Hans, yes it is. The one I sold to you is the same mastering (identical to my copy). I think there are probably different WG pressing runs (similar to the Rolling Stones London CD's), but they use the same mastering. I've read somewhere before that the early US version uses a different mastering. Roland
Hi Dave, I just got the original Dreyfus disc of Oxygene. Tonally, it's very similar to the MoFi, but the MoFi has lots more detail in it... So, if the bass was boosted, it must have been done before MoFi touched the tape...
Hans, that I don't know. I haven't heard the early U.S. version myself, but I think I read something about it being inferior on this forum. Anyhow, if you want to play it safe, just get the WG Mercury I suppose. Roland
Are there any mastering differences between the early U.S. and W.G. versions of The Rod Stewart Album (Mercury 830 572-2) and Gasoline Alley (Mercury 824 881-2) that you know of?
I have the Drake-mastered CD of EPTAS and that's one of the reasons I didn't consider the MFSL a "must have". Like Steve Hoffman, Dennis Drake is a name I know and trust.
Hello Hans, sorry, I don't know. I have the first four Rod Stewart albums all as early WG CD's on Mercury. They all sound great and were mastered by Dennis Drake. I never heard any of the U.S. versions. Roland
Thanks Roland. I have the W.G. versions of The Rod Stewart Album and, as you know (), of Every Picture Tells a Story and the Dennis Drake-remastered U.S. version of Gasoline Alley, that's why I asked. I guess the only way to find out is to get the W.G. version of the latter.
On second thoughts, why should there be any difference between the U.S. and W.G. versions of the Dennis Drake remasters?
The US and W. German CD's should not sound any different than one another since they both use the same Dennis Drake mastering. I also have the W. German "Never a Dull Moment", and "EPTAS", mastered by Dennis Drake. Both sound remarkable.
I don't know if that is true. I don't have time to search right now for the relevant thread, but I think this is a case where they may be different. I recall reading here in a thread that Drake said that he was requested to remaster them for the U.S. releases and so the sound is different. I know this was definitely the case for Never a Dull Moment and EPTAS and I thought the other Mercury titles differed as well.
Hans, what is the total time of your U.S. Gasoline Alley? The WG is 41:54 This would be a first good indication. Roland
Here is one of the key threads that discusses this: http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=8704&page=1&pp=20&highlight=rod+stewart I actually have a complete set of original issue atomic WG and USA pressings of all of the Mercury Rod Stewart titles, including even the hard to find Smiler cd, but I haven't had a chance to do in depth comparisons of my own.
Classic!!! Dave is wrong about Dave's picks. Too funny. How about I say you are wrong about; "It sounded superb on my system"? Would you agree I'm right? ;-) Really, we can all disagree. That's great! We can all back up why we feel like we do. Makes it interesting. However... No one should be telling any one they are "wrong, again" about their personal 'picks'.
That's not true, having at one point owned both versions concurrently. The US pressing is preferable - some songs on the WG have added (probably digital) reverb. Wish I had them still to post clips...
Thanks. Have you noticed any mastering differences between the U.S. and W.G. Dennis Drake remastered versions of The Rod Stewart Album and Gasoline Alley?
I have only heard the US press of TRSA, and only heard the WG press of Gasoline Alley. So I can't be much help there, I'm afraid.
Long list I agree that MFSL had plenty of clunkers on cd and Lp. On many titles, better sounding alternatives would actually be harder to find than a mofi though. So in some cases a mofi may be as good as you are going to do. I agree with your dark side of moon and layla picks, both do nothing more than jack up the bass. I would put the mfsl who's next up against any version out there. The cream discs beat the US polygrams. The mofi blow by blow is a favorite of mine. There are a number of mofi's that are nearly identicle to their commercial counterparts. Others are worth seeking out. Many speak very highly of Blind faith and Music from Big Pink.
Hello Dave, I just found myself a West Germany copy of "Reckless" for quite cheap. It has "West Germany" on the inlay, booklet as well as the CD. It does have some tape hiss which can be heard between the tracks (not much, but it's definitely there). The CD sounds quite fine. It still remains a more modern sounding recording (quite typical Bob Clearmountain production), but it sounds quite decent and relatively warm. Did I find a good version of this title? You mentioned you heard the WG 1st pressing and it didn't sound that good to you. Did it have any tape hiss? The total running time of my CD is 37:59. What's the running time of the first Japanese disc? Roland
Please excuse me if someone else has asked this on this thread. What sonic deficiencies made the Armstrong/Ellington album make this list? I have had the original LP, the Mo-Fi LP and this CD and just would like to confirm my suspicions. Also, I have asked this on another thread but received no reply: In the intro to the first cut of Moody Blues, Long Distance Voyager, is the heartbeat sound (similar to that in the intro to Pink Floyd's DSOTM) noticeable at regular volumes? I only ask since I have found that only the test pressing and the promo-label vinyl copies revealed that sound clearly. In all of the others, I could only hear the sound at high volume or if I were looking for the sound. Finally, I agree with almost all of your list here AND your "good" list on another thread. On the other thread, I especially agree with Otis Blue, Elton John Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, both of which I actually think sound better, in many ways, than the original vinyl (US for the former and UK for the latter).
