Pink Floyd's Animals on CD: a blind listening test

First time I check the thread, one question.
has the Guthrie remaster a wrong polarity?
if so, wouldn't that mean tat the CD and the sample will give different results on some speakers (if not all)?
So even if this test says the sample sounds better, the CD itself could not and the test itself could be misleading to buyers who don't know how to reverse polarity or can't play a digital file on their system (or don't have a "invert phase" button)

I feel I'm exaggerating things but I'm still curious to know.

 

I don't know, I should design a blind test between the same sample with inverted polarity.
Our host once said "Just leave it alone, enjoy the music and be happy. Why obsess over something that 99% of you won't even notice?"

 

This thread may be of some help .......

Pink Floyd Sax Remasters not remastered in Europe - my Empirical Analysis »

 

I think these are all actually digi-sleeve editions like the US or EU versions. I have Japan mini lps of the catalog via Japan released in 2001. There are some Russian And Euro counterfeits of those floating around.

 

forgive my ignorance, what's exactly the difference between digi-sleeve and mini-lp sleeve? Is it that the mini-lp is reproducing the original lp artwork ant the other "takes liberties", so to speak?

 

You're right, these are digi-sleeve editions.

Yes, as you said the mini-LP editions faithfully replicate the LP design whilst the digi-sleeve editions do not. The former are square-shaped and usually 14 x 14 cm (5.5 x 5.5 inches), the latter are rectangular-shaped with dimensions similar to those of standard jewel cases. If you're familiar with the Beatles remasters made in 2009, the mono CDs are mini-LPs and the stereo CDs are digi-sleeves.

 

You've described the differences perfectly, there are also digi-packs with a hard plastic tray with hub to hold the cd in place, I prefer those to the sleeve variant.

 

26 people voted against sample D though...

 

Different systems. Different ears. Different tastes. Luckily unanimity was never reached in these tests, especially for Pink Floyd, if it had happened this would be a very boring world.

 

I just bought a used "Shine On" box set and I tossed Animals in first because it's my favorite Floyd album and I discovered something interesting. My EAC numbers came in as follows....

61.9 / 100 / 100 / 100 / 56.3

I understand that the Shine On box uses unique masterings by Doug Sax, but according to Vernon fitch, the numbers on the disc included in both the first and second pressings should be...

39.6 / 100 / 87.9 / 91.4 / 31.7

I'm wondering if this is just a level shifted version, but it shouldn't even exist, so I'm very confused right now because I'm worried that I somehow ended up with a counterfeit box set even though it is obviously worn and looks as if it really was purchased 25 years ago

 

I don't believe official CD box sets were being counterfeited when the Shine On box was released. Most of the bootleg CDs back then were of unreleased stuff.

 

That was my thinking also. That's part of the reason that I'm perplexed about this. I did my homework before I got it and I wasn't expecting all three main songs to peak so high. It sounds great, but I haven't seen these numbers before and want to know exactly is up with it.

 

It's original.
From my notes (distilled from this forum and PFA site): you have a late repress of the box set, pressed in Sony New Jersey plant. I don't think it's the Sax. Theres' a unique mastering (Canada 1992 /standalone 1997 US / Capitol 2000) that has similar values = 53.8 / 100 / 100 / 100 / 56.7 and should sound pretty much like the Sax but without staying in sync.

 

Any idea who did it if it's not the Sax? The whole reason I ordered it was for the unique to this set Sax mastering. I actually popped in Meddle and the values are what they should be and they also exactly match the standalone '94 release. I'm really confused about this. Sorry to threadcrap. Can we continue this in PM?

 

Your results correspond to the fourth edition of Great Britain.
5) Animals
Catalog Number: CK 53186
Matrix Information:
1) Bottom: DIDP-078417 1 + ++ +++++
2) Bottom: DIDP-093917 G3 2B 17 IFPI L423 [IFPI 7261]
Pressing Plant: Sony Records, Pitman, New Jersey
Total Time: 41:40
Track Peak Levels: 61.9 / 100 / 100 / 100 / 56.3
This issue - Pink Floyd Archives-U. K. Box Sets CD Discography .

 

Unfortunately I don't know anything more.



EDIT: interesting @zinan . So is this suppose to be the European mastering as in the "fake" Sax remaster?

 

Thanks for discovering this. I'm hyper disappointed right now. I won't get to hear WYWH or The Wall the way I was hoping either : (
I'll just sulk in the corner for a moment.

 

Возможно. Это удивительный ящик - другой вопрос имеют различные пики для животных.

1. EMI Records 1-й выпуск

Номер по каталогу: 0777 7 80568 2 9
Матрица Информация:
1) Верхняя часть : 7805682 13 A6 DADC АВСТРИЯ [*]
Общее время: 41:40
Пик Трек Уровни: 38,7 / 97,7 / 85,6 / 89,4 / 31,0

1. EMI Records 2-й выпуск

Номер по каталогу: 0777 7 80568 2 9
Матрица Информация:
1) Внизу: 780568 2. 3: 2: 3 EMI SWINDON IFPI L041 [IFPI 1449]
Цех прессовки: EMI Records, Greenbridge, Суиндон
Общее время: 41:39
Пик Трек Уровни: 48,3 / 82,7 / 64,8 / 75,7 / 32,4

1. EMI Records 3 - го выпуска Номер по каталогу: 0777 7 80568 2 9 Общее время: 41:39 Трек Пиковые уровни: 38,7 / 97,7 / 85,6 / 89,4 / 31,0 EMI Records 4 - й выпуск Номер по каталогу: CK 53186
   Матрица информация:
   1) Дно: ПРИД-078417 1 + ++ +++++
   2) Внизу: ПРИД-093917 G3 2B 17 IFPI L423 [IFPI 7261] При
   нажатии Plant: Sony Records, Питман, штат Нью - Джерси
   Общее время: 41:40
   Трек Пиковые уровни: 61,9 / 100/100 / 100 / 56,3

 

What have you heard about the "fake" Sax remaster? I dug around on google and couldn't find anything out about it.

 

It's just a short way to refer to the regular "remastered" edition that came out in UE, that has new packaging (included Sax in the credits) but carries the old EU master. The True Sax was not pressed in Europe, IIRC.

Here's a reference thread
Pink Floyd Sax Remasters not remastered in Europe - my Empirical Analysis


Edit, I read the info in PFA site.
Interesting: the discs pressed in UK/EU have the american masterings, the only one pressed in USA uses the European ones... brilliant. (Unless "European masters" means the masters used in EU plants)

EDIT2. Nope, the Swindon has the UK mastering too (for Animals at least). what a mess...

 

It is a mess because I have the old EMI mastered version of Animals and it sounds pretty subdued and "muffled" compared to this one that came with the set. It's crystal clear and I'm actually liking it more than the Guthrie, but that might only be because it's a slightly louder disc.

 

Ok, if it's clear, it must be some variation of the Sax (or the aforementioned unique mastering - that is maybe still the Sax run though some analog chain), possibly with some clipping to push loudness a little.
Interesting! So when PFA said "European masters" meant the one used for the EU box, not the old EU masters. I wonder if the values for the Swindon Animals on that page are a mistake (I doubt it tough)...
(Anyway, from what I recall, once loudness matched Sax and Guthrie are quite similar, more bass in the second, but not night and day...)

 

What does a 32DP 360 of Animals do these days on eBay?

 

Overpriced, whatever it is.
Man, I can tell you it's not worth it.
Less of everything, more of nothing except disappointment.

 

FWIW the first Australian edition should have the same mastering and sometimes it pops up on Amazon UK at less than 6£