I'm curious if this box is already out of print (it's still in stock on Amazon USA but seems to be deleted or out of stock elsewhere). I ordered a copy as a BD gift to myself from Zoverstocks (they had the lowest price I could find) in September but it was lost in transit. Is there any confirmed info regarding a second press run? I see that a couple of e-tailers set December 3rd as availability (or even "release", whatever that means) date, but it may mean back-ordering, not actual re-pressing.
It's a bit too late now, and I can hardly afford ordering it from Amazon USA (the lowest price right now) because we Europeans have to add VAT (21%) to all pricey USA orders. Still, I have a hope that it will be re-pressed because there's still demand (scalpers don't count) and it was even nominated for "Re-release of the Year". Or there should be separate releases of all albums (it's really dumb that the new budget 5CD set released in Europe this fall uses the older HDCD masterings, the music business seems to be at odds with itself).
Never ceases to amaze me how disjointed it still is. I could understand this in the pre-global village era, but today? Hmm...
Listening to Flesh+Blood right now, and comparing against a E'G/W.German Polydor 800 019-2 pressing, and my EQ edits I did on that same pressing. The vocals are much more like it now, for sure. Ferry has a smooth cleanliness that just wasn't there on the older pressing. I actually made EQ changes myself to beef up a little low end and bring his voice more into touch in the mids, and this new 2012 goes a step further than I really could. That said however, I think the sax at the end of Oh Yeah is just a little thin and starts to screech at me. I don't have the notes of exactly what I did to EQ the old pressing, but the top end just starts to roll fractionally under on the spectrum on my EQ. The 2012 is way higher at the top. I'm gonna EQ myself my preference and give it a good testing. The 2012 is definitely a good place to start for this album, better than the old pressing I tried with. Here's a zoomed in spectrum real-time-average snapshot showing 800 019-2 in Green, 800 019-2 EQ'd in Blue and 2012 in Red. You get the picture. 2012 = more bottom and a lot more top. This is from Oh Yeah, at the point when the sax first builds up holding a note and then just as it starts to slur the note. Oh yes, and the 2012 was dropped 1.5dB and playback speed was changed to 0.995075.
I get the box now, and I listen just the 1st album, sounds great, so dynamic, bass, drums etc.. and natural BUT! and I know I know that preserve NOISE! on music is good BUT!!!! ouch!!! 20% of the sound is pure noise in the back, why??? here's and example in "ladytron" first secods: http://jumpshare.com/v/y76NY2 or listen the first seconds on 2H.B sounds little a needle drop with some click and pops... maybe the recording of later albums is better... any comment??
yes and the true I dont like... Im not sound engineer of course and call me stupid but... that noise is not part of the song... that noise is not one more instrument... so why exist? (maybe for another discussion about noise on music but...)
Well, I am. It is tape hiss and was part of the recording process. You remove or try to minimize it & part of the original recording is compromised.
and whats the point of keep that tape hiss in the recording process? the tech of that time dont let remove it?
Tape hiss, effect hiss or whatever obviously couldn't have been removed at the time, that is why it's there on the recording (because these are from the master tapes I think?). At different points along the time line of releases of the track, there probably has been noise reduction applied, and that has taken it's toll on the rest of the sonics. If you are that fussy about it, you could try running it through various noise reduction algorithms you can find as effects for PC/Mac software. You'll see or hear what the problem is when you try and remove it. I think I have read that our host, Mr Hoffman, has had master tapes with hiss on them, but because his mastering system is very low noise (high quality playback unit, removing unneeded processes from the signal chain etc) the noise stays as low as it can. Maybe they were just a bit lazy in their transferring.
Do I need to hurry up and buy this box set while it's still available, or will it be for sale indefinitely?
Got this set this past week and found that not a single disc is recognized by my Denon 3910, though the discs play fine in my computer, my work computer and my Rega Apollo. Wondering if anyone else has the same Denon CD player and has had this problem. I do really like the set and would buy a similar one of Bryan Ferry's solo material if available.
Was just comparing the 7" version of "Dance Away" with the 1986 Street Life: 20 Great Hits compilation track. Dropping the new 2012 track by 0.3 dB gets them in the same level ball park in perceived loudness. The reason for this is not because someone added compression, I think it is more because someone scooped the mids a little on the 1986 compilation track. Analysis indicate that the tape source is a higher generation on the compilation too, with upper end fast roll off. Initially I preferred the 2012 track, had more body for sure. I then started to lean towards the 1986 compilation track for cleanliness and space between instruments. I finally settled on the 2012 because it actually sounded right. Everything is there, it's full bodied and rich. Nothing is missing or muddied up or woolly'd over. I am drawing a general conclusion that the later material Manifesto, Flesh+Blood, Avalon era are very decent on this box set, and actually improve over previously available masterings in a lot of cases.
Zoverstocks has it for $75 US which is a decent price and, since it ships from the UK, I would assume VAT doesn't apply.
