"A Charlie Brown Christmas" CD remaster.

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Mattb, Oct 10, 2006.

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  1. DJ WILBUR

    DJ WILBUR The Cappuccino Kid

    Re: "A Charlie Brown Christmas" CD remaster with bonus tracks on 10/10

    I dont think this new cd has bad sound at all. And the packaging is terrific and will make people buy it and thats a good thing, everyone who likes jazz and xmas music should have this. and I'm liking the alternate takes and worth the price of admission for me.
     
  2. Grant

    Grant Life is a rock, but the radio rolled me!

    Re: "A Charlie Brown Christmas" CD remaster. No-noised?

    That's why I just edited my post. I know the feeling. You get used to hearing the hiss and the certain balances. Once that changes, and everything is clear, you think they NR'ed it.
     
  3. Mattb

    Mattb Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Maryland
    Here is a positive review of the disc from the Vince Guaraldi forum by Jim Emmons (I hope he doesn't mind the re-post):

    http://tinyurl.com/yftvjy

     
    MLutthans likes this.
  4. Mattb

    Mattb Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Maryland
    Re: "A Charlie Brown Christmas" CD remaster. No-noised?

    Regarding Linus and Lucy? It's hard to say Brad.
     
  5. bartels76

    bartels76 Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    CT
    I wonder if I should get this remaster just for the alternate bonus stuff. I won't sell off my old one.
     
  6. Grant

    Grant Life is a rock, but the radio rolled me!

    I think i'll buy it.
     
  7. RoyalScam

    RoyalScam Luckless Pedestrian

    Re: "A Charlie Brown Christmas" CD remaster. No-noised?

    This does sound like a different take to me than what was on the original CD.

    Maybe it's just the remix that is so jarring...the version on the original CD has the drum shuffle right from the start underneath the opening piano, yet on the new remix the piano starts solo for 2 bars before the drums kick in.

    Haven't heard the "Monster" versions...
     
  8. mgb70

    mgb70 Senior Member

    Location:
    Orlando, FL
    I think I'll take a chance an pick up the new version. For those interested in the old Fantasy version, the Best Buy I visited over lunch still had a bunch of them so they should still be out there.
     
  9. Chris C

    Chris C Music was my first love and it will be my last!

    Location:
    Ohio
    I picked up the new 2006 Fantasy CD this past weekend...

    Quick review...

    If you're a fan of this album for it's fun, then I "HIGHLY" recommend this new version. I say that because, if you're looking for the "original" or "Classic" versions of these songs, don't bother, because it sounds to me, like this new CD has been completely or close to completely, remixed. LOTS of different sounds and much more open in quite a few tracks, than the original versions. I have to believe that "Linus & Lucy" is an alternate version, because it's "so" different, than the original. To my ears, even if you'd have multi-tracks of "Linus & Lucy", it wouldn't have spread out as well, as it does here.

    I say kudos to FANTASY for giving the fans something a little different, especially with the bonus tracks! The Bossa Nova version of "Greensleeves" is worth the price of the CD alone, IMO, but I was really getting into the new mixes and all of the sounds, I have never heard before. I liken this CD to a "surround" mix, only, without the surround. You'll hear many things that were buried or mixed out, the first time around!

    Fun for those, that are willing to accept, something different!

    I'm STILL hoping that the Steve Hoffman 45rpm version from "Acoustic Sounds", manages to get released BEFORE Christmas and that will likely put an END to finding a "definitive", original version of this classic!

    Chris C
     
  10. Taxman

    Taxman Senior Member

    Location:
    Fayetteville, NY
    I bought the remixed, remastered version for $11.99 at Target on Monday and I think I've had it on a couple times a day at work. My co-worker might think I'm nuts with the Christmas music. I've had the old version for years and this new one is really something special. Kudos to George Horn who did the mastering. I agree that Linus and Lucy is sooo different, an alternate take I agree, that you really need both versions.
     
  11. Phlo

    Phlo Formerly dave-o

    Location:
    Memphis, TN
    I picked it up and a-b'd it with my old Fantasy cd. This one wins hands down. Nice presence and very crisp.
     
