Dire Straits: Remastered CDs vs originals ?

I have the plain old American originals of Making Movies, Love Over Gold and Brothers in Arms, and they rank among the best-sounding CDs in my collection,

Tim

 

Yup, the original Brothers In Arms like Making Movies sure is excellent. A nice smooth naturally flowing listen. On it's own the remaster is OK I guess, but when compared to the original it is a harsh and abrasive listen. The DVD-Audio side of the DualDisc is nice as well, but that's a 5.1 remix so it's pretty much an apples and oranges situation.

rick

 

What are the extra tracks? I don't think there are any.

 

I like the original much better, and I find the difference huge for this album.

I wasn't aware of any bonus tracks on the remastered CD which weren't already on the original CD version. The original CD version has one extra track compared to the vinyl, "Love Over Gold".

 

Aren't those remasters HDCD?

 

Unfortunately and suprisingly not, since Mark Knopfler has embraced the HDCD technology for the most part.

 

I don't own an original US WB copy of Making Movies...I have Made In Japan for US WB copy and WG swirl copy...these are both shorter than the remaster content wise,so my question would be,since the first S/T release is the long version on the US WB pressing..is the same true for the Making Movies US WB release? If not,we don't have the complete recording on a unremastered CD.

JF

 

Thank you, Rick. I remember reading the same thing about the French and WG pressings, too, but in that thread there was no "proof" by someone who compared these pressings. So it's great that you've done the a/b. And the result is good news, as it makes it easiert to pick up a copy of those old Vertigo versions.

 

I personally much more prefer Blue Swirl over Target.

 

BTW,Original "Guitar" cd WG press Brothers in Arms sounding well on my cd player,but regular german LP put it in big shame.What is also interesting same LP put in shame last double vinyl issue (Stan Ricker mastering 2x180gramm) too.
I'm still looking for dvd-a for comparison.

 

Oh, I thought Love Over Gold was only on the remaster, but I guess it was added to the original cd too. Cool. Sorry about the confusion.

 

If I am correct, the original Veritgos are the exact same CDs as the WB targets for S/T, Communique, Love Over Gold, & Alchemy, except for the labels and inserts. Same for BIA, although not a target.

A lot of WEA targets that were on PolyGram labels outside of the USA and made by PolyGram in WG are the same exact disc and even pressing run, except for the label and inserts. Some examples are Genesis and INXS.

BTW, all great albums - have 'em all!

 

No,"same title" mastering is very different on Target vs Blue & Red Swirls.

 

This is correct. The target pressing is mastered identically to the early Warner Bros. domestic (US) release, but the Vertigos use a different mastering.

I haven't done the same comparisons with the other titles available in both pressings.

 

IIRC, the WG target and the Japan target for the S/T album are different. I think the WG target CD is the same mastering as the European Vertigos (with shortened versions of two songs but better sound quality), and the Japan target is the same mastering as the non-remastered WB version, with full versions but slightly inferior sound quality.

It could be that my memory is wrong on this, but this is how I have memorized it.

 

I have the first and third albums on original WB cd's and they suit me just fine. Can't imagine "upgrading".

I have 'Brothers In Arms' on the flipper DVD-A. It has a hotter sound than
my old cd's but of course they are analog recordings and BIA is not.
Mastered 20 years apart made a difference too, I'm sure.

My "Sultans of Swing" is 5:48, is that the long one?

 

I sometimes wonder if there is a "collector's effect" that makes the rarest the best, even when it's the same. Other times I wonder if I can hear anything anymore...

Tim

 

My 2 copies of the Vertigo swirl Making Movies, WG and France, both cost about the same or less than the remaster. In fact the first one I purchased in April 2007 cost me only $11.00 including shipping and it is the best 1 or 2 sounding (sonics-wise) CD's, I've ever heard. I don't believe any of the better sounding original Dire Straits CD's is extremely rare or expensive, at least if you shop around a bit. You can probably find the original BIA or US S/T at your local used CD shop for about 60-70% the price of a new remastered one.

Rick

 

I don't doubt it for a moment. Yet I still wonder...



Tim

 

The wierd thing with all this talk about the original Making Movies is that I remember reading a review when this was a new CD suggesting that it didn't sound very good. Not awful, just not great.

 

I think Making Movies is an exception in the line of Dire Straits albums, sound quality wise. I didn't sound as crystal clear as the previous and follow up albums. It has some kind of "dirty" sound, that fits perfectly to the music content.

BTW, the remaster the biggest improvement in the series, besides Brothers In Arms, IMO.

 

No worries, I just wanted make sure I wasn't missing something.

 

I agree with you, Christian. I'm surprised so many people think Making Movies sounds so great. FWIW I slightly prefer the Japan for U.S. WB disc to the W. German Vertigo. I've never heard the remaster.

 

I have the plain jane orig. unremastered US pressing of "Love Over Gold" and it is possibly the best-sounding disc I own. Amazing.

Also, I think the plain jane orig. unremastered US pressing of "Making Movies" sounds pretty great as well.

Who did the mastering on these?

 

I hear what you're talking about in Making Movies. It doesn't have the perfect sheen of Love Over Gold. But I love the music, and I think the sound fits.

Tim