Have Pink Floyd finally lost their marbles? Dark Side at 50 missing content from Immersion Edition 

"Grab that cash with both hands and make a stash". Oh, the irony!

I saw Pink Floyd play dark side at the Rainbow Theatre in Finsbury Park in November 1973 at the Robert Wyatt benefit concert and it still remains as the best version of it live

I bought my vinyl copy in...Oh yes, 1973. Still got it of course. No idea where the poster and the stickers went, though. None of us knew what to do with them in those days. Quite a new development for us.

I’ve always been of the opinion that Dark Side of the Moon is the closest that man has ever come to perfection. I’ve got three versions of the album. One I downloaded from iTunes so I could listen in my phone at work. It came with a live version and a video documentary of the making of the original re-mastering. Next, I bought a re-production vinyl after I gave up on finding a vintage copy that was in good shape after years of searching. Finally, I did find a vintage copy that was in excellent condition that still had the original inserts. Also had the CD but I gave it to my son after he bought his first car.

My favourite album of all time which made a lasting impression on me when I first heard it aged 10 in 1979.

No Doubt!!! I'm willing to bet that Dark Side Of The Moon is the most recognizable album cover of all time.

I was surprised of the lack of content in this new remaster box set. I have the Immersion set, the 20th Anniversary cd,30th SACD,Mobile Fidelity gold cd and 1974 Japanese tour edition on vinyl. Im set when it comes to copies of this album. The new Animals remix i do need on CD. Great video!

I'm good with the Immersion box set... I'm at a point in my life where I don't care about "new" remixes/remasters/etc...

Imagine this, but limited edition, and at a 70's price. Just to be kind. I know, madness. A really interesting video, I was quite unaware of the history of Floyd box sets, but I've now got very good context for where this latest offering sits. An eye watering price, especially in the current financial climate.

Hello Matthew. Greetings from Vancouver British Columbia Canada. I"m a 66 years of age fan of Pink Floyd that was first introduced to the Floyd sound when I was about 17 years of age. A nice stretch of listening to the music of Pink Floyd but I am certainly not as well informed as you are when it comes to matters about this great band. I was just browsing around RU-vid and by some good old serendipity came upon your channel. Nice job on this piece about PF's Dark Side box set from Immersion and how it compares to the new 50th anniversary edition about this great band. I have been away from collecting music for a bit and am now getting back into it and was just thinking about what I would like to have as a nice bit of memorabilia for some of the artists that I really enjoy. Low and behold I came upon what you presented here and it has helped me immensely in what to look for. This box set from Immersion that you have shown here is a very nice looking set and it might just be what I'm looking for. Now to find it at a price that I think is still fair value I suppose. I can't see buying the new 50th edition with what you have described it as. I would still like some vinyl but I will likely look for that somewhere other than what the 50th has to offer. I liked your presentation so much I have subscribed to your channel and look forward to seeing what else you might be commenting on in regards to music. Thank you and may peace be with you.

You’re absolutely right, wait for it to come out on eBay. Still using my jamo speakers I bought in 1990, they still sound incredible! Your box set is now selling for £250 on eBay!

I love this video. Thanks for the heads up on the live version aka the only piece of the set I want. I put a preorder up on that!

I am 67 and have been a Floyd fan since my older brother introduced me to them in 1969 with Atom Heart Mother, and I saw them with the Momentary Laps Of Reason tour at Wembley Stadium in 88, there is NO way on earth I would pay that price for this new release. It seems the only thing that matters is "Money" not the fans.

You're younger than I. It's hard for me to imagine how it would be to become aware of DSOTM years after its release. I wore it out the year it was released. Honestly, it's a undeniable part of my personal history.

Loved the review! Very detailed. 🙏

The Dark Side immersion set proves that the show from Brighton 1972 was fully recorded....I'd happily pay for that above the 74 Wembley show which has been available for decades

Very informative. Thank you.

I saw pink floyd at free trade hall manchester 1972, playing dsotm. They played using full quadraphonic sound. I bought their dsotm album version in sq quadraphonic. I had a pioneer quad hifi system at the time.

