Wilco - Being There 5-CD Box Set 4 LP Vinyl

so, are the masterings the same on the CDs or not?

 

Dynamic range is the points between lowest and highest volumes on a graph - nothing about what is in between, which is all the detail of a recording...

The other variable there is someone listening on, say a computer with three inch speakers is more likely to be affected by distortion/breakup of overly loud or bassy sections than someone else listening on a full-range floorstanding speaker (see Soundgarden Superunknown remaster)

 

It’s pretty funny that someone who doesn’t seem to really understand the whole concept is calling it voodoo.

 

Really diggin these latest Wilcos, sounding fine in the car or at home on the hi-fi set. The live discs sound pristine and the outtakes are sublime. Bring on Summerteeth, hopefully for next year’s Solid Sound Fest.

 

I'm grateful that when our host masters CDs and SACDs he doesn't make them crunchy.

 

But Sometimes that’s exactly what the artist wants.

 

No doubt. Presumably such artists haven't yet realised why CD sales are falling.

 

Not because of that. Just listen to the few top sellers lately. It’s a popular sound. Most buyers don’t care.

These forums are far from being a representative of what sells

 

The top sellers now are selling less than the top sellers a few years ago. It's not the people who buy the CDs that the artists should be concerned about but those who would have bought the CDs had they provided the listener with greater emotional impact by having decent dynamics. I believe people have lost interest in music because it's harder to get involved in it. Many people write off losing their love of music as one of those things, others myself included, find this forum.

 

Not accurate at all. People love music as much as they ever did but there has been huge shift in terms of ownership. Most people now just don't want or need to own records or CDs and in some cases even downloads. All they need is streaming; either via one of the monthly sevuces or through Youtube. Music is on all the time.

My 27 year old son never buys physical releases. Occasionally he might download an album or song but usually just works to some of the YouTube playlists.... and he even has access to all of my music but youtube works for him a good portion of the time.

Nobody is losing their love for music.

 

I still believe the majority of music lovers do not have the DR Loudness site as their home page.

 

I'm really digging this release...I am a moderate fan of Wilco but a HUGE fan of this album, which I count as one of the very best releases of the 1990s. This is how a boxed set should be done. 5 discs loaded with rarities for under $30. I especially like how they packaged the discs into three different sets, with the original album in one sleeve, the outtakes in another, and the live set in a third. This is especially nice for car listening, as I don't have to bring the whole box or put the discs into paper sleeves, which is what I end up doing with the big, bloated boxed sets.

Plus, the outtakes/rarities are real treasures - even the alternate mixes are sufficiently different from the originals to warrant repeated listening. Good stuff!

 

I forgot how incredible this electric version of "Someone Else's Song" from Live at the Troubadour is!!

 

Regarding the vinyl set, LPs 2, 3 and 4 are fine but I'm getting a significant number of pops on LP1, on 'Far, Far Away' and at the end of 'Hotel Arizona'. I've tried two copies and the pops occur in exactly the same spots. Anyone else found this?

 

I'm not finding much difference between this version and the 2009 LP - perhaps a bit more low end presence on the 2009. Interesting that there is more dead wax on this new version.

The CD versions are very similar as well. The new version sounds a tad cleaner, similar to the remastering of OK Computer last year.

 

For anyone else out there that, like me, slow played grabbing this due to holiday financial hangover, too many other releases, etc, the 4LP Deluxe Vinyl can currently be had at Amazon for $45! Because Bellman!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B075VMW5Z2/ref=tmm_vnl_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1518147438&sr=8-1

 

Yep. Tried two copies and had the same issue.

 

Yes, this is totally aligned with my experience. I love all types of music, buy physical media (mostly vinyl these days) and pay attention to "best pressings" and other such nonsense. Our twenty-something daughters also love music but both could care less about "sound quality", or "albums", etc. - they just stream/download a ton of music that they like.

This was initially a struggle for me until I realized that the "love of music" part has not changed at all, just the contextual surroundings. Bottom line - don't worry about if the next generation cares about the "Chris Bellman" in the dead wax (although you or I might search for this) as much as if they just love music, period. If they do, great music will continue to be created and live on past our short spans.

 

Thanks for confirming that. Vinyl can be so frustrating, especially when it's a multi-disc box set. Not sure there's anything we can do then unless it's just a batch that are affected. I got mine from amazon.co.uk, can I ask where you got yours from?

 

Same again. Got mine via the recent reductions. Tried a couple and then just gave up. Not sure how often I’d be reaching for the bonus disc and I have a decent copy of the main album already.

 

Aside from the aforementioned defects on the deluxe vinyl, this pressing to me is much better than the 2009 version. At least with my copies anyway. The 2009 is good but there are occasional ticks and pops I've never been able to get rid of through cleaning on a RCM. The deluxe is virtually silent throughout.

On another note, has anyone else compared this new mastering with the 2009 version? I'm siding with the deluxe ever so slightly - the midrange seems sweeter to me whereas the 2009 has more bass presence.

 

Awesome little box of CDs

 

Yes, the extra content is great, isn't it? I like the packaging as well with the mini LPs. All in all great value for the £20 or so that I paid.

 

That was in 1995. I highly doubt a small DR range change is going to be much noticeable at this point with all the new tools we have today. AM is still within pretty good range for Wilco.

Being There is pretty much the same with some different numbers here and there. It sounds good to me. Not that much different. Maybe a tad clearer like OK Computer like someone said. Probably a new scan at work. But I will do more listening.

And we do need to drop the idea that every album needs DR12 all the way through. That is complete BS and people need to realize it. Rock albums can get away with anything in the DR7-12 range for whatever kind of song they are singing. Straight DR7 is probably too much, but it could actually suit an album EQ'd and mastered properly.

I was just listening to Death remasters and they are around DR 6-8 too, but they did the treble really well so it is not annoying, and it brings out the bass more like it should with death metal. I don't think you can suddenly bring an album like Being There up to DR10 or you would completely change the way they wanted you to hear it.

With that being said I haven't done full comparisons yet. I have both so it will only take a little time.

I'm part of the camp that gets really leery when albums hit the DR5 mark anywhere. It has to have really good EQ to sound good that loud, but for albums that do not need a lot of dynamic range it could still work, preferably with lower treble and more bassy sections. Honestly, guitar distortion can sound great at a variety of dynamic ranges. It is the high-end that needs to be attenuated properly based on how loud the mix is in sections. Mastering should be done properly based on the mix, not just because someone wanted a higher DR value.

Like I don't want an over-indulged treble that is icy as heck at DR5. That is going to hurt. Being There doesn't really hurt though. It has a lot of soft spots, and the drumming and bass sound really good in the remaster. Your mileage will of course vary, but I don't think the treble here is going to make your ears bleed even though Wilco does indeed get pretty loud in concert.

 

Okay just did a comparison to a brighter drumming track I Got You (At the End of the Century).

The new remaster is super close in volume. They are both DR7. The new version has a veil slightly lifted to my ears. The bass guitar is more noticeable. Drum treble is also a bit more noticeable at same volume. A touch brighter and probably more realistic to their actual sound.

Some people might prefer the slightly mashed and duller original. So get both the new one has a great concert on it.

IMHO the new mix is probably a touch better. There is just a tad more definition all around while being at mostly the same volume.

The old DR tool was bringing up some 0 peaks on the new one, but I have no idea if that matters here or the accuracy of the tool it's really old.

Maybe someone could chime in on 0 peaks, which technically should not clip I think, but who knows... the older one had peaks of like .18 for this song.