Exile on Main St. on CD - Is there anything better than the 1994 Virgin RM

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Andersoncouncil, Feb 4, 2016.

  1. Andersoncouncil

    Andersoncouncil Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    upstate NY
    Wow---this CD sounds so nice. The 1994 Virgin remaster could be one of the nicest CD's I ever heard. The 2009 remaster is brickwalled and nearly unlistenable, while the original CBS CD has some strange volume fluctuation on Sweet Virginia---this is a very noticeable flaw, along with the CD just sounding dull to my ears. But man oh man the 1994 Virgin is beautiful. Anyone else agree? Are there any other digital versions that surpass this? (i've only heard the three I mentioned).
     
  2. Remy

    Remy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brooklyn NY
    I agree, it's a nice sounding CD. I like all the Virgin Stone reissues. But I think I might like the 2013 Platinum Shm-cd flat transfer a little more.
     
  3. mikeja75

    mikeja75 Forum Resident

    Location:
    U.S.
    +1. I really love all of the flat transfer CDS from Japan, but the Virgin sounds great too.
     
  4. bruce2

    bruce2 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Connecticut, USA
    I have both the original CBS CD and the Virgin '94 remaster. I prefer the CBS.
     
  5. quicksrt

    quicksrt Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Love the Virgin CD of this album. I sense that there were first generation reels of some songs used for the first time. There is also speculation that a few songs were remixed.

    Whatever they did, it's a very focused presentation of the album like no other.

    The Japanese SACD I've read is the best presentation of the "Artisan" LP master tape, or the mixed and asembled master.

    It's confusing with this album. The true master is a difficult one to work from. The Virgin tackled the beast.

    The Artisian cutting master used to make original LP sets was used to good advantage on the SACD or so I'm let to believe.
     
  6. Lucidae

    Lucidae AAD

    Location:
    Australia
    To my ears the CBS is the most crankable, so that's my pick.
     
  7. beasandpeans

    beasandpeans Forum Resident

    The SACD is the best.
     
    lechiffre, JRM, sami and 6 others like this.
  8. James_S888

    James_S888 Forum Resident

    For CD - the 1994 Virgin CD. Rumour has it that it's actually a new mix, done or overseen by Bob Ludwig. Whatever, for a CD, it's the best.
    The SHM-SACD is very, very good.

    Vinyl - the original Artisan US pressing. Or the US metal masters used wherever. I like the German pressing using the Artisan metal because the vinyl quality is so much better.

    The recent Masher Marcussen reissue is awful.
     
  9. tlake6659

    tlake6659 Senior Member

    Location:
    NJ
    CBS CD for me.
     
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  10. jhw59

    jhw59 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Rehoboth Beach DE.
    Blu Ray ain't bad
     
  11. hbbfam

    hbbfam Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chandler,AZ
    I had the virgin, the deluxe remaster and Platinum. To me the Platinum was by far the best sounding.
     
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  12. Limopard

    Limopard National Dex #143

    Location:
    Leipzig, Germany
    I like the '94 Virgin enough for not looking any further.
     
  13. mdm08033

    mdm08033 Senior Member

    Keep in mind that the backing tracks were recorded under the influence of sunshine, wine and narcotics in the south of France. Vocals and finishing touches were completed in Los Angeles where the Glimmer Twins also had unlimited access to all the blow and bourbon they could consume. Nothing will ever make it sound good, just like grainy look of The Godfather.

    The CBS and 1994 Virgin are cheap and common. I'm burnt out on Sweet Virginia so I hit the skip button and miss the abrupt volume. I enjoys the warts and all CBS but keep the absolutely perfect 1994 mini LP Virgin reissues for fondling. If I had a better vinyl rig maybe my 1985 vinyl would sing but I'm to cheap to upgrade.
     
  14. dabl

    dabl Senior Member

    Location:
    Indianapolis, IN
    That's a pretty ridiculous rumor.

    If they had authorized a remix from the multichannel tapes why would they have chosen to use a mastering engineer?

    Bob Clearmountain has been the remix engineer they've picked for any such work over the past few years.
     
  15. joelee

    joelee Hyperactive!

    Location:
    Houston
    Japan SACD is the real deal. I burned it to redbook and it trounces all other versions too.
     
  16. tkl7

    tkl7 Agent Provocateur

    Location:
    Lewis Center, OH
    Both the Virgin and the Pt SHM CD are excellent. The CBS CD is terrible, and the 2009 is an even worse pile of poo.
     
  17. mdm08033

    mdm08033 Senior Member

    Another thing, back in 2010 Don Was said the original master is MIA.
     
  18. PhilBorder

    PhilBorder Senior Member

    Location:
    Sheboygan, WI
    "Exile" is so goofy sounding and mixed so (choose one) strangely/poorly/carelessly/uniquely that I wonder one expects of a 'good' sounding version. I mean, it's not like the kind of record you;d use to test stereo equipment.
     
  19. James_S888

    James_S888 Forum Resident

    exactly. that was already the case in 1994. that lead to the delivery of a mint copy of exile to don was at his place in LA while he was doing some early recording for voodoo lounge with jagger and richards. that was used as reference for bob ludwig when the CD was done. given that the master was awol, how did he get the tape used for that cd?
     
  20. The Beave

    The Beave My Wife Is My Life! And don’t I forget it!

    I just scoured Google because I remember something about a 'lost' tape/tapes. But I found nothing definitive.
    Now, the light just turned on in me head. If you have the Japanese SACD or the Platinum Shm Exile........
    then you already have a clone copy of the original so called UK master tape!
    Unless their equing the new transfer it cannot sound better than the SACD/Platinum. So pop that one in, play it and
    ask yourself if you wanna spend $60 on a vinyl version of that.
    See, I just fell into the same collector bait on this before the light turned on.
    I ALREADY have the version of Exile that is the closest thing to the master tape.
    Just shows you they do know how to play us.
    Just keep buying the same thing..........
    And Jagger doesn't care, he and the boys already got paid, it's their record company that has to take the loss of unsold product.
    the beave
     
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  21. KeninDC

    KeninDC Hazy Cosmic Jive

    Location:
    Virginia, USA
    SHM-SACD is sublime and captures the magic. The Virgin CD is really darn good. My Virgin CD is a UK Nimbus mastering in the album-style sleeve. The CBS CD is distant, sloppy, and wrong. But it's Exile, not Aja, so the CBS has its fans. 2009 Universal is a dog's breakfast and its "modern" sound is the artistic equivalent of colorizing Casablanca.

    I have three US Artisan LPs and these sound swell. The only folks who think the Canadian LP sounds better are Canadian. Just saying.

    Nothing murky about the mix. Just don't expect Mick's voice to become unburied in the mix. It was meant to be that way. Like an old blues record.
     
  22. Stone Turntable

    Stone Turntable Independent Head

    Location:
    New Mexico USA
    Yeah, well just expect to pay @ $50 or more for that SHM CD.

    :sigh:

    I’m happy with the Artisan vinyl and the 1994 Virgin CD.
     
  23. tkl7

    tkl7 Agent Provocateur

    Location:
    Lewis Center, OH
    It's 30 dollars from CD Japan, and so is the SHM-SACD. Both are worth every penny.
     
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  24. The Beave

    The Beave My Wife Is My Life! And don’t I forget it!

    Uh.....$30.97 from Cd Japan for the Platinum Shm which is the redbook version of the sacd:

    http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/UICY-40001

    Now THAT'S a steal!
    the beave
     
  25. old school

    old school Senior Member

    Platinum SHM is my favorite.
     
    Dave Hoos likes this.

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