 remixed version.The new mix versions of 1995 - 1997 of all The Who albums are the best sounding ones, but some Super Deluxe editions (like The Who Sell Out) are great to have, providing a great improvement over the original mid 80's CDs.P.S.: Amazon needs to separate the reviews for different versions of the same albums.

Always loved this masterwork by The Who. I was a young DJ at WMMS in Cleveland when it was released. I've had it on LP, CD, MP3 etc for decades. Now that I'm retired and have a turntable hooked up to my bedroom home theater, this was one of the first LPs I bought anew. I was validated when I enjoyed it again on vinyl for the 1st time since the original promo copy I played the life out of finally wore out. This is one great pressing. It sounds fantastic and the full sized cover art, liner notes and picture book make it all the sweeter. If you love The Who and are into vinyl, this is a must have, IMO. I think this is The Who's finest work and this edition more than does it justice. I'm thrilled. Thanks so much

Prob one of the top fifty Rock and Roll albums. It is written by Pete Townshend, the guitarist of the R and R group, “The Who”.A very good concept album written as an opera, it tells a sad and somewhat in your face story of a young British man’s search for a valid love, which he seems to be unable to find.It begins with a powerful number, “The Real Me” as the writer asks an important question. Who is the real me? That song blends into the Underture in which the writer combines large orchestral sound with the loud power cords of the guitar fir which the group is famous.Townshend is faithful to this formula throughout the album. He provides the listener with four theme songs that he weaves in and out of the various songs throughout the project.The R and R is top notch.Not much is wrong with this piece of work. One could say Townshend is heavy handed, and the background strings could be better emphasized, but those are pretty personal observations.My suggestion; if you like R and R and are not easily offended with some harsh words...,buy this one.

Looks like I will be in the minority here but I not totally feeling this release.The 5.1 is ok. Some songs(and some parts of other songs) the rear channels seem to be used much like some of the older DVD audio releases where it was just an echo effect. Nothing completely wrong with that as I am not a fan when the rear speakers are used to aggressively either. Conversely, some of the songs are tastefully done. I guess that is one of the reasons I rank this release as just ok. The oddest mix is on Love Reign o'er Me. Rogers voice is pushed back in the mix and also with an odd echo.One of my biggest complaints of this release is that there digital harshness that comes through on the high end. This probably has everything to do with the source used. I also agree with the other reviewer that mentioned the bass shy issue. It's not awful. It's just ok.Before this review is panned, this is how it sounds on my system to these ears. I have said it before what sounds good on one system may not sound as good on another due to various reasons like equipment, room treatment, speaker wire etc.In short, this blu ray is simply ok. It won't be high on my rotation list. Three stars because it's the Who and the music is great. The mix is so so and the source for the release is in question due to the harsh highs.

Having seen the Who at Wembley recently I realised how little of their music I actually owned, of course I should have realised this before the gig and done something about it then and not afterwards. Yes, I have Tommy and Who's Next, and of course Live at Leeds, but apart from a couple of greatest hits compilations (don't ask) that's it so I felt a little bit of out of my depth particular as a quarter of the set-list came from Quadrophenia (alright that quarter included 5:15 and Love Reign Over Me, but it still left a large gap.) So I dashed-off an emergency Amazon order [my definition not necessarily the Memsahib's] and now I am the proud owner of Quadrophenia and only some 45 years after it was released!So, sitting here listening to Quadrophenia's two CDs back-to-back, I am relieved to realise that this isn't Tommy Part 2; unlike Tommy this is the sound of a grown-up rock band performing real rock songs that are not just an artifice for telling a pretentious story. I say that because I always thought Tommy to be a bit superficial, OK it has a couple of killer singles, but it isn't mature, some of the tracks are frankly feeble and let's be honest the story is a bit silly particularly around the edges. Quadrophenia on the other hand may lack the killer singles, but has a consistency and quality that Tommy lacks and the story is stronger although really a bit irrelevant; in short this is thoughtful wall-to-wall early 1970's rock being performed by one of the greatest bands to emerge from the 60's largely unscathed.So why only four stars? Firstly, while the quality of the songs is generally high there is insufficient variety across the length of the double album to sustain interest; as a concept album it was intended to be heard in one continuous sitting and needs some variety to sustain interest [maybe that is just a reflection of the dip-in/dip-out world we now inhabit], and secondly I don't like the silliness that the Who had a tendency to and find Bell Boy particularly annoying. So while it's good, in my opinion it isn't the best Who album, for me that title currently belongs to Who's Next, but as I have already explained I have more Who yet to explore, and next up is The Who By Numbers (hopefully a steal at only £5).

I realise I am flying in the face of accepted opinion, but this is not their best work.A life long admirer of The Who I was fortunate to see the original line-up perform Tommy in '69, and the Who's Next setlist twice in the months it was a new release. Both masterpieces are way above Quadrophenia.It's good, and it's certainly based on a good concept, but it's just too "busy": Too many layers in the production, too much going off in the arrangements, and Roger gets rather buried under it all. Yes, I bought this again recently, thinking I must be missing something? But no, I just don't see it, and I doubt Jimmy would have given it much playing time. Not his style.Sorry.

I have copies of this album on vinyl from the 70s, CD from the 80s and now Bluray Audio from the 10s. The Bluray Pure Audio has both a 5.1 remix and the 2.0 audio only versions in high res 24 bit / 96Khz so you could say this is the definitive quality version of this classic Who album.I obviously like this album lots so I'll leave you to read other reviews on its musical content, so I'll restrict my comments to this new format and it is that I give 4 stars.This Hi-Res audio format should be a real winner, unlike previous attempts to drag up the digital quality from MP3 by the likes of SACD and DVD Audio this format can be played back at an improved quality by anyone with a decent standard Bluray Player and surround sound system, so why is it dying on its feet. This disk (along with many of the other disks in this format) as I write this in June 2017 is "currently unavailable" from Amazon! Shameful.They've done a good job here for both the purist who want to hear the original stereo mix and those like me who want something different in the surround sound version. Normally I'd favour the 5.1 version (as with Hotel California and Rumours DVD Audios) but here I find it a little stretched and hollow. Turn up the volume on the stereo version and/ or put it though a DSP processor to give an artificial surround effect and this is the best version of the album so far. The only reason I've given it 4 rather than 5 stars is that there could have been better video content i.e. more than just a few publicity stills from the movie.I'm glad I bought it when I found it at a reasonable price as the manufacturers seem determined to make this disks collector items at ridiculous prices, good luck getting one now unless its re-launched.

I'm a real sucker! I have the original UK and US vinyls, the CD's, the box set and now this. What can I say - new vinyl, no scratches, that vinyl sound, the artwork and stapled in book (that I lost many years ago when it fell out of my original copy) and of course, the brilliant songs. Quadrophenia has to be the Who's best work, and in my humble opinion, is the best album ever produced by anyone. Sounds as good today as ever and brings the memories of a misspent youth flooding back each time I hear it.

The bands second rock opera originally released in 1973. It reached number 2 in the UK and the U.S. Set in London and Brighton in1965 it follows a young mod named Jimmy on his quest for self-worth and importance. Entirely composed by Pete Townshend. On release it received positive reviews and a few years later the successful film was made. Rolling Stone magazine have rated the album 267 in its top 500 all time albums. It still sounds good after all these years and Roger Daltrey’s voice in fine form.