Best sounding PFM CDs?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Metoo, Sep 24, 2007.

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  1. Metoo

    Metoo Forum Hall Of Fame Thread Starter

    Location:
    Spain (EU)
    I just bought "Per un Amico" (regular versoin) about a week ago after reading about how good it was here, and it has got some interesting things over "Photos Of Ghosts" such as the melloton and harp intro to "Appena un Pó" as well as the fact that it does not have the 'explosion' heard at the end of "River of Life" (the English version of this song on "Photos of Ghosts)." I also like the fact that "Generale" is an instrumental here whereas on "PoG" it's called "Mr. 9 Till 5." Not that this version is bad, IMHO it isn't, but listening to the song sans voice lets you better discern the great playing on it.

    The problem is that it seems that neither of these two albums have been done justice either by the master or the recording and, thus, sound muddy to boot. Not to mention the heavy use of compression when "Appena un Pó" kicks in, to the point that it sounds lower in volume than the original of "River of Life" on the 70s vinyl version.

    There is so much, and so many good things going on in this music that it would greatly benefit from a Steve Hoffman mastering or, at least, a MoFi one (with their Gain 2 technology) to 'extract' all the muddied detail. If this were to also be released in HiRez that would be heavenly. :love:

    While this happens, if ever, what are the better sounding CD versions of the early Premiata Forneria Marconi albums?
     
  2. yesstiles

    yesstiles Senior Member

    You bought the original RCA jewel case version?
     
  3. Metoo

    Metoo Forum Hall Of Fame Thread Starter

    Location:
    Spain (EU)
    I bought this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Per-Un-Amic...4080601?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1190668275&sr=1-2 . It's the only reasonably-priced one I could find.

    BTW, many people here have said that the songs in Italian sound better than in English. I find nothing wrong with the English lyrics, even if sung with an Italian accent, and quite a lot in the senseless/abstract lyrics in Italian - that is noticeable to me even with my limited understanding of the language -. At least the English lyrics make sense, except for maybe on "Promenade The Puzzle." The Italian lyrics to "Il Banchetto" are better, but do little more than sketch what the song is supposed to be about.
     
  4. yesstiles

    yesstiles Senior Member

  5. butch

    butch Senior Member

    Location:
    ny
    Metoo, I have a Manticore Lp of Photo of Ghosts AND an RCA italiana CD version of it and was never impressed with the sonics of either. I liked what PFM did with Fabrizio De Andre(the Italian Dylan). Those live albums they did with him had a lot of energy(I heard them on cassette) BUT these are not sonic masterpieces but the performances are so good that you really don't care.Could a mastering engineer improve this tape(Photo of Ghosts)?No doubt.
     
  6. Metoo

    Metoo Forum Hall Of Fame Thread Starter

    Location:
    Spain (EU)
    It's from the Japanese Victor Co.
     
  7. Jeff Carney

    Jeff Carney Fan Of Specifics (No Koolaid)

    Location:
    SF
    My RCA discs sound wonderful. I'd even rate Photos Of Ghosts on RCA as near audiophile quality. Storia Di Un Minuto and Per Un Amico are a bit dull on RCA, but compared to those BMG gold discs in digipacks or the Japanese mini lp CDs, they are pretty much like Hoffman masterings.
     
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  8. antonkk

    antonkk Senior Member

    Location:
    moscow
    Chocolade Kings on K2 mini-vinyl sounds excellent!:righton:
     
  9. Jeff Carney

    Jeff Carney Fan Of Specifics (No Koolaid)

    Location:
    SF
    Totally disagree.

    Compressed heavily and bloated, goosed bass. The Italian RCA just plain trounces it.
     
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  10. Jeff Carney

    Jeff Carney Fan Of Specifics (No Koolaid)

    Location:
    SF
    What's the catalog number?
     
  11. Metoo

    Metoo Forum Hall Of Fame Thread Starter

    Location:
    Spain (EU)
    Could you post a link to it?
     
  12. Jeff Carney

    Jeff Carney Fan Of Specifics (No Koolaid)

    Location:
    SF
  13. rcdupre

    rcdupre Flying is Trying is Dying

    I'll go with your assesment over Jeff's :laugh: 'cause I got this, Photos Of Ghosts and L’Isola di Niente in Tokyo this year as mini LPs for like $8 each, 2 of them new & sealed!
     
  14. Metoo

    Metoo Forum Hall Of Fame Thread Starter

    Location:
    Spain (EU)
  15. Jeff Carney

    Jeff Carney Fan Of Specifics (No Koolaid)

    Location:
    SF
    Okay, well this disc you've linked is the best there is on CD, but is isn't pressed by Victor Co. of Japan, so I have a feeling you have something else. Unless maybe you got some really early pressing, but I doubt it. RCA originally issued this circa 1988, and all copies I've seen were pressed in Italy. It has been repressed many times, I'm sure. There are probably WG pressings, maybe France... but anyway, the catalog numbers for the best PFM discs start with "ND." The exception is The World Became The World, which was issued by Sony/BMG in 1997, this has a 74321xxx catalog number.

    Was yours in a regular jewelcase or a mini lp sleeve?
     
  16. yesstiles

    yesstiles Senior Member

  17. yesstiles

    yesstiles Senior Member

    Which one? There's three different ones?
     
  18. Metoo

    Metoo Forum Hall Of Fame Thread Starter

    Location:
    Spain (EU)
    Jewelcase.
     
  19. rcdupre

    rcdupre Flying is Trying is Dying

  20. yesstiles

    yesstiles Senior Member

    That's the original mini-lp verison of that. There's since been newer ones by Japan and Italy that use the Italian sleeve art. I think that one's actually been re-issued again too as an updated "HD" version. I bet that original one sounds the best of the four though. I certainly like the cover artwork better. No fat transvestite on the cover!
     
  21. Jeff Carney

    Jeff Carney Fan Of Specifics (No Koolaid)

    Location:
    SF
    Aside from the cool packaging, I'm not a fan of the PFM stuff issued by Victor Japan. The Italian issues of the same albums beat them by miles. Victor issued the Manticore label stuff. The only one worhwhile is Banco's s/t, because that is the only version of that album on CD, ttbomk.

    But by far the worst PFM discs are the BMG Japan CDs in mini lp sleeves. These are frisbees, nothing more.
     
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  22. rcdupre

    rcdupre Flying is Trying is Dying

    I didn't know that, I should open it up and listen to it.
     
  23. yesstiles

    yesstiles Senior Member

    But there are three variations, in case anyone cares.

    1. K2 Mini-LP
    2. K2 Jewel Case
    3. K2HD Mini-LP
     
  24. Metoo

    Metoo Forum Hall Of Fame Thread Starter

    Location:
    Spain (EU)
    Is there a positive difference in the sound of the K2HD Mini-Lp and the other two issues?
     
  25. Jeff Carney

    Jeff Carney Fan Of Specifics (No Koolaid)

    Location:
    SF

    K2 HDs sound worse than regular K2s, but the K2s are no good in the first place, so I don't know how much it matters to point this out. K2 "HDs" have a even more compression than their standard counterparts.
     
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