ABBA - My personal best sources for each individual song (December 2014)

The following list is the result of a 6-year research by ABBAmaniac.
Here you will find some information about the best available version of each song ABBA have released (December 2014).
Of course, this is my personal opinion about the best sources, so please feel free to upgrade this list to your own purposes. The main criteria were the following properties:

- the lowest generation with the most clean sound (less hiss, the lowest amount of dropouts and other issues)
- the versions with the longest available fadeouts (for 7" tracks)
- the source should not be a brickwalled remaster, but a preferred non-remastered 80s version

Some tracks were taken from 1997 remasters by Jon Astley as they simply are the lowest generation versions available on any digital release. I avoided using songs were he applied noise reduction (he didn't use it on all songs), there were other options possible.
Some people will possibly shake their heads about my decision to use some of the Astley remasters, but as it is always a matter of taste and, of course, a question of the lowest generation for some tracks, it is my personal point of view. Many audiophiles agree that the 1982 Polydor Germany CD version of "The Visitors" is a really nice-sounding disc, I personally find it a bit too cold and lifeless. In my ears, the slightly compression used by Jon Astley in 1997 gives the entire material a bit more warmth and punch. This is just my opinion and I don't have any problems with listeners who don't agree with that. Enjoying music always depends on personal taste and equipment. On my gear it sounds great.
For a few tracks there was no choice cause these songs were available only once on non-remastered CD or a later remaster.
Considering nearly all available masterings I used for my research, this list should be my definitive one.
Please note that only compiling all these tracks from my list doesn't make a good-sounding CD without fixing different volume levels and equalisation of the various source material. Here is what I did exactly:
I used "The Complete Studio Recordings" box set (2005) as a template for each individual song to get a consistent frequency range for each album / all additional tracks. I simply reduced the CSR material by 6dB and matched the frequency range and loudness level of each track to my selected ones. I used Steinberg FreeFilter and Peak Master limiter to avoid clipping (settings: input: 0.3 / output: -0.3 / softness: -5.0). I played the first song from my level-reduced CSR versions to let Steinberg Freefilter learn the frequency spectrum and loudness level. After that, I played the first song from my compiled versions and when playback has finished, I matched the result by 100%.
The live single b-sides are not available on the CSR box set, but on "The Album Deluxe Edition" which was mastered by the same engineer as the 2005 box set, so you can use these versions as templates (also minus 6dB in level). I continued with each separate song and saved the results as 32 bit files for further processing.
When I finished the matching job and listened to the previous results, I found it sometimes a bit too harsh and cold, so I tried to find one good EQ setting for all material to make it sound more warm and less annoying to my ears (cause in 2005 I found a setting on my SONY hardware equalizer where the full box set sounded nice). I used a nice 10 band equalizer and did the following stuff on the frequency spectrum: 1k +1,5 / 2k -1.0 / 4k -1,0 / 8k -1,0.
It took a long time to find the right settings, but in the end the result was very satisfying to my ears.
Please use a peakstop limiter to avoid possible clippings.
As the last step I worked with TesslaPROmkII (Variety Of Sounds) to get the entire material slightly more warm and analogue sounding. This nice plugin adds some depth to the music and works really subtle...I still love it. The following settings were used: COLOR:Tape Warmth II / Boost +6dB / all four controllers straight at 12 o'clock. To listen to the final thing exactly as I do here, simply boost the final level by +3db.
My remasters with TesslaPROmkII are louder than the early Polydor CDs for example, but they sound nice and an average dynamic range of 11 is fine I think. I didn't want to restore the original Polydor CD sound (cause there is no need, except for the first half of "The Album"), but create my own remasters instead - the way I like to hear it.
Of course, I did some audio restoration here and there, fixed swapped stereo images, repaired minor dropouts, removed clicks and other annoying noises, restored some peaks and amplitudes of louder tracks by using Terry West Relife 1.2, but to give you an idea what I did here I decided to create this guide for you.
I used the last days to listen to my versions with headphones and on my very nice Technics HiFi gear and really enjoy what I did. I started creating my full ABBA Restoration Project in 2008 and after 3 different masterings in the last 6 years, I think I am finished now.
And now have fun whilst messing around with some audio stuff and reading my track-by-track guide, if you really want Feel free to discuss about everything you want !!!


