Remaster Fever

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Fretless
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Remaster Fever

Unread post by Fretless »

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Quite often (well, almost always) you hear the comment; 'But vinyl just sounds SOOO much better than CD' and even I, digital fan in heart and kidneys, have to agree with them - some of the time.

The last year has had me trawling through the CD racks, pulling out old favourites that I picked up in the 80's to replace the LP's that I promptly dumped being (stupidly) convinced that the new digital format just HAD to be an improvement. It dawned on me that a significant proportion of these early CD's were just direct transfers to the digital format - made with little care or attention and just as a way to get product onto the shelves for consumers to buy. The first wave of Virgin reissue CD's by Genesis, Tangerine Dream and Van Der Graaf Generator (to name but a few) are horrid - dull, no dynamics to speak of, a narrow, centred sound-stage, limited range in high and low frequencies. How could I have thought that was better?

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So I am now regularly to be found perusing online music stores (much like digging through bargain racks of LP's in the good, old days) searching for 'remastered' higher-quality copies of CD's that I already have. The Discogs site is also a great help in this as it (fairly) accurately lists releases of albums and indicates if remastering ('RM') has taken place.

So, remastering; what is it and what's the point?
Simply put - a new transfer is made from the original master tape, carefully making use of the dynamic range available within the CD format and improving in areas of detail and separation, gently adjusting volume levels and tweaking EQ. Kraftwerk released their back-catalogue in a renewed form a few years back, and they had taken great pains to remove unwanted tape-noise from the earliest albums.
The last round of Genesis remasters were also (5.1 surround-sound) remixes from original multitracks and, finally, I had the feeling that here were digital copies that rivalled the richness of the vinyl experience (after buying the entire Genesis back catalogue at least 3 times).

But can the process go too far? Oh yes, certainly. I have got a copy of Suzanne Vega's 'Solitude Standing' from a French reissue lable which claims to be a High-Quality Audiophile limited-edition 24-bit/96KHz etc. etc.

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Well they needn't have bothered because Suzanne's vocals are pushed to such a high volume level in the mastering that there is considerable distortion - rendering an otherwise excellent disc almost unlistenable in places. The original A&M release is pleasant to listen to - but sounds rather dull and lifeless by modern standards.

Whilst being ill a month or two ago I went into an intensive Saga phase, revisiting the complete works of that excellent, underrated rock/pop/prog outfit. The first-released Polydor CD's from the 80's and early 90's are okay, if a little restrained. My memories of the 'Silent Knight' LP were of a huge, punchy blast that I missed with digital. Then I saw that the band's drummer, Steve Negus, had remastered the whole catalogue in the early 2000's on the German SPV label. Luckily I was able to find reasonably-priced copies from a webshop in Hamburg and gave them a good listen-to.

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Exactly what I had hoped for: far more detail and dynamics - the 'punch' was back! Wider soundstage AND far more enjoyment of the songs and performances. It really makes a difference to your involvement with the music - with the improved, clearer sound I was far more inclined to foot-tap, head-bang, air-punch and singalong with the choruses (not easy when you have pneumonia).
Then, I spotted that there was another second set of remasters, started in 2016, covering the second half of Saga's recorded output from the 90's onward. This new version was targetted at the 'Spotify Generation' and meant to bring the band to the attention of a new breed of music lovers.

Unfortunately these new music-lovers simply don't buy CD's (physical media are just too old-fashioned) so the series was withdrawn after the first 5 albums had been issued. And because they didn't sell you can get them cheap - so I did. Now I have one album in 3 different masterings for comparison; 'The Beginner's Guide to Throwing Shapes' (1989) where Saga, after trying to turn themselves into a pop band, went back to a rockier sound. Let's just say that the newest version is LOUD. Very loud, in-your-face with a squeaky-clean shiny character that sounds as if it was recorded last week. When you get over the loudness it is very enjoyable with a lot of fine detail being pushed into the daylight, more so than the 'rounder' Negus remaster - still prefer that but the new one is a lot of fun! Different anyway - flatter, brighter, more 'wide-screen'.

To go back to the analogue/digital discussion - the differences in perception might, to a degree, be more to do with the music carrier rather that the equipment. And an understanding of digital audio is bringing it very close to the 'analogue experience'.

