For someone collecting the albums for their first time, what would be the best value? I'd prefer to get each CD for under $20... I've never messed with SACDs and I don't think I want to bother. I have a budget but want to do the very best I can.
I imagine you can get each of the original CDs for less than $5. I regularly see the WG Vertigo CDs for a few Pounds. Even the blue swirls with black lettering shouldn't cost much in Europe (mine were in the same price bracket as the red swirls). The blue lettered blue swirls are an entirely different matter.
The original CD masters from Warner sound really good and Be had for a song and dance. It doesn't have to be a target either because, as I recall, they target masterings--although different in some cases--they all sound really really good. Another but more expensive are the blue swirl Vertigo releases from the U.K. There are other variations but, based on the $ you mentioned these are the more cost effective choices.
The only poorly mastered Dire Straits CDs I have come across are the 2005 compilation Private Investigations: The Best of Dire Straits and Mark Knopfler, and the 20th Anniversary Edition of Brothers In Arms. Both of these CDs are brickwalled. I have the 1996 remasters for all the albums and have never felt like seeking out any alternative copies - while they may be louder than the original pressings I would not describe them as compressed or as victims of a 'loudness war' style remastering. In the UK they are available for around £6 each brand new.
100% agreed. Bob Ludwig did a great job. I imagine these are the easiest to find and most can be bought in the $5-10 US range.
Both the originals and remasters are cheap. If you're in the US, then Barnes and Noble has the first 4 remasters brand new for $5 a piece. Brothers in Arms is $8 (though I remember it being $5 when I bought it not too long ago).
Yeah, the remasters sound like the way to go for me barring making movies. I will get the vertigo swirl for that one. Are the ones on Amazon the Bob Ludwig remasters then? https://www.amazon.com/Dire-Straits...swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1510062881&sr=8-3 I'd need a SACD player... and then all the SACDs are more expensive... I tried reading up on it but I forget how it all works now. I think a SACD player can play and rip regular CDs still...
Personally I would get the original CDs because to my ears they sound more organic and natural than the remasters, although the latter aren't bad. I don't mind the early fades. All SACD players also read standard CDs of course. Some of the players are 'universal players', they read SACD, CD, DVD, and Blu-Ray. That's what I have (Oppo UDP-203). Some video game consoles can also play SACDs (Playstation 3 or 4 I don't remember) in addition to all the other formats. SACD players are always standalone players, there are no computer SACD players.
Alright thanks. I may give both listens and see what I think. But is the one I linked on Amazon the Ludwig remaster and not something else?
I've only got the s/t WG Vertigo so no comparison but I will say it sounds very very good. Cost a couple of quid too as a bonus.
I thought that the original Vertigo swirl of Making Movies sounded a bit "thin" for lack of a better way to describe it, so I got myself a made in Japan SACD and I have to say that I love it so much I got some of the others on SACD too. I got a Warners of the debut to get the full length versions and I did not like the sound of that one so much so I got the Japanese shm on the recommendation of folks here. Again that was the way to go albeit at a price. I really hope that the much discussed mofis come out. You can ever have enough versions!
As a long time Dire Straits fan I have owned all the studio albums on Vinyl since they first came out, but apart from Communique (probably one of the first CDs I ever bought), all my CDs were the 1996 remasters. Prompted by this thread I decided to start collecting earlier copies of all the other albums. I recently got a 1984 West German Red Swirl Vertigo copy of the first album. I knew about the early fades, notably on Sultans of Swing, but what I wasn't expecting was the way "In the Gallery" fades in, and starts not so much with a bang, but a wimper. (The first thing I noticed when I played through the CD the first time). Oh well, I guess it's back to the 1996 version for now. (Note, I increased the level of the 1984 version (top), for a better comparison).
I think the MOFI Brothers In Arms is the best one. I have the SHM Platinum of Dire Straits and am happy with it, probably will not get the MOFI when it comes out.
The japanese target CD and the first american pressing of "Dire Straits" don't have these early fade outs and fade ins. It's also less bright
The Japanese SHM-SACD’s then the Remasters and BIA on MFSL is essential too. The original vertigo or target are not appealing to me at all. I had them and away they went when the remasters arrived.
Having heard he W. German Blue swirl, Orange swirl Vertigo CD's and the original USA, both Vertigo and Warner Bothers CD's, and Canadian Vertigo pressings I can say they honestly pale in comparison to these. If you want the best these are they. Dire Straits (Japan Target) Warner Bros/Sanyo 3266-2 Communiqué (Japan Target) Warner Bros/Sanyo 3330-2 Making Movies (Japan for USA) Warner Bros/Sanyo 3480-2 Love Over Gold (Japan Target) Warner Bros/Sanyo 9 23728-2 Brothers In Arms (Japan for US) Warner Bros/Phono 9 25264-2 Alchemy (W. German Target) Warner Brothers 9 25085-2
