Your Preferred Way to Listen to John Lennon's Imagine?

I have an old purple label vinyl Capitol pressing from 1981 that I received on my 9th birthday. It is in decent shape still, and I prefer it to my remixed (Yoko approved) cd version. FWIW...

 

I've taken the Yoko remixes of POB & Imagine and frowny face EQ'd them.

 

Have you actually compared the 2010 remaster to the CD I mentioned? The Japanese CD is a different mastering than the original UK CD and does not have noise reduction on it. For more details, there are threads on the subject.

 

No need to be snarky, I wasn't belittling you.

Okay I haven't compared this particular CD. I assumed they were the same. If you personally find it sounds better than the 2010 remaster in comparisons, that's great.

 

I found the response "there are threads on the subject" a bit condescending. And to state "IMO the 2010 remasters easily beat the original CDs in all cases" without having heard all variations of the original CDs is not helpful. But I apologize for the tone of my response and will report once I have bought and compared the 2010 remaster to the original Japanese CD.

 

With earplugs

 

No. I don't make that kind of money. Although, I somehow managed to own some pretty awesome vinyl box sets..I just can't afford to pay that much for a cd.

 

It wasn't meant to be condescending, just informative. You knew but there are many new members here that don't.

I thought I heard all the original CDs variations (all NR ones and the rare couple without), but I guess there is always an esoteric Japanese variation that I didn't know about!

 

Any updates on this Andreas?

 

This is very, very true. The remixed versions of Rock & Roll and Mind Games, in particular, are outstanding. I don't notice much in the way of mixing differences, when comparing them to the originals, but I do notice GREATLY improved clarity and slightly improved dynamics. They're essential.

 

The 2010 remaster of Imagine beats the original CP32-5451 CD by a small margin, but it's a matter of taste. The sound is a bit clearer but also a bit brighter, and the short noise when during the intro at 0:15 is absent on the 2010 remaster which makes me believe a better source tape was found.

 

Is this the same (re)master as the Japanese platinum SHM-CD and the SHM-CD? Do you know how these sound?

 

Yes. They are the same mastering. I only have heard the SHM-SACDs. The 2010 versions have the same master accross the board.

 

Thank you for your very fast answer. How does the SACD sound to you?

 

It's the best version I have heard.

 

Can Discogs be right? I see almost 40 different CD versions & reissues/remasters!!

 

BR

 

Lately I've been enjoying the Pure Audio Blu-ray. For vinyl I usually give a 1st press US or the new remaster a spin. I'd like to pick up a nice -1U UK someday, but the new remaster isn't a bad listen until that happens.

 

I prefer the 2000 remix. Have the remixes been released on vinyl other than the MFSLs?

 

Early Japan for UK CD. It has no NR, and it sounds good for me. I haven't compared with any remaster, though.

 

original UK, I don't like the overdone, glitzy remixes (few remixes aren't that, in my experience)

 

Digital - Japan SACD

Analog - 1997 UK EMI 100