I would have to agree, I think they lost their marbles years ago. This practice (done sadly by a lot of bands) of both trolling and fleecing the fans at the same time is beyond a joke. Its not like they've haven't got enough money/had enough off the fans

kept me interested for full video...very very good...

The 50th anniversary of the biggest selling rock LP of all time. £250 for yet ANOTHER 'Remaster' of the same LP, a previously released 1974 concert and more overpriced memorabilia - and of course, the obligatory overpriced hardback book of photo's we've all seen before - but not one single session out-take or demo, no new interviews or documentary, absolutely no previously unreleased material whatsoever. Disgraceful. All I can hear right now is the sound of the cash registers that open side 2. How many more blu-ray DVD's and 5.1 stereo remixes of the same LP do we possibly need? This is such a wasted opportunity.

It's $299.99 on Amazon here in the States. I'll stick with my old cd.

Here's the story about the marbles. Storm Thorgerson explained this to us at an awards ceremony in 2012 which I attended: The marbles were meant to rattle around in the box and create a mysterious rattling sound in order to perplex the buyer. That was the purpose of them. But the factory mistakenly wrapped them in plastic thus defeating the entire point of the loose marbles.

Honestly, I still listen to all my favourite music in 128/44 mp3 and am overwhelmingly glad.

I’ll buy it on vinyl

The Bootleg version of 74 wembley gig is the one to own cause it includes Echoes unlike the offical version that does not!

Dude, you have TOTALLY nailed it on every aspect of what makes this new 50th Anniversary box such an overpriced, content-poor disappointment. Surely, they could've gone the extra mile and delivered a vinyl box with all or as much of the bonus Immersion content as could be fit onto multiple LP's. And don't even get me started on the fact that they lazily included a hardcover book that can be purchased as a standalone item for far less, much like the 1974 Wembley album (which I plan to get just by itself). Likewise, I can't be the only one who feels that they the dropped the ball even harder on this than with the deluxe "Animals" box (in itself ANOTHER missed opportunity for an Immersion-like experience).

The immersion box from 2011 will do me just fine.

Just imagine being old enough to get the Pink Floyd super-woop-te- doo Dark Side of the Moon versions on reel-to- reel, 8-track, LP, CD, DAT, CD-Hi.Fi, CD-HD. Every time one is released with all the tchotchkes. Don't forget the version with the home laser show contraption so you can do your own laser show. Not to mention, the the video: Dhe Dark Side of the Rainbow on VHS, Beta, Laser Disk, DVD; and film versions on 8mm, Super-8, 16mm and 35mm.

Very good Matt 🌗I don’t know why they don’t do a nice Blu-ray stand-alone release like they did with “Animals”. I’ve got the SACD of DSOTM.

Happy to hear I’m not the only person who prefers Is There Anybody Out There: The Wall Live over the studio recordings 🙂

"Remastering" ever since the age of compact discs began become a marketing magic trick for convince people to buy on a new format an album they already own or create the need for those who doesn't own them yet to buy it at last, and then a cliché for reissues and repressings every few years since the previous release. The same nowadays for anniversary editions, only worth it for completists and for people who couldn't get or afford the previous anniversary edition a decade ago, even more so since the 2010s vinyl became relevant once again and record companies put whatever you want them or not CDs, vinyl and Bluray discs all together on the package, so basically you're buying two or three times the same contents all at once.

Just discovered your channel, this video earned you my Subscription today 🤟🏼👏🏼 my friend and I believe we are your 2000th subsciber

I went skip diving last year when I saw a few LPs on top of some rubbish. I found a 1973 pressing of dark side of the moon among them. Also some other pink Floyd albums. Their now in my small collection.

"The quadrophonic isssue sounds different" Amazing!!

