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Post by Stratmangler on Sept 19, 2014 21:33:59 GMT
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Post by julesd68 on Sept 22, 2014 10:58:28 GMT
Interesting - great to see a labour of love like that, but of course the Beatles are a pretty exceptional case … Most remasters won't warrant the time and money it will take to keep everything analogue.
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Post by julesd68 on Sept 22, 2014 11:05:46 GMT
Another thing that is annoying me off about remasters is using one engineer for one region and a different one for another … I thought I had done my research and found a good remaster of the first Van Halen lp by Kevin Gray at Acoustech, pressed at RTI. Turns out this mastering only applies to the US release … Naturally I just managed to buy the EU release (8122-79914-8) which was remastered by Pete Norman at Finyl Tweek, London. This information is not made freely available on the sleeve or anywhere else - you need to check the run-in!! Of course no info on whether it was mixed from the original tapes or digital source but most likely the latter if they are not forthcoming about the info.
It's just so annoying that the record companies do this and don't make it clear on the packaging who did the re-master … Top marks to Audio Fidelity however - just received their verison of Kate Bush's 'The Sensual World' - a nice gatefold release with clear info on the back sleeve stating mixed by Steve Hoffman and Kevin Gray ...
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Post by Deleted on Sept 22, 2014 12:10:40 GMT
When Warner started their Back to Vinyl EU releases they were invariably the same mastering as the US RTI pressings. It appears more recently that has changed including some being recut from alternative sources. I don't have the Van Halen but a few others that use Kevin Gray or Chris Bellman mastering. Only way to find out is look for any mastering information on the Steve Hoffman forum or start a thread there. Plenty discussions on EU/USA masterings. Diverse have both versions of Van Halen but import is £25 v £16 for the EU.
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Post by daytona600 on Sept 22, 2014 14:10:12 GMT
Are there such things as true analogue remasters nowadays? For example, the 'Made in Japan' 2014 says - 'audio is remastered from the original 1972 analogue stereo master and cut at Abbey Road Studios'. That all sounds well and good but is in the end somewhat ambiguous - I wonder if the cut is done from a digital or an analogue master? I can imagine a lot of remastering is done from analogue tapes which are then taken into the digital domain and worked on from there to create a new digital master … Record companies have learnt that most people into vinyl don't want to see 'digitally remastered' on their expensive 180g vinyl but that's probably what's going on. AAA No by the major labels , AAA Yes almost 100% by the Audiophile labels
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Post by julesd68 on Sept 22, 2014 16:52:59 GMT
Are there such things as true analogue remasters nowadays? For example, the 'Made in Japan' 2014 says - 'audio is remastered from the original 1972 analogue stereo master and cut at Abbey Road Studios'. That all sounds well and good but is in the end somewhat ambiguous - I wonder if the cut is done from a digital or an analogue master? I can imagine a lot of remastering is done from analogue tapes which are then taken into the digital domain and worked on from there to create a new digital master … Record companies have learnt that most people into vinyl don't want to see 'digitally remastered' on their expensive 180g vinyl but that's probably what's going on. AAA No by the major labels , AAA Yes almost 100% by the Audiophile labels Thanks for this - I'm new to this lark ... Apart from Mobile Fidelity and their Tim de Paravicini 'Ultra Analog' system which I've been reading about today, would you be able to tell me exactly which Audiophile labels will offer me pure AAA? Do you mean these labels exclusively work AAA or offer just some of their recordings in this way?
