Hi-Res Download News (HDTracks, ProStudioMasters, Pono, etc.) & Software/Mastering Part 12**

Compare it to the original Atlantic and report back. Yes it's kind of a "screechy" recording to begin with but I think you'll hear what I mean.

 

Which original Atlantic? The lp or the 1986 CD (not Diament to my knowledge).

 

The 1986. I think it is Diament. The only one he didn't do was IV. That was Joe Sidore. If I'm wrong, please someone let me know.

 

No need. You've got it right.

 

I Can't Stand Still is also not very good. They chopped that one off pretty good. There are some moments in "Talking to the Moon" during the parts of the song that weren't clipped that hint at what could have been.

 

How disappointing. That is the album I want the most again, since I think "the big hit" is the only one that has made it on any of the comps released since then. I have most of the great songs off the other two 80s albums in multiple formats/releases.

I was just thinking about Henley while reading the thread about PG's latest round of reissues. Why do we get 3 or 4 reissues of certain artists, and no reissues for other like Don, or Sting or....

 

Pono Provenance — Eduard Nuijen (Moderator)
To everyone who bought the @THE MONSANTO YEARS album via the WB-website or the Neil Young website.

The problem of the wrong digital download-files supplied by Warner Bros. via the Neil Young website(s) around the world has been resolved. @Bruce GOS (PonoMusic) has chased this for us and he is now confident that the WB organisation will issue everyone, who requests a new download stating their original order information, with a new download link.

As I still do not have the correct file myself, i have requested the link today. I will let everyone know what the result will be.

Thank you again @Bruce GOS (PonoMusic) for all your efforts and i trust WB will now send us the correct files.

 

I just listened again thinking that maybe I was in the wrong mood last night and my opinion still stands. All the other Zep releases have been huge improvements over any other version. This one seems really loud and a tougher listen than the Diament. I'd be curious to find out if others feel the same way.

 

Do you at least have the CD? If not, I have an extra copy I could sell you.

 

i just compared the 96/24 with the CD and i hear a big difference. I'd go for it if you are replacing a cassette or CD

 

PonoMusic Store — Randy Leasure (PonoMusic)
Aloha!

The Album of the Week this week is Black Sabbath's Sabotage!
This year marks the 40th anniversary of this their 6th album which features such dark metal classics as Hole In The Sky and Symptom of the Universe.

Available now in the PonoMusic store at 96kHz/24bit for the special price of $11.99!

 

How much? I'm tempted to cherry pick a couple of faces off Pono.

 

Thats a pretty appealing sale - I assume this is the same master as was included in the Black Box 24/96 version on HDTracks - anyone know otherwise?

 

Definitely hear the same on my system--there's a harshness there that isn't present on my Diament copy. As you say, the other Davis remasters have been quite nice, but this one doesn't suit me.

 

So happy to see all these quality classic country/folk HD releases keep coming. Downloaded Merle Haggard, Emmylou Harris, Gordon Lightfoot and John Prine from HDTracks and all sound fantastic to me.
Especially trilled about sthe John Prine album since I think it's one of the best albums ever released (any genre) - especially amazing given it was his debut album. Hopefully there is more John Prine stuff coming soon!

 

HDTRACKS has $5 off any purchase of $11.98 or more - HDFIVEOFF

 

I would assume it's the same as the 24/96 sold on HDtracks yes but just to be clear, it's not the same mastering as Black Box: The Complete Original Black Sabbath CD box released by Rhino back in 2004.

 

Thats what I'm trying to narrow down - the stand alone Sabotage 24/96 is not the same as the version in the Black Box 24/96 Collection.
They have both for sale on HD Tracks, and I have the Black Box set in HD already. If this version is a different mastering then I will probably buy it. Thanks!

 

no, I just said it likely is the same as the Sabotage within the 24/96 collection on HDtracks. I was merely pointing out that it uses a different mastering than the CD box from a decade ago.

 

I noticed a harshness on In The Evening but I thought it might just be my system. Some of the other tracks sounded better though.

 

Coming this Friday to HDtracks.com....

ELVIS PRESLEY - From Memphis to Vegas / From Vegas to Memphis
Gregg Allman - Gregg Allman Live: Back To Macon, GA
Judy Garland - Miss Show Business

and many many more....

 

That Elvis LP is a must..

 

The mastering (except for some of the Coda companion material, I believe) actually was done in 2012 - the new mastering of all the main albums showed up on iTunes in December of '12. So I'm guessing that explains the JRiver dating.

As for In Through the Out Door, I prefer the new mastering over all previous vinyl and especially over the Diament CD. To each his own of course. But overall, the mastering of this album in particular has gotten a favorable response from a large majority of folks who've posted about it here and on other web forums - probably the biggest majority of any of the Zep reissues.

Regardless of that, as to why the original and most subsequent versions have sounded bad, I would guess it's a combination of two factors:

1. Page has said that Polar Studios was a dead space that lacked the native ambience he had relied on while recording their previous albums.
2. The overall feel of the album was lighter and cleaner than their prior work, and perhaps Page tried to make it sound heavier by mixing it "sludgier" (as he seems to have done with some Physical Graffiti tracks), including burying the vocals. The lyrics of In the Evening are straightforward "I need you baby" stuff, but "murk" and "foreboding" are the words that come to mind to describe how Page made it sound.

Finally, sad to hear that Don Henley's I Can't Stand Still seems not to be a great-sounding remaster. I've always thought Joe Walsh's solo on "Dirty Laundry" was maybe one of the best of the entire decade.

 

Is that $5.00 per item or $5.00 for the entire purchase?

 

Entire purchase over $11.98. "Code only valid if cart total is equal to or more than $11.98." One time use.