Japanese CDs - reliably good?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Vincent3, Jul 9, 2016.

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  1. sandimascharvel

    sandimascharvel Forum Resident

    Location:
    NJ USA
    If his understanding isn't accurate, it seems he still hears the differences. I'm sure he has an excellent ear. I'm not technical so my ears decide. He's a nice guy too if you have the opportunity to talk to him.

    I didn't fully answer your question before. My listening tests are double blind and have been repeated with consistent results, both on a full system (CD and lossless rips) and on a phone with lossless rips. For the Lillian Axe album I mentioned, there was only one mastering done. A very underrated band, undermined by bad record deals, but still out there killing it. Interestingly, when they recently re-issued their early CD's for a small run box set of 250, they used their own Japan CD's to master off of (they didn't have the master tapes). I knew their manager (RIP, Charlie) and he was aware of the pressing differences. I was referring to my Japan originals. For the two Ozzy albums I mentioned, there was only one mastering of each prior to 1995.

    For those that can tell the differences, not everyone cares. It's not like night and day. But it's enough to increase the enjoyment of a title for me. And again, it's not always the Japan pressing of a title/mastering that I prefer.
     
  2. gkella

    gkella Glen Kellaway From The Basement

    Location:
    Toronto, Canada
    I also have this LZ. standard set. Bought from Rhino a few years ago when they were clearing them out for 80.00. I believe they are the 90's remasters. The packaging is fantastic.
     
  3. Matthew B.

    Matthew B. Scream Quietly

    Location:
    Tokyo, Japan
    Wait, I'm confused. In some of the tests you were comparing rips of the CDs to each other?
     
  4. Marc Perman

    Marc Perman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Yes this set is almost worth it for the packaging alone, but I like the sound too. As I've listened to more vinyl lately I've come to appreciate less aggressively remastered CDs, if that makes sense.
     
  5. danielbravo

    danielbravo Senior Member

    Location:
    Caracas. DC
    I have bought and collected "many" Japanese CDs. The vast majority of cds made in Japan have a high standard of quality in manufacturing. This has always been very important to me. As for the quality of audio as many have said here, it is a matter "case by case"
    Sometimes it makes no sense to pay a high cost for a Japanese CD with the same master that you can find in a E.U or U.S cheap cd.
    If there are bonus tracks you can make an exception, depending on the quality of that extra material.

    I have bought many great and incredible japanese CDs great audio quality, great presentation, beautiful packaging, extra material ... some editions that I have bought today have a respectable value, but you have to be objective: Not everything that shines is gold

    At present I have reduced and better selected my purchases in cds, and I analyze better my decision before buying a cd made in Japan.

    Personally I have seen that it is increasingly common to find Japanese CDs with the same audio quality as their counterparts made in other parts of the world ... the time when many Japanese CDs could be "really good" has remained progressively in the past.

    With very few exceptions (special mini-lp editions, rare or exclusive masters for the Japanese market) it can not be said objectively that Japanese cds are better nowadays.
     
  6. Marc Perman

    Marc Perman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    I've collected a great many classical CDs from Japan, for years it was something of a parallel universe of major label releases not available in the west. Tower Records Japan has its own classical label in conjunction with UMG. Shopping for music in Tokyo is epic.
     
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  7. danielbravo

    danielbravo Senior Member

    Location:
    Caracas. DC
    All right ! It is still a situation as I have already mentioned "case by case", for many years I have collected Japanese CDs (70% of my collection are Japanese CDs, some rare to very rare and some not so much), during this time I have learned to appreciate the quality of manufacture and presentation of CDs made in Japan. I still buy some of them ... but I'm much more selective now.

    And it is true there are a lot of little known labels and very rare and exclusive releases for Japan. Another nice addition to buying cds from Japan is the excellent service and quality of attention from sellers from Japan records stores

    A whole world to know.
     
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  8. 32XD Japan1

    32XD Japan1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Pennsylvania USA
    Most Japanese CD's from '82 to '90 best American and European releases from '87 to '90. But as another member stated, it's always on a case by case basis.
     
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  9. sandimascharvel

    sandimascharvel Forum Resident

    Location:
    NJ USA
    Sorry, I didn't write that post too well. The CD's were compared to each other and the lossless rips to each other as well. The same sonic pressing differences are present either way you do it. I compared the CD's (and rips) on a full system and also compared the rips on a phone with a hi res app.
     
    Last edited: Jan 15, 2017
  10. Matthew B.

    Matthew B. Scream Quietly

    Location:
    Tokyo, Japan
    If copies of the CDs sound different, then either a disc is faulty or they're not the same mastering. Think about it. If they have the same digital mastering, then the music is encoded with the same set of ones and zeros. Copy them to your hard drive, and you've got an identical file under two different names.
     
  11. sandimascharvel

    sandimascharvel Forum Resident

    Location:
    NJ USA
    The masterings definitely aren't different and I doubt there's something faulty with so many factory pressed discs. My guess, based on what others have said, is that it has to do with the number of errors, integrity of the data, quality of the equipment and materials, or all of the above. One person on the forum said that they worked in a production plant and stampers were sometimes used well past the point when they should have been replaced. Whatever the case, pressing differences occur and others hear them as well so there's not any more I can say. Try some tests yourself, put theory aside, listen and see what happens. Worst that happens is you don't hear a difference and best is you end up with something that makes some of your favorite albums even more pleasant and fun to listen to.
     
    Last edited: Jan 15, 2017
  12. Matthew B.

    Matthew B. Scream Quietly

    Location:
    Tokyo, Japan
    No. Errors are extremely rare. The AccurateRip database works, for instance, because computers can capture every bit of music data perfectly, at many times the speed of normal CD playback. I've ripped thousands of discs. Even one patch of trouble on an old, scuffed disc is uncommon.

    And when errors happen, they're normally inaudible ― a tiny shift in pitch for a tiny fraction of a second, unrepeated ― or else obvious bursts of noise and digital gleeps. They don't manifest as narrowed stereo.

    Have you done file comparisons on these rips? I don't see how you can be sure these discs have the same masterings. We normally check for identical masterings by seeing whether the data is identical. If you're getting two different sets of data with two different stereo images, then by definition, those are two different masterings.
     
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