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Post by MartinT on Sept 22, 2014 16:55:49 GMT
Sheffield Lab, for one.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 22, 2014 17:47:28 GMT
AAA No by the major labels , AAA Yes almost 100% by the Audiophile labels Thanks for this - I'm new to this lark ... Apart from Mobile Fidelity and their Tim de Paravicini 'Ultra Analog' system which I've been reading about today, would you be able to tell me exactly which Audiophile labels will offer me pure AAA? Do you mean these labels exclusively work AAA or offer just some of their recordings in this way? Speakers Corner (except for a couple of digital recordings), Analogue Productions, now defunct Classic Records, Most Pure Pleasure though some of their catalogue are digital recordings. There are a few smaller labels which aim to work AAA but also do modern stuff transferred to analogue tape such as Gearbox Records. Also a fair number of AAA releases from Warner and lesser number from Universal - for which you will have to do research on forums and web sites to establish the sources. Add to that Experience Hendrix and Dylan through Sony Music. The MOV versions of stereo Hendrix are almost certainly digital so would have to seek out the RTI pressings. You can't say any label is exclusively AAA as they may want to release some good digital recordings on vinyl such as Patricia Barber, Norah Jones etc. The ones listed release original analogue recordings using an all analogue chain. I imagine they won't do a title if they can't get the original master tape or a good 1st generation copy. In the case of some recent stereo Dylan Mo- Fi used the best available tape due to missing master (Highway 61 and The Band) or an analogue remix from the session tapes made about 10 years ago (Blonde on Blonde).
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Post by julesd68 on Sept 22, 2014 18:46:27 GMT
Most helpful information, thank you ...
I can't afford to make 'mistakes' on my purchases - trying to get info on *some* releases is very difficult and time consuming, so I think in future I will try to stick to the kinds of labels mentioned here whenever possible. I generally always want to buy originals if I can afford them, or will look at remasters if the mastering of the original is really bad and remastering really adds something to the mix, so to speak.
Re my Van Halen 1 - tried to find out about the UK remaster direct from the mastering studio but not much info forthcoming - they 'believed' it was from the orginal tapes but said it was quite a long time ago ... It was only 2009 - surely they keep details of all their projects??
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Post by Deleted on Sept 22, 2014 22:14:15 GMT
Julian, if you have queries about specific titles PM me as I may have purchased a copy or know the source. Also bear in mind that there are some recent digitally remastered reissues that sound near as good as originals. Eagles and Fleetwood Mac box sets done by Grundman Mastering and the most recent LZ releases.
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Post by gazjam on Sept 22, 2014 23:29:12 GMT
Pallas pressings of Nirvana Nevermind and MTV Unplugged are superb. Taken from the original mastering according to the guys over on Steve Hoffman forums.
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Post by daytona600 on Sept 23, 2014 17:00:12 GMT
Thanks for this - I'm new to this lark ... Apart from Mobile Fidelity and their Tim de Paravicini 'Ultra Analog' system which I've been reading about today, would you be able to tell me exactly which Audiophile labels will offer me pure AAA? Do you mean these labels exclusively work AAA or offer just some of their recordings in this way? Mofi master in AAA from the original mastertapes ( if they still exist ) too many titles & labels to mention as i keep over a 1000 in stock www.mofi.com/Articles.asp?ID=254
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Post by julesd68 on Sept 25, 2014 10:54:15 GMT
Julian, if you have queries about specific titles PM me as I may have purchased a copy or know the source. Also bear in mind that there are some recent digitally remastered reissues that sound near as good as originals. Eagles and Fleetwood Mac box sets done by Grundman Mastering and the most recent LZ releases. Thanks for that, will do!
