David Bowie: Five Years 1969-1973 - 2015, 13 Vinyl Box Set

Believe it or not, we actually agree in a way. We both think the Pin Ups recording is fantastic. That's why I said, "The point is there's a lot of life in that tape." This is why it doesn't surprise me that a good remaster of it sounds amazing.

 

And Ansley Dunbars drumming is a big part of the greatness of Pin Ups

 

i think a flat transfer would sound amazing. i haven't done a direct shoot out with the new new vinyl but have with the CDs which presumably shares the same master. it may surprise some to learn that this "punchy" new master has less bass than certain editions i've been known to advocate. not night and day, but it didn't live up to expectations created on the other thread. i will put the vinyl up against the UK expecting a similar result.

 

absolutely.

 

Sounds like you're saying that the original Ziggy Motion Picture vinyl is re-using the 30th anniversary remix/remaster. Aside from its unsuitability in being included in the new box, what's your opinion on the sound, per se? Is it highly compressed?

 

Also used to think the same thing and I actually stopped buying the Ryko lp's due to that ( stupid me now that I look back), however that brightness was more to do with the system than any inherent brightness of the Ryko lp's. Lets be clear here thou, the Ryko lp's are very clear so if your system leans towards bright/lean they will probably sound that way. If the Ryko had a little more bass weight, the brightness would be no real issue.

Just played TMWSTW again - the 2015 lp remaster is less extended and more compressed than the Ryko - you can hear that from the first note. The lovely keyboard sounds that come out of the right channel on Running Gun Blues is recessed and 1 dimentional, on the Ryko its 3D and literally floats on air and sounds real as is instrument seperation. Lead guitar throughout the Ryko is so much better it makes the 2015 remaster in direct seem stunted, small scale and polite sounding - electric guitar does not sound like this. You have to keep cranking the 2015 remaster to get any life and micro dynamics out of it. The percussion on the track TMWSTW is amazingly fast and real on the Ryko, on the remaster it sounds slow and plastic.

The Ryko's vinyl are not perfect, but for SO and TMWSTW they creme the 2015 remasters. 2015 remasters are too polite and smoothed over as if they have tried to make the bass fuller at the expense of openess and extenion in the mids and upper frequencies. These 2015 remasters will live the rest of their lives in the box as I will continue to listen to the Ryko vinyl.

cheers

 

i take it all back... the 2015 vinyl version of PinUps DOES sound like the US original. much brighter than the CD. besides the clear difference in the top end the bass disappears when compared to the CD. i'm basing this on the opening track Rosalyn which i'd already done a six way shoot out on prior to adding the new vinyl. apologies for the earlier post...
sound sample (2015 vinyl vs 2015 CD) here: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/24721385/Rosalyn 2015 VNL vs CD sample.flac

 

yes, it's the 2003 Visconti remix/master in the new box and the sleeve follows that. the box basically includes the latest masters of everything. seems i don't have the 2003 vinyl edition anymore, though i have no recollection of parting with it...and yet i have four pressings of the original. i can only go by the CD and, as is his wont, Visconti upped the compression on the 30th anniversary. it's the one LP i haven't played from the box so far, it's one i rarely play in any version to be honest. the Santa Monica LP is a real dud however. same source as the 2008 remaster but as compressed as the brickwalled CD. the 2008 vinyl left a slither of dynamic range intact, this one doesn't even try.

 

Thanks. My system is very "laid back". I think I'll wait and read more reviews before making a decision on whether to open the box or the old Rykos. I also have the other Rykos on vinyl

 

Thanks. Need to think about this.

 

don't forget the obis on the Ryko vinyl proudly announce they are digitally remastered and "CD quality".

 

HD 2015 remaster compared to EMI100 remaster of 1997.

HD 2015 sounds excellent - nice and clear and open sounding.

HD EMI100 - just sounds better. better bass weight, piano sounds a little more realistic. more centre spread of image where the 2015 has more distinct left and right positioning.

Listening to both you can hear the EMI100 is analog as it sounds a bit more natural. Can enjoy both, but 2015 would go if my life depended on it.

cheers

 

want to sell them? If so pm me. they are ****e and bright remember so happy to take them off your hands.

 

really? back of the Ryko vinyl cover of THWSTW

 

back of Diamond Dogs has AAA and ADA. all have "digitally remastered" on the obi, some have the CDQ (aka CD quality) logo... it's the usual mish-mash of conflicting information.
can't be both, so believe whichever suits you. no biggie.