Hey Matt, thanks for this announcement. I'm liking what's over your right hand shoulder on the shelf in this video! I collect old boomboxes from that era. Well treated ones actually sound pretty decent, and are future proof, being able to accept a Bluetooth receiver through their Aux RCA jacks, or via Bluetooth cassette adaptor. As for this latest Dark Side reissue, it's all about the almighty buck! The 'Moon has been reissued, remastered, re-remastered, and re-re-re-remasterd so many bloody times it's ridiculous! I encourage new-to-Floyd listeners to just seek out a good condition Vinyl LP issue of Dark Side, from as close to 1973 as possible, or as early an issue of it on CD, one that does not have the phrase 'remastered' or such on it.

Just pre-ordered my box

Cool upload man, I have my Single Disc copy Pre-Ordered for release day. Roll on 2024 to see what we get for [ The Division Bell ] 30th Anniversary.

Warner music group owns the Pink Floyd catalog. This is on them.

I'm considering getting the 50th anniversary since I do not have the Immersion, I've only got the basic CD. It seems like the biggest thing you miss with the 50th anniversary over the Immersion is the CD3 with early versions and extra tracks. There isn't any way to get a copy just that CD by itself?

I was 16 and very rarely skipped school but one day I did, went with a girl named Linda Godwin to her house, her older brother was there, he had some pot, I had never been stoned before but that day I got pretty stoned for the first time. He played a Black Sabbath record then he put on Pink Floyds Umma Gumma, that blew my mind, I was stunned, had never heard anything like it. I asked him who it was he said Pink Floyd, the next day I went to the record store to buy Umma Gumma, the guy there said 'we don't have it' I was very disappointed, so I asked 'well what do you have by them?' he said 'all we have is this' and held up a copy of DSOTM, I sighed and said 'oh ok' still extremely disappointed cause I had my heart set on Umma. i begrudgingly paid for it and drive home hoping it would be at least comparable to Umma. About a week later they began playing Money on the radio and the rest is history about a year later stores had copies of Umma Gumma so I finally git it!, still have that copy of it too.

Beautiful. I really appreciate your deep understanding of TDSOTM. Really enjoyed this video.

I DEFINITELY AGREE with that comment on "Is There Anybody Out There"! That version really is tje superior version and REALLY showcases some of Rick Wright's very best piano work. It's absolutely beautiful and it would not be the version it is without him! I've sern them for twice for the 87/88 tour and twice for the 94 but..unfortunately, I didn't get to see all 4 together and while seeing The Wall in 2010 was a once in lifetime chance, I couldn't help but wonder what those original 80/81 shows were like. Good breakdown and I also agree with my older copies sounding just as good. I still have my vinyl copy and Dark Side was the first album I ever owned. It's a masterpiece and for them to 'top' that was a VERY difficult task. Wish You Were Here happens to be Dave's personal favorite. Hmm. 🤔 That's a hard call right there but Dark Side just holds a special place for me. Again, I saw Waters do that too in 2006 but it wasn't the same.

Not gonna comment about the Pink Floyd side of this, but for film sound, I can wholeheartedly recommend the National Science & Media museum in Bradford. If you’re in the area and a suitably good movie is playing, it really is an experience. I happened to see ‘Dunkirk’ and, while the film itself was a bit confusing, the audio was truly amazing. The random gunfire at the beginning had me ducking in my seat!

I had all kinds of ridiculous Dark Side merch. back in the 80s: you name it, had a licensed Dark Side baseball cap (a very good one too), a Dark Side silver mirror-inset prism necklace, and, last but not least, a Dark Side of the Moon pewter keychain bottle opener!

I’ll wait for 100th anniversary edition !

got my original version on vinyl since 1980. sounds amazing. bought the cd in the 1990s has the booklet. has huge sound! well compared to the old record.

Think I will just keep playing my 1973 LP.....ok, on the quieter bits it does sound like bacon frying but at my age my hearing is shot anyway.

Dark Side of the Moon was on the platter when I was born and has been in my head ever since, apart from when Dad bought Out of the Blue. Then my little brother was born and the options were Animals or Discovery. Needless to say he was more successful than me. But I retain the special cartridge.

The original cd masters sound more like how it sounded originally.. the remasters sound bass boosted.. if you pick out the wall .. comfortably numb is sped up slightly on the remaster.. The first big box versions of the wall sound absolutely glorious..

