“Just get the remaster”

This forum is truly amazing. It’s the only place I know of where I can enjoy twisting and turning of various releases, masterings and sonics in general of the music I love or are getting into. A sanctuary of nerdery, and it’s great.

What I can’t understand however is those who tries to put a lid on it.

For example, in a thread with a title like ”What’s the best CD version of xxx?” and forum folks are really delving into it, comparing peak values of North Korean second pressings with Japan for Lichtenstein first issues in their quest for great sonics, every third or fourth comment reads something like: ”Just get the recent US remaster. It sounds good enough. Don’t bother with the rare stuff.”

Often those comments are thrown by people who’s only heard the remaster and can’t compare it with anything at all.

Well, I’m here because I DO bother with sound, and I would not be here at all if I didn’t care. If the remaster is the best sounding version that’s the one I want. But I do want to compare and know what’s out there: the finer points of nerdery.

You who litters threads with the just-get-the-remaster-and-be-done-with-it-remarks, I can understand where you are coming from – that’s how most people think. But on a forum like this there should also be some understanding that some of us really like to go deep into the stuff we love.

What do you think?

 

I think you should just get the remaster...

 

I generally think that people here come with their suggestions based on what they think may be the very best release sound-wise. Sound is quite subjective so some may prefer a deeper bass compared to some who prefer a more balanced sound. Some think the treble is too much on a release whereas others might think it sounds fine. So - to sum it up - use the advice given here and then use your own ears.

 

I see your point, but the majority of releases discussed on this forum, you'll have someone say "this is the best version available," then the next person will say, "No, that release is horrible, this is the best version." Then someone will say, "That pressing is off-center, and wobbly," Then the next person will say "Mine is flat."

Of course, everybody loves that 2009 Red Hot Chili Peppers' Blood Sugar Sex Magik pressing. Definitely get that.

 

Sometimes it's good to know that a generally available version of an album is also a very good one. I think it's important to know the lay of the land - whether the ONLY way to get a good version of an album is to get an audiophile or OOP version or whether there is a current one that is also outstanding. There's a difference between saying, "Get the remaster" because it's especially good as opposed to saying it because who cares about sound quality. Most people here probably don't mean it in the second sense.

 

I haven't been here long but the response above is one that I don't know if I've ever seen, let alone in every third or fourth response! I get the sense that people know what type of listener frequents this message board and don't want to stifle it in any way.

Some of the remaster threads I've gone back to like Judas Priest and Genesis are almost uniformly against the remasters! You'd be lucky to find one comment in favor of them, let alone 25%!

 

I tend not to give advice on the sort of thread that you're talking about (because I don't trust my ears to make those sort of decisions for someone else) but it's always very useful to me when someone says "just get the remaster" because I'm not willing to pay for exotic versions of any but a small number of releases, and it's useful to know that the remaster is at least okay rather than an ear-bleed compressed mess.

Of course, chances are that the next post in the thread is complaining that the remaster is indeed an ear-bleed compressed mess, but I guess you learn to filter out the well-grounded opinions here from the completely uninformed ones.

 

I tend to buy the generally available CDs. I've had a total of two MFSL titles. If our host puts out something I really want, I'll probably buy it since I've had so much fun cluttering this forum with my nonsense.

Most of the time, I'll go with the first remaster of a CD. As to subsequent remasters of that same album, that's where I'd be careful and consult this forum. But if I can get the latest remaster significantly cheaper, that's also a consideration.

I'll add that sometimes the difference between the first issue of a CD and the first remaster of the same CD can be so negligible, it's not worth pursuing the remaster. For instance, I have the first issue (1990) CD of The Harder They Come and also the 2001 remaster. The remaster has ever so slightly more present bass and high-end, but nothing to write home about. So, if someone here found the first issue in the bargain bins, I'd advise them to go for that one and stand pat.

 

Perfect!
the beave

 

You forgot to add a really condescending comment about how it's the music that matters

 

I love this part of your post, and I think that it explains perfectly why many people saying "just get the recent remaster". It is just a common sence reaction.

 

My thoughts weren't aimed at remasters in general - there are many examples where they sound better than previous issues - but at the fact that some putting people down because they get nerdy over tiny differences. Of course it is pretty silly most of the times, but that's one thing I love about this place: that this is a sanctuary for that kind of weirdness.

And I was exaggerating (a lot) when I wrote that every three or four posts.

 

Hey! If i wanted common sense, I'd just talk to my normal friends!

 

This doesn't apply to the Who catalog.

Evan

 

This sort of sarcasm has been done to death. The early pressings we discuss generally are not obscure. Often times, many of us have these pressings.

 

Nor the Judas Priest catalog.

Brian

 

i know of no one hear (ha, ha!!) that's just consistently posts:

w/o saying why (or are getting askED why for sure!!!).

Plus, it wouldn't be the forum it is w/o someone posting:

you don't want the forum too be "Just Get The Target" do ya?!?!

& i WANT people too eXperience the re-masterED 'Seeds' on Ace/BIG BEAT!

 

And if you've only heard the remastered, sixth release of a given title you lack an informed enough opinion to waste time telling us it's "good enough". If you have two versions and one is clearly better than the other, you can reasonably mention that.

If the answer is that the (rare) Target cd IS the best sounding by all means please say so.

 

Sometimes the remaster is a worthy contender. Regardless of the suggestion being offered, hopefully the person offering the suggestion has paid attention to question being asked and has done some comparisons to warrant a definitive recommendation.

If the question is, "Which is better, the 35DP or 32DP version of Wish You Were Here?", "Just get the remaster" is not helpful, especially if the remaster has not been compared to the other two discs.

Of course, this all should be obvious.

 

I will always seek out two copies of a Title to compare, Most likely an early one and a remaster. I keep certain copies of terrible remasters on hand, Just to show people the difference.
Early ABKCO Stones Comes to mind, awful copies!!!! I never knew about ear bleed before I came here

 

Exactly!

 

As I wrote, a remaster can be the greatest sounding version of any given album. Sometimes it's the Target, the german original, MFSL, AF, DCC, whatever. But those things are mostly explored by sharing knowledge, discussions and comparisons.

 

I tried to be sarcastic about those using that kind of sarcasm, but I guess I failed horribly.

And of course a lot of early great sounding pressings are common - and great sounding. But if there's something out there that might be better, I want to know about it. Even if I never buy or hear it.

 

Of course, butt you just don't want this fine "forum" too be "Just Get The Target" do ya?

 

Some these horrid remasters must sound good to someone's ears, I mean there must have been people in the booth while making the thing and said" It Sounds Awesome!!!"