Best Version of Pink Floyd's "Meddle"

And TO or non-TO doesn't matter.

 

Hi Wolf(gang),



have you heard the European remaster of "The Wall" yet? I have posted a couple of clips in the "Obscured by Clouds" thread (the link should still work for a few days).

The WG Harvest of "The Wall" was my favorite CD mastering until I heard that one (mine came with the "Oh by the Way" box set which I bought from amazon.co.uk for a little over 100 Euros). Bjoern (Dr. Merwuerdigli) has also checked these clips out, and he agrees with me that this remastering even beats the WG Harvest.

You might like it too.

 

I have both the Black Triangle Meddle and MFSL however I tend to play the MFSL disc more but as Roland says it is all down to preference.

 

The 1st US also has the 1st Sony mastering, yes.
&
The UK 92/94 "remaster" is indeed the same as the original EMI mastering. The level is dropped by 0.2 dB, but a level-compensated null-test results in cancellation.

 

I have the MFSL and the Japanese Blackface, seems I have to see if I can get the Black Triangle as well.

 

Well, it won't matter sound-wise as the Black Triangles and the Blackfaces have the same mastering, but it's a nice collector's item!

 

That is, if pressing differences don't matter to you sound-wise or if you think it is not possible that there can be differences from pressing to pressing with same digital content.

Other folks probably think differently about that, so we shouldn't generalize the statement.

To some it matters sound-wise, to others it doesn't.

 

You're right. I certainly wouldn't want to invoke the bit-identical vs identical sound debate again...

 

I have the MFSL LP and it sounds excellent.

 

My list, btw:

1. 1st Sony mastering (CP32-5032 Black Triangles and CDP 7 46034 2 Blackfaces)
2. MFSL
3. 1st EMI mastering (CDP 7 46034 2 Silverfaces)

The first two are close, though. The MFSL sounds great, IMO. But the BT/BFs are unbeatably smooth.

 

O.k., here's a frequency analysis of three different CD versions of Meddle:

1. JPN EMI/Harvest (the Black Triangle mastering)
2. MFSL
3. European remaster (from "Oh by the Way" box set, also available as individual CD)

The European remaster is just a level-shifted version, which can be easily seen by the analysis I did. You can see how the EQ curve of the MFSL differs (the first "peak" is around 250 Hz with + 2 dB and the second around 13 kHz with + 3.5 dB).

I know, we'll have the argument again about which version is closer to the sound of the master tape. I really don't know, but what I do know is that the MFSL can sound a little harsh and almost piercing during the track "Echoes" (louder passages, which I used for this analysis), and I prefer the sound of the Harvest mastering.

This is also a confirmation for me that this kind of analysis seems to work, i.e. if there is no EQ change, the results will show that.

 

Pink Floyd - Meddle (MFSL Ultradisc) - San Tropez [03:43m/780kbps/44kHz]

Sounds great

 

Pardon the thread jack but does anyone have an opinion on what are some of the better (best?) vinyl pressings of Meddle?

Definitely a favorite of mine. Thanks

 

UK Harvest is my favorite pressing. With A-7 B-6 Matrix I believe .....

 

Gracias

 

What a brave man you are

For me I still prefer the UD of Meddle. Maybe I do not turn it up loud enough (lease-breaking volume)

 

You are looking for the completely texture gatefold Orig UK Harvest 1-u 1-u
single G stamper at 3 oclock.

It's the best.

The Mofi Is my favorite CD.

C

 

Find yourself a 1U/1U UK Harvest. If you want the best do not settle on a later pressing....I have had many of them and the later UK pressings are no match for a clean 1U/1U. Be prepared to open that wallet on a clean pressing though.

 

What Sony mastering? They are on Toshiba-EMI in Japan, who also made the discs. Not CBS/Sony. Are you thinking of the post DSOTM discs?

 

Just as with DSOTM, the 1st "batches" of Meddle cds were all Sony pressings (Black Triangle/Blackface non-TO).

Unlike DSOTM, when they switched to the Toshiba-EMI pressing plant (Black Triangle/Blackface TO), they continued to use the Sony mastering. It was also used on the WestGermany Blackface (Sonopress) and the 2nd US issue (Capitol Records. The only Silverface with this mastering, TTBOMK.)

Toshiba-EMI didn't do their own mastering until later (4th JPN issue, 3rd UK issue, 3rd US issue, etc).


Another plug for Vernon's Pink Floyd Discographies

 

I have a non-TO blackface Meddle (bought new) with both the CDP ... and CP ... matrix and it was definitely not made by CBS/Sony.

It was also made in 1984.... Toshiba-EMI was producing CDs in 1984 and earlier, so assuming CBS/Sony made all of EMI's CDs is not correct, but an assumption. I was buying CDs back then and saw them in the stores.

 

Well, according to Vernon, who has done a lot of research on the subject:

No disrespect, but I'll need more proof than 25 year old memories and your assumption that your BF non-TO was not made by Sony, before I choose to disbelieve him.

 

Sorry, my last post quoted only data for the Black Triangles and didn't include the Blackfaces, but it's getting really late over here...

The point is that there is a Sony mastering (peak values: 54.3 / 38.2 / 68.8 / 62.5 / 28.2 / 53.3), and that's my overall favourite.

 

We must differentiate between mastering and pressing. CBS/Sony did not master the album. CBS/Sony pressed it. The peak levels that nemosonic posted for the CBS/Sony pressing match the levels that Roland cited for a few other pressings in post 24 of this thread.

If someone prefers a CBS/Sony pressing of Meddle to a Toshiba-EMI pressing of Meddle, it's due to a pressing variation (i.e., jitter; if you believe in it), not due to a different mastering.

 

I have all 3 version BT discs here and there is no way I can tell which was manufactured where. ie There are no manufacturer stamps on the inside of any of the hubs - also from Vernon's site below what you have quoted above:

Examples of manufaturing information stamped on the plastic hubs include:
[MANUFACTURED BY CBS / SONY RECORDS INC.] - CBS / Sony Records, Tokyo, Japan (1982 / 1983)
[CSR COMPACT DISC] - CBS / Sony Records, Tokyo, Japan (1984 / 1985)
[CSR] - CBS / Sony Records, Tokyo, Japan (1985-1994)
[IFPI xxxx] - SID codes - the numbers following IFPI indicate different manufacturing plants (first put on CDs in 1994)

The discs I have are matrix:
CP35-5032 CDP 7 46034 2 6A1
CP35-5032 1A1 TO
CP35-5032 11A2 +++++
They all have the same EAC peaks levels
54.3 / 38.2 / 68.8 / 62.5 / 28.2 / 53.3

The TO matrix makes it obvious it is a Toshiba plant pressing (as all the other TO's were), but neither the CDP or nonTO/nonCDP have any further info on the hub for plant identification. The inserts (front, front lyrics sheet and rear) are all identical.

The bar code for the TO disc is on the obi only. The other obi I have does not have a bar code so it must go with either the nonTO/nonCDP or the CDP disc....