Regarding surround sound, the 5.1 mix is one of the best 5.1 mixes I've heard. I agree that in the cinema the sound for surround mixes is often not immersive, but providing you have the right set up, the 5.1 for Dark Side is incredible, with full use of all 5 speakers. It's truly immersive. I' never listen to the album in stereo, the 5.1 mix is my go to - it's that good. I agree the price for the new box is ridiculous. An easy pass for me; even more so as I own the Immersion set,

Thanks for the video! Can you remember what the fault with the Blu-ray from the 2011 box was? As to immersing sound, i hear you. As an audio-man i can tell you (and your viewers) that if you want to feel immersed in sound, you just need 2 x 2 speakers, preferably 2 different sets. Put the bigger/louder ones in front of you, the 2nd set behind you, and switch your amp to 4-channel stereo. After all the experimentation, we found this to be the most immersive.

I have the 2011 remaster and the 30th anniversary with the super audio CD. I own a Sony Blu-ray player specifically for my 5.1 channel CDs like the SACD. Dark side sounds awesome in 5.1

At this stage with these albums, remastering is just code for ‘making it louder’. Unless there’s a true case of presenting the songs with justifiable new mixes, as with Revolver, there’s just no point. It’s a cash grab. That said there have been some really great re-issues lately that have benefited from a remix and remaster. Steven Wilson’s work on the Gentle Giant LPs being one of them.

I once dreamt that my doctor gave me a prescription for dark Side Of The Moon. !

Glad I got the Immersion set.

DSOTM was the first PF album I listened to and it's the one I have bought more times. A Spanish copy was given to me as a souvenir, and after that I bought the LP, The First XI, cassette, CD, 24k gold CD, 20th anniversary, Shine On, 30th, Immersion, etc. etc. etc. I even have the cover versions of the album by many bands, several books and so many other things related to it, but... You are absolutely right: 50th's price sounds absurd. It could be the first time I let it pass 🤷🏻‍♂

I agree with you 100% I'll buy the stand alone live album and I'm good.

That quadraphonic LP you've got seems to have "Jugoton" logo in front, which means it was made in Yugoslavia. Jugoton later changed it's name to Croatia records.

...welcome to the machine

Got my original lp from the 70's and then upgraded the sound with the Mobile Fidelity cd in the 90's. That MoFi cd is the last word on Dark Side. I hear things that I never heard on the standard cd or the lp.

"They must have taken my marbles away!"

The Sound Effects on The Dark Side of the Moon... and The Wall....is Amazing!!!....I want a copy where the Sound Effects are Clear.... The Voices... come at U

got my 1st TDSOTM LP at a Glasgow woolies back in the mid-70s and it skipped like hell !!!

The last few years I always listen to bootlegs more than the studio albums. I have a good amount of live shows from 1971-1981. I wish PF would start putting out “official” bootlegs like the Wembley release. I already had it but the official with the posters is real cool.

So one gets in essence 1 album , a book , atmos , live and a ludicrous price . I stick to my Immersion box. If I want to spend money , I want to get something like the Blondie boxset. And for far less money , I got Lee Hazelwood's " I've been searching for a dream " as a deluxe version with over 300 songs , where the boxset in itself could have won a Grammy for content and presentation. This is a cashgrab Money ......get away sung Waters ...... Welcome to the machine

I never could get much from the 5.1 mix but the Quad one is gorgeous. I think that for decades now, Pink Floyd has become more about packaging than music. I think that David Gilmour's heart is in the right place about preserving the band's mystique: outtakes, demos, and repackaged boots do have a warts and all feel to it. What's the alternative? Blow a mortgage payment on a bunch of stuff I already have just for an extra disc or two? What's really left? Some demos, cleaned up boots and alternate takes/mixes? Let's leave something for the Middle Years boxset.

I bought the LP in 1980 and the CD in the mid-nineties. That's more than enough for me.

Thanks Matthew, I was considering buying this new box, but I think I'll stay with Immersion and other different versions. I'll just buy live vinyl to complete my collection.

