I had the original West German Polygram CD, tossed it when the Warner remaster came out a few years back, and just spotted the WG original again in pristine condition. I'm guessing the original disc is the best, but wanted to get some quick feedback. Thanks!
I own and am reasonably satisfied with the original disc, but from what I've heard the remaster isn't bad either.
SACD! I have waaaaay too many copies of this album, and to be honest I listen to them all. The original West German Vertigo for Europe pressing is my fav of the early ones (over the WG for USA and the Japan pressings), very laid back and a very nice dynamic range. The Remaster is good as well. Louder, yet fuller in places, stronger bass. The SACD Stereo layer is real loud! and may be too much for some folks. The SACD Multi-Channel layer though is utterly astounding and one of the best MC mixes I've ever heard. The DVD-Audio is just as good Multi-Channel, and I'd give the hi-res Stereo nod to the DVD-A over the SACD but not by a great margin. You can't go wrong with any copy of this finely recorded album. Get the one that suits your taste, but if you have the playback capability, you have to get the SACD or DVD-A for the totally incredible MC mix.
Ric, I am curious about the difference in the Hirez stereo on the SACD and Dualdisc. Could you please describe the differences?
Who'da thunk it? The SACD multichannel is a wonder to behold. indeed. Still like my Japan "blue guitar" original Cd the best for 2CH.
I always thought that the original Polygram Hanover pressing is a bit thin in sound, and that the PDO France SBM remaster is more pleasant tonally. I don't listen to either now as I find that I prefer the DVD-A multi-channel to the SACD multi-channel. I cannot play the DVD-A stereo, but the SACD stereo is pretty good.
The Vertigo remasters are clearly labeled as such on the inlay card. The LOVE OVER GOLD remaster is 800088-2. The Vertigo remasters should be identical to the current U.S. Warner Brothers remasters, although I don't have a way to verify this. Both were SBM remastered by Robert Ludwig. I prefer the remaster to whatever edition I had before, long since sold off. Instruments gained some needed weight to them, like the guitars in the title track, making the music seem more dynamic. I was not a fan of whatever earlier pressing I had.
I prefer the remaster. It sounds very close to my 1985 German LP pressing, tone-wise. The original CD (French pressing) lacks bass, IMO.
My WG copy (same as Dave's) says "mastered by Bob Ludwig". My JP copy (made for RCA), like my US version, is mastered by John Dent. I always thought the WG pressing sounded best. Time to check the vinyl.....
Well seeing as how there ceased to be a West Germany before the remasters were done, it's safe to say that's the original As far as the differences between the SACD and DVD-A stereo layers... to me the SACD is a little too loud, almost cripsy at times where the DVD-A is just a little more laid back and not quite as in your face. It's subtle to be sure, but there's definitely a difference to me. The MC mixes on both are the same and both sound absolutely fantastic! pdenny: Have you compared the Japan pressing to the W. German Vertigo for Europe? Could just be me, but I found the WG disc to be slightly warmer. I think that Frank (gener8tr) came to the same conclusion as well. Either way, I don't think there's a bad pressing of this disc.
Have to disagree with this. The XRCD is mastered too hot and when played side by side with either the original W. German or even the Warner remaster, that becomes more apparent. The XRCD seems to have more impact at first because it's so hot; the bass is impactful and the sound seems to jump from the speakers, but it soon gets fatiguing, at least to me, especially on Walk of Life. It almost sounds like the stereo SACD layer, but suffers a bit from being crammed to much to the limit of 16/44. I still keep it around though.
Here are 2 waveforms of the song Walk of Life. Top one is from the W. German Vertigo for Europe Pressing. Bottom one is the XRCD. .
How come no-one has mentioned that on the West German pressing (at least the one I have), which was the first pressing to be released in the U.S., the right and left channels are reversed from every other version I own (from vinyl to SACD and DVD-A)?
Here's another waveform of the same song, Walk of Life Top one is from the Warner USA Remaster. Bottom one is the XRCD. You can see that the XRCD is mastered even hotter than the USA Remaster. .
Yes, but it doesn't seem to be that much more drastic, and it appears that never is "clipped". So wouldn't it come down to the quality of the sound that one hears from their speakers as opposed to a waveform?
You must have quite an oddity! I have 14 copies of this disc and none of them have the channels reversed. The opening hi-hat hits on "So Far Away" should be in the left channel. If they are, you have the correct channel designation. Well, doesn't it always? I'm simply trying to illustrate how much hotter the XRCD is than any other mastering, something pictures do far better than words.
I actually worked in a record store and purchased one of the first copies that hit the store. I remember comparing it to the vinyl right away and noticed the channels were reversed. I actually just pulled out that original CD (cat# 9 25264-2) West German Polygram pressing with the blue guitar label on WB but a indication of 1985 Phonogram Ltd. (London) on the disc (Matrix numbers 824 499-2 03 *), and the hi-hat is in the right channel (as I suspected). Because of the "oddity" as you state, we actually opened a CD from one of the second batches of discs received at the store to play in store, and I noticed the channels were back to normal (and this was only a week or two after receiving our first batch). I purchased one of those discs also, since it was "correct" and that was a Japanese pressed CD (which I no longer have - traded away when I picked up the XRCD and the WB remaster a few years ago). I kept the "oddity" since I figured it was not a common pressing found. I wonder if it would be worth something (other than a normal $2 - 4 used)?
"original CD (cat# 9 25264-2) West German Polygram pressing with the blue guitar label on WB but a indication of 1985 Phonogram Ltd. (London) on the disc (Matrix numbers 824 499-2 03 *), and the hi-hat is in the right channel (as I suspected). " I have that same disc you described in front of me except 824 499-2 07 # and the hi-hat is in the left channel. Confirmed by EAC'ing a wave file and verifying w/ headphones. Oh, and that old CD sounds great. Haven't had the desire to pick up any recent releases.
