John Matousek's mid-80s Motown mastering...

That's great to know, as I LOVE his work!

 

I just don't like that almost everything he did was in stereo, and he didn't have access to the best tapes. That's why I prefer the 90s era of Motown reissues.

 

It it indeed fake stereo on Motown Dance Party. I initially thought it was just a mess of a stereo mix since the handclaps seems to come from the right channel, but there's no other separation, and it's edited like the mono mix.

It's true stereo with no phase issues on A Collection Of 16 Big Hits, Vol. 2. It's also in stereo on Motown The Classic Years, but it sounds like it comes from a dub that has added reverb, extensive EQ, or both.

My understanding is that the 16 Big Hits albums often contained the first generation stereo mixes, which were then redubbed with added reverb for other albums. That's also the case for Dancing In The Street. A Collection Of 16 Big Hits, Vol. 3 has it in very clean stereo, as does Al Quaglieri's Motown Year by Year: The Sound of Young America, 1964 (with some tasteful EQ), but other CDs come from dubs that sound like a mess.

The problem isn't so much stereo with Motown, but finding the correct/best mixes, and the original tapes for said mixes. There's a lot of variation, and some stuff is pretty bad, but some stuff is really good (relatively speaking).

 

Harry Weinger did that in the first part of the last decade. There are lots of remarkably clean original stereo mixes.

 

Just picked this cd up yesterday and then came across this thread today.I'm on a mission to find an unremastered 'Off The Wall' since catching part of the MJ documentary.I knew about the sh***y stereo (as Steve said) and other problems with the Supremes and other Motown artists,but never read about John Matousek before.
The stuff I've learned since joining this forum.

 

For the original mix of Off The Wall in an unfutzed-with state and with good sound quality, this is probably the cheapest option:
https://www.discogs.com/Michael-Jackson-Off-The-Wall/release/3340198

There's also the original 80's US Epic CD but be aware there are different masterings with the same catalogue number (EK 35745). One has to go by the matrix. This is the first US version with the same mastering as the Japanese 35 8P-2 so this is also the original mix but these are hard to find (note the "DI8P 50002" on the disc surface and "Made In Japan" at the bottom:
https://www.discogs.com/Michael-Jackson-Off-The-Wall/release/3193450

This is the re-release from 1990 with the same catalogue number but this is the remix (but this is before the "Loudness Wars" remastering and the mastering is pretty good):
https://www.discogs.com/Michael-Jackson-Off-The-Wall/release/4548354

 

My opinion is that the better J5/Motown Michael Jackson CDs were made in the 200s on Universal, not in the 80s.

If you look on the back of the 80s Motown CDs, you will usually find John Matousek's name on it.

 

Thanks for the info.Even after reading many threads I missed that about the first U.S. version.I hope to at least come across a prewar disc until I find an original for a decent price.They are a little to rich for my blood at this time.
Dig the avatar btw.Every time I see a pic of him,my subconscious goes 'woooo'.Every time.

 

I assume you mean her? That's Billie Holiday, right?

 

That'll teach me to use the IPhone without my reading glasses.
Er,yes,that's exactly what I meant.