The Rush cd mastering thread (part 2)

Okay y'all, I zipped up all the XML files for my "'97 EQ" versions of FBN & Hemispheres & placed them on Dropbox at the following link:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/22612905/Hemi_FBN_XML.zip

Once unzipped, put them in the following folder: C:\Users\'your profile'\AppData\Roaming\Audacity. Start Audacity, load up the sound file to which you want to apply the EQ curve & select the equalization tool, then click on "Save/Manage Curves", click on "Import", Choose the XML file you want to import, then it will appear in the "Curves" list in the Manage Curves dialog- simply select it in the list & click "OK". The curve will now be loaded & you can apply it by clicking OK.

Three things to be aware of: 1) The Hemispheres EQ only corrects from 86 Hz- up...I forgot to export a curve from Audacity & have it go down to 20 Hz. 2) The Hemispheres curves will require you to reduce the volume of the sound file by a few dB (IIRC) before applying or you'll get clipping. 3) On the other hand, The curves for FBN I adjusted the curve by -6 db overall, so you actually will need to boost the volume back up to it's original level after applying the curve.

Also, bear in mind that these are custom-tailored to use the US silverface of both FBN and Hemispheres as the base.

Enjoy!

 

Appreciate the help. Fly By Night original digital now rocks with great cymbals, now rolls with much tighter bass guitar, guitar sound is better/prominent....

 

Not a problem! Not a perfect eq job, but a little brighter & more defined IMO.

 

Roll the Bones:

Sadly, I don't have the Audio Fidelity CD for this album, so it's just the good 'ol standard editions you're seeing here. Since I don't currently own the AF, the original CD is the winner without a doubt. Sure, it's bright and brittle in certain spots, but it doesn't detract from the listening experience IMO. Both of the later versions have more low end and hollowed-out mid-range, but the '04 remaster has a slightly brighter EQ profile. Like Presto, Roll the Bones doesn't suffer a whole lot in terms of dynamic range with the '04 remaster; 13 for the RM vs the original's 14. The Studio Albums version once again features clipping and manages to compress the heck out of what was originally a very dynamic recording. The box mastering has an average DR of 10; still a little higher than the majority of what is released now, but the difference between this version and ANY other version is quite jarring. It seems Andy VanDette did a better job with the Sectors compared to the Studio Albums box, though that isn't saying a whole lot. Speaking of VanDette, why are the HDTracks versions of Presto and Roll the Bones different in DR compared to the CD box? Hopefully someone could shed some light on that.

 

Good info Diablo, as usual.
RTB is one of those albums I really wanted to like back when it first came out, but after a couple of decades, it's still a...meh.

 

Counterparts:

Again, all of these seem to stem from the same master. Every one of these masterings (aside from the excellent Audio Fidelity) suffers from too much compression. Let's go in order from worst to best this time: the 2004 remaster is the odd man out here. It's overly EQ'd and a bit louder vs the other 3 masterings, and it can end up sounding too much like the original CD if you don't have good ears. The Studio Albums mastering is EQ'd quite similarly to the AF, so the only reason anyone would have to hate it is the compression. But even that isn't so bad, since the EQ gives it a little more headroom than both the original and '04 remaster, but not as much as the AF. I'm actually slightly shocked that the SA version is as decent as it is, given my low expectations for it. Clipping isn't an issue with it either, so there's that. But the AF is the CD to get when it comes to Counterparts. It's more dynamic, EQ'd more tastefully, and more affordable than the vinyl. I do have yet to hear the vinyl, so the AF wins because it's the best you can get for the price and it'll be a neat collectible someday. Sadly, over-compression is something Rush would embrace with the rest of their output on CD. You will easily see this with the next album...

 

Can't believe Alien Shore has never been performed live

 

Rush plays "Dreamline" great in concert.

 

I'm guessing you tested the CD layer and not the SACD layer?

Also, it should be noted that the AF does have some extended alternate mixes for Stick It Out and Nobody's Hero.

Also sad that only the S&A vinyl and VT vinyl releases are half-way decent - TfE has no vinyl release and Clockwork Angels on vinyl was done horribly.

 

I'm guessing it's a side-effect of the higher resolution and/or bit-depth - I recall that Clockwork Angels on HDTracks was also more dynamic than the CD without being much of an improvement.

 

You mean the HDTracks version compared to the one in the "Studio Albums" set (DR 13 to DR 10)? That seems like too much of a difference to be resolution/bit depth to me...I think there was a decision to add some compression to the SA version. Just a guess tho....

 

Yep, the CD layer is what I used since I'm not capable of playing SACD's. Is the SACD layer much better than the standard redbook? And thanks for pointing out about the mixes, I forgot to mention that subject once again

It's a shame that the latter-day Rush vinyl releases are so rare and expensive. The only post-HYF album on vinyl I have is Vapor Trails Remixed, and it's only marginally better than the CD. I don't really mind compression as much as most of the others on this forum, but everything after Counterparts really hurts my ears in terms of sound.

 

It's strange indeed - just looked on the DR Database. While the HDTracks is more dynamic for Presto/RTB, it still isn't as dynamic as the original releases, or even the "Rush Remasters" from 2004.

 

Technically it should be, since the CD layer is just a downsample of the DSD layer. I also remember reading about minor clipping on the CD layer for Counterparts.

 

It's not just the compression the later cases, it's also the mediocre production/mixing. At least with Counterparts you had a decent production that was compressed (and I think the case is the same even for T4E).

 

Let's hope that's the case with T4E. I can't really imagine how it sounds without the compression.

 

Agreed- sonically, I find the Counterparts & TFE original pressings sound quite decent, just a little loud & a tad too much compression- it's the releases after these two that things really take a turn for the worse...

 

It's funny how nobody mentions the sound on Feedback. It suffers from the SAME amount of compression and clipping as Vapor Trails. It certainly doesn't help that Feedback isn't one of Rush's better albums. In fact, it's actually my least favorite.

 

I think a lot of people overlook Feedback...if it weren't for the compression, I think it would be a great album. I like the stripped-down sound & Alex's guitar solo on "Crossroads" is mind-boggling. If it weren't compressed it would have a little more "edge" to it....

 

There was a vinyl pressing for it too, which has less compression.

 

I really do need to get around to getting another turntable one of these days...

 

Hey, would anyone with an original Anthem pressing of Grace Under Pressure be willing to load the songs into Audacity & export the EQ curves for each song, then post the text files? I'd like to try my hand at making a version of the WG atomic using the Anthem for the EQ. If the song is over the 4-minute max for the spectrum analysis tool, just let it select the first 237 seconds (or whatever the dialog says).
Thanks in advance!

 

Sorry @rcsrich , meant to get back to you on this. Do you have a tutorial on how to do this in Audacity?

 

No worries @Ambassador! I can whip something up this evening- It's not too difficult....

 

Never mind, found the tool you were talking about. Very cool!