Best Sounding Original CD's

The Clash - "Sandinista" (original european cd - made in Austria)
Simple Minds - "Real To Real Cacophony" (original Virgin CD)

 

That would be interesting to track down again. Real to Real is an album that was said to have benefitted from the Simon Heyworth remasters but I guess that doesn't mean the original sounded bad. With all these examples, it makes you wonder what some people were thinking when they managed to produce a crap sounding album when Redbook discs are capable of producing some remarkable sound. For me, Midnight Oil's "Earth and Sun and Moon" in the holy grail of how good a Redbook can sound and it definitely removes any excuses for poorly mastered albums.

I'll also throw in Simple Minds' "Cry" as a nice sounding original. It's the topic for another thread so I've been playing it a lot and noticed it has a very good sound to it. When I'm listening, I try to imagine how the instrument or vocal track sounded as it became a part of the master tape then think about what might have been lost during its journey from master tape to the disc I have in my hands. That stuff fascinates me and makes me wonder if I would have been happier pursuing that line of work. I love the science and physics involved in capturing and shaping the sound that eventually is pumped out the listener's speakers.

 

I have both the UK orig of Real To Real and the remaster. I've found that all of the Simple Minds remasters lack a little detail - but you really have to listen for it - and it doesn't detract from what I feel are pretty good remasters. I guess I prefer the original UK New Gold Dream to the remaster - but not by much.

Regarding Real To Real - I'll have to compare again. I just don't remember thinking much of the original cd's sound.

 

A few favorites:

• The Devo 1991 Japanese pressings
• The original Dare pressing sounds great and better than any remastered version. It has pre-emphasis, but still sounds fine without de-emphasising it. The 88 Q/A CD might actually tie with the 09 remaster
• The Computer World/Computerwelt 85-87 pressings sound much better than the bass disaster that the 2009 remaster was

 

There's just something about the appearance of this disc that screams quality. Maybe it's the "no nonsense" look of it but I prefer this infinitely more than the discs with all the artwork on them. I really like the Mercury "Red Swirl" on the German discs as well.

 

I kind of remember the originals sounding a little flat or cold, which was why the remasters were automatic purchases for me but that was before I was aware of the substandard practices used by so many engineer whether it be demanded by the powers that be or not.

 

I think it's the font they used for the artist name and album tittle. ;-)

 

Possibly............the stamp just says "This is a G darned CD, it's good, listen to it. I think it might be the Ron Swanson effect.

 

They certainly were a bit of a disappointment compared to the vinyl - at first.
The orig UK cd of New Gold Dream doesn't sound anything like the UK or US vinyl (and those two are very different sounding pressings!)

But as my system improved, I found the original UK NGD (I have the Holland - same mastering) cd to be smoother and more detailed and not shrill at all. The remaster has more of the bump and thump of the US vinyl. I've never heard the US A&M cd. Is it the same?

 

And I want to add that, inexplicably, the German target of Computerworld sound much better than the US Elektra. They seem to have the same mastering, yet the target sounds "right." I couldn't stand the Elektra (which I sought out the target).

German target peak levels:
86.1/90.8/78.2/81/74.2/68.2/65.6

*Note: I just did a search and someone reports the Target and US pressings have different masterings.

Whatever the case may be, the target is the one to get.

 

The German and English versions do have different mastering. Computer Love sounds way better in German.

 

Jim Croce-Photographs and Memories, Gordon Lightfoot-Sundown, Bob Seger-Stranger In Town, Steely Dan-All original cds, Led Zeppelin-Houses of the Holy, Deep Purple-Machine Head, Bob Dylan-John Wesley Harding, Jimmy Buffett-Changes In Latitudes

 

Here's EAC for the US Elektra, I'll have to hunt a target down, thanks for the info, while I think it sounds fine you sparked my curiosity
94.4/99.6/85.8/88.9/81.3/74.8/72.0

 

think that lucinda williams' "car wheels on a gravel road" is not only one of the best records(cd's)of all time but also one of the best sounding....

 

Agreed. Recently got Oleta Adams' solo album Circle Of One from the following year. It was cheap and I wanted to hear the Tears For Fears outtake Rhythm Of Life that they gave her (and Roland co-produced a few tracks too). Whilst the style of music is a bit more commercial, the gospel elements are really good.

Anyway, Circle Of One is a masterpiece of sound quality. It might sound even better than Seeds Of Love. The sound quality is warm and vibrant, especially when turned up loud (this is a real treat in headphones).



I've come to the conclusion that the best sound quality CDs were produced between the years 1989 and 1993, probably peaking in 1991. It was the time when engineers were mastering to bring the most out of the format. All the best sounding CDs I've heard are from that period.

 

Good suggestions here. I would add also the "two-fer" Jimmy Buffett titles which are superb.

Also the Harvest silver face Dark Side of the Moon is excellent.

 

Two that come to mind are the original RCA Japan (don't remember if it was for US or not) Aladdin Sane by David Bowie (in fact a large majority of the RCA Bowie discs sound fantastic.) Another good one is Led Zeppelin 1. It sounds so analog that I actually feel like I'm listening to an authentic vinyl recording. Sometimes, hiss makes the old cd's perfect

 

So would anyone know if there is anything specific about the black triangle discs that seem to make them sound better? It has that irresistible "Ron Swanson" stamp on it that makes me want to own it immediately.

 

People tend to associate "Black Triangle" CD's with a handful of unique and definitive album pressings, but the same cannot be said for all discs in this series.

 

Thank you sir.....or maam. I had seen a reference to the black triangle somewhere else, maybe in this thread that may have suggested a better sounding product. At the time the only such discs I had were two by T'il Tuesday and even though they sound great, I didn't have anything to compare them to. This site really breathed new life into my enthusiasm for collecting and I've been having a blast tracking down specific original pressings and investigating whether the remasters I have were worth it or not. Fascinating stuff and I'm glad I discovered "the truth" before the cd format fades away......here's to really hoping that it doesn't.

 

I'd add the original CD pressing of Diesel and Dust byMidnight Oil

 

Just in case anyone might be confused, the disc pictured in the post you quoted is not a black triangle cd. Carry on