I actually like the sound on Survivor's Premonition and other early albums. It looks like they switched producer's for Vital Signs, from Frankie Sullivan to Ron Nevison. Vital Signs has a markedly different sound. I have the Japan-for-Europe CD (which I don't remember having PE) and the Japan Canyon. They sound pretty similar to me.
Another one I notice isn't on the list yet. Bad Company Desolation Angels USA Atlantic not remastered catalog # 8506-2. This one was pointed out to me by member 32XD and he was right. The standard CD always sounded kind of thin and bright but after you add the PE it's really good just like that BTO 2fer.
Do all version of the old, unremastered CD of Blue Nile's "Hats" have pre-emphasis? Or is it just the one with 12/89 in the matrix? My copy has "2/90 1 DA6" in the matrix. It's a U.S. copy.
The US Denon with your 90 date stamp may have been properly EQ'd. not sure Some 90's re-issues did get a 'fix' for other titles A good way to tell OT, with your new Onkyo, use your analog out, and then switch to digital out. You will definitely hear the difference if yours has pre or not.
Thanks for the tip. That indeed seems to have worked. Running as a transport through the DAC, it seems immediately brighter and thin. I guess that would mean pre-emph on the disc and that I need to decode my FLAC rip.
No problem. Since you brought up Blue Nile I just checked my US 2 track Denon 1989 promo The Downtown Lights, no pre-emphasis. I chuckle when people YT PE songs without the EQ added
Richard Thompson - Hand of Kindness (Hannibal HNCD 1313). I have been playing with my old Cambridge Audio CD2, for the first time in a number of years. It features a few display indicators that never really found much favour elsewhere, such as the Disc Fault and Pre-emphasis lights. I used the above CD to test if the PE light still functioned, then remembered that it didn't appear in this list.
Also Kitaro - Silk Road II - Canyon P-3003 Anyone want to place bets on Kitaro - Oasis - Canyon P-3002? I have one on the way...
Akiko Yano "Gohan Ga Dekitayo" 1980 (first CD issue from 1982 - Japan Record 35JC-1) flags only in subcode
Bernard Herrmann - North by Northwest: Original Motion Picture Score - Varese Sarabande VCD 47205 - Made in Japan pressing only
I have a copy of this (matrix is Denon dot matrix style CY-1219 1A3 8Z). Says made in Japan by Nippon Columbia on the label It does not have pre-emphasis. Was this verified with software or one that "sounded like it should".
Nice catch Steve, I should of questioned that one also. Being 1989 and no other pressings of this title having pre, I highly doubt it. If pre-emphasis was going to be on any issue it would of been on the 1986 UK Nimbus, which doesn't
Kazumi Watanabe "Lonesome Cat" 1978 - CD reissue from November 1982 - 38C38-7017. The copy I've got has matrix C-38-7017 2A2-52 3 , judging from which this is a repress from February 1985 (two numbers in Denon matrixes after the stamper number denote year and month when the matrix was made). Obviously first pressing will also have the same mastering. Flags in subcode only.
But, I just got a copy and it does not have pre-emphasis. So, unless someone else can confirm and earlier pressing with matrix info, etc., please remove this from the list.
I didn't verify that with software, it sounded to me like that, so I could have been wrong. My mistake