:music-listening: :music-listening: :music-listening:

Now ! am looking at the later Renaissance albums: 'A Song for All Seasons' and 'Azure D'Or' where the original Warner CD's are terribly compressed, very quiet and with no detail to speak of ... off to the webshops again!

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Re: Remaster Fever

Unread post by Daniel Quinn »

If the album was made before 1987 you owe it to yourself to listen to it on vinyl .

Albums made after 1987 by and large are not worth listening to

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Re: Remaster Fever

Unread post by CN211276 »

I have recently been streaming 24 Bit Steven Wilson remix/masters of classic Jethro Tull albums. I am very impressed, both through the system and headphones.
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Re: Remaster Fever

Unread post by Karnevil9 »

im happy with the present ELP [2016] & King Crimson [40th Anniversary] CD releases.

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Re: Remaster Fever

Unread post by Fretless »

Yes 'Relayer'- 2014 Steven Wilson remix

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'Relayer' is a rather difficult album for the Yes cognocenti (that's 'Know-it-alls' for the Proglodites who have trouble with long words). Rick Wakeman had left out of boredom with the group's 'Topographic Oceans' direction and had been replaced by Patrick Moraz whose jazzier, sharper-edged playing gave the rest of the band a different impetus. In fact 'Relayer' is the closest Yes ever got to becoming a high-energy jazz-rock outfit (just listen to the opening of 'Sound Chaser').

Sound Chaser by Yes

What also mars the original album is a rather messy, wall-of-sound overall effect which is confusing to the ear and doesn't help one to get a grip on what is going on. So ... enter stage left, audio guru Steven Wilson. He has carefully dissected the muddy original mix and given each instrument a clear and defined place, also highlighting small nuances and parts previously buried. Moraz's synth and keyboard work (deservedly) gets a more prominent place in the proceedings; this was the only studio album he made with Yes - being unceremoniously booted out when RW wanted to come back.

The whole album has been polished up and what was muddy and impenetrable is now clear and understandable. Even better for the Audiophile community is the accompanying DVD-A which has both the new and original mixes in mega-definition 24-bit audio.

At last - 'Relayer' is revealed as, quite possibly, the most accomplished album Yes ever recorded. 8-)

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Re: Remaster Fever

Unread post by Mississippi Blind Child Assburn »

I'm surprized you bring-up SAGA cos the first two lps have absoltely wonderful sound. (Shit popprog band though).


....
Wow - you bin through Genesis catalogue three times!
Did they FINALLY get the bass right on "Foxtrot" & "Nursery Cryme"? The bass is real subdued there. Whether intentional or recording flaw - I don't know.

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Re: Remaster Fever

Unread post by Fretless »

Genesis - yes, 3 times: LP's, then the crappy first-gen CD's, the flawed 'Definitive Edition' and now the 2008 set which, for me has the rich, detailed sound of vinyl.

I like Saga.

Upstairs:
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Downstairs:
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NVA: P50 - BMU+ Aiyima A07 MAX (x2) + Arcam One
HP: HifiBerry Digi+ PRO + Sabaj A10d
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Re: Remaster Fever

Unread post by Mississippi Blind Child Assburn »

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Re: Remaster Fever

Unread post by Fretless »

I think any sort of cage might be a help for you.

Genesis 'In the Cage'
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=v4tDKF_uwRI

Upstairs:
Vinyl
Pro-Ject 1.2 + Grado Sig Jr + Cambridge Alva Duo
DigiVolumio PC + Kiss DP-500 + Sabaj A20d
NVA: P50sa - Cube2 - SSP - LS6+ Sabaj A10a (x2)
Downstairs:
Vinyl
Logic DM101 + Syrinx LE1 + Grado Sig MCX
DigiDenafrips Ares II + Volumio PC + Cambridge CXC
NVA: P50 - BMU+ Aiyima A07 MAX (x2) + Arcam One
HP: HifiBerry Digi+ PRO + Sabaj A10d
Office:
Allo DigiOne SIG + SMSL M300se + Douk G4 (x2)
Mission 760 + Monolith THX AAA 887
Headphones: German Maestro & AudioQuest

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Re: Remaster Fever

Unread post by karatestu »

Mississippi Blind Child Assburn wrote: Fri Oct 12, 2018 2:14 pm Image
Better call Saul.
DIY FREE ZONE

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