Sinatra / Capitol Sound Quality (and general discussion): Singles, Soundtracks, Etc.

Thanks, Allen. The more input the better!

I've now got several clips of assorted pressings/masterings of "From Here to Eternity" posted: http://www.11fifty.com/Site_108/1953_-_SinglesEtc3.html. Comments welcomed, as always.

EDIT: Japanese 1980's LP clip now added.

 

Re: From Here to Eternity

I'm going with the Collectors Series Walsh/Furmanek mastering on "From Here to Eternity." To my ears, it's the one that has full-range top-end. I don't mean that it sounds bright (it doesn't, at least not to my ears), but that the others all sound like the treble is dialed down a notch. (The "D" LPs sound like they are dialed down about 3 notches.) There are many other excellent choices (The 1980s Japan LP reissue, for instance), but I prefer the top end on Collectors Series.

http://www.11fifty.com/Site_108/1953_-_SinglesEtc3.html

 

I could easily be swayed that way. I thought the Dell and the Japanese LP (along with a couple of the CDs) had very similar characteristics. All good choices, IMO.

There have been a few tracks where the Dell LP came across as bright, but on this one, it's pleasantly not-so, and the Furmanek/Walsh CD is the one with the more pronounced (but not necessarily bright) top end.

EDIT: After some serious A/B-ing today, the (minor) loudness in the UK 1998 CD does drop that one down just a small bit. Still good. For now, I'm sticking with the Furmanek/Walsh. YMMV, of course, which is why the clips are posted.

 

Ha! Three good-eared voters, three different winners! Anybody else? (The Japanese LP does have fewer dropouts that the Dell LP or the Collectors Series CD, FWIW.)

 

Re: From Here to Eternity

I've revised things slightly:


Re: I Can Read Between the Lines

Apparently, there is only one choice that uses the correct, dry tapes, and that 's the 1991 Where Are You CD mastered by Larry Walsh, where this song appears as a bonus track. All other versions through the years have either used wet tapes or received the Norberg treatment. (There's a very interesting glitch on the Norberg version, by the way. Details are on the page linked below.)

Clips and details here: http://www.11fifty.com/Site_108/1953_-_SinglesEtc3.html

 

Nothing to remix in this case. Recorded straight to mono. He did apparently go back to the session tape (likely stored on a Capitol phonoreel), as opposed to using the Songs for Young Lovers production reel, etc.

 

SONGS FOR YOUNG LOVERS reel is all first generation "A Takes". Anything else would be a dub, Matt.

 

No, I'm referring to the 1962 12" SONGS FOR YOUNG LOVERS (where this song first appeared to pad the album to 12" LP length), all of which had a nice gloss of added reverb and bad tone. Sorry for the confusion...

 

Yeah, I had a brain cloud. That's not on H-488! So the "redub" has all the reverb and stuff, right? There is also a 12" version with SWING EASY on the other side, right?

So YOUNG LOVERS was issued in three different LP formats, right? 10", one side of 12" and "elongated" 12", correct?

 

Yes, Steve, that's all correct. The combined LP used the right tapes; the elongated was futzed and available in mono or Duophonic.

Remember kids: on that combined LP, side two is the older material (Songs for Young Lovers); side one is the newer stuff (Swing Easy).

 

Matt,

Was it ever determined that the 12" side two (SONGS FOR YOUNG LOVERS) was cut with the same tape that was used for the 10" 1953 version or was it a redub tape? Can't remember.

I have both but the 12" sounds better. Could just be because it was cut later but still in the "golden era".

 

Interesting question. On my old (now yanked but soon to reappear, since it's the next Sinatra session following the one we are now discussing) Songs for Young Lovers page, there was a comparison clip between two D pressings that stevelucille submitted, played on the same turntable. One was a 10 D12, the other a D3 from the "combined" 12" LP. The 12" definitely had more treble and presence, but also a slightly different overall tonality. Hang tight and I'll get a clip up for you to hear.

 

Answer posted here: http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threa...-young-lovers-1954.200237/page-6#post-9365927

 

Any thoughts on that Norberg glitch at the very bottom of the page? Is it just me?????

http://www.11fifty.com/Site_108/1953_-_SinglesEtc3.html

 

We've looked at twelve non-LP tracks so far, and three of them are available on "non-futzed" versions thanks to Larry Walsh's work 20+ years ago. Otherwise, we'd only have wet versions.

 

I just meant "Is it just me" that thinks it's a mouse click sound on a PC. I'm confident that it's on every copy of the Norberg disc.

I'm working on the page issue; thanks.

 

Just curious: What activity was keeping Frank out of the studio between early May and early November of 1953?