Spot on my friend! I have the Immersion box set and feel absolutely no need for anything else, in fact I don’t even play all the discs in that box set lol. I will buy the new live album on vinyl but that’s it. Personally I have zero interest for surround sound audio mixes, if I want surround sound I want the full package which includes video performance ( a la live DVD’s).

I'm a huge PF fan as well. I agree. The last thing I bought was the Animals remix, which I do enjoy. Otherwise you can't keep remastering an already great sounding album and expect to hear any difference that justifies the price. As far as Darkside, I have a first pressing CD, the Sax remaster CD, the 2011 Experience edition for the live recording, and the 2016 Grundman LP. The only thing I'm really waiting for is a release of The Wall Live Blu-ray which probably won't happen. We don't even know if Roger has enough good footage to make a full length concert release.

I bought the "Shine On" box set when it released. When I received it there were errors on the Dark Side Of The Moon CD. It mislabelled the track list. My friend bought it too and his never had the error. So as it was meant to be a limited edition, I guess my box is a very limited edition. The only downside is the friend stole my CD holder that came with it, because he used his and it wore out really quickly.

I too have bought several copies of Dark Side of the Moon. The CD version from 1993, you can include the live version on the Pulse CD, video, DVD and the Blu-ray from last year. The 30th anniversary from 2003, the Discovery box set, the Immersion and the vinyl edition which was a reprint from 2011. I love it and play still play is regularly, after 35 years. But I too am more likely to listen to a live bootleg version. The only element I’d be interested is the Live at Wembley 1974, but already have that spread over 3 discs (on the Immersion box sets of Dark Side and WYWH, and the performance of Echoes is on the Early Years box set), to have a full version on it’s own set would be nice, but I’ve got the previous split versions ripped into my iTunes. Really there is nothing in this 50th Anniversary set that’s of any use to the hard core fans like ourselves. I think they have blundered big time on this. Better to save your money and go see the Australian Pink Floyd play Dark Side in its entirety as they are on tour later in the year. I do love the Immersion box set, it was well constructed and I got mine for £50 about five years ago. The difference mixes on the DVD and Blu-ray are I think the best versions. I like the 5.1 mix and don’t think you can get any better. I think the reason why it’s sold over 45 million copies is because it’s the same fans like us who keep buying all these different versions. I suspect thought they will release separate versions of the content in this new box set, which is what they’ve done with the Later Years box set. They’ve now released all that was new with that such as the remix of Momentary Lapse of Reason, the deluxe Delete Sound of Thunder and the Blu-ray of Pulse.

Remasters are in many cases just an excuse for major labels to re-sell us the same old shit again and again, in worse and worse incarnations. I still have my 70s german LP release (sadly missing the poster since it's used) and my MFSL ultradisc release and i don't need anything else to be honest. I do miss the Alan Parsons Quadrophonic mix sadly. Who knows... maybe one day...

A couple of years ago that would be selling for £150. Revolver was a £120 retailing for £180 and a cheap shoddy pressing from the Czech Republic to cut costs. They are doing what they always do. I'll buy the live album though.

250 quid for a legacy/reputation tainter.Incredible move.

I am waiting for the mono version and the reel to reel version and the audio cassette version.

I totally agree with you, we the loyal fans are being ripped off with these exorbitant prices, and not just for Pink Floyd box sets, I'm also a David Bowie fan, and have bought most of the box sets, but the last one, was a rip off Back to current issue, I will not shell out for the DSOTM box, I own the 73' album and 30th anniversary CD, also bought the 2011 2disc discovery edition, so like you say who needs any more .

My vinyl copy is from 1973 and it’s literally been with me my whole life as it belonged to my Dad and I took it when I left home because I was taking the only turntable in the house with me. I don’t play that one regularly because it’s not in the best condition. I usually listen to the MP3 of one of my CD copies. I’m not sure if it’s the one I bought in the early’90’s when I got my first CD deck or the 2003 SACD one. All I care about is that I hear what I’ve heard my whole life. Because I was born years after its release and my Dad is a huge fan, I don’t think there are many other things I know as well as DSoTM.

