? re "Bridge Over Troubled Water" master tape

I've always heard that due to this title's unprecedented popularity, the master tape basically became severely worn from making multiple copies of "production copy" tapes. Is this true? How does the wear manifest itself? Lost particles of oxide in spots? Stretching of the tape substrate?

 

Here's some info from the Mastersound Edition liner notes (Gold CD)

http://rapidshare.com/files/252722934/Producer_s_Note.png

 

Man, that sucks. You have to go through so many advertisement pages just to get to the page you want. I never got to the actual page.

 

Here's what was at the link:

 

How come Columbia master tapes are in such poor condition? Were they the only one to use the actual master tape to make production copies instead of safety copies?

 

I wonder this myself. I find it astonishing, all things being equal, that the Byrds' Fifth Dimension could be frazzed whereas something like the Beach Boys' Summer Days and Summer Nights or All Summer Long could be newly remastered every couple of months it seems without evident deterioration of the tape.

 

Some of the Simon & Garfunkel albums were even remixed from the multitracks for "Old Friends" and subsequent CD releases because of tape damage - someone else will be able to tell you which ones.

 

Thanks for the note from the gold MasterSound release. All things considered, they did a pretty good job of restoring the tape. I don't know which version sounds better (to me) -- the gold CD or the Vic Anesini remaster from 2001.

 

The Anesini remaster and the older pre-remaster sound remarkably similar once level-matched.

 

It still amazes me that Columbia regularly cut lacquers from the original master tape rather than second generation production masters. Wasn't that the whole point of putting "DO NOT USE" on the outside of the tape boxes for the original master recordings?

 

It sounds like the label was out to save money by not making dubs (never mind the generational loss on a dub). The proper way would've had a master tape, then to make a hundred copies of that master tape for use to cut lacquers. Sounds like Columbia didn't follow this protocol. And it wasn't just with S&G, it seems they would've done this with their other artists. I may be wrong on the hypothesis, but that's what it sounds like.

 

I'm sure SH has already answered this, but how many times can a master tape be played before audible deterioration occurs? It probably depends on the vintage and brand of tape, right?

 

. Remember, that "Bridge" was S&G's biggest selling album at the time and while they had sold a lot of records, it's possible Columbia underestimated the demand for the album when they used the original mastertape for cutting the lacquers they may not have realized they were going to need as many as they did.

Plus there's the additional sales that result from a Grammy Award as well...

 

In the case of Bridge... and its contents, make that six Grammies.

 

Interesting comments from someone named David Prakel in Rock 'n' Roll on Compact Disc in 1987:

"Bridge Over Troubled Water" has always been bothersome. Vinyl copies of these tapes always seem to sound scratchy and distorted, particularly in the climax of the title track, with the audience in "Bye Bye Love," and any heavy brass scoring.

Compact disc does a lot to overcome these problems but can do nothing for the tape hiss from the master tapes -- "The Boxer" and the intro to "Bridge" for instance are quite hissy. Nor can CD do anything to improve the wowy sound on the orchestral backing to the title track. But benefits there are to be had. Much improved low bass solidity now powers its way through tracks like "Cecilia," "The Boxer" and "Baby Driver." Multi-tracked vocals and echo no longer contribute to the very edgy quality which could make the LP disappointing hearing. The orchestral contributions still sound bright, the brass is rather fierce at times, but the gain in simple transparency will mark this CD out as a high priority purchase for many people.

 

well there must be some very fine early LPs out there. Tom Port can probably find them

 

I read that book a lot back in the day, and while it is infinitely amusing, I would take its recommendations with half a grain of salt.

 

I've heard a reel, first generation dub from the quadraphonic master of this album, and it sounds GREAT! It seems in this case, the surround sound survival of a recording becomes superior by default, mostly because it was only used for a very few times.

 

There are probably many many thousands of them. But it will be kept a tight secret which ones they are so that they can be sold for $100 or $300 each!

 

I have the Classic Records 45rpm version. I think I listened to it only once because the quality of the resolution let you hear the various sonic effects being slid in and out during the songs. Some things are better left behind the curtain.

 

The first three.

 

The SBM Mastersound Gold CD is the best sounding "Bridge Over Trouble Water" you could find on CD.
Post #4 explains the detail and the care that were taken to get the best sound on CD.

Wow! This is my post #5,000.

 

You'll get over that. (pun intended)

 

I tend to listen to CDs to compare their relative sonic merits rather than decide based solely on self-aggrandizing blurbs on the packaging. But then, that's just me.

 

I tend to avoid making snarky comments about other members' posts. But then, that's just me.