Pretenders S/T SACD coming from MoFi

Thanks. This is a definite buy for me.

 

I am always reluctant to create reviews here, but I was struck by your comment on Stop Your Sobbing. I had the same reaction to this track on the CD layer. I have the Target & Rhino CDs, a UK vinyl (probably a later pressing), a few different cuts of the U.S LP, the US 12' promo, and a few others and for this track, the MFSL tops them all in my opinion.

 

Well you guys have convinced me. This will be, what, fifth time I've purchased this. Here's hoping this is the keeper.

 

Agreed, the MFSL is my new reference.

 

But wait! I hear there's a new Japanese SHM-SACD release coming.......just kidding.

 

Don't get a month ahead of yourself there.

 

Thanks for the reviews guys.
Hoping Super Hirez will offer a download of this.

 

Stop Your Sobbing has always sounded great IMO, Nick Lowe's production fit the tune perfectly. It sounds so nice cranked up.

 

I meant since you do have them the odds are now 1:1, guaranteed.

By the way I got #128.

 

Best deal on the Pretenders MOFI release is $23.95 shipped after using the promo card GRAVY at Deepdiscount.com

http://www.deepdiscount.com/pretenders/821797214469

Giving thanks this holiday season to you, our customer.
Save an additional 15% On everything!
Enter coupon code: GRAVY at checkout.
Hurry! Offer ends today, 11/27/14 at 11:59 PM CST

 

It's on back order as of today. For those who missed the sale, it is still available at Music Direct. They are also offered 10% all orders and free shipping if, before tax, it's $99.00.

 

This is better sounding than the last 2 or 3 reissues. Seriously. Beats the AF hands down. Beats the original CD pressing AND the Inglot remaster.

 

Has anyone compared it to the HDTracks version?

 

This was great. The way the Target over the original was the difference of standing on your porch with your suitcases in your hands to being in your car in the driveway with the engine on, this MFSL SACD over the Target was the difference of putting the car in drive and having already been 100 miles down Rt. 70 West on your way to Akron. I don't plan to do any a/bing of this anytime soon as I just have too much good stuff in the inbox, but here are some thoughts.

This was setup to fail today. Despite all the great reviews here, I felt for sure this had to somehow be different enough to be bothersome given the history of these tapes and this latest attempt at stringing them together cold. On top of that, I was on such a run today—American Beauty MFSL SACD so lived up to it titular self, Bridge Over Troubled Water, holy cow I am so glad I bought that box after hearing that CD alone, VU 3rd 45th Valentin mix that is the best that has ever sounded; now surely I have jinxed myself.

Well it is great, and I felt that early and throughout. Maybe one or two spots early on, say like the money shot break after a request for directions about a hole in "Tattooed Love Boys", was I, oh I wish that rougher/edgier Target was here; but then "Space Invader"* was just such a more musical piece now with all new layers, by the time "The Wait" gets absolutely rolling on this SACD you forget "Tattooed Love Boys" was ever played. "Stop Your Sobbing" has a new subsonic thing going on I doubt many of us have heard. Any worry that this would be too precious, pardon the pun, and audiophile-y for an album that doesn’t care to be bothered with that sort of thing got thrown out the car window pretty quickly; this is just a correctly opened up, and clearly better rendition of a kick a#% album.

Some songs, especially because of the vocals I guess, "Private Life", "Lovers Of Today", I just cannot see how they could be better. "Brass in Pocket" was also extra nice if you have not heard that enough yet.

Another theme of my day was holy cow some of the these transfers, BOTW, VU 3rd were just so absolutely flat and they really showed some crispiness in the tapes. American Beauty is such a blessed tape it sounded perfect as ever, but especially VU 3rd, it had some sharp edges that seemed like tape wear, but I say this because kudos for not trying to hide it which seemed to be the case for that album's last remaster. I bring this up because I got a tad of that here, maybe they were edits, maybe they were tics in the tape, nothing bothersome mind you, just a few things that caught my ear and maybe on subsequent listens I will figure them out, but again kudos for just bringing them to me as they lay— there seemed nothing manipulated about this remaster.

For my second to last word, I would say if you are shying away from this because of a Pretenders II MFSL SACD experience, I know why you would be, but take my advice and don’t. For my last word, was this a mystery achievement or just plain talent and improvement at MFLS, or am I just all wet for thinking this is great; we have somebody around here who has carried those tapes under his arm, with a copy of this on the way, so I look forward hopefully to hearing his thoughts.

* Speaking of someone who has carried those tapes around, or who as heard the AF of this, was the "Space Invader" game sound effect flown in as well or was that on the multitrack tape?

 

I actually like the second album on the Mofi--not as big a step up as this and the Target but very good sounding. I suspect but can't prove that's because the masters may have been used for the second album since the effects weren't flown in.

As to Space Invaders ill take a listen as I still have the AF. I recall that it does but they did miss the sound effects on The Phone Call.

 

Thankyou. Ordered.

 

Well I should have said I like Pretenders II MFSL SACD. It seems a murky tape for which MFSL should not be blamed, but I know others feel differently. There is no such concern here however.

 

Yeah there's only so much you can do with the tape unfortunately.

 

There is a 15% off Cyber Monday code on the home page of Deepdiscount.com if anyone is interested.

 

Looking forward to hearing the SACD.
I have the Target and just listened to it again.
Some tape his (a good thing?), dynamics and just musical - and crankable.
I think the original recording is not a "hi-fi" sounding disc, but Chrissie's vocals are really what it's all about here.
Her vocals on the Target just rise above the rest of the music and she's in the room most of the time.
On Stop Your Sobbing, it seems she's singing in a separate room from the instruments - you can hear the walls in the room around her.

On the DR Loudness Wars database, there are two sets of results for the Audio Fidelity remaster.
http://dr.loudness-war.info/album/view/13517
http://dr.loudness-war.info/album/view/3175

Are there two versions or is this a mistake?

 

Lossy v lossless? Two different posters? I have only heard of one AF.

 

Yeah, that's what I questioned too. One is lossy, the one with the higher numbers.
But those numbers don't match any other version listed. ???

Steve said that the Target was one of his favorite cd's and he wanted to be buried with it.
So what happened with the AF?

 

Wait until you hear the SACD!!!

 

I was not around then but limiting was applied somewhere in the manufacturing chain after the remaster was done hence those numbers. Those master tapes must have been a bear to deal with given the story from mfsl here.