I decided to give Apple Music a try to access the Atmos mixes.

I like the Dark Matte mix. Ten and Vs (the other two I have heard so far) are wild. I am not having a true atmos experience (Spatial audio airpods), but there is so much distinct instrumentation I have never heard before. It lacks cohesion in a way that maybe feels live, maybe doesn't. Definitely feels incredibly different. I don't know that I'd prefer these mixes after so long (or if the are even better) but I love all these details I never heard before. It does feel like a discovery. On Ten in particular (but moments throughout) I'd swear these aren't even the right tracks.

Creating this thread to park observations when I can. Others are encouraged to do the same

I’ve really enjoyed bits of the following:

Yield - No Way, Pilate, Low Light, Push Me, Pull Me

No Code - In My Tree, Off He Goes, Red Mosquito, Around the Bend

Gigaton: Who Ever Said, Quick Escape, Superblood Wolfmoon

I’ve also checked out Ten and Vs, but not nearly as much as the above.

I hope Vitalogy gets the Atmos treatment for its 30th anniversary.

Great thread idea, stip. I appreciate this one.

BTW, on the recent Broken Record podcast, for those who haven't listened, Jeff mentioned getting a call from Neil Young about the Atmos mix for Mirror Ball that was apparently done last summer.
Hope it's up soon.

It’s available and it’s great.

Made my night, dad...thank you!

Three standout moments for me on the Atmos mix of Dark Matter:

- Ed's vocals rising from center to above head on the chorus of Wreckage.

- Ed's harmony vocal pushing wide to the sides on the outro of Wreckage.

- Mike's baller solo on Scared on Fear flying in as a stinging swarm from upper right.

I turned off Dolby Atmos on Apple Music because it makes everything sound very disjointed. I don't need to hear music in 3D.

Shouldn’t this be in other bands

RMers only care what Pearl Jam albums sound like.

I'm pretty sure I'll end up doing the same. Though I must admit it's being fun and interesting right now.

I really don't enjoy head tracked spatial audio, it's super distracting for me.

I've settled quite nicely with this combo:
- Noise control: Adaptive
- Conversation awareness: Off
- Spatial Audio: Fixed

Dark Matter for example has a ton of shit buried under the normal stereo mix that just pops out on Atmos... Like Jeff sounds amazing on it, keys are way more present, overall roomier experience.
But DM gets overwhelming on some tracks (GTG came to mind immediately).

St. Vincent's "All Born Screaming" sounds simply impeccable front to back, it's full of ear candy.
The difference between ABS and DM is that ABS sounds excellent on both.

Old man yelling at cloud: Still hoping this is just a fad, and that new recordings don't prioritize mixing for spatial and coming up with sausages for stereo mixes.

there are details in these mixes I have NEVER heard before. Some I swear they are just making it up. It's very cool to listen to, but none of this seems preferable to the original mixes (except maybe the DM mix, which is pretty good)

but man Eddie sound bad on Habit

Around the Bend is really nice this way. Maybe the first track that felt improved by Atmos on Ten, Vs, or No Code (as opposed to just interesting)

The Dark Matter mix is generally very good. The sound is much richer, way more detail, but without the feeling of separation. just definition. Unfortunately Stevie is an exception

Tangent but I don’t use Spotify at all, only very rarely, and as far back as four years ago I noticed a lot of the pj songs seemed to be entirely different mixes or even different takes.
I’m no audiophile at all but this different mix thing for each platform is just self defeating.
I dont get the point of it at all outside it being a horrible corporate money grab. It’s cynical.

it is frustrating, Dime - proprietary mixes

on yield. the atmos mix reminds me that faithfull is at the bottom of eddie’s studio performances for me. while a lot of the yield songs i was lukewarm towards have risen in my esteem over time (your all those yesterdays, pilates, lowlights, and no ways of the world, and i really like in hiding when i push past most of the lyrics, faithfull is on the opposite trajectory

no way was a good fit with the atmos mixing. Given to Fly sounded really great until the end when the sawing guitar came i . the vocals sit on top of the music in a way that makes a lot of sense. Mike’s music is so pretty

(i have always preferred matt to jack on this - jack is too loose and garagey. works great on Brain of J (his best work with the band). not here though

That being said I wanna hear no code and yield with these new mixes

You’re selling it to me Stip.

its worth a month. dont know that ill keep it

Good shout. Have to get fancy headphones n see.

I love Apple Music.