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Post by julesd68 on Oct 2, 2014 15:24:39 GMT
Here's a little review for the recent Audio Fidelity 180g release - Kate Bush - 'The Sensual World'I got suckered into buying this as I love the title track and heard that this lp was an improvement on the original - apparently it was mastered digitally, and not very well, hence this new version. I bought it here without any fuss - 1note.co.uk/shop/kate-bush-the-sensual-world-new-vinyl-lp/However, the price has gone up considerably in the meantime from £17.98 to £24.98. It's a limited edition which I'm sure will sell out fast and is already out of stock at Audio Fidelity. What I like- The gatefold jacket is of good quality. - It tells you on the cover what number it is in the limited edition and who the audio engineers are - Steve Hoffman and Kevin Gray. - They don't put the vinyl in a low grade paper sleeve that gives you lots of hairlines. Instead you get a thick poly inner - I find these generally kinder to the vinyl but you often need to give the vinyl a spin on the RCM to get the mottled 'sweat' off the vinyl you sometimes see with these poly inners. - The pressing is very good - flat and quiet. In fact, just about perfect and as good as you can hope for. Just a few non-sounding marks on the vinyl which should clean off easily enough. What I don't like- the sound. Here's an article about the project - www.analogplanet.com/content/audio-fidelity-takes-sensual-world-0And a quote from there - < Treble is extended and smooth. The midrange is rich and involving. Drums sound dynamically believable. Bass is taught and tuneful. In essence, it’s a whole new ball game. >I've not heard the original to compare it with, and it may well be better, but I have to take issue with this description. The problem is, the sound has been 'smoothed' out way too much and overall it feels way too compressed to me. Instruments almost appear as one, as opposed to occupying their own space like they should in a good recording. The bass is often quite bloated and poorly defined. There's just no dynamic range to speak of. The last two tracks really show up the issue - 'This Woman's Work' sounds ok because the mix is simple, really just voice and synth. Ridiculous amount of reverb on Kate's voice though ... The previous track, 'Rocket's Tail' has a much more complex mix, where you are just desperate for some dynamics and want the drums to explode into life, but they never do - they're buried in the mix with everything else. I've got later recordings from the 90's which sound way better than this ... Still, if it's better than the original you just have to accept it for what it is and enjoy the music.
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Post by daytona600 on Oct 2, 2014 15:52:53 GMT
However, the price has gone up considerably in the meantime from £17.98 to £24.98. It's a limited edition which I'm sure will sell out fast and is already out of stock at Audio Fidelity.
both sensual world & hounds of love are deleted now unless Audio Fidelity re-press some more last time hounds was deleted the repress took 2 years still some about in stock if you know where to look !!
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Post by MartinT on Oct 2, 2014 16:21:45 GMT
The problem with Kate's later albums is that she took control over engineering and mixing. By that time, the music was hopelessly compressed. I don't like the sound of any of her later albums. Lionheart and Never for Ever are probably the best sounding.
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Post by julesd68 on Oct 2, 2014 16:34:38 GMT
both sensual world & hounds of love are deleted now unless Audio Fidelity re-press some more last time hounds was deleted the repress took 2 years still some about in stock if you know where to look !! They pressed some more I believe but selling fast judging by prices...
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Post by Deleted on Oct 2, 2014 18:55:46 GMT
The Audio Fidelity Hounds Of Love and Sensual World sound better than the original vinyl. However I think if Steve Hoffman has a fault it is in sometimes producing an overly smooth sound. I can't say how accurate these are to the master tapes but original EMI pressings were on ultra thin vinyl and probably cut using a digital delay. Therefore they are brighter and thinner sounding (slightly digital). I have the Sensual World CD and it is actually pretty good by CD mastering standards and close to the original vinyl in sound. I also have the supposedly AAA EMI 100 Hounds Of Love which is easily beaten by the Audio Fidelity pressing. The main issue with the first batch of these AF reissues was variable pressing quality. They are hardly limited if AF have repressed them and may do so again due to demand?
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Post by MartinT on Oct 2, 2014 19:20:10 GMT
Yes, the EMI Hounds of Love is disappointing. What is the best CD now available of that title?
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Post by gazjam on Oct 2, 2014 19:59:42 GMT
As a fellow Noob vinyl buyer here my take on things... There's always someone else who wants the same album and there's always someone else who has asked the question "whats the best pressing?" Trick is where to look, forums are great. For me, my first port of call is the Steve Hoffman forums. forums.stevehoffman.tv/forums/music-corner.2/Put your album title in the search box and read through what comes up. Helped me out on at leat 50 albums I've bought recently, the downside is it encourages your OCD side to flourish!
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