Abba Arrival Deluxe new release September 2nd 2014!

I just noticed that the next Deluxe Abba CD is Arrival and it will be in the shops from Sept 2nd (2014).
I assume this like the other recent releases will have new mastering? There's not much info on the web this time around.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Arrival--CD...8&qid=1408656060&sr=8-10&keywords=abba+deluxe

 

How do you know which ones are which? The last 2 reissues on vinyl have had the same catalogue numbers and no way to tell which one is which? How do I know I'm buying something new or something that hasn't been sitting on a warehouse shelf for 2 years?

 

That's a good question!
Usually someone else on this forum has already posted about the release, and at least 5 other people have pre-ordered the album. They accurately review the album and post images and compare the mastering. I then make the purchase using the release date as reference. When I receive the disc I rip the tracks and compare with the other reviews.
I'm less familiar with the various vinyl releases but know not to buy the 12" Voulez Vous as it was mastered by Jon Astley using no noise. Before I knew Jon mastered the various albums with no noise I just assumed the tape azimuth was off .

 

I'd imagine it's just a reissue of the one that was released in 2006. I can't see them doing another 2 disc deluxe edition.

 

Well they have done for Voulez Vous, Super Trouper, Abba, Ring Ring and Waterloo.
It would make sense if the next updated Deluxe is Arrival.

These recent (re-re-remastered) Deluxe edition CD's have new mastering with little or no compression and a much more balanced sound.

 

The 2 CD deluxe of Arrival was the first in the series to be released in 2006. Contains a bonus DVD with lots of goodies. Not great mastering, though. In addition to the ones you mention, there's also one for The Album which came out in 2007. Have you never seen these?

 

I know all about them. You should avoid these like the plague!! After many complaints they started re-releases these Deluxe editions with completely new mastering starting with Voulez Vous in 2010.

http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/abba-voulez-vous-deluxe-edition-due-soon.209073/page-7

http://www.superdeluxeedition.com/news/abba-waterloo-deluxe-edition/

 

Too late, I already bought them! I have the 2010 Voulez-Vous, but didn't realise the earlier ones were being re-re-mastered. Hope they do a better job this time!

 

Was the Arrival deluxe I mentioned from the same master as the one on the dreaded 'blue box' collection? I seem to think it was.

 

They're much more dynamic and have a more balanced sound. They're not perfect, most people believe they didn't use the original Mix down tapes but made a clean transformer of the original Vinyl Master. Some of the 1980's Pickwick Greatest Hits CD's sound like they were transferred from the original tapes. I made a fairly decent copy of The Album from these various CD's I really hope they revisit that one.

The Visitors album has a different mix of head over heals. Some of the tracks on this album were digitally recorded on an early 3M machine (testing my memory now) they appeared to have used a backup tape for that release so avoid that one. Herb Alpert also used this 3M recorder and had to track down the one remaining machine in the states.

 

Wouldn't you think they'd have sorted all this out by now? CD technology is over 30 years old. Abba were one of the biggest selling bands on the planet. Yet, these poor versions of their work are still out there. It's so strange to me...

 

Wouldn't you think they'd have sorted all this out by now? CD technology is over 30 years old. Abba were one of the biggest selling bands on the planet. Yet, these poor versions of their work are still out there. It's so strange to me...

 

I seem to remember that was a really bad box set! Was it called CSM complete studio master or similar?
No I believe the 2010 release should be much better.

 

That's the one. I thought it was the answer to all my prayers when I bought it. Not so. Nice package, terrible sound. Did you hear any of the recent Mastered For iTunes Abba remasters? I haven't but I think the reviews were fairly positive.

 

I haven't heard them, It's not the first place I'd look. I'm curious now, I might have to take a look.

 

I only read about them on here. I'd rather have a CD. Doesn't feel like a 'proper' album, getting it off iTunes...

 

I agree. It's not just the disc I like the artwork and booklet. I do occasionally download to extend my collection and often wondered about HD tacks http://www.hdtracks.com/.
I've heard an augment saying you get less jitter reading HD audio from a hard drive, I'm not sure where we will be in another 10 years. The thing I don't like about many CD players is the cheap mechanism especially the spindle motor. I used to repair well known British Hi-fi equipment when I worked in Huntingdon. People would spend £1000 on a CD player that shared the same Philips mechanism as a £70 player! I don't know of any that use a brushless motor.

 

Don't say that. I've spent a fortune on my CD players!!

I've heard about HD tracks, but I'm not savvy enough with computers to understand it all. Can you burn them to CD, being hi-res and all? I know they did a remaster of Fleetwood Mac's Mirage that I'd love to hear.

 

I just had a quick google. They use FLAC (Free lossless audio codec), this could be converted to WAV in audacity then burnt to a CD but you wouldn't get the full benefit as the FLAC files are often a much higher resolution. If you are looking at a fairly good quality media player that's simple to use that can also play HD video files I would recommend the Dune 303D or HD Base, it also has internet radio and plays JPEG files. It's available in the UK but the link below is US.

http://www.duneplayer.com/base-3d.html

You can fit a hard drive and copy music and videos either from connected a USB stick, across a network, its very flexible and plays most formats. The smaller 303D has the internals but is smaller and uses a laptop drive, useful if you want to load it up with files and take it away on holiday with you.

 

Thanks for that.

 

Any news on the mastering of the Deluxe Edition ?

 

No, we appear to be the only people talking about it.
After more searching I found one online retailer saying that it has double jewel case, so this could just be a repackage of the same album but why delay the release?
If this doesn't have new mastering in 2016 they should release the 40th Anniversary edition.

 

I dare bet it's a repackage of the 2006 deluxe as I've said before. I hope I'm wrong and that it's a new master. You'd think if it was they advertise the fact well...

 

They didn't really advertise the fact that the other recent Deluxe CDs had new mastering. People had to rely on reviews from this forum and interviews with the mastering engineer as previously mentioned and linked earlier in this thread.
Why would they update the other CDs with new mastering and not this one?

 

But didn't you say they began the new mastering with Voulez-Vous? There's only been the one issue of that hasn't there? As far as I know, the deluxes of Arrival and The Album are the only ones with 'old' masters. All the rest are newly remastered. It's so confusing!

I bought my copy of The Album deluxe on release day. Has that now been reissued with a new master?