ABBA Definitive Collection

Bought the domestic 2 CD release when it came out and then I saw...gasp...dare I...Jon Astley's name. Any opinions? And is the ABBA import (see link below) the same remasters. It is a Japanese import. Tracklisting looks the same. What 2 CD ABBA collection do you recommend.

Thanks,

Brian


http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/A...29094/sr=1-47/ref=sr_1_47/104-6409816-9683900

 

Brian,

That 24bit domestic re-master has made me nervous about purchase and I have not bought it. I did purchase all the re-mastered individual albums a few years ago as imports and I thought they were an improvement. After looking at your link, the track line-up sounds very close to the domestic release or, am I wrong? I bet it is the same mastering as the domestic release. I really enjoy ABBA, by the way!

Bob

 

There have been a number of conversations here in recent months, and the general consensus seems to be that the farther back you can go, the better. I haven't had the chance to A/B much, but based on what I have heard and read, I would suggest digging up the original Greatest Hits and GH Vol 2 CDs, or The Singles: The First Ten Years, all issued (I think) before Astley got involved with the remasters. Probably goes without saying though that the ABBA recordings ain't all that great to begin with.

 

Thank you Steve. I'll try and hunt those Atlantic CDs down.

Brian

 

I made the mistake of trading in the Gold Collections for this thing before I noticed Astley's name on it. I noticed how much "cleaner" and "drier" everything sounded. THEN I just read the link Luke provided and found it's worse than I thought! He cut and pasted a part of "Dancing Queen" into another part to conceal a dropout.

I haven't seen the Atlantic versions since the mid 80s.

 

Do Greatest Hits vols 1 & 2 on Polydor (also from the 80's) sound the same as the Atlantics?

Steven

 

I'll bump this thread because I'm also interested in the answer to Steven's question.

In addition, how does "Gold" compare (Polydor, 1993)?

In researching this, I discovered this "Gold" review on AMG. I thought it was interesting for its "populist" take on remastering quality. Ironic, huh?

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=Asq7m96oodep2

This 19-song collection was the first hits compilation prepared specifically for the CD format by the 1970s supergroup, and, appearing after a period of several years in which ABBA's music had been off the market, was a welcome addition to the catalog. It is still the simplest and most straightforward collection of the group's material that it is possible to buy, but there is a negative consideration — for reasons best understood by their record label, in contrast to virtually the entire rest of the group's CD catalog (even the Spanish-language compilation Oro: Grand Exitos and the live album), it has never been remastered to modern standards. Thus, the songs that most fans and casual listeners want to hear — all of the worldwide international hits — are present, but don't sound remotely as good as they do on the upgraded individual CDs (in cases where they appear on those CDs). And lest anyone think that considerations of 24-bit sound aren't too important with a group like this, most of ABBA's songs featured meticulous productions, arrangements, and playing, and very strong singing, all of which are enhanced on the remasterings that have surfaced. — Bruce Eder

 

I always thought the original Gold and More Abba Gold CDs sounded fine. Nothing that will knock your socks off, but a fairly neutral presentation.

The Definitive Collection has the same sound as the individual album remasters...that modernized "in your face" quality with boosted levels and EQ.

Some people like this sound (it's sonically similar to what they did with the recent Madonna remasters). But I don't. Glad I kept my Gold and More Gold CDs!

 

The original Gold and More Gold CDs were mastered by the same guy who originally engineered most, if not all, of ABBA's albums. They sound pretty good to me. A bit bright on top for my taste but overall fine and neutral like you said.

The US Atlantic vinyl pressings are variable in quality. The best sounding to me is the "Super Trouper" LP, followed by "The Album". Uh, no no! I'm not a closet ABBA fan!
Dan C

 

For what it's worth I picked up a Greatest Hits Vol 2. cd on Atlantic last week off of ebay. (It's one of those Hanover West Germany jobs) I compared the sound to the latest and greatest Astley version of Gold with the autographed sigs etched into the jewel case. (Gory comparison details omitted, but I am very happy with the Atlantic.) I won the Cd for $13 so it wasn't too heavy an investment if you want to go this route. By contrast Greatest Hits (the first volume) seems to be going for much more on ebay for the Atlantic CD.. ...steve c

 

I probably posted this elsewhere, but two weeks ago I corrected my big mistake of getting the Astley'd ABBA Collection. I traded it in to get those two Gold collections back. All is good again.

