I want to pick up New Order's catalog on CD (up to Technique): please advise!

Have you ever heard the US Qwest to be able to compare the two?

Or has anyone else?

 

There is this brief thread regarding Substance:

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=198159&highlight=new+order

 

I recently found the 2CD Factory "Substance" and I didn't think it sounded too different from the Qwest, but I haven't yet done side-by-side comparisons. I'll try to do that soon.

 

No. If someone here has, I defer, obviously.

When I got into NO, I stuck with acquiring only UK original CD's and LP's. So far, so good.

 

Is this the title of the book you are referring to?

Factory Records: A Complete Graphic Album

 

Yikes, not really a bargain book at all is it?

 

Yes. And do NOT buy the cheap U.S. paperback version. Get the UK hardbound and be glad you did.

 

I was lucky. Got mine new in Vancouver 2-3 years ago. About $80.00 IIRC.

Out of print now, hence the high price.

I collect books too, and I'd wager this will retain its value. New Order, Factory, Madchester....it was all pretty darn important if you ask me. But then, I believe in these sorts of things.

 

Of the ones I have to compare, I agree. The Quest issue of Substance was one of the worst-mastered sets in my collection and the others... "nothing special" is about right.

The remasters are loud and compressed, no question, but the repaired versions are my go-to New Order discs.

A preference for the vinyl is certainly a defensible position.

 

I haven't heard the Japan market 30CY NO Substance, but the 30CY JD Substance is special. I was very, very pleased.

 

It does look like a very cool book. Is the hard cover coffee table size? I wonder if it's easier to find in England?

 

I had the Qwest Substance for years and now own the Factory Substance. Neither sounds fantastic to me, but the Factory was definitely better. The Qwest version sounded absolutely terrible to me, really submerged sounding, if you know what I mean. Just tonally dull, as if you were listening to the whole thing through earmuffs. The UK is better, but still doesn't sound great to me.

Unfortunately, vinyl isn't really an option on this title, as it only covers the first of the two CDs.

 

Pick up the 30CY from eBay and let us know. I'd say there is a pretty decent chance that it's the best. I'm sure someone on the forum has it. Anyone!?

 

I wish New Order would remix some of their stuff, especially Ceremony, to bring the vocals up in the mix, and all of Movement could benefit as well.

 

Yes as to size of book - I estimate it measures about 9" x 12", give or take. I have never understoof why U.S. booksellers seem to be unable to bring in books from British publishers. Their reason: "Our Suppliers don't have accounts with anyone who can get that book" seems not credible to me given that one can simply go on amazon uk and order it.

It would of course be easier to find in the U.K.

 

On the other and unrelated hand, the 1994 compilation "Best of New Order" (the one with the blue squiggly thing on the cover) did come out on vinyl in the UK, and with all songs that are on the CD. Found a copy used locally a year or so ago for $15.00. Store obviously did not know what they had. Quite rare AFAIK.

There's some cross over track wise between Substance and Best of, but not too much. You really need both. I think I have UK vinyl of Substance too, but I can't recall playing it. The
"Best Of" UK vinyl I do recall playing and being vey impressed with it.

 

My "go to" for New Order on cd is usually the Retro boxset. I am in the camp that found the original Qwest cds to be abysmal and was also quite shocked at how loud/compressed "singles" sounded. In fact, because of that release and the known manufacturing errors in the remasters, I have shied away from those altogether and just downloaded a few key tracks from iTunes to fill in the blanks from the boxset.

 

Yes, I've used tracks from that project to put together my own 2-disc version of Substance and they sound beautiful, even in AAC format, but I'd love it if the guys upstairs used that material -- which the fans are willing to hand over freely -- for lossless releases. Not holding my breath though...

In the meantime, I went ahead and decided to do the following:

-- ordered London / Centre Date issues (with same mastering as the original Factory issues) of Power Corruption & Lies, Brotherhood, Substance and Technique from Amazon.uk

-- ordered the 2009 Collector's Editions for Movement and Low-Life. In the case of Movement, I did this because I am probably more interested in the tracks on the bonus disc than the album proper (at this point anyway). In the case of Low-Life, I made the decision because of the information posted by good people in this thread that there was no original Low-Life Factory CD, and that subsequent Factory and London/Centre Dates issues derived from inferior source material. Plus, the bonus tracks don't look too bad on that one as well.

While doing my searches, I also stumbled across the following book, which looks wonderful:

Manchester: Looking for the Light Through the Pouring Rain

 

I've looked at various New Order threads but can't find the answer to my question.

I have a CD of Brotherhood purchased in Japan around 2005 or 2006. It's London Records and the no. is listed as "WPCR-75044 (FACD 150)" in the booklet. The CD just says WPCR-75044 and "1986 CentreDate Ltd."

Anyone know what mastering is on this disc? Is it the same as the original Factory CD?

 

car carry cases are an extra? they come on normal jewel case + carry car cases?

 

How does this release's mastering compare with the Factory/London/CentreDate mastering (e.g. FACD 75)?

 

I haven't heard your Japan pressing, but I don't like the CentreDate reissue of Low-life. And I'd expect to dislike the CentreDate reissue of PC&L as well.
I'm not in the camp that says "UK orig cd's all sound better than Qwest." In fact, sometimes I prefer the Qwest cd of PC&L over the FACD 75 UK. It's a little warmer. And there's no pre-emphasis on the Qwest Low-life. The UK orig has pre-emphasis and put the "PE flag" in the wrong place, so some or all players won't play it correctly. It's bright!

 

Oh, OK! Interesting. Thanks for the helpful feedback Maybe I'll track down the US Qwest release. I have both the US Qwest and the UK Low-life. I find with de-emphasis applied I typically prefer the UK release. However, I ordinarily listen on a computer, so that's easy enough to do (or, if in the car, I'll burn a copy with de-emphasis applied for albums that have pre-emphasis). On the other hand, I've never heard the Qwest release of PC&L, so I have no point of comparison on that one. My Japanese pressing of PC&L doesn't appear to have pre-emphasis. Not sure about FACD 75 since I've never heard it.

 

I too have Substance on CD (it is still available inexpensively used) and it will will suffice until Rhino/Warner release an Original Album Series 5CD hopefully with original masterings.
The same goes for the Smiths, I have the recent compilation CD but I am waiting for an Original Album Series set.
As you can tell I am in no hurry.

 

There was a Complete Smiths box, so you aren't likely to get an Original Album series issue.