But what would have been the point? Some crappy packaging and cramming them all onto a couple of disc just to save a few bucks? Blank discs aren't that expensive. Royalty rates are still the same I think. And don't fans want a nice packaged set? This one is promising reproductions of the posters and even the iron-on sticker! Can you imagine the complaints if it was just some shoddy packaging and all on 2 or 3 discs? Might as well just sell them as digital downloads in that case.
I'm in the same place you are. A blu-ray for every album almost has the feel of the singles collections on CD for the Stones (the later one) or The Clash. Although one album per blu-ray is very different, and I think it's more than fine they do it this way for the packaging & respecting the album format. And if there's that Japanese attention to detail in packaging aspect all the more power to the release. Chicago IX (greatest hits) was the 2nd album given to me (unsolicited) at Xmas as a kid, and so to this day I appreciate as one of the finest greatest hits packages with no filler. Some of the latter albums in this collection I'm not sure about and barely know (Beyond the 1st 2 I had the chocolate covered one on 8 track and really liked XI on LP which isn't included) but I am thrilled to see a set released on blu-ray like this. Terrific news and very happy for Chicago's serious fans!
I would love to see the album replications in this set get the FULL JAPANESE-STYLE attention to exacting detail (like the Beatles Mono CD box/cube), but unless our friends over in the Land of the Rising Sun are handling the packaging for this set, I will instead expect to see something on the more flimsy/chintzy side of the coin (note: I hope to be very pleased and proven to be wrong regarding my pessimistic thinking.)
Since all these albums were released during the time when tape formulation was instable, there may be a chance they need at least some baking before playing, even if the tapes weren't played in 40 years. But remember not all tapes were affected by this. Quad tapes might be a different and safe formulation. Sometimes Quad mixes were saved to 6 or 8 tracks tape. In the early 70s, stereo tapes were more likely affected. By the late 70s, early 80s, it might be multitracks. The real problems come when a tape is instable and played without baking first. Guaranteed oxyde loss or worse. Today we know how this stuff is done. Quality loss is minimal unless the tape was incorrectly baked or played multiple times.
Any engineer worth his or her salt knows about tape baking these days. They know better and have for well over a decade. Unstable tape is elementary nowadays. Ampex 456 has and will always need baking before you play it. Once baked, it can be transferred with little trouble. In fact, if you need to transfer it again, you can bake it again. I have reels that I've baked 7 times that still sound incredible. Ed
I'll be pre ordering on Bullmoose today. I'm going to have to run and snake new cables for the rear speakers this weekend but it will be worth it just to hear the first two in quad. I must admit,when listening to these when they first came out,I might have been baked a few times myself.
Now THIS is a box set that I can get behind … Let's pray for great mastering and properly dubbed QUAD quality!
something that just dawned on me, the DVD-A of II and V had 5.1 remixes which this set does not, using the original quad mixes. So, those 5.1 mixes will be only on those discs from what I understand...and might I say, the remixes of both of those albums are outstanding.
Regarding the 5.1 mixes ..., The DVD-A of II was a very nicely done surround mix and the DVD-A of V was so good, that it actually made me a fan of that album, when I had always passed that one up before! I literally had my RHINO QUAD disc of the first Chicago album, sitting on the top of a pile of "surround" discs, that I wanted to play, but I will now file it away and await this new box set!
Generally quad mixes were printed to 1/2" 4-track tape. Tape width isn't a factor, other than how long the reels need to be baked for. That is, the same tape stocks came in different widths, so a 1/4" stereo master and a 2" multitrack could both be affected. But I can't imagine tape condition was an issue. Presumably the tapes have barely been played, and baking tapes (if necessary) is common. I would assume the quad masters were in as good or better condition than the stereo masters, which have surely been played more over the years.
This is a fantastic looking set. I don't own anything , except the Greatest Hits. I'm going to purchase this.
I think that the Rhino remix (which contained min-versions of all of the packaging elements as well as a bonus disc of material from the week of performances) was miles ahead of any previous version I have heard. Not that I wouldn't welcome another kick at the can...
Boy, do I feel stupid. They are 5.1...not 4.0...so no duplication there, therefore no need to sell them. The Quadio DVD of CTA obviously isn't a duplicate either, since it's " sister " will be a Blu ray disc ! Thanks for saying this out loud ! .
All I know is that back in the day, it was fairly common practice to get half-baked before listening to these albums... or so I've been told...
As others have noted, most of these tapes probably haven't been touched since the mid '70s. Assuming they were professionally stored, they should be fine (possible sticky shed issues notwithstanding). I presume these tapes didn't go up in flames during the fire that supposedly destroyed a lot of Chicago archival material.
I don't think any tapes were affected. The control room at Caribou was destroyed, not where tapes were stored.
"Let's hope the mastering guys are not too baked during the process"!!!!!!....Great point Steel Horse....The Chicago/Rhino team of Jeff Magid (Audio supervision), David Donnelly (Remastering) and Lee Loughnane, David Mclees & Gary Peterson (Project Supervision) have already done the stereo remasters and they were not well received to say the least....Here's hoping a different approach is taken on these HiRez Blu-Ray releases. Here's thinking positive that they get it right this time.
The first question that comes to my mind is: How good was the mastering of the DVD-V of Chicago Transit Authority? Maybe Rhino was already thinking of releasing the others and so they may decide to use those unreleased masterings for this set. Just ramblin' out loud here.
