New 'Oo Anthology

Dave,

I agree...everytime...there are no exceptions...resistance is futile!

Bob

 

You will be assimiliated! All attempts to escape are futile. We will control the video, we will control the audio.....I was watching the original 60's Outer Limits recently..where the aliens are not nice and do not like UDII's (sophomoric attempt at keeping my post on subject).

Bob

 

As soon as someone knows for sure who is remastering the Who Ultimate Collection, please fill the rest of us in. I still can't find that information on the web. Thanks.

 

I'm a big Who fan but really, how many greatest hits packages does one really need? While I am curious about the specifics and sound qualoty, I don't think I will be purchasing this one.

On a similar note, I read that the Who will be performing a couple of new songs during their tour this year and possibly releasing an album with new material. This could be good or bad, I don't know but it has sparked my curiousity. apparently, all the new releases of Scoop and some writing Pete has done has sparked some creative juices. Stay tuned...

 

Why does "It's Hard" always get the shaft?

At least the new "Ultimate Collection" has "Eminence Front" on it. Is it just me? I really, really like "It's Hard". I'm more apt to play that one than any other Who album. (A lot of that has to do with the over-play overkill of "Who's Next" on the radio). Wouldn't it have been nice to have "It's Your Turn" as the last song on this collection. Since we're hoping for great new Who material, it's time to re-evaluate "It's Hard".

I think "Athena", "It's Your Turn", and "Cooks County" is one of my favorite 1-2-3 punches on an album, ever. It's not the greatest lyrically, but it's a nice tuneful collection, in contrast to "Who Are You", which is a plodding, chore to listen to, and it's not a imposing concept album (as good as they were at those).
Which version on CD is the best sounding? The initial WB version, the first MCA or the (horrors!) MCA remaster?


nashreed

 

So you haven't actually compared the UD1 and UD2 of Quadrophenia?

 

Actually Dob, Yes I have. The UD2 sounds a little less alive (breath of life?). Not gross or anything but just a bit better IMHO.

 

I'm wondering why you didn't post that in the first place?

Your earlier post seemed to imply that Quadrophenia wasn't one of the dozen or so that you compared, but that since UD1s are superior to UD2s "everytime", it isn't necessary to compare each and every one. I'm getting the impression that you may actually feel that way, but I acknowledge that your opinions on the UD1/UD2 Quadrophenia are based on listening and comparing, not assumptions.

 

Dob,

Sorry, I thought it was clear. I would never assume that one sounds better than the other. BTW It's actually 22 comparisons I've done and of all 22 the Ud1 is better than the UD2.

So based on the theory of almost a 50% comparison of what's available in both pressings ( I think there's 48), I would logically draw the conclusion that the UD1 versions are better, but until I hear them all, I can only say perhaps, based on previous experience.

If you want I'll be happy to post the albums and my findings.

 

Post away, Dave! I'm especially interested in which albums show the largest differences, in your opinion. I remember you mentioning that DSOTM is one of them...

 

All righty then....

Most of the UD2's suffer from our old enemy "over compression" with added treble, and bass. Not an overly gross amount, like in a major amount of todays masterings, but still noticeable. You loose some of the realism of the sound as well.

Pink Floyd: Dark Side Of The moon (the absolute worst, very narrow sound stage and muddy definition. the UD1 is miles better!)

Supertramp: Crime Of The century (UD2 is flat sounding)

Huey Lewis & The News: Sports (UD2 is dull, not as life-like)

The Police: Syncronicity (UD2 is mushy)

The Moody Blues: Days Of Future Past (instrument definition is
lost in some of the orchestral intstruments with the UD2)

Pink Floyd: Meddle (UD2 is flat and dull)

Cat Stevens: Tea For The Tillerman (UD1 mild to med improvement over the UD2)

Def Leppard: Pyromania (not a very good recording to start with)

The Carpenters: A Song For You (Karen sure sounds more alive on the UD1)

Elton John: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (DCC is better!)

Rod Stewart: Every Picture Tells A Story (UD2 is dull)

The Who: Tommy (med improvement over the UD2)

Supertramp: Breakfast In America (UD1 is more alive)

Elton John: Honkey Chateau (piano sound just doesn't measure up. Too dull sounding in the UD2)

Bryan Adams: Reckless ( could have been better)

John Coltrane: Blue Train

The Who: Quadraphenia (very noticeable vocal improvements in the UD1)

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers: Damn The Torpedos

Blood, Sweat & Tears: S/T (The horns aren't alive in the UD2)

Cream: Disraeli Gears (better definition both instrumentally and vocally in the UD1)

Jimmy Reed: Live At Carnegie Hall (Guitar doesn't sound as good in the UD2)

Hope that helps someone.

And more yet to come...

 

The WB "It's Hard" was awful, to my ears. Muddy and lifeless.

The MCA remix sounds better, but the remixes make some radical changes to the songs. Several have much longer fade-outs, which is not a huge deal, but some genius decided to run the martial drum pattern under the entire intro to "Cry If You Want," instead of having it come in under "Don't you get embarrassed..." Ruins it for me.

Haven't heard the standard MCA version.

Ryan

 

Dave,

Thanks for the post. You've obviously spent quite some time on this UD1/UD2 issue and I commend your effort.

In reading your comments, I can't help thinking that, in many cases, the differences you hear can't be easily qualified as "better" or "worse". For example, while you often characterize the UD2 version as "dull", someone else might find the UD1 version as "bright".

Imagine if I took a homemade recording and made three versions - flat, 1db boost at 10k, and 1db cut at 10k. Each one has positives and negatives associated with it. The 10k boost version may have more "air" and "sparkle", but the vocals may sound slightly harsh. The 10k cut version has nice vocals, but the piano sounds dull. And while the flat version might seem to be the best compromise, it may be the one that does NOTHING well!

I have covered a lot of the same ground in my Japan/USA cd comparisons. While I happen to (usually) like the tonality of the Japan CDs, I can certainly understand someone else prefering the USA versions. I recently compared the Japan mini-LP version of the first Black Sabbath to the UK mini-LP version. The Japan one is brighter, and while that helped some tracks, it was to the detriment of others. Can't say which one is better, but they are definitely different (plus the Japan CD has an extra track).

And although you have found a difference every time you have compared UD1s to UD2s, the only comparison that I have done (Dream of the Blue Turtles) was inconclusive. If there is a difference, I can't hear it.

 

Yep. Ruins it for me, too. Of course, if I had heard the remix version first, and the original second, who knows - maybe I'd feel differently!