[Reissue Series] Masters of Pop Best Collection 1000 (Warner Music Japan)

Warner Music Japan (WMJ) this week began reissuing several titles from the 50s and the 60s under the title "Masters of Pop Best Collection 1000." Twenty-five have been released and twenty five more will be released on September 4. All will be digitally remastered. Click on the link for the list of titles.

http://wmg.jp/special/masters1000/

I bought two Everly Brothers CDs (their first two Warner Bros. albums) because I couldn't find my Collectors Choice CDs.

I listened to It's Everly Time! a few times tonight, and I'm afraid the first impression is not too great as the disc sounded a bit loud and bright (then again, I remember I wasn't too impressed with the Collectors Choice disc either). I hope the disc will grow on me as the songs certainly are great.

As for packaging, WMJ did the usual solid job with the original LP cover reproduced on the booklet, which also include Japanese liner notes and English lyrics. As a budget issue, however, it is nothing spectacular. Also, the booklet sports the mono LP cover, while the disc is in stereo.

For those interested, here's the dynamic range information.

foobar2000 1.2.6 / Dynamic Range Meter 1.1.1
log date: 2013-08-10 01:10:06

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Analyzed: The Everly Brothers / It's Everly Time!
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DR Peak RMS Duration Track
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DR10 0.00 dB -11.60 dB 2:37 ?-The Everly Brothers - It's Everly Time! - 01 - So Sad (To Watch Good Love Go Bad)
DR8 0.00 dB -9.00 dB 2:13 ?-The Everly Brothers - It's Everly Time! - 02 - Just In Case
DR10 0.00 dB -12.37 dB 2:35 ?-The Everly Brothers - It's Everly Time! - 03 - Memories Are Made Of This
DR8 0.00 dB -9.66 dB 2:04 ?-The Everly Brothers - It's Everly Time! - 04 - That's What You Do To Me
DR9 0.00 dB -10.70 dB 2:25 ?-The Everly Brothers - It's Everly Time! - 05 - Sleepless Nights
DR8 -0.27 dB -9.40 dB 1:57 ?-The Everly Brothers - It's Everly Time! - 06 - What Kind Of Girl Are You
DR9 -0.01 dB -10.18 dB 2:14 ?-The Everly Brothers - It's Everly Time! - 07 - Oh, True Love
DR9 0.00 dB -10.27 dB 1:52 ?-The Everly Brothers - It's Everly Time! - 08 - Carol Jane
DR9 0.00 dB -10.10 dB 2:25 ?-The Everly Brothers - It's Everly Time! - 09 - Some Sweet Day
DR8 0.00 dB -9.76 dB 2:40 ?-The Everly Brothers - It's Everly Time! - 10 - Nashville Blues
DR9 0.00 dB -10.51 dB 2:06 ?-The Everly Brothers - It's Everly Time! - 11 - You Thrill Me (Through And Through)
DR8 0.00 dB -9.43 dB 2:02 ?-The Everly Brothers - It's Everly Time! - 12 - I Want You To Know
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Number of tracks: 12
Official DR value: DR9

Samplerate: 44100 Hz
Channels: 2
Bits per sample: 16
Bitrate: 1411 kbps
Codec: PCM
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​

 

the Japanese masterings used to be the "go-to" choices, but now I'm skeptical of any reissues from Japan.... they are as bad as anywhere else now

 

I agree that today's Japanese masterings are as poor as all others, but I'm not sure if they were uniformly superior at any point.

You always need to find out for yourself case by case.

 

I have an early '80s Japanese vinyl
pressing of Talking Heads' Fear of Music which is obviously inferior to the US version; the only positive is it's on quieter vinyl. So they always had the potential for releasing duds.

 

I listened to A Date With the Everly Brothers this morning, and I liked the mastering slightly better than I did the first album because this one was less harsh to listen to. This is by no means objective, and a lot may have to do with the time I listened to these CDs (the first one late at night and the second one in the morning).

My verdict is that if you're happy with your Collectors Choice discs or the earlier Warner UK 2-fer that collects both these albums on one CD, you can skip these two. However, even though these discs have been made louder and brighter than necessary, they by no means have been brickwalled to death.

Here is the dynamic range information for A Date With the Everly Brothers (Warner Music Japan WPCR-27806).

foobar2000 1.2.6 / Dynamic Range Meter 1.1.1
log date: 2013-08-10 16:10:07

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Analyzed: The Everly Brothers / A Date With the Everly Brothers
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DR Peak RMS Duration Track
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DR7 0.00 dB -8.20 dB 2:06 01-Everly Brothers - A Date With The Everly Brothers - 01 - Made To Love
DR9 0.00 dB -10.24 dB 2:41 02-Everly Brothers - A Date With The Everly Brothers - 02 - That's Just Too Much
DR8 0.00 dB -9.71 dB 1:57 03-Everly Brothers - A Date With The Everly Brothers - 03 - Stick With Me Baby
DR8 0.00 dB -9.78 dB 2:21 04-Everly Brothers - A Date With The Everly Brothers - 04 - Baby What You Want Me To Do
DR9 0.00 dB -10.93 dB 2:18 05-Everly Brothers - A Date With The Everly Brothers - 05 - Sigh, Cry, Almost Die
DR10 0.00 dB -11.56 dB 2:30 06-Everly Brothers - A Date With The Everly Brothers - 06 - Always It's You
DR9 0.00 dB -10.84 dB 2:24 07-Everly Brothers - A Date With The Everly Brothers - 07 - Love Hurts
DR8 0.00 dB -9.55 dB 2:32 08-Everly Brothers - A Date With The Everly Brothers - 08 - Lucille
DR8 0.00 dB -9.68 dB 2:18 09-Everly Brothers - A Date With The Everly Brothers - 09 - So How Come
DR9 0.00 dB -9.74 dB 2:16 10-Everly Brothers - A Date With The Everly Brothers - 10 - Donna, Donna
DR9 0.00 dB -11.27 dB 2:07 11-Everly Brothers - A Date With The Everly Brothers - 11 - A Change Of Heart
DR9 0.00 dB -10.02 dB 2:24 12-Everly Brothers - A Date With The Everly Brothers - 12 - Cathy's Clown
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Number of tracks: 12
Official DR value: DR9

Samplerate: 44100 Hz
Channels: 2
Bits per sample: 16
Bitrate: 1411 kbps
Codec: PCM
================================================================================
​

I will probably try more discs from this particular reissue series and will report the listening impression and DR information. I hope more people will follow.