I never heard the Atlantic CDs but i'm happy again with the old 90s Polydors.

 

I have the ABBA Gold Greatest Hits CD remaster from 1999 and in the booklet it says:

Digitally remastered at 24 bit from the original MULTITRACKS by Jon Astley with Michael B. Tretow.

So what's going on with that "multitracks" bit, heh? I know multitracks also can mean 2-track (2=multi), but....

Grtz, Patrick

 

The only problem with "Gold" is that it uses the wrong version of "The Name of the Game." It uses a promotional single edit rather than the "real" single version, which is the same length as the LP cut. (Strangely, the same promo edit of "Game" is on the Abba box set!) One good thing you can say about "Definitive" is that it used the correct version of "The Name of the Game."

 

Who says there's anything wrong about getting a promotional DJ edit on CD? They're my favorite kind, because they're the rarest you ever get!
Doesn't make everybody happy, but what does? I will say, though, that what with all the GREATEST GOLD DEFINITIVE type of comps out there, I still had to burn 2CDRs to make a collection strong enough to satisfy me. Nothing out there--even the box set--offered quite the right mix of what I wanted. A much underrated outfit, ABBA, until PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT sent them, more or less, on the road to the status of Legend. Which, as it turned out, they deserved all along.

ED

 

I hate to admit this, but...

I have the Polygram 2 CD set "The Singles - The First Ten Years", The ABBA gold and more gold, and the Atlantic GH Volume 1 & 2. The Steve-meister is right once again! There is no comparison... The Atlantic GH volume 1 and 2 actually have some life in them, followed next by the German Polygrams, and lastly the ABBA Golds. In fact, I just sold my ABBA golds. The Polygram will probably be next. Now that I have the Atlantic's, I have no need for anything else ABBA. Certainly not the crap that Jon Astley puts out... Thanks for the recommendation Steve!

 

It could be a typo. Those Gold CDs were done much earlier than that, and didn't involve Jon Astley!

 

If only I could ever FIND those Atlantic CDs!

 

Mine were both found on eBay... I got out-bid several times until I figured out how much people were willing to spend for them. I paid a fair amount, but they are certainly worth it!

 

Nope he is right. For the rest of the world (including Canada) there was a redo of Gold and more Gold in "sparkling" 24 bit resolution and with the longer versions of some of the tracks... This was after the Astley reissue campaign of the original albums.... steve c

 

God almighty, this ABBA thing just gets curiouser and curiouser. How did Jon Astley come to be involved with THIS? Didn't he do enough damage to The Who to last a lifetime?
As for 'multitrack,' well, if they got 'em, let Bjorn & Benny go back and redo 'em for REAL multi-channel! Who else would you trust to get the sound right but the braintrust behind that sound?
As for the Atlantic CDs, I see 'em around now and then(and own all myself, except for a few things like the Polar edition of ARRIVAL, a Polydor of THE ALBUM)in the used bins; didn't know anybody cared! At least I'll know what to put on eBay if I come across them sometime...
Finally, can anybody weigh in on their sonic opinion of the THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC box? Just wondering. I have so many different ABBA items on CD my head swims even considering relistening to any of it...

ED

 

ED,

I have the box set and I a/b'ed it to the Astley awful definitive collection. No comparison. the sound of the box is phenominal. You also get uncollected b-sides, unreleased material, and the long version of Summer Night City. And I didn't see Astley's name anywhere in the notes. I think you would be pleased.

Brian

 

Brian, do you know how the box set stacks up against the early 90s Polydor Gold & More Gold, sonically?

 

It's funny how things work out sometimes... I was reading this thread this morning, and thinking about how cool it would be to find those old Atlantic CD's. Then, this afternoon, while digging through one of the local used CD emporiums, I chanced upon... The original Atlantic CD of Abba's Greatest Hits for $7.99! This is the only copy I've ever seen. It's one of those very cool West German "target" CD's too.

It does have a nice, smooth sound, comparable to the original vinyl and a little more involving than the "Gold" CD's. Now, bring on Vol. 2!