Rush is a Band Blog: Rush acknowledges flaws in Sector box sets

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Saturday, December 3, 2011

Rush acknowledges flaws in Sector box sets

10:16AM EST | comments (16) |

UPDATE - 12/16@12:56PM: The band's management has also informed me that they are in the process of setting up an 800 number for folks to get the fixed discs (just replacements for the flawed discs, not a box set replacement), and will have all that information up on Rush.com once the discs are ready to ship. They also shared with me their response regarding some emails they are getting regarding other issues that fans are reporting hearing on the discs:

Please be assured that once the technical issue was found, the entire Sectors masters were revisited (again).

Rich Chycki had good time revisiting By-Tor on All The Worlds A Stage, and the listeners are correct that 'a sound' appears midway through the song. Like the studio version, that is the sound of ByTor-- a phase shifty type of angry animal sound that pops in and out around Alex's guitar solo. It's identical to the original vinyl version. There is no technical issue.

We know Rush fans in particular appreciate that the product being released now is the highest resolution to date, and that can reveal details that weren't apparent previously as well as revealing limitations of past media formats. I'm sure that fans appreciate that the masters are simply not recycled but fully re-transferred and remastered and will enjoy the differences in the products.

----- snip -----

Since the release of Rush's Sector box sets a couple of weeks ago, several fans have reported issues with the Fly by Night CD on the Sectors 1 set, and with the A Farewell to Kings 5.1 DVD on the Sectors 2 set. If you've experienced these issues for yourself, you were not imagining things. The band has acknowledged these flaws and have taken steps to correct them as shown by this post on Rush.com late yesterday:

We are aware of some slight technical issues surrounding the CD of 'Fly By Night' inside the Sector 1 box set release and the DVD for 'A Farewell To Kings' inside the Sector 2 box set that some fans are experiencing. It stems from a production flaw and it is currently being addressed. As soon as production is completed a formal announcement of how to replace the discs will follow shortly. Please be aware that there may be a time delay in shipping and receiving the disc and we sincerely apologize for this inconvenience - Geddy, Alex & Neil

COMMENTS

#1 - Posted 12/3/11 @10:24AM by Denny Crane [contact]

FIRST

D E N N Y C R A N E

#2 - Posted 12/3/11 @10:44AM by Runkerry [contact]

Oooops! I always said this was not money well spent anyway! : / Ah well, at least they are trying to sort this out. Have great and safe weekends all.

#3 - Posted 12/3/11 @10:50AM by zybraman [contact]

Dos
I know the sound on TM blue-ray is not as good as S&A , just
the recording, not the band :)

#4 - Posted 12/3/11 @1:52PM by Rushian Roulette [contact]

Not a nice holiday for that guy on the other end of the Ray Danniels phone call!

#5 - Posted 12/3/11 @3:34PM by Taurus Pedal Boy

I'm glad that I didn't RUSH out and buy these Sector sets. What a drag for those who did.

My question is, will they recall all the product sitting on store shelves now, or will they allow people to keep buying these defective sets?

Also, how will we know when the "corrected" sets are in stores (and not the old ones with the defective discs in them)? Will there be any way visually to tell them apart???

So many questions...

#6 - Posted 12/3/11 @4:17PM by kynetboy [contact]

I am curious what the production problem is with AFTK 5.1 and FBN CD? I listened to the 5.1 today and heard no problems with it. Haven't gotten to the FBN CD yet.

#7 - Posted 12/3/11 @4:48PM by Taurus Pedal Boy

Maybe not every set contains the defective discs? Maybe it was a random problem that only accured in a certain percentage of the sets? Don't know...

#8 - Posted 12/3/11 @4:51PM by Taurus Pedal Boy

It would be nice if they would publicly detail what the problems are so that fans could go and spot-check their discs. The entire thing seems to be intentionally vague at this point...

#9 - Posted 12/3/11 @5:30PM by rushisgreat [contact]

#6
-The FBN flaw is that the left channel cuts out on beneath between and behind for a moment.
-The error on AF2K is on the dvd disc. the 5.1 is fine, and in my opinion, amazing, but the stereo mix of Closer to the Heart is not actually the stereo mix, but the front two channels of the 5.1, therefore an incomplete mix.
-There is also some tape dropouts on the title track of AF2k during the 2nd half of the intro.(sounds like a worn out cassette tape)
- On the hemispheres disc, Circumstances is labels Track 3, and there is no track 2, by extension, the trees is labeled track 4 and La Villa is labeled track 5.

#10 - Posted 12/4/11 @2:13PM by starscreamsrevenge [contact]

Can someone PLEASE tell me if the DVD audio discs are region free? I've been asking this question for about a month now in various places, but NO-ONE is responding to me!!

I'd really like to get Farewell to Kings to hear Xanadu in 5.1 but don't want to waste my money if they don't work!!!

Thanks a lot

#11 - Posted 12/4/11 @2:31PM by Taurus Pedal Boy

@ #10 - I'm sure nobody is ignoring you. They (including me) probably just don't know the answer to your question. Sorry! You should try a home theater audio forum, perhaps? Good luck!

#12 - Posted 12/4/11 @9:40PM by What-A-Rush

Clearly Mercury(Universal),VanDette,and Chycki were a little too eager to "Rush"-release the $ector box sets on 11-22-11 so they could benefit from the Black Friday "Rush" of holiday shoppers seeking the NEWLY RE-REMASTERED catalog that most fans own anyway. I decided not to "Rush" to poor judgment and will happily listen to some of my out-of-date 1997 NEWLY REMASTERED CD's instead. Note to Universal,it's very difficult to pay attention to detail when you're in a "Rush" to the bank! Thanks RIAB,great comments everybody!

#13 - Posted 12/5/11 @11:53AM by Jimbo [contact]

So I believe the Moving Pictures deluxe release from earlier this year was also remastered (not only the 5.1/Stereo DVD and BRD, but the CD). I compared my 1997 Moving Pictures to the 2011 CD and ended up preferring the 1997 remaster. Has anyone compared these new remasters to the 1997 counterparts (well, um, yeah, not Counterparts)? I suspect that a few of the CDs benefitted, while some others might not be better, as they did a great job with that 1997 material.

#14 - Posted 12/5/11 @5:47PM by Pat [contact]

Too bad they never corrected the micro-second drop out on "We Hold On" on the original Snakes & Arrows CD (not the special edition, with DVD version, which has everything fine). Drives me nuts, still.

#15 - Posted 12/21/11 @5:28PM by sammy2112 [contact]

I think i may have discovered another flaw...I was just listening to Power Windows, and noticed that there are a couple of keyboard notes missing towards the end of Mystic Rhythms. Anyone else notice this as well??

#16 - Posted 1/21/12 @10:16PM by dtoelectric [contact]

I havent seen this one brought up yet but my hold your fire disc has a major problem with High Water ,.The song starts near the end than finishes and the rest of the track plays blank . I hope they are aware of this one . Mine cant be the only one .