When 5.1 channel surround sound music mixes first made their way onto
the scene, there were several bands that came to mind that I felt could
truly benefit from the extra discreet channels. Keep in mind that most
of my radio listening and concert going occurred from the mid 70's and
through the 80's. My personal short list of Pop/Rock groups that, to me,
have real potential in the digital surround sound realm include (in no
particular order) Pink Floyd, Yes, Electric Light Orchestra, pre-'80's
Genesis and Queen. I'm sure there are others, but I know that the
creative instrumentals and vocals of these bands would provide some
unique listening experiences in 5.1

After a delay, the much anticipated Queen title, "A Night At The Opera",
makes it's way into music stores in April. Let me tell you, this disc is
worth the wait. This is probably the best surround mix for music I've
ever heard, and that includes Alan Parsons On Air DTS and the Steely Dan
concert DVD.

"A Night At the Opera" is a popular title from the 70's and is
responsible for such memorable hits as "You're My Best Friend" and
"Bohemian Rhapsody." I couldn't just sit down and pretend I've never
heard it before. Instead, I approached this familiar album looking for a
more enjoyable and much improved listening experience. I got more than I
bargained for, and I'm not even set up for DVD-audio yet! I listened to
the DTS 5.1 track that plays on any DVD player--in this case, my Pioneer
DV-414.

Don't forget, this is DVD-Audio we're talking about, so we're treated to
some visuals along with our audio. In this case, from the menu screen we
get the following choices: TRACKS, VIDEO, GALLERY, LYRICS, CREDITS, DTS
STORY, and AUDIO OPTIONS.

After choosing the DTS 5.1 Digital Surround option from the AUDIO
screen, the first thing I did was listen to the tracks. Automatically, I
was shown the lyrics to the opening track, "Death On Two Legs". The
track began and almost immediately I felt the impact of a great 5.1
re-mix. Piano is heard from the rear surrounds and then Brian May's
screaming guitar blasted from the left main front. Lead singing came in
from the center channel. Ah, but when I think of Queen, I think of the
signature background vocals that set this band apart. When the music
abruptly stopped and those vocals kicked in behind me, I knew that this
was going to be a special listening experience. "Seaside Rendezvous,"
track #7, is classic Queen: An upbeat, somewhat ragtime song with all
the patented Queen staples; dueling piano playing (both standard and
electric), great vocals by Freddie Mercury, and cool percussion effects
coming from the rear surrounds. I believe the kazoo even makes an
appearance from the front left main speaker. This is a fun tune to
listen to and it makes very creative use of 5.1 discreet channels. Track
#8, "The Prophets Song", features a voice-only segment that will have
your head spinning trying to figure out which speakers the echos are
coming from -- lots of fun!

For you "Bohemian Rhapsody" fans, this disc gives you double the
pleasure. Not only do you get the audio track but you also get the
original music video as seen on MTV, totally re-mixed in 5.1. It's a
real treat for die-hard Queen fans or those younger kids that have just
recently discovered the classic tune from "Wayne's World." By the time I
got to the Bohemian Rhapsody audio track, I had already heard ten songs
so I was anxious to hear what 5.1 DTS would do to this classic. "Easy
come, easy go" (left and right mains), "A little high" (rear left
surround), "little low" (rear right surround), and that brought a smile
to my face. In short, the surround sound treatment for this classic song
will not disappoint you.

Accessing the GALLERY section from the main menu will give you ten
photos that you can scroll through with your remote, including close-ups
of the band members and concert action shots. Going to LYRICS, yo