Black Sabbath Paranoid (1970) – Quadio Blu-ray

Description

Paranoid – Quadio (Blu-ray Audio Disc Review)
Artist: Black Sabbath | Label: Rhino / Warner Records | Format: Quadio (4.0) & Hi-Res Stereo (192 kHz / 24-bit) | Release Date: 2023 (First time in nearly 50 years)
Genres: Heavy Metal, Doom Metal, Classic Metal

Disc Specs

• Transferred from the original half-inch four-channel masters
• Blu-Ray with 192/24 resolution in both DTS Quadraphonic (4.0) and Hi-Res Stereo mixes

Track Listing (8 tracks)

1. War Pigs / Luke’s Wall
2. Paranoid
3. Planet Caravan
4. Iron Man
5. Electric Funeral
6. Hand of Doom
7. Rat Salad
8. Jack the Stripper / Fairies Wear Boots

Sound Quality
This Quadio mix is powerful and immersive—drums feel thunderous, guitars slice through the space with razor-sharp precision, and Ozzy’s vocals float through listening positions almost eerily. It provides a richer, more engaging experience than many modern Dolby Atmos music mixes, delivering deep, room-filling presence without relying on height channels or surround gimmicks.

⚙ How to Set Up Your System for Quadio Listening

1. Use your AVR in DTS-HD Master mode (LFE+Mains recommended).
2. On the disc menu, set audio to DTS 4.0 Quadio.
3. This will route sound to your center, front left/right, and rear left/right (or sides, depending on your setup) plus the subwoofer.

✅ Overall Recommendation
An essential release for fans of metal and collectors of classic albums. The combination of legendary performances, premium quad mixing, and top-tier audio quality make this one of the most impressive Quadio discs to date. When played with proper setup, it’s an enveloping sonic experience that stands head and shoulders above much of today’s multichannel music formats.