  12. izaboo

    izaboo Forum Resident

    Location:
    LA
    Let me embellish on my former post saying that these versions are the originals. O Tannenbaum - the original had the intro cut off, it's been restored. Linus & Lucy - was an edit on the original, this is the whole original take. Christmas Time Is Here (instrumental version) - original fades out almost losing the last chord of the song - on the new one, it's been left in completely. Skating - the original fades during the bass solo at the end of the track - the new CD does not. Hope this helps clear up everything. The decisions were made so that there would be more of a good thing (including alternate takes). And once again, the only place that any noise reduction was employed was just a touch on Fur Elise as that master is and always has been a 1/4" and it's a bit tired. Happy Holidays. :)
     
  13. stereoptic

    stereoptic Anaglyphic GORT Staff

    Location:
    NY
    thanks for posting this info! And please post anything interesting about the mastering, no matter how boring it seems. We love this stuff!:)
     
  14. rmos

    rmos Forum Resident

    Can you still hear the school bell-buzzer on "Hark the Herald Angels Sing"?
     
  15. Jamie Tate

    Jamie Tate New Member

    Location:
    Nashville
    Hey everyone,

    I listened for a few minutes and I really don't like these mixes. I loved the idea but there are things that bother me quite a bit.

    The main problem I have is the reverb on the drums and the piano. The piano has become slurred and the notes lose definition on some songs (track 3 for example).

    The room sound on the drums is distracting. Listen to the left channel on track 1. Without comparing it to the original (which is not with me) it sounds like an artificial room algorithm. I don't mind that but I wish it was in the mix instead of a featured player. Hearing that loud, midrange swishing sound throughout the song is very distracting.

    I am hearing NR artifacts, although it's not as destructive as, say a Peter Mew job. I'm hearing it on intros of some songs (like tracks 1 and 4) and it's used pretty heavily on track 8. You can hear the chirping on that track.

    Then, there are some tracks that just nailed the original mix, like track 2. Maybe they couldn't find the multitrack for that song.
     
  16. Jamie Tate

    Jamie Tate New Member

    Location:
    Nashville
    Yup! :agree:
     
  17. Mattb

    Mattb Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Maryland
    Hi Izaboo. Thanks for the information!

    Can you tell us if reverb was added? I noticed what Jamie Tate had mentioned recently.

    Thanks.
     
  18. Jamie Tate

    Jamie Tate New Member

    Location:
    Nashville
    Re: "A Charlie Brown Christmas" CD remaster. No-noised?

    Were you involved with this project? Are you assuming NR was only used on that track or do you know because I'm hearing NR artifacts on a few other tracks too.
     
  19. Jamie Tate

    Jamie Tate New Member

    Location:
    Nashville
    Linus and Lucy is definitely a different take and not an edit (both are the same length(!) and are completely different performances).
     
  20. Jamie Tate

    Jamie Tate New Member

    Location:
    Nashville
    It could be the real room. I don't care if it's real or not. I was just mentioning it's mixed far too loudly on track one and became a distracting swishing sound.
     
  21. DJ WILBUR

    DJ WILBUR The Cappuccino Kid

    i agree with this...seems totally different to me as well. curious to know the story on this.
     
  22. Jamie Tate

    Jamie Tate New Member

    Location:
    Nashville
    I put the first three tracks from the 1988 CD, SACD, Remix CD, Monster CD and Monster 2 channel Hi-Res in Pro Tools.

    This is strange. The SACD and early CDs seem to be from the same source. When lined up they produce a slow flange. If they were new analog transfers they wouldn't stay in sync for more than a split second. These stayed in semi-sync for quite a long time.

    The new remix CD seems to be a fold down of the Monster DVD from last year. Here again, they didn't stay in perfect sync but they created a long, slow flange, meaning they were re-clocked or there's an analog step in there. It could be any number of things.

    The other thing I discovered is What Child Is This has not been remixed like I suspected after my initial listening (see post #115).

    Also, after comparing these different mixes it's quite obvious the original mix has the deepest bass, the better stereo spread and generally sounds smoother and much more natural. The remix is a bit pumped up in the upper mids but lacks the air in the top end (I assume from the NR and EQ).

    There was NR used on more tracks than just Fur Elise. The NR artifacts (not just lack of top end and tape hiss) is audible on several songs.
     
  23. BradOlson

    BradOlson Country/Christian Music Maven

    So either the 1980s CD or the SACD are the ways to go.
     
  24. Jamie Tate

    Jamie Tate New Member

    Location:
    Nashville
    Until Steve's LP finally gets released. :agree:
     
  25. Dobby

    Dobby Member

    Location:
    Canada
    Is the SACD an improvement over the regular CD? I've heard that it isn't much different.
     
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