Kraftwerk 2004 The Catalogue Sound quality compared to original Cd's

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Maidenpriest, Aug 15, 2014.

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  1. Maidenpriest

    Maidenpriest Setting the controls for the heart of the sun :) Thread Starter

    Location:
    Europe
    Hello All,

    I am seriously thinking of getting this promo 2004 remastered boxset, because I love the artwork and it would make a great collectable, but have any of you heard this 2004 rarity and is it mastered louder like the 2009 version, and how does the sound compare to the original European/Target Cd's, I would love some opinions to help me decide whether the 2004 version is a worthwhile upgrade compared to sound quality to the original Kraftwerk Cd's ??

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  2. moomaloo

    moomaloo All-round good egg

    PM me your favourite album from this box set and your address and I'll let you decide for yourself...!
     
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  3. Maidenpriest

    Maidenpriest Setting the controls for the heart of the sun :) Thread Starter

    Location:
    Europe
    Thanks but it would be easier if you stick up some 30 sec samples :) What's your opinion compared to the original Cd's then ??
     
  4. andy75

    andy75 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sweden
    I have that box from 2004. Some discs ("TEE", "TMM", "CW" & "TP") sounds nothing like the ones that was released in 2009. Like the promo box very much! IMO they sound better than the originals, but not by a huge margin.
     
    Last edited: Aug 15, 2014
  5. Maidenpriest

    Maidenpriest Setting the controls for the heart of the sun :) Thread Starter

    Location:
    Europe
    Anyone else have any opinions ??
     
  6. moomaloo

    moomaloo All-round good egg

    Well that's the thing... I don't have the original CDs and I've never heard them. I like my Kraftwerk on vinyl but on CD I do have the promo box and the later 2009 CD box. The 2009 CDs are fine to these ears and I've never really compared them to the earlier promo remasters. I'm a fan of the 2009 vinyl though so my opinion probably counts for nothing...!
     
  7. Helmut

    Helmut Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Germany
    It varies from album to album. The earlier analogue albums have won the most, there is less tape hiss and more bass. They sound "warmer" than before.
    When it comes to the later digitally recorded albums, there is no real noticable difference.
     
  8. AFOS

    AFOS Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brisbane,Australia
    The new covers for Autobahn,Radioactivity and TEE suck.
     
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  9. bibijeebies

    bibijeebies vinyl hairline spotter

    Location:
    Amstelveen (NL)
    @Helmut : which albums were recorded analogue?
     
  10. onlyconnect

    onlyconnect The prose and the passion

    Location:
    Winchester, UK
    I got Der Katalog at a Kraftwerk concert. Lovely box. Louder than the original CDs but not too bad. However I recall there was some issue with the English vs the German edition (apart from the language). Forget the details, sorry.

    Tim
     
  11. Maidenpriest

    Maidenpriest Setting the controls for the heart of the sun :) Thread Starter

    Location:
    Europe
    I kinda like them, that's why I want the 2004 set, although as far as I am aware the 2009 set is loud and brickwalled :(
     
  12. onlyconnect

    onlyconnect The prose and the passion

    Location:
    Winchester, UK
    Ah, it is more complex than I realised. There are 8 versions of the box according to discogs http://www.discogs.com/master/view/199394 with the 2004 promo being the best sounding (but I think only English). I am hanging on to my unremastered CDs alongside Der Katalog as some of them do sound better, especially Man Machine and Electric Café (long version of Telephone Call). But no idea how the 2004 promo box compares to the early CDs.

    Tim
     
  13. bonjo

    bonjo Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    If I remember correctly, Computer World on the English language box is more compressed and harsh sounding...but I don't own the English set so I can't be certain.

    The German language version doesn't have those problems and sounds really good. It's really an awesome set, with LP sized booklets for each album. But I also kept my old German CD's, both for the original Electric Cafe and because they sound more like the original vinyl albums.
     
  14. bonjo

    bonjo Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    They're not brickwalled at all, that's completely false.
     
  15. fRa

    fRa Conny Olivetti - Sound Alchemist

    Location:
    Sweden
  16. Maidenpriest

    Maidenpriest Setting the controls for the heart of the sun :) Thread Starter

    Location:
    Europe
  17. Helmut

    Helmut Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Germany
    Up to Electric Cafe/Technopop everything was recorded analogue. Electric Cafe was the first created with digital instruments but recorded analogue. And then they went completely digital.
     
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  18. gingerly

    gingerly Change Returns Success

    Just got the 2009 version of Computerworld and it's SO rolled off on top compared to my original CD - a real disappointment. Nice to have a bit more bass, but it's a bad trade-off. :(
     
  19. wolfram

    wolfram Slave to the rhythm

    Location:
    Berlin, Germany
    Yes, that's a really strange one. The German "Computer Welt" sounds completely different, just as good as the rest of the remasters (if you think they sound good, that is, which I do).
     
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  20. Maidenpriest

    Maidenpriest Setting the controls for the heart of the sun :) Thread Starter

    Location:
    Europe
    I have decided to stick with my Cd originals, I have even given a slight bit of noise reduction to The Man-Machine and it sounds brilliant, the CDP's and the original TOCP's are the best IMO :)
     
  21. Plan9

    Plan9 Mastering Engineer

    Location:
    Toulouse, France
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  22. Plan9

    Plan9 Mastering Engineer

    Location:
    Toulouse, France
    Close to it. The later albums have a lot of limiting...
     
  23. gingerly

    gingerly Change Returns Success

    That's interesting. I wonder why they made such a mess of Computer World?

    Very useful. Thanks!
     
  24. wolfram

    wolfram Slave to the rhythm

    Location:
    Berlin, Germany
    Me too.
     
    Billy Infinity likes this.
  25. Received a copy today that I bought for $150, really nice small box, minimalistic presentation. Taking a look at the sound now.
     
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