RING RING (1973) + BONUSTRACKS

01. Ring Ring (Bara du Slog En Signal) 2013 Ring Ring Deluxe Edition
02. Another Town, Another Train 1994 Thank You For The Music Box
03. Disillusion 1990 Ring Ring Polydor Germany
04. People Need Love 1994 Thank You For The Music Box
05. I Saw It In The Mirror 1997 Ring Ring Remaster
06. Nina Pretty Ballerina 1997 Ring Ring Remaster
07. Love Isn't Easy (But It Sure Is Hard Enough) 1997 Ring Ring Remaster
08. Me And Bobby And Bobby's Brother 1997 Ring Ring Remaster
09. He Is Your Brother 1997 Ring Ring Remaster
10. Ring Ring (english version) 1997 Ring Ring Remaster
11. I Am Just A Girl 1997 Ring Ring Remaster
12. Rock'n'Roll Band 1997 Ring Ring Remaster
13. She's My Kind Of Girl 1997 Ring Ring Remaster
14. Merry-Go-Round 1994 Thank You For The Music Box
15. Santa Rosa 1994 Thank You For The Music Box
16. Ah Vilka Tider 1994 Pa Svenska
17. Ring Ring (german version) 1999 The Complete Singles Collection
18. Wer Im Wartesaal Der Liebe Steht 1999 The Complete Singles Collection
19. En Hälsning Till Vara Parkarrangörer 2013 Ring Ring Deluxe Edition


WATERLOO (1974) + BONUSTRACKS

01. Waterloo (swedish version) 1994 Pa Svenska
02. Sitting In The Palmtree 1988 Waterloo Polar Sweden
03. King Kong Song 1988 Waterloo Polar Sweden
04. Hasta Manana 1988 Waterloo Polar Sweden
05. My Mama Said 1988 Waterloo Polar Sweden
06. Dance (While The Music Still Goes On) 1997 Waterloo Remaster
07. Honey Honey* 1997 Waterloo Remaster
08. Watch Out 1997 Waterloo Remaster
09. What About Livingstone 1997 Waterloo Remaster
10. Gonna Sing You My Lovesong 1988 Waterloo Polar Sweden
11. Suzy-Hang-Around 1988 Waterloo Polar Sweden
12. Waterloo (english version) 1997 Waterloo Remaster
13. Honey Honey (swedish version)** 1994 Pa Svenska
14. Waterloo (german version) 1999 The Singles 1972-1982 Box
15. Ring Ring (single remix) 2001 The Definitive Collection
16. Waterloo (french version) 1989 ABBA International
17. Ring Ring (US remix)*** 2004 Waterloo 30th Anniversary
18. Waterloo (1st single press version) 2005 The Complete Studio Recordings
*swapped stereo image on endpart fixed
**speed-corrected, using the english version as a template
***fadeout restored from Waterloo Atlantic vinyl LP


ABBA (1975) + BONUSTRACKS

01. Mamma Mia 1994 Thank You For The Music Box
02. Hey Hey Helen 1988 ABBA Polar Sweden
03. Tropical Loveland 1988 ABBA Polar Sweden
04. S.O.S. 1994 Thank You For The Music Box
05. Man In The Middle 1988 ABBA Polar Sweden
06. Bang-A-Boomerang 1988 ABBA Polar Sweden
07. I Do I Do I Do I Do I Do 1994 Thank You For The Music Box
08. Rock Me 1988 ABBA Polar Sweden
09. Internezzo No.1 1988 ABBA Polar Sweden
10. I've Been Waiting For You 1988 ABBA Polar Sweden
11. So Long 1988 ABBA Polar Sweden
12. Crazy World 1994 Thank You For The Music Box
13. Medley (Pick A Bale... / On Top... / Midnight Special) 1994 Thank You For The Music Box
14. Man In The Middle (different ending) 1986 ABBA Polydor Japan
15. S.O.S. (Agnetha swedish solo version) 1994 Pa Svenska


ARRIVAL (1976) + BONUSTRACKS

01. When I Kissed The Teacher 1997 Arrival Remaster
02. Dancing Queen* 1984 Arrival Polydor Germany
03. My Love My Life 1997 Arrival Remaster
04. Dum Dum Diddle 1997 Arrival Remaster
05. Knowing Me Knowing You 1983 Greatest Hits 2 Polydor Germany
06. Money Money Money 1994 Thank You For The Music
07. That's Me 1997 Arrival Remaster
08. Why Did It Have To Be Me 1986 Arrival Polydor Japan
09. Tiger 1986 Arrival Polydor Japan
10. Arrival 1986 Arrival Polydor Japan
11. Fernando 1994 Thank You For The Music Box
12. Happy Hawaii 1994 Thank You For The Music Box
13. Fernando (Frida swedish solo version) 1994 Pa Svenska
*tape glitch at 2:07 fully restored


