I'm a fan of Rose Royce but besides an awful lot of compilations it's very hard to find their original albums on CD. Let's discuss which ones are released and how they sound. I have the Edsel twofers from 2011: Strikes Again + Rainbow Connection - On Discogs.com - DR log Strikes Again - DR log Rainbow Connection Golden Touch + Jump Street - On Discogs.com - DR log Golden Touch - DR log Jump Street With album DR numbers around DR 9 - DR10 these are typical modern remasters. Not really bad, but a bit compressed and normalized. The treble is a little harsh, but the bass is okay. They sound somewhat unnatural, but it's not distracting from the great songs. But, it's not very audiophile or honest to the original vinyl. The Strikes Again + Rainbow Connection is a great buy as it combines 2 classic albums. If you like the singles of these albums, you will certainly enjoy the other tracks too. Golden Touch + Jump Street is less essential. But I wanted this release for the full 12 minutes version of R.R. Express on Jump Street. An outstanding track, IMHO. I know Wounded Bird also released these albums in 2010. Did anyone compare the sound quality of those discs to the releases above?
Wounded Bird 2010 CDs have better DR. It does not mean that the sound quality is audiophile -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Analyzed: Rose Royce / Rose Royce III: Strikes Again! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DR Peak RMS Duration Track -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DR12 -0.24 dB -14.18 dB 4:36 01-Get Up Off Your Fat DR9 -0.24 dB -12.07 dB 4:10 02-Do It, Do It DR14 -0.24 dB -17.18 dB 3:43 03-I'm In Love [And I Love The Feeling] DR11 -0.24 dB -13.67 dB 3:22 04-First Come, First Serve DR14 -0.24 dB -16.97 dB 3:58 05-Love Don't Live Here Anymore DR14 -0.24 dB -16.84 dB 4:59 06-Angel In The Sky DR13 -0.24 dB -16.72 dB 3:53 07-Help DR12 -0.24 dB -14.43 dB 3:55 08-Let Me Be The First To Know DR10 -0.24 dB -12.81 dB 6:39 09-That's What's Wrong With Me -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of tracks: 9 Official DR value: DR12 =============================================================================== -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Analyzed: Rose Royce / Rose Royce IV: Rainbow Connection -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DR Peak RMS Duration Track -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DR13 -0.24 dB -17.31 dB 3:44 01-I Wonder Where You Are Tonight DR11 -0.24 dB -13.36 dB 5:05 02-Is It Love You're After DR12 -0.24 dB -18.04 dB 5:30 03-Shine Your Light DR11 -0.24 dB -13.11 dB 8:55 04-What You Waitin' For DR12 -0.24 dB -13.93 dB 4:44 05-Bad Mother Funker DR12 -0.24 dB -14.18 dB 5:46 06-You Can't Run From Yourself DR12 -0.24 dB -14.61 dB 6:04 07-Lock It Down DR12 -0.24 dB -14.32 dB 4:49 08-Pazazz -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of tracks: 8 Official DR value: DR12 ================================================================================ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Analyzed: Rose Royce / Golden Touch -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DR Peak RMS Duration Track -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DR11 -1.53 dB -15.87 dB 3:48 01-And You Wish For Yesterday DR12 -0.24 dB -14.52 dB 3:36 02-I Wanna Make It With You DR12 -0.24 dB -14.19 dB 4:47 03-Funkin' Around DR12 -0.24 dB -16.57 dB 3:55 04-Golden Touch DR10 -0.24 dB -12.58 dB 3:37 05-Love Is In The Air DR9 -0.24 dB -11.41 dB 4:27 06-You're A Winner DR10 -0.24 dB -12.80 dB 3:48 07-Would You Please Be Mine DR10 -0.24 dB -11.76 dB 4:02 08-Help Yourself -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of tracks: 8 Official DR value: DR11 ================================================================================ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Analyzed: Rose Royce / Jump Street -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DR Peak RMS Duration Track -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DR13 -0.24 dB -16.04 dB 4:02 01-Jump Street DR12 -0.24 dB -15.46 dB 3:55 02-Illusions DR11 -0.24 dB -13.55 dB 12:01 03-R.R. Express DR11 -0.24 dB -14.95 dB 6:09 04-Famous Last Words DR11 -0.24 dB -15.28 dB 4:26 05-Tell Me That I'm Dreaming DR10 -0.24 dB -12.96 dB 5:58 06-Please Return Your Love To Me DR12 -0.24 dB -15.73 dB 3:28 07-Fight It -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of tracks: 7 Official DR value: DR12 ================================================================================
But could they be from original master tapes? On my Edsel release of Rainbow Connection, when the singer in "Shine Your Light" sings the really hight parts the vocals collapse as if I'm listening to a needle drop from a worn LP.