 

I agree he's more on point than Woodmansey, but it's kind of a shame it's not the same Spiders, though... the album isn't quite the send-off to that era if the drummer is replaced.

 

This is the one Ryko vinyl I actually remember sounding excellent, this picture jogged my memory of having this one and I do remember really enjoying this one in particular. I missed the boat when they were released and was only able to get Diamond Dogs, SO and I think Pinups and HD. TMWSTW is the only one I remember distinctly sounding fantastic, and maybe DD as well. I picked up a copy of the Ryko ZS deluxe CD to compensate for not being able to grab it on vinyl at the time. Sold them all in a matter of about 6 years, flash forward 10 years or so from that and I picked up a nice copy of the Ryko ZS on vinyl, and within the last 9 years have upgraded to a better (this has fluctuated, but mostly for the better per the playback gear lately) system and a couple nice US copies of ZS (orange 1st and black second press) that I do like. I fell into a collection 2 years ago that had a few US copies of ZS as well, one of them was a promo-all of the US ZS copies I have heard sound good enough to thoroughly enjoy, I have heard that the UK original can't be beat and I don't doubt it but the US copies I've heard sound great.
I will say that as far as AS is concerned I had a US black label copy (2nd press I think..) that was amazingly good sounding and foolishly sold it off because I 'scored' an orange label orig. -bad move, should have checked out that orange label first...
So anyway I sat on that Ryko ZS until earlier this year when I finally played it and I must say I really didn't like it at all, REALLY bright and harsh -it might have been setup issues on that TT at the time, but it's never been 'out' of adjustment enough to not sound nice if the disc sounds nice.
I think like a lot of mass produced vinyl from the seventies, that there will always be exceptions to whatever impressions rule for whatever reasons and RCA vinyl just like WB and others can be great or anywhere from so-so to a total dud.
UK vinyl as well as any can have snafus as well, but typically if you get a line on a specific matrix you are 95% there I guess.
I got a EMI Millennium copy and a UK first (3T/3T which may or may not be 'the one') recently, mainly because I want to best the black label sound and I actually scored those two relatively cheap (about 30$ apiece) and they are both in NM territory condition wise so I am due to listen to these soon. I like the 2015 AS so far but am obviously too curious about these other pressings.

 

Amazing how different copies of albums can sound so vastly different - comparatively speaking.

I have a feeling that the Ryko lp's will definately suit the first two Bowie albums best. Both these albums are primarily acoustic guitar based, so running the eq wide open in the upper frequencies and perhaps not much bass boost really suits these albums.
I could imagine Ziggy, definately Pinups, AS and most other Bowie albums sounding too bright/in your face - This is due to most being lead by electric guitars and a more rock n roll tempo to the songs. HD is piano/keyboard lead, so even the Ryko slight forwardness may not suit that lp either. Trouble is I only have the first two lp's on Ryko, so can't comment with any certainty.
This may coincide with your listening thoughts at the time.

the UK originals are certainly the holy grail - AS sounds amazing on original UK pressing. Looking forward to hear how the 2015 sounds in comparison.

cheers

 

Man, I wonder if Steven Wilson has ever expressed interest in remixing these albums in 5.1 ala Kate Bush. Funny as he'd certainly show these cowboys how it oughta be done...

 

Yes. Last night, hearing some of his stunts, I kept thinking I was listening to Moonie.

Damn...I'm less than halfway thru this bad boy, but I am already DESPERATE for Box 2. This is the most I've ever spent on a collection of music, but I already want to do it again. TOMORROW !!! (Not so sure about Box 3, but hey, that can be the equivalent purchase to ITTOD.)

Greatest Songwriter Of All Time. Screw the rest.

 

That's the only one I don't have - mine's a Dynaflex, bought 8th September 1973 (my 5th album, I think) - but I recently grabbed one for my son for a tenner, and I'm thinking I might need to 'repatriate' that, LOL.

 

Has anyone who has both 40th and the box compared the deadwax on the Ziggys? If 2015 is same cut it is AAA. The 40th is brighter than an original in terms of extracting more detail. I think overall it is better but it can go either way according to system used or personal preferences.

 

I haven't received mine yet, but somebody did compare (I think in the other thread) and the deadwax is the same except for the pressing plant inscriptions. Plus, Ray Staff himself has confirmed that it's the same as the 40th.

 

I love side one of Man Who Sold; however, side 2 does nothing for me.

 

Can anyone measure the height of the box, down to the nearest millimetre, please?!

I'm probably going to buy it anyway, but am wondering if it will fit in my tight shelving.

Thanks.