THE ALBUM (1977) + BONUSTRACKS

01. Eagle 1994 Thank You For The Music Box
02. Take A Chance On Me 1994 Thank You For The Music Box
03. One Man One Woman 1997 The Album Remaster
04. The Name Of The Game* 1997 The Album Remaster
05. Move On 1997 The Album Remaster
06. Hole In Your Soul 1984 The Album Polydor Germany
07. Thank You For The Music 1994 Thank You For The Music Box
08. I Wonder (Departure) 1993 More ABBA Gold
09. I'm A Marionette 1992 The Album Polydor Japan
10. Eagle (promo edit)** 1989 ABBA International
11. The Name Of The Game (US promo edit) 1994 Thank You For The Music Box
12. I Wonder (Departure) (live version) 1989 ABBA International
13. Take A Chance On Me (live version) 1989 ABBA International
14. Thank You For The Music (Doris Day version) 1994 Thank You For The Music Box)
*both editing points of the pasted verse improved, pasted verse reEQed to first verse
**speed-corrected, using the full version as a template


VOULEZ-VOUS (1979) + BONUSTRACKS

01. As Good As New 1997 Voulez-Vous Remaster
02. Voulez-Vous 1997 Voulez-Vous Remaster
03. I Have A Dream 1997 Voulez Vous Remaster
04. Angeleyes 1997 Voulez-Vous Remaster
05. The King Has Lost His Crown 1997 Voulez-Vous Remaster
06. Does Your Mother Know 1997 Voulez-Vous Remaster
07. If It Wasn't For The Nights 1997 Voulez-Vous Remaster
08. Chiquitita 2010 Voulez-Vous Deluxe Edition
09. Lovers (Live A Little Longer) 2010 Voulez-Vous Deluxe Edition
10. Kisses Of Fire 1997 Voulez-Vous Remaster
11. Summer Night City 1983 Greatest Hits 2 Polydor Germany
12. Lovelight 1992 The Collection Pickwick UK
13. Gimme Gimme Gimme (A Man After Midnight) 1983 Greatest Hits 2 Polydor Germany
14. Dream World 2010 Voulez-Vous Deluxe Edition
15. Voulez-Vous (extended version) 2010 Voulez-Vous Deluxe Edition
16. If It Wasn't For The Nights (Japan TV mix) 2009 ABBA In Japan DVD
17. Summer Night City (full intro version)* 1994 Thank You For The Music
18. Lovelight (different mix) 1997 Voulez-Vous Remaster
19. Voulez-Vous (US promo edit) 1994 Thank You For The Music Box
+editing point between intro and regular song improved


SUPER TROUPER (1980) + BONUSTRACKS

01. Super Trouper 1997 Super Trouper Remaster
02. The Winner Takes It All 1994 Thank You For The Music Box
03. On And On And On 1986 Super Trouper Atlantic US
04. Andante Andante 1997 Super Trouper Remaster
05. Me And I 1997 Super Trouper Remaster
06. Happy New Year 1997 Super Trouper Remaster
07. Our Last Summer 1997 Super Trouper Remaster
08. The Piper 1997 Super Trouper Remaster
09. Lay All Your Love On Me 1983 Super Trouper Polydor Germany
10. The Way Old Friends Do 1983 Super Trouper Polydor Germany
11. Elaine 1994 Thank You For The Music Box
12. Put On Your White Sombrero 1994 Thank You For The Music
13. On And On And On (full video version) 2011 Super Trouper Deluxe Edition
14. Andante Andante (alternative mix) 2014 40 Singles Vinyl Box + MP3 Download
15. Lay All Your Love On Me (clean ending version) 1994 Thank You For The Music Box
16. The Way Old Friends Do (clean intro version) 1993 More ABBA Gold