Okay. I was looking around, and listening to the Strikes Again! tracks in the iTunes Store made me believe they sounded better than my Edsel release. And based on the lack of compression they probably also sound better than the Wounded Bird release. I bought the "Do It, Do It" track to measure DR. Both the Edsel (DR7) and the WB (DR9) version have an amount of compression that doesn't match the era they were released in originally. The iTunes track is DR14! iTunes says that the album is released in 2008. And although Allmusic.com mentions a CD release for this album in 2008, I can only find digital downloads (the version on Spotify is different from the one in iTunes, though). Some more creative thinking made me visit Amazon.co.jp. Here you can listen to samples from the 2014 Strikes Again! release (1000 R&B series remaster series). I think these samples sound a lot like the iTunes songs! So I think I really really really need to buy a CD now…
As I didn't like the Edsel "Golden Touch + Jump Street" very much, and "R.R. Express" (full 12 minutes version) is the only track I can't live without from that release, I was very exited to find the German "Love Don't Live Here Anymore" CD single from 1989 (Warner Bros. Records – 921 064-2). It's a 2-track, 3-inch CD that includes the 12 minutes version of R.R. Express as its second track. It's quite rare, and not cheap, but a CD from 1989, how could this go wrong. Well… I received it in the mail today, and I can now tell you that the loudness war started as early as 1989. The CD sounds aweful, with Love Don't Live Here Anymore compressed to DR 11 and R.R. Express to DR10. And it's also harsh, with too much treble and little bass. The Edsel releases sound better. Pity.
Here are the DR-values for the 2014 Japanese In Full Bloom (WPCR-27774) and Strikes Again! (WPCR-27792) from the 1000 R&B Best Collection. Code: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Analyzed folder: Rose Royce/Rose Royce II - In Full Bloom (JPN) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DR Peak RMS Filename ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DR10 over -13.60 dB 01 - Wishing On A Star.wav DR8 over -10.68 dB 02 - You Can't Please Everybody.wav DR10 over -12.70 dB 03 - Ooh Boy.wav DR9 over -11.35 dB 04 - Do Your Dance.wav DR10 over -12.49 dB 05 - You're My World Girl.wav DR10 over -12.18 dB 06 - Love, More Love.wav DR10 over -11.36 dB 07 - Funk Factory.wav DR10 over -11.57 dB 08 - It Makes You Feel Like Dancin'.wav ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of files: 8 Official DR value: DR10 and Code: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Analyzed folder: Rose Royce/Rose Royce III - Strikes Again! (JPN) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DR Peak RMS Filename ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DR12 over -13.73 dB 01 - Get Up Off Your Fat.wav DR11 over -12.89 dB 02 - Do It, Do It.wav DR13 over -15.53 dB 03 - I'm In Love [And I Love The Feeling].wav DR12 over -13.75 dB 04 - First Come, First Serve.wav DR13 over -15.41 dB 05 - Love Don't Live Here Anymore.wav DR13 over -15.79 dB 06 - Angel In The Sky.wav DR12 over -15.39 dB 07 - Help.wav DR12 over -14.16 dB 08 - Let Me Be The First To Know.wav DR11 over -12.71 dB 09 - That's What's Wrong With Me.wav ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of files: 9 Official DR value: DR12 ============================================================================================== In Full Bloom is rather sad, lots of compression. It's from a clean master, though. But it sounds a bit unnatural and any difference between soft and hard parts in singing and arrangement are definitely gone. Also some tracks end rather abrupt, while the tracks after them start without a pause. For me this hurts the flow of the album. Strikes Again! is a lot better than my Edsel CD (less compression, better source tape), but it's still no match for the version on iTunes! I think that the Japanese Strikes Again! and the iTunes release use the same source, but still some Japanese engineer/producer thought it a good idea to add some compression. No idea why, because it emphasizes the high end and hurts the low end. So although it sounds more than okay, the warmth from the iTunes master is definitely gone.