I'm looking forward to the 51st anniversary extended, expanded, re-re-mastered quintuple channel cosmic remix edition.

This just convinced me that we're never getting the complete Roger Watera The Wall demos whenever we get a 50 anniversary edition of that. Sad

I *think* the SQ (Quad) version is Australian. The pressing I have is ;)

I have seven different copies of DSOTM on vinyl I bought it when first released in Australia and it is pristine also have about 5 different copies on CD. Know doubt I'll get this box set as well and like yourself know every note. Thanks for this video really enjoyed it.

I enjoyed the 5.1 darkside of the moon... 2003

The LP"s in the set are cut from digital masters. Digital LP's in a "Deluxe set" Okey Dokey.

Cool, another jazz/Floyd fan. Actually got more into just about everything other than Dark Side, after hearing all their less promoted material in more recent years. At 56 most of what we heard was Dark Side played out, while growing up. Then a friend got me into Animals in the mid 80s.

Will buy the book and vinyl only

Anything passed thru L1 Ultramaximizer by Michael Gerson is improved by 6db without artifacts.

Spot-on and we'll articulated. I suspect they are aiming for the people who want the complete everything you can possibly get collection and the people who think they will sell on for a profit once they are out of print.

It seems like as the kids who listened to this album in the 70's and 80's aged into real jobs the record company keep coming up with new "enhancements" and boxed sets to continue to separate us from our wallets. But I'm sure that's a coincidence. 🤔😏

Bought a couple of CDs from Torre Records (many years ago of course) that had water damaged CD paper inserts - never really came across it in any other shop, odd. Re DSotM: That Quad version, and the demo version, are really interesting and together with the live, HiRes and other stuff made the old Immersion well worth the £53 (incl p&p) I paid. And I got marbles (albeit, they're only black with stickers!). BTW The 4xCD Revolver Super Deluxe I got for £34 as FLACs - great deal.

Still on the run for 30th. Odds are with me at this point..Nice show.

There were plenty of marbles in the other immersion sets. They figured that they didn’t need them in the DSOM set.

Hear, Hear ! MONEY, "Grab that cash with both hands and make a stash" i want a new quad or even the old quad mix on new vinyl.

".......welcome my son, welcome to the machine ! "

Several years ago I bought the Obfuscation box set with the misunderstanding that it contained the Pompeii concert film on blu-ray. Much to my disappointment it was only excerpts and not the complete film. But it was good to have those songs available on a CD, especially the awesome live version of Echoes. I'd love to see a nice blu-ray version of the film released-not the horrible director's cut with the cheap CGI images of Pompeii. I still have my vinyl copy of Dark Side of the Moon that I got for Christmas with the little freebies, although I lost one of the stickers and the two posters are a little tattered. I am a fan of the band but don't snap up ever remix that comes out, although I might get the recent remix release of Animals. I'm fine with what I have in my library.

Been there and back with them since 1974 tremendous catalog. Today no thank you to much uncertainty and the money is tight. Maybe if a hand job came with the box I'd reconsider.

Sometimes I like to just listen or watch the original version of albums or movies. We keep getting resold the same product new and remastered. I like to experience things the way people first did, especially if it’s something I’ve never seen or heard. For example the film Blade Runner has multiple cuts, and sometimes I just want to watch the original Theatrical cut even if it has it flaws. I feel the same way about Dark Side as you. I’ve listened to it so many times. Put it on every once in awhile, but usually I’d rather listen to more deep cut Floyd. The Flaming Lips did an interesting version of the album. I love giving that a listen. They do their own thing with the album. They also did a Sgt Pepper album worth checking out. They kind of butcher the album at points but I love it. 😂

I quite agree. It looks to me as if they're releasing the same thing over and over on the various audio formats that have been developed in the intervening years since the album was first released.

I really wish that the Dolby Atmos mix was available as a separate purchase option. If you already have a proper dolby atmos home theater setup, this should hopefully be a fun listening experience. But I can't justify the cost of this.