Has anyone else found the MFSL of ANATO somewhat harsh when played loud? The acapella section in The Prophet's Song actually hurt my ears. (and this is on tube equipment) . . . Interestingly, the comments in this thread seem to suggest that the MFSL is actually less bright than the other versions out there (including the DCC). So I guess my question to the ANATO afficcionados is: if I find the MFSL slightly harsh when played loud, is it even worth hunting down some other rare (and surely expen$ive) version or would that just leave me with more of the same? ty PS: I just can't play this album at a polite volume...
I wonder why there is only Elektra target versions for News Of The World, The Game, and Greatest hits. To my knowledge, there are both EMI and Hollywood versions of most the Queen titles. Why just those two and the GH on Elektra?
Roland- are there updates to the above (excerpts from your original post)? Have you heard the 32XD Greatest Hits?
No real updates recently. Isn't the 32XD the same mastering as the Elektra? That is what I remember, but I am not 100% sure. Since I am now listening to my CD's only via a HDD rip, there is absolutely no difference between various pressings of the same mastering. Overall, I think the various EMI masterings are mostly better than the Elektra mastering.
for me the best digital version of ANATO is the Japan Toshiba CP32-5379 (yeah, you read right, IMHO the DCC is just the second best) - the CP32... has more transparency and most notably more air, and though it has a little bit less power at the low it sounds overall more dynamic.. overall for me the DCC overacts at the low end, the CP32 is more balanced and sounds very naturally for me... in addition it offers a wider soundstage... I can highly recommend this CD which is a big impovement over the MFSL and even slightly better than the good DCC...
Ah. Well, I have the WEA Elektra Greatest Hits catalog# 5E-564-2 (Japan JVC for US), so I'll compare.
Just an update on the Queen remasters. I decided to revisit/buy the new Queen remasters for the first two albums. I did some longer listening comparisons with the original versions, and I want to post an updated opinion. Queen I The remaster is quite a bit louder, but it is not an extreme difference in volume. Once level-matched, the overall tonality and sound quality is not that different in my opinion. In some instances, I like the EQ a bit better on the remaster (a tad less bright), but that advantage comes with the disadvantage of a somewhat reduced dynamic range. All in all, it's a toss-up for me. But overall, the remaster is pretty decent for the first Queen album. Queen II For this album, the remaster indeed has quite a bit better EQ and just sounds cleaner compared to the original. There is a reduction of dynamic range, but again, it is not drastic for this album. I think in this case, the overall cleaner sound outweighs the disadvantage of the reduced dynamic range. In other words, I think the remaster is maybe the best digital version at the moment. By the way, I did get the 2-CD versions of the remasters, and the bonus discs are worth owning.
Just picked up Greatest Hits...the EMI UK early edition and I think it sounds GREAT !!! A few months ago I had ZERO Queen cd's...now I have the first 3, along with the G Hits,...each are the early EMI pressings, UK and WG. I find them all for a song too !
Does anyone know how many early masterings of Innuendo exist? Discogs lists Hollywood, Parlophone and Toshiba pressings, all in 1991. I'd love to find out if they are all the same mastering.
TBH, I thought the 'bonus' discs were just another slap in the face for long-time Queen fans. Live tracks we already had, studio tracks we already had, B-sides we already had, instrumental versions we didn't really need and just a handful of worthwhile tracks spread across all the discs. Only two of the John Peel 1977 session tracks? - how kind. They could have made a proper effort. They want new fans; they're really not interested in people who've been buying their records since 1974. I really shouldn't get that bothered about the fact they're not particularly focused on pleasing anyone but new buyers, but at least they could try to disguise their disdain for the older ones among us. The most annoying thing is that Brian May is a Queen collector. He obviously doesn't like to share.
Any more opinion's (Hello Roland are you here?) on how the 2011 Remasters compare to the original EMI/JPN CDP's etc ?
I didn't notice where anyone answered this here and it's been over 5 months so... It was said to be because of a contract expiration with Elektra shortly after those were issued. Some mentions of it in this thread.
For the most part I don't like the recent remasters. The first two albums are o.k. in their remastered form.
