Is John Wesley Harding The Only Pre-1970 Dylan CD That Sounds Best On The Original CD?

I searched as much as possible, could not find comparisons for all of them. These are the albums (CD's) that I'm referring to:

Bob Dylan
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
The Times They Are a-Changin'
Another Side of Bob Dylan
Bringing It All Back Home
Highway 61 Revisited
Blonde on Blonde
John Wesley Harding (original CD recommended by just about everyone, including Steve Hoffman)
Nashville Skyline

Is there another title I listed besides JWH that sounds best on the original Columbia CD? Thanks.

 

It's little outdated now, but this webpage gives a decent overview of the CD releases:
Bob Dylan Remastered | Bob Dylan ISIS Magazine »

Personally, I agree about the 1st JWH edition on CD, it does sound better than the remaster. As for the others, most sound similar to the 70s-'80s versions of the LPs.

For expert commentary on the CDs of the mid-'60s trilogy (BIABH/HWY61/BLONDE), read Roger Ford: Electric Dylan »

 

It's worth keeping Another Side, Bringing It All Back Home and Blonde on Blonde on the original Columbia CDs since they have different stereo mixes than the Columbia and MFSL remasters.

 

Thanks. Great links, lots of information. Not directly related to this thread, but interesting how the reviewer in the first link states that regarding the 2003 Columbia SACD Highway 61 Revisited, "Calbi appears to have used the same tapes that Hoffman pried out of Columbia but the resulting SACD release sounds very much better".

 

Blonde on Blonde is one where I'd say I probably prefer the mastering on the original CD. However, the remastered CD has a superior remix, so it's kind 6 of one, half dozen of the other. They are both worth having if you're a fan of that album.

 

I disagree with the reviewer. The Sony SACD of Highway 61 is too bright IMO.

 

Since you refer to the remastered CD as a remix, are you indicating that the original CD is not a remix?

 

I'm not sure "everyone" was recommending that cd before Our Host did. Just something to consider

 

Opinions. Everyone's got 'em. . .

 

And the debut album too!

They are two separate and distinct remixes.

Blonde On Blonde comes in a myriad of versions!

Electric Dylan »

 

Nope. As noted by vanderbilt, they are both remixes, just two different ones. Blonde on Blonde has been remixed three times for CD, and neither of the original stereo LP mixes has ever appeared on CD.

Here's the quick summary:
1. Original 80s CD: Tim Geelan remix, Vic Anesini remaster
2. 1992 Gold Mastersound CD: Mark Wilder remix and remaster
3. 1998 SACD, 2002 hybrid disc, and current redbook CD: Michael Brauer remix and Greg Calbi remaster

I think the most recent remix (version 3) is the best mix-wise, but as I said I prefer the mastering on the older 80s CD (version 1).

 

I'm still waiting for someone to post samples of the Japanese CDs of Bringing It All Back Home and Blonde On Blonde that have been alleged by some members here to contain original vintage stereo mixes rather than remixes. I'm skeptical, given that no mention has been made of this anywhere else, but I'd love to know for sure.

 

I'm pretty sure it's been verified that the original Japanese CD of Blonde on Blonde contains the Geelan remix, which is easily recognizable for its idiosyncratic placement of instruments in One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later). And it's the abridged version of the album too, so it's no prize at all.

 

I remember reading on other forums immediately after the release of the 2003 remasters that it was worth keeping the original CD of John Wesley Harding. I think it was widely known that the original CD was better.

 

That's very much what I thought, and was confused when I read the claim of this particular Japanese pressing (it was xyDP, but don't remember which, will have to do some digging).

Similarly, it has been claimed by @rxcory that the Japanese 28DP 1028 has the original mix of BIABH, though I had previously been led to believe it along with Blonde and Another Side had only been on early CDs in a Tim Geelan remix:
Poll--The Weakest Link: BRINGING IT ALL BACK HOME, Round 4 »

(I don't know if it was also he/she who spoke of Blonde.)

 

Aha. My memory was right. Here's the thread where we established that the Japanese 40DP of Blonde on Blonde is identical to the original US CD, featuring the abridged version of the Geelan remix.

 

I wouldn't necessarily trust that article. For one thing, it's completely wrong about the stereo CD-layers on the remasters of Blood On The Tracks, Slow Train Coming, and "Love And Theft" being remixed. (Although I realize discussion of these albums is off-topic for this thread as they are post-1970, it calls into question the accuracy of the article overall.)

 

Did Geelan ever remix BIABH? I didn't think so, but I could be wrong.

 

That seems to be what's suggested in this thread, and elsewhere:
Bob Dylan Bringing It All Back Home remix by Tim Geelan »

 

I'm at work at the moment but will go back and A/B the various versions again. When the Audio Fidelity GH and GH II were released I A/B-ed the BIABH tracks with the 28DP and they were the identical mix, or at least that was my impression at the time. I'll go back and check again.

 

I would appreciate it. Do keep in mind that a remix is often done with the intent of as closely replicating the original as possible, as for instance the one of The Times They Are A-Changin' in the 2010 mono box was done, so close or even identical placement of instruments is not always the whole story. A better comparison might be to A/B the 28DP with one of the other pre-remaster BIABH pressings from North America or Europe to see if it's any different to those. Also, a few samples if possible would be great, because they'd allow others in the community to judge with their own ears. (Sorry to doubt you, but as I said above it seems an extraordinary claim, since those who have kept track of this stuff in detail over the years have never mentioned it as I would expect if true. But anything's possible. Thanks for your response.)

 

Derek at Isis and Roger Ford have done a great job looking into this. The first album Bob Dylan has the very odd stereo mix. Vocals one channel and guitar the other. On their recent version of this Mobile Fidelity used this sort of stereo version. I do like the original cd of Nashville Skyline.

 

According to Roger Ford, it is not known for certain who did the 1987 remix of BIABH. It could have been Geelan, but that has not been verified.

I'm skeptical the DP series Japanese CD has the original mix, because BOB and H61 do not feature unique masterings but replicate the US CDs.

 

What are some of the identifying aspects of the original BIABH mix? I'll listen for them on my 28DP.

 

It seems to have been verified by @GreenFuz in the thread I posted above, and in response to a nearly identical post by you, no less!
Bob Dylan Bringing It All Back Home remix by Tim Geelan »