Best sounding David Bowie albums on the RCA CDs (only)?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by pig whisperer, Nov 8, 2006.

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  1. -Ben

    -Ben Senior Member

    Location:
    Washington DC Area
    Yes. There was a period of several years where the Bowie CDs were OOP. The Ryko box set was the first released.
     
  2. KeithH

    KeithH Success With Honor...then and now

    Location:
    Beaver Stadium
    Thanks. I wasn't buying Bowie discs during the RCA era, and my first Bowie CD was the Ryko Changesbowie in 1990.
     
  3. Veech

    Veech Space In Sounds

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    I would love to get a good sounding copy of Aladdin Sane, are there any RCA's currently available for retail sale other than eBay?
     
  4. Dave

    Dave Esoteric Audio Research Specialistâ„¢

    Location:
    B.C.
    Only in the used CD shops Veech.
     
  5. -Ben

    -Ben Senior Member

    Location:
    Washington DC Area
    Veech, RCA lost the rights to manufacture Bowie CDs back in the 80s. It is highly unlikely any stores have old unsold stock. Used CD shops or Record/CD shows is the only other way.
     
  6. innercircle

    innercircle Forum Resident

    Location:
    Monterrey, Mexico
    I'm lucky having the Changesone, Changestwo and Ziggy Stardust all of them RCA's made in Japan.
     
  7. pig whisperer

    pig whisperer CD Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Tokyo, Japan
    "Aladdin Sane" seems to be receiving the most positive comments (thanks, everyone), but how is the RCA "Hunky Dory"? I know it has some drop out issues on the first two tracks. I've been listening to the Ryko - with the loudness button "on" (the only CD I use it for) - and like it. Perhaps ignorance is bliss and I don't want to hear the RCA?
     
  8. pig whisperer

    pig whisperer CD Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Tokyo, Japan
    Too late to edit. I see Andreas has already posted about "Hunky Dory". :wave:
     
  9. globule2

    globule2 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Montreal
    Not having heard anything to the contrary, I believe that this is also the case with the 30th-anniversary 2CD edition of Diamond Dogs. This, however, is apparantly not the case with the 30th-anniversary edition of TRaFof Ziggy Stardust &tSfM. Sordid details available here.

    That means that, in addition to the two different LP masterings ("Starman" comes in loud and muted piano versions), there are four different CD masterings. Plus the gold 20-bit Ryko plus the SACD...
     
  10. Fortune

    Fortune Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    There's a HUGE difference between the RCA and Virgin "Heroes"......obviously the RCA is much much much better. It almost sounds like a different recording.
     
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  11. CardinalFang

    CardinalFang New Member

    Location:
    ....
    I like the RCA Hunky Dory too. But my Japan copy has LOTS of dropouts at the top of "Changes."
     
  12. CardinalFang

    CardinalFang New Member

    Location:
    ....
    Here's what I have:

    Space Oddity PCD1-4813 (Japan)
    The Man Who Sold The World PCD1-4816 (Japan)
    Hunky Dory PCD1-4623 (Japan)
    The Rise & Fall Of Ziggy Stardust PCD1-4702 (Japan)
    Aladdin Sane PD83890 (West Germany)
    Diamond Dogs PD83889 (West Germany)
    Pinups PCD1-0291 (Japan)
    Young Americans PCD1-0998 (Japan)
    Station To Station PCD1-1327 (Japan)
    ChangesOneBowie PCD1-1732 (Japan)
    Low PCD1-2030 (Japan)
    Heroes PCD1-2522 (Japan)
    Lodger PCD1-3254 (Japan)
    Scary Monsters PCD1-3647 (Japan)
    ChangesTwoBowie PCD1-4202 (Japan)
    Fame And Fashion (All Time G.H.) PCD1-4919 (Japan)

    I believe the first pressing of Low has a complete channel dropout at one point.
     
  13. CardinalFang

    CardinalFang New Member

    Location:
    ....
    RCA Samples

    I asked Darcy's permission to include this in his thread. I got the green light, so here it goes...

    A few of us forum members have been working on a Wiki for needledrop samples. Though it's not quite ready, we started using it for the John Cale album by album thread. I figure we can use it here as well.

    I ripped 1 minute samples of each of my RCA Bowie discs, plus the 3 Ryko discs that I own. I posted these samples on the wiki, which is located here:

    http://needledrop.wikispaces.com/David+Bowie+CD+Comparisons

    I'd love for the people that own different versions of these RCA discs (and those with Ryko and EMI discs) to post samples as well. All you have to do is register with the wiki, then follow the directions for uploading samples.

    Please give them a listen and post your thoughts. :thumbsup:
     
  14. jon9091

    jon9091 Master Of Reality

    Location:
    Midwest
    That's brilliant. That gives people who haven't heard the RCA's yet a quick comparison as to why they are worth seeking out.

    One thing. I'm a Mac guy so the MP3 creation instructions don't really translate. Could you guys post specifics about what bit rate to use?
     
  15. CardinalFang

    CardinalFang New Member

    Location:
    ....
    Sorry for the Windows-centric directions. I usually am good about fleshing it out for Mac and Linux users, but I was in a hurry. :)

    Just encode at 256 or 320 kbps. That should be fine. :thumbsup:

    EDIT: I updated the directions. It's not perfect, but hopefully a little more helpful.
     
  16. Another Side

    Another Side Senior Member

    Location:
    San Francisco
    Definitely there are some drop out on Changes. Someone on the forum said they are on ChangesOne as well. After that it's smooth sailing though.
     
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  17. jon9091

    jon9091 Master Of Reality

    Location:
    Midwest

    I can save you a step when using iTunes as a ripper. Once you insert a CD, it will go and fetch the track names for you. Let's say we are ripping Changes from Hunky Dory. You can change the name of the track to suit your Wiki naming specications before you even rip it, just by highlighting the text and typing the approriate info. Also, if you do a "get info" on the CD track (again before ripping it)...open up the "options" window, and set the stop time to 1:00. This way, your track will be named properly and it will already be 1:00 in length. The bad news for Mac users, is that the Lame encoder for iTunes does not go up to 256k or 320k. So we'll either have to use the built in iTunes encoder, or use a 3rd party ripper.
     
  18. pig whisperer

    pig whisperer CD Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Tokyo, Japan
    The version of Changes on "ChangesOneBowie" sounds best; it doesn't have that flutter on the cymbal.
     
  19. ivor

    ivor Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
  20. CardinalFang

    CardinalFang New Member

    Location:
    ....
  21. CardinalFang

    CardinalFang New Member

    Location:
    ....
    Thanks Jon!! :thumbsup:
     
  22. CardinalFang

    CardinalFang New Member

    Location:
    ....
    It sounds to me that "Changes" on Hunky Dory and Fame and Fashion are from the same source tape. The version on ChangesOne sounds much better, and has no dropouts. I wonder how the Golden Years comp sounds.
     
  23. Andreas

    Andreas Senior Member

    Location:
    Frankfurt, Germany
    Could you tell me at which point? On my German RCA "Hunky Dory" CD, I don't notice any drop-outs in the song "Changes".
     
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  24. Andreas

    Andreas Senior Member

    Location:
    Frankfurt, Germany
    Interesting. The song "Changes" on the RCA "Fame And Fashion" CD does indeed sound not very good compared the German RCA "Hunky Dory" CD.
     
  25. CardinalFang

    CardinalFang New Member

    Location:
    ....
    There's an MP3 sample in the above wiki link... I don't have the CD in front of me right now, but I want to say it's during the first verse.
     
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