I was there when Depeche Mode the end of November 2013 gave two concerts in the Berlin hall at Ostbahnhof. In the setlist it has made in my opinion the mixture. Dave Gahan and Co. gave some numbers from the latest LP DELTA MACHINE at the best, but in addition also have many classics such as Black Celebration, POLICY OF TRUTH or ENJOY THE SILENCE introduced, making them fans of the first hour and young followers like me in equal parts could inspire.
My only problem at that time was that I had a miserable view of the stage. Standing room in the interior were only of interest for the front audience. The stage had only one bridge on which the lead singer now and then danced, but much closer to what is happening, unfortunately, did not come.
That's why I have all the more pleased that exactly this recording was produced for the concert experience at home - and that too in an unabridged form! Even the short idle phase by Personal Jesus, in which the band is not on the stage, is included.
Quickly, however, disenchantment set a fact that there will be no Blu-ray of LIVE IN BERLIN (for now?), Although known to have a HD recording, including exclusive film screenings, is present. In addition, you can purchase the concert film with tens of other offerings, which makes the package quite expensive. A single DVD without Blu-ray Audio and Audio CDs from the concert as yet there exists not, so you are forced to buy the award-intensive box.
Well, as a fan to do so with everything. And you probably would find this forum more enthusiastic voices, if only the quality would agree!
--- Go Boxset (2x DVD, 2x CD, 1x Blu-ray Audio) ---
Undeniably, the picture quality is just bad. Even on my small 37 "TV are compression artifacts can be seen in the form of cracked contours. How would the recording probably act on a bigger TV? Surely even worse. The reviewers before me, the certified poor image quality, have not at all wrong.
In general, the package of its contents here very misleading. I have expected that a making of or sample recordings of the band present on the second DVD, but weitgefehlt: The same concert recording was also pressed on the second disc, this time interspersed with interviews of band, crew and fans in between, in which mainly the importance Berlin will emerged for the band's history. That's all really interesting for the fan, which is why but then you have another DVD produced it? Had the disc menu may not create the option that buyers interested in just for the pure concert, automatically skip these passages? The second disc is just nonsense and means in the conclusion but only that more content in the 5-disc box is thus one may ask for more money for it than with a 4-disc box!
My expectations were subject to error even in another part of the set. Unlike thought, was not the live recording added as Blu-ray Audio, but the album Delta Machine. Through the 5.1 mix you experience the actual work of Depeche Mode over again. Individual elements of the songs are stronger emphasis on certain speakers, so more dynamic prevails. This means in plain language that can be heard more than a CD or even vinyl which can only provide stereo sound by their nature. Oddly, the Blu-ray Audio the positive surprise in this strange compiled Boxset represents.
The two CDs, so to speak, contained the "soundtrack" of the concert, is to say that they are well suited for traveling. By way too loud mix the ripped files later make good on the mp3 player ...
Visually, the box is however outwardly quite succeeded. Some elements thereon and on the five printed cardboard sleeves, in which the discs have been pushed, shimmering, because special film was used. The small booklet with photos from the concert acts next but much more noble. Impractical the cases are yet, because the discs tend in this Aufbewahrungsart to ugly scratches.
--- Conclusion ---
To put it quite starkly: A lot more I could not see the concert LIVE IN BERLIN in this image quality. My view amidst the crowd is similar to the on the two DVDs. That Depeche Mode, who always gives the impression in the past that you care about the quality of their creative outpourings much, throw something on their behalf on the market, is more than strange.
If the Blu-ray perhaps even submitted? If so, then the whole thing smells not only because of the second DVD to rip, which is identical to the first except for the interview impressions. The Blu-ray Audio in 5.1-robe makes it then at least a little bet - three stars.
