Genesis - early CD versions thread (Ver. 2)

I did "sorta" test it. I listened to the Mama audio for those first few seconds and compared it against the WG '83 release without de-emphasis applied - it sounded similar enough to me. I then applied de-emphasis to both and again they seemed similar for the first few seconds. Being listening tests, they aren't very conclusive.

I need to get those '83 samples up for ya!

 

I haven't really gotten into the whole pre-emphasis thing...I have read that the last few versions of iTunes are supposed to see the flag and do de-emphasis when you rip a CD, but I haven't really paid attention to see if that is actually the case, partly because it can be a pain to figure out exactly what pressings have it in the first place. What do you personally use to apply de-emphasis? I guess I would need to use something other than iTunes to rip to make sure it wasn't automatically applied...

 

Ripping with EAC will add "PRE" pre-emphasis tags to the CUE sheet provided that pre-emphasis has been properly flagged on the original CD to begin with. To actually apply pre-emphasis, I used to use the convolver plugin with Foobar2000 (and a WAV with the de-emphasis curve); now I use a dedicated deemphasis plugin/DSP with foobar. Since I want to keep the original files (for verification, etc.), using a plugin means I don't have to alter the original files. When I want to transfer the files to a PMP, I add the de-emphasis using SoX (making new copies).

 

Sounds convoluted. Get it- "convolver", "convoluted"....mmm yep.

 

On a serious note, I do have CUETools which I sometimes use to verify the ALAC rips I do with iTunes- I think the CUEripper tool included does create a cue sheet with the pre-emphasis flags if they are detected...

 

I would expect so, since CUETools attempts to match EAC in accuracy.

On that note, EAC 1.0 beta 4 is out, the first new version in 7 years!

 

I love very much Every Genesis album from From Genesis To Revelation up to ...And Then There Were Three... ( Included ) , I have all these titles on early original cds,
after that I like Specific songs from the other albums than full albums.
From Genesis 1983 Mama is a fantastic and emotional New wave song that I liked from the first time I heard him , Home By The Sea and Second Home By The Sea are also my favorites from the album.

I don't have this title on cd yet , I'm still considering which cd edition to buy but surely it will be one of the unremastered cd editions .

 

If it's any consolation I do like the original US Atlantic. It's just quiet but it is very crankable. And its cheap. Obviously other people say there are better options and there probably are, I just haven't heard them. But if you just want a cheap copy that sounds good give it a try.

 

And another benefit of the Atlantic, it's still sold "as new" in CD stores (at least in Canada anyway - there was never a "Definite Edition" remaster made for it).

 

Geez, I remember a lot of folks hating the original Atlantic CDs ... now they're coveted. Funny world.

 

It's not that the Atlantics are hated, it's just that some of the V/C discs are better . The only Atlantic that gets a bad rep around here is Nursery Cryme, and even that one sounded good to my ears the last time I heard it. I still need to compare the Atlantic to my V/C since I liked both.

 

I'll go on record saying the V/C self titled disc is better than the Atlantic. I finally managed to nab one a couple of months ago and I dig it. It's probably not so different that it's worth scouring the Earth for it, but it is better.

 

I'm fine with my MIJ Atlantic of the S/T...haven't felt the need to seek out another copy...

 

Well, a lot of people hated the Vertigo WG pressings too - I am convinced that's due to pre-emphasis not be properly flagged.

 

Definitely my feeling on the V/C Invisible Touch as well.

 

The exception being the Wind and Wuthering WEA USA Atco/Atlantic. That one deserves all the derision it has received.

 

I do recall however that it was a b***h to rip for some reason- perfectly pristine disc, but just wouldn't rip without errors. I finally made a disc image & burned it to a CD-R, then ripped it again with no issues. And, it does seem to have that issue of the sound waves not being entirely centered- I think someone referred to it as some kind of limiting- though if it introduces distortion, I can't hear it.

 

Do they still sell pre-remastered Israeli CDs where you are?

 

Do you mean a DC offset?

 

I'm not the biggest of Genesis fans, but I bought that here when it was first released (as I did with 'Abacab' and 'Duke') and I'm not looking to replace any of them. All of them steam along nicely with just a tweak of the volume knob.

 

Well, not quite. It's more a case of the peaks on the top being a little taller than the peaks on the bottom- if you look at the quieter passages, they don't appear to be above or below the center like in the example at the link you provided. If I get a chance, I'll post a waveform...

 

Here's a shot from the MIJ S/T from "Mama"- I chopped it up so you could see a good example of what I'm talking about along with the fade at the end where you can see there isn't really a DC offset:

It's not 100% consistent, but the peaks above zero tend to be higher than the peaks below (or I guess technically the "trough" below)...

 

Ah, like the "half-limited" PDO Foxtrot.

 

Kinda. I haven't checked the DR values for this pressing to see if they are different from the WG or USA- I would think any kind of limiting would show up there...