Thanks for the info. Looks like that old In Full Bloom CD really worth tracking, despite of the price.
I think so too, if you want a tangible medium. I'll always try to hunt down the CD, if available. But currently I'm seriously considering to buy the lossy AAC albums on iTunes. As they seem to be the best ones available.
The Pono Store seems to have the same Rose Royce albums as iTunes, in lossless CD format (16/44.1). https://ponomusic.force.com/ccrz__CCPage?pageKey=search&searchText=Rose royce
Okay, back again. I found a slightly reasonably priced Warner Bros. In Full Bloom CD. The Made in the USA 3074-2. This a reissue from around 1996 - 1998 and it sounds quite nice. The best yet, anyway. Very clean master, nice bass, not harsh. Nice air around the instruments. Album DR = 12. Still, the master on iTunes sounds as it has an even higher album DR. Code: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Analyzed folder: Rose Royce/In Full Bloom ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DR Peak RMS Filename ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DR13 -0.72 dB -17.88 dB 01 - Wishing On A Star.wav DR11 -0.32 dB -13.82 dB 02 - You Can't Please Everybody.wav DR12 -0.02 dB -15.32 dB 03 - Ooh Boy.wav DR12 -0.32 dB -14.71 dB 04 - Do Your Dance.wav DR12 -0.33 dB -15.98 dB 05 - You're My World Girl.wav DR13 -0.20 dB -15.51 dB 06 - Love, More Love.wav DR13 -0.05 dB -14.34 dB 07 - Funk Factory.wav DR13 -0.05 dB -14.69 dB 08 - It Makes You Feel Like Dancin'.wav ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of files: 8 Official DR value: DR12 ==============================================================================================
I found a Rose Royce Greatest Hits CD from 1986. The Whitfield Records 3457-2 – it's a reissue of the Greatest Hits record from 1980. Dynamic range figures are: Code: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Analyzed folder: Rose Royce/Greatest Hits ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DR Peak RMS Filename ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DR15 -1.86 dB -19.13 dB 01 - Pop Your Fingers.wav DR14 -4.20 dB -20.71 dB 02 - It Makes You Feel Like Dancing.wav DR14 -3.61 dB -18.58 dB 03 - First Come, First Serve.wav DR12 -3.37 dB -18.42 dB 04 - Car Wash.wav DR13 -1.92 dB -17.02 dB 05 - Is It Love You're After.wav DR15 -0.51 dB -17.69 dB 06 - Do Your Dance.wav DR13 -0.03 dB -14.85 dB 07 - You're A Winner.wav DR13 -3.40 dB -19.26 dB 08 - Ooh Boy.wav DR13 -5.15 dB -22.64 dB 09 - I Wanna get Next To You.wav DR12 -3.16 dB -18.57 dB 10 - Wishing On A Star.wav DR13 -3.05 dB -19.42 dB 11 - I'm In Love (And I Love The Feeling).wav DR12 -3.45 dB -20.97 dB 12 - I'm Going Down.wav DR14 -2.88 dB -21.32 dB 13 - I Wonder Where You Are Tonight.wav DR13 -2.51 dB -19.70 dB 14 - Love Don't Live Here Anymore.wav ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of files: 14 Official DR value: DR13 Although there is little compression on this album, the SQ still isn't top notch. The first track sounds to me as sourced from an inferior master. Luckily it gets better after that. For the rest of the tracks the bass and mids sound great. Really nice, warm, articulated, top notch SQ/EQ. But the highs are a bit prominent, but much stranger, seem to have more reverb too. So the horn stabs and strings seem to be far behind the rest of the band, certainly when compared to more recent masters. The effect to me is that I'm listening to bass and mid frequencies from a good sounding record or CD, while the horns and strings are mixed in from an AM radio recording. Of course this is over-exaggerating, but it is an effect I never heard before. All in all, this disc still has the best sounding versions of some tracks, e.g. Is It Love You're After. But I'm still waiting for a true audiophile remaster of Rose Royce music. This compilation could be a great candidate to start from! Improvements could be to use all the album versions fro all tracks and to add R.R. Express (large hit in European countries), and we're done.
