I just order a couple yesterday, but need more info. Any specific (label, sleeve type, etc.) recommendations? Also, has anyone heard the LP Sleeve version of Allman Bro.--Brothers And Sisters? A couple of others I was looking at was Procol Harem--A Whiter Shade Of Pale and Elto John--Madman...
Pig (may I call you that?) I've always been impressed with CDs from East/West Japan. Artists are Yes and Led Zep (but there is distortion on Fragile and.... ummm heck I forgot - Close to the Edge?) They seem to be better quality, like the sonic improvement of MFSL's UD1 over the UD2s. I think its a better production (factory) quality. I've never heard a Toshiba/EMI release (McCartney, Floyd) that sounded any different than the domestic release. However someone posted that there WAS an improvement in certain Toshiba/EMI CDs.... Hope this helps. It's a murky world when you get into different contries....
I have the Elton John - Madman Across the Water and it is excellent: more detailed than the Ultradisc I have, but placed on a smaller sounstage. Some might prefer it over the MFSL, but I keep pulling the Ultradisc out.
I agree with Randy. Madman is excellent, but MFSL did a tremendous job on the UDCD. The UDCD is one of my favorites. Of course, the DCC vinyl re-issue is the best, followed very closely by a DJM LP original. I think the difference can be attributed to the better vinyl quality of the DCC version. The DJM LP is that good.
Yeah, you can call me pig, or stymaster is that suits you better. Gary, do you have vinyl copies of Yes? If I remember correctly, my old Yes LPs (especially Fragile) were all a bit frayed in the upper frequencies. Don't know if there's a connection, but my Asia lp is the same way That was a bit disappointing. Re: Elton John--Madman I seriously doubt I'll be getting a UD1 at the prices I've seen it going for. Anyway, I ordered The Royal Scam, Thick As A Brick, and Closer To Home.
Pig, avoid the East/West Fragile like the plague. It's not good - LOTS of peak distortion. I reckon my late UK WEA vinyl pressing sounded as crappy as this, as did a Japanese vinyl version I had many eons ago.The routine US remaster is excellent - no sign of the severe distortion. If you want something a little more interesting packaging wise, go for the Atlantic Gold CD, but make sure you get the version with "We have heaven... Reprise" on the end of the CD. If you want to go for broke, get Tales From Topographic Oceans from Japan - it's a HUGE improvement.
Any idea how you can tell which version is which - by the outside packaging? A friend of mine has the version WITHOUT the "We have heaven" reprise on it. Certainly took ME by suprise! He was lucky - got it for $51.00 on eBay. And now they are going for BIG bucks. Do you know if there is any sonic improvements with the Gold disc? Pig, I do have the Fragile vinyl (and a lot of other Yes) but it's been soooo long since I've heard it that I can't comment on it! But it did sound good thru my old Technics turntable and receiver (circa 1978). But then again, most things sounded the same (flat, lifeless, dull, muted) on that system. Since then I've completed a few upgrades...
Hey, I had a similar vintage Technics as well. That was before I moved to Thorens. I haven't played those Yes lps for years, but I think my recollection is pretty clear in that their sound quality was not too good. I bought those records as they were released. John, I'm probably wrong, but I had always assumed that it was all due to the sound quality on the master tape that the eary vinyl sounded the way it did. Are you saying that's not the case?
Gary, I had a chance to borrow a copy of the Fragile gold CD a while back and I compared it to the regular domestic remaster. They sounded identical. The mastering engineer on the remaster is Joe Gastwirt, and I believe (if memory serves) he also did the gold CD. Unless he did the job twice (doubtful), the domestic remaster is probably a clone of the gold CD.
The regular US CD remaster sounds better than any vinyl I ever heard. The late UK vinyl sounded much like the Japanese HDCD CDs in the case of Fragile and CTTE - the copies I remember had very thick vinyl with orange peel surface (lots of vinyl roar), just before WEA Germany took over the pressing. I wonder if these could have been remastered from the vinyl eq copies? The MoFi CTTE was very good I seem to remember...
From all I've heard, the gold CD and the regular remaster are the same except for the excellent booklet and box included with the gold CD and the certainty of getting the "We Have Heaven reprise" if you get the aluminium version. I personally would not waste my money either - I lucked into the gold CD when it was in print and affordable. Ebay - I don't think so.