THE VISITORS (1981) + BONUSTRACKS

01. The Visitors 1997 The Visitors Remaster
02. Head Over Heels 1997 The Visitors Remaster
03. When All Is Said And Done 1997 The Visitors Remaster
04. Soldiers 1997 The Visitors Remaster
05. I Let The Music Speak 1997 The Visitors Remaster
06. One Of Us 1997 The Visitors Remaster
07. Two For The Price Of One 1997 The Visitors Remaster
08. Slipping Through My Fingers 1997 The Visitors Remaster
09. Like An Angel Passing Through My Room 1997 The Visitors Remaster
10. Should I Laugh Or Cry (count-in version)* 1997 The Visitors Remaster
11. The Day Before You Came 1997 The Visitors Remaster
12. Cassandra 1984 From ABBA With Love
13. Under Attack 1999 The Singles 1972-1982 Box
14. You Owe Me One 1999 The Singles 1972-1982 Box
15. I Am The City 2012 The Visitors Deluxe Edition
16. The Visitors (promo edit) 1993 More ABBA Gold
17. Head Over Heels (different 1st chorus version) 2012 The Visitors Deluxe Edition

 

Wow, there's some real work gone into this list. Very helpful. Thank you for this.

 

I envy your staying power.

 

Perfectionism is no fun at all...but a curse which can be very time-consuming and painful....but I was born for music

 

Is it possible to hear a few samples?

 

You might like this!

 

Just let me know which songs you want to hear as samples and I will upload some stuff in the beginning of next week.

 

Hmm, let's say "One of Us", "Lay All Your Love On Me" ( the clean ending version from 94 tyftm), "Super Trouper" and "Dancing Queen". I hope it's not asking too much

 

No problem - but please have in mind that I am unable to upload full songs...I will upload the restored "Dancing Queen" part and 60 second samples of the other two tracks on monday.

 

Yep, that's fine. Thanks!

 

Great contemporary interview with Frida and Bjorn.

 

To the OP:
I am impressed with your diligence and I am going to check out a lot of your choices since I have most of the sources you mention. I noticed that you didn't do the 15 Spanish language tracks, why?

 

I will add information about the spanish tracks soon....or immediately: The regular 10 songs I took from the 1986 Japan CD, the 5 bonustracks from "Mas Oro" (1993). I used the 1999 Astley remastered version as a template for the frequency range of each individual track and processed the final thing also with TesslaPROmkII, but without the 10 band equalizer in the chain.

 

I agree with you. For the Spanish songs, the best sources are the original Japanese CD and Mas Oro.
The first pressing of Oro (golden cover) comes second for the Gracias por la música tracks.

 

glurg glug blurg…OVERLOAD!!

What a project!

 

Yes, the Tretow "Oro" remasters are fine, but way too bright...I think he used the original tapes for his remastering, but the quality is the same as on the Japan 1986 versions.

 

You must be a very patient person and a very committed one. Thank you very much for sharing your findings!

 

I admire your stamina. Great work! It's also nice to see that you applied a plugin to add some warmth and that it succeeded. I want to try this myself too.

 

I wor4k always very detailed and dedicated and, of course, I am a very patient person when it comes to best possible sound quality. As a professional sound engineer who is also specialized in audio restoration, i still need lots of patience when it comes to damaged tapes with some flaws to restore. Also my personal needledrops of some rock / metal records which are not available on CD format sound very close to a master tape for example. There is no hurry, I always want the best

 

Good work. Looks from this list as though Thank You For The Music is essential: is there any reason why one would need the first release of this rather than the 2008 reissue?

 

Yes, this TesslaPROmkII plugin works very subtle, but it sounds very nice. Here you can download the free plugin:

http://varietyofsound.wordpress.com...ii-transient-aware-signal-saturator-released/

And here is a nice 10 band equalizer to achieve the results as i did:

http://www.vst4free.com/free_vst.php?id=1477

Please set the mode to "12db" when you process the stuff. And now have fun !!!
For the Steinberg Freefilter there are other options available. You need a match filter only, like SoundCloner etc. to copy the frequency range from the CSR files to the compiled ones.

 

No need to buy the 2008 version, except you want some different pictures or corrected information in the downsized booklet. The audio content is 100% the same as the 1994 edition.

 

More a question of which version I need to buy since I've never owned this set ... you answered my question anyway because the 2008 is much cheaper.

 

Here are the samples:

http://www.mediafire.com/download/67hyp2cg7yoncmc/1221-12-2014-1.rar

Pass: SHFORUM

Have fun

 

Thank you!