Thanks Roland, I have been a supporter of the 2011 remasters when they came out but today decided to compare all my Queen Cd's to see what to put on my DAP, these are my preferred Queen on Cd as of today (Feb 2014): Queen: CDP 7462042 Queen 2: CDP 7 46205 2 or... (In the process of doing a Needledrop because my Fame reissue the vinyl is better IMO) Sheer Heart Attack: TOCP 65109 A Night At The Opera: CDP 7 46207 2 A Day At The Races: JPN CDP C8DI 31 News Of The World: CDP 746209 2 Jazz: CDP 7 46210 2 or CP32 5315 (Can't Decide) Live Killers: TOCP 67461 6 2 The Game: CDP 7 46218 2 Flash: CDP 7 46214 2 Hot Space: CDP 7 46215 2 The Works: CDP 7 46016 2 A Kind Of Magic: CP32 5152 The Miracle: CDP 79 2357 2 Innuendo: CDP 79 5887 2 Made In Heaven: 7243 8 36088 2 9 GH 1: CDP 7 46033 2 (Apart from sound essential for 'Save Me') GH 2: CDP 79 7971 2 GH 3: 7243 5 23894 2 1
Anyone care to weigh in with in depth opinions on the Japanese 2001/2004 mini-vinyl remasters - I've heard mixed reports on them(!). Roland, you gave a couple of the 2011 remasters an chance, how about auditioning a couple of these?
I thought that the early Japanese discs were the same as the early UK discs? I.e., what you have as favorites for ADatR, Jazz, etc. And do you know if the TOCP discs are the same the early CP32/CDP's?
You know I compared them all a few years ago but I can't remember the details with 100% certainty! I seem to remember that aside from the versions with Noise Reduction, these early pressings were all the same (CP32, CDP7 and maybe TOCP). -if you want to get technical- EXCEPT from the later pressings (Holland, Italy) where the 100% volume peaks were lowered (to 97.7% or something) so as to not overload the DACs in early CD players.Or was it just the first album that had this? I know I slightly prefer the later pressing for Queen. But that one 2011 remaster sounds pretty good (with Queen II); the rest, not so, too much limiting. I hope I am not mis-remembering things. Others with a better memory may correct me. The target CD for The Game is pretty cool with a little EQ (it suffers from the sound of the very early ADCs).
This is what I remember too. I didn't like any of the 2011's at first because of the limiting/compression used, but I would agree with this now: So if the SHMs are the same as the 2011's, I'm not enough of a collector to buy them again.
Decided to go with a mixture of Platinum SHM-CD'S add well as SHM-SACD'S as far as Queen is concerned I think Bob Ludwig did a good job but I haven't heard any of the older CD'S that have been reviewed. I've been buying Japanese for the past 3 months
Those MiniVinyls are my go-to for Queen on CD. Fortunately I only need a couple for the set now. I got suckered into buying a couple of the 2011 CDs just for a few BBC session tracks on the 'bonus' discs. Played the main discs once ('Queen II' & 'Sheer Heart Attack'; Q2 is OK, I can't get any further than the first two or three tracks on SHA - horrible).
Does anyone know how many early masterings of Innuendo exist? Discogs lists Hollywood, Parlophone and Toshiba pressings, all in 1991. I'd love to find out if they are all the same mastering.
Hello Rolland and everybody, my name is Nikolai, I am a big Queen fan/collector. I registered on Ebay long ago, but here I am new, just few minutes ago) Firstly I want to say "BIG THANKYOU" to Rolland for your unique work, comparing and discussion about Different Queen Digital masters, this is truly extremely important today, it could seems strange, but to find THIS kind of information in internet really very difficult.. Mostly it is silly speaking of people who absolutely far from music/understanding, they like gold CD's because of the color and like the remasters because of the look like mini vinyls and sounds "bright"!!!)) Or somebody says "Japan is the best" or "uk" or any other of this crap.. I was truly happy Rolland to find this forum, it was a real pleasure to read your preferences of your Queen CD's, and not only because I am close to your preferences, this is a real experience, not like often I see, somebody "DECIDE" something (the 2004 JP remaster is the best) and telling it all his life)) This is a real experience, which is not stopped. What to tell you SPECIAL THANKS for the TARGET cd's, I didn't know about them before, and it is truly amazing, especially I love NOTW I think. If it's possible I would like to ask your opinion for some questions, Rolland. 1. Now I am on the way to complete the first press CD's Queen collection, and I want to ask you, do you think this is the reason to keep ALL WG and UK'198x cd's, or it will be really the same? 2. You told that you haven't interesting in Queen after AKOM, BUT if you after have compare later, I would be very happy to know your thoughts. 3. I was really VERY SURPRISE to read you told that 2011 Queen 2 remaster might the best digital???!!!!!! Not looking for loudness and basses??!!!! I have not heard 2011, I have 2004 mini vinyl japan, which sounds ugly as all 2004 mini vinyl's, when I listen "I CANT LEAVE WITH YOU" I laughed TOO MUCH)))) P.S. REALLY LOVE your comment about HOT SPACE!!!!!! This is really AMAZING album, 100% agree, this is superb, just not typical Queen, but Freddie is Freddie on this album in my opinion. I am sorry for bad English, thank you so much for you and all the members of this forum, a big pleasure to read a people who knows what talking about) BEST WISHES Nick
