Chicago II Steven Wilson Remix Announced ! 01/27/2017

That's what I was saying earlier. Maybe the stereo separation ogf the backing vocals is the same but the clarity is DRASTIC. Excellent job

 

WHY THE HECK did Steve Wilson cut off the end of "Make Me Smile" as akin to the damaged original master tape, when he could have fixed it once and for all when he had a hold of the session tapes. Good grief Charlie Brown! Sheesh...

The only excuse is that he did not have the session tapes for Make Me Smile, and had to use the ORIGINAL master. Lordy, Lordy...

 

Cut off? Damaged?

 

What are you talking about? It's a remix. Obviously he had the session tapes.

And what cutoff at the end are you talking about, anyway?

 

Maybe he's only heard the single?

 

He doesn't realize the end of the single comes 10 minutes later on the album?

I suppose that could be what he's talking about.

 

Also, is the Rockband version the single edit? Maybe that's what he's used to hearing. Not defending him, just sayin

 

I don't know the rockband version.

There is also the radio edit that gets played a lot that is all of Make Me Smile and Now More Than Ever without the edits

 

Yeah, that's the one I was referring to a couple of posts ago. I can see someone being confused if that's all they know before hearing the ballet

 

is there a release date for the SW version on vinyl?

 

You get the double!

 

On second thought, perhaps this is more appropriate:

 

Looking like the 4th of August at the moment.

 

I hope they press the vinyl using an audiophile vinyl pressing plant.

 

Does that vinyl have real audiophiles in it?

 

Yes. And better still, most of them are virgin!

 

Obviously.

 

Yes. When it is the best sounding stereo version of Chicago II available, why not?
This classic album deserves a quiet surface only the pure virgin vinyl could provide.

 

Lacquers cut by Kevin Gray, Pressed at Optimal.

 

Thanks Steve for the information and for confirming the use of Optimal audiophile pressing plant and the expertise of Kevin Gray in cutting the lacquers.

 

I wish and hope that all the Terry Kath-J.W. Guercio-era Chicago albums would be reissued in the near future as a pure analog vinyl set (AAA) pressed on audiophile-grade virgin vinyl and using only the original stereo analog master tapes as sources with no digital conversion in the signal chain (similar to the all-analog Beatles Mono vinyl set). Obviously, there's only one exception which is the source for Chicago II which would now use the new and better sounding Steve Wilson stereo remix which was remixed and recorded on digital domain.
Better yet, using vacuum-tube equipment in the mastering chain for these vinyl releases the way the late Doug Sax used to employ in the TML ( the Mastering Lab) and utilizing the use of half-speed mastering technology or cutting for 45 RPM playback speed for even better sound.

 

Just curious as to why/how a vinyl release of the new SW Chicago II would sound "better" than, say, the HDTracks hi-res FLAC download. I love vinyl, but if it's sourced from the same digital files that are already available, what are the advantages other than having the physical record and packaging with liner notes?

 

BTW, I'm quite satisfied with the new audio CD and see no need (personally, with these 60+ year-old ears) to splurge for the hi-res download.

 

Bigger artwork and the unique vinyl sound (which in itself is another topic of discussion) even though the source is the same digital source. For example, I prefer the sound of the Beatles "1" on vinyl over the CD counterpart. Don't ask me why but for some reasons, I prefer the sound of "1" on vinyl. The new Steve Wilson remix vinyl is also for those who are Chicago vinyl completists and collectors.

 

For that "unique vinyl sound," my go-to for Chicago II is the Chris Bellman cut Rhino from 2009 or so!