No, Jimmy didn't find the mutitracks for the Zep albums until he went looking for film/video material for the DVD video Box Set. And that was in 2003. Now I am confused. So what tapes were used for the 1994 CD release? Did he go back and remaster it all over again?
Yep, I don't know what is going on with these mix credits, unless they are the engineers who mixed the original albums (I haven't checked). One thing is for sure, Marino had two attempts at remastering.
I like the original CD versions + vinyl rips and DoD 5220.22-M Compliant Disk Wiped the hi res versions from my hard drives. Just sayin'. Why all the angst? -- Hope you are open minded enough to see how what you posted can easily add fuel to the fire - and that my post is intended as friendly satire. .
You keep saying this. It's clearly both sides of the album. The notion that it was "one side" of the album comes from a vague comment made by John Davis that a certain poster keeps referencing as gospel. There is also a clear picture of the LP cutting tape in the liner notes. There is no "perhaps".
Okay, both sides. I've got no investment in a particular detail if I am mistaken about it. But the larger point I was making in my prior comment still stands, as indicated by the tenor of your comments, among others.
My understanding is that Marino only mastered the Zep catalogue once, and that the changes to the 1994 CDs from the 1990 (and then '93?) box set comps involved changing levels and re-doing some individual tracks to deal with fade-outs and album-based level-matching associated with returning the box set tracks to their original album running orders. For example, Your Time Is Gonna Come is faded out early on Box Set because on Zep I it crossfades into Black Mountain Side, that sort of thing. I'm sure others here will have more detailed info. But to my knowledge the vast majority of tracks were not in any meaningful sense remastered for the 1994 CDs compared to the boxed sets - although I do believe the overall volume levels on the '94 CDs are slightly higher than on the boxed sets.
Yes, one of the pitfalls of relying on other opinions. As a general rule, I will go with individual opinions from those whose past opinions have been consistent with what I hear or a large consensus of similar opinions. Neither is failsafe though. Even better, is the blind tests which a couple members here have put in the time and effort. Many surprises from these, including being enlightened of my own expectation biases from what I previously believed was the best mastering of a particular album.
(Baffled and confused member scratching head...) Wait now....different tapes may have been used for side A and B? Do we have proof of this?
Each side is on its own reel. The Marino and Davis releases use different tapes than the Diament. Previously it was thought that maybe this was only the case for side 1, but it is true for both sides.
It's freaking digital crack - I can't even stay out of the threads I swear I'm never going back into; those classifieds are really an Angel on one shoulder and a Devil on te other.
Recently picked up the first album and PG a la Diament. $10 all-inclusive. Haven't listened yet, but the flak the Marino masters get here is comical. I'm actually laughing out loud at some of the comments. I don't really expect a huge difference, but if Barry's work is all that different, or the sources he used are so superior, it should be obvious, yes???? I will say Barry's version of Marley & the Wailers Live! kills. It's great.
I have both the Diament and Marino CD's and the latter is not as bad as what some people say. However, personally I have to give the edge to the Diament versions. The Marino's sound a little bass heavy to my ears and the Diaments are more ambient sounding.
I hear there's medication for the this....thing, but it's not covered under my drug plan card. Maybe a topical antibiotic cream??
Good. So, now we know for sure a copy "eq'd cutting" was used for this mastering. It should put an end to the debate...Well at least for the "Houses Of The Holy" issue. This reminds me of an ABBA remaster from the late 90's. It bragged, "From the original master tapes" which as we all have come to learn from our skilled host can mean a lot. And there it was - a nice picture of the album master tapes. There were two master tapes: One for side one and the other for side two. And clearly labeled on the box said, "EQ'D FOR CUTTING." Sorry, but anyone who continues to dispute this issue after proof like this should just be ignored.
We've got tape boxes for both the tape used for the remaster *and* the actual master tape mysteriously posted by Eddie Kramer not long after. There are also various aspects of the audio itself, which can be analyzed easily, that proves the remaster uses an EQ cutting tape and the Diament the actual master. But if you point out the irrefutable, you are a bad guy who thinks Page & Davis are liars. I should probably just give up, but I'd hate to see the "facts" get lost. Oh well.
Don't know if right place to post, but here I go! If you have a digital copy and it sounds bright to you, why not EQ it using NCH software. For Zep 1,2 Set it at parametric 20 bands using 34hz to 17.5 hz (ignore 24 HZ) as follows (in db) 10,9,7,7,6,5,3,3,2,1,0,0,-1,-2,-3,-2,-1,0,0. I have Celestion Ditton 66's Studio Monitors from the late 70's. This setting sounds good to me. Zep IV, III V use 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1,0,-1,-2,-3,-4,-2,-1,0. with same 20 bands. I f you have any tweeks let me know.
I am frequently amazed at how much members know about certain CDs. The wealth of information on this site is sometimes overwhelming. The original Doors CD's that came out in 1985 were replaced in 1988!? (Member in disbelief) But that was just 3 years later. I picked up an arm full of 1985 Doors disks last year used. They had every album except the first one. Those disks sound great. Why did they need to replace them? Or have I got this all wrong?
Well, I only bought the original Doors CDs in 1987 so I must have bought the 85s then? They were in print over here until the remastered 99s. Not sure if we got the '88s'?
We got the '88s. I picked up the LA Woman 40 golden great disc and it is the '88 mastering, totally different to the target and silver stock issues that immediately followed the target.
