Rumours...yet again!

VeeDub · Jan 24, 2003

Does anyone have any idea if this stamper # on a used Mac/Rumours CD is a "good" (flat, early) mastering?:

3010-2 604121
Made in Japan

I presume this is a US release made overseas & not a Japanese issue (?). Unfortunately, I gotta make a go/no-go decision on this info w/o knowing what the design ("target?") of the disc looks like; no chance to play "GDW" before buying. Thanks in advance, if anyone knows.

Mark

Chris R · Jan 24, 2003

A couple of quotes from the Questions about the "secret remaster" of Fleetwood Mac *Rumours*. in December, 2002.

Originally posted by Gardo

RUMOURS
That remaster is the infamous RE-2. "Second Hand News" fades out later, and "Gold Dust Woman" starts cold, with no fade-up. I think there's a little more studio noise at the beginning of "The Chain," too, IIRC.

Since I don't have the original CD anymore, I've dubbed an LP onto CD-R for comparison. The comparison is interesting. Aside from the differences I've already mentioned, the LP sounds warmer and a little duller, the CD more present but more brittle on the high end. Some songs sound marginally better on the LP ("Dreams" and "Never Going Back Again"), some marginally better on the CD (especially "Go Your Own Way," whose dense mix suffers from inner-groove dulling on the LP).

I can well believe Inglot was involved in the remaster; the EQ sounds Inglot-esque.

Though the CD remaster is brighter and monkeys with the original LP in various ways, I wouldn't call it a disaster by any means. At times it sounds quite nice, though always with that ticky high end.

BTW, one way to tell the remaster is to look at the back cover. If it says "Printed in USA," it's a remaster--at least, that's what I remember ICE saying.
Click to expand...

Steve comments on the mastering and remastering of the CD.

Originally posted by Steve Hoffman
Ken Perry remastered "Rumours" at K-Disc in Hollywood from the original two track tape for CD.

Ken also mastered the original LP version at Capitol.

The first CD version was mastered by Mr. Un Known correctly following instructions about fading up and stuff.

It's possible that the Mac told Ken to start "Gold Dust" cold on the reissue CD, I dunno...

I personally prefer the Mr. Un Known version. That 4 db added at 8k to the CD remaster with the -4 at 150 cycles bass thinning trick gives me a headache.
Click to expand...

Steve comments on the sound of the CD.

Originally posted by Steve Hoffman
...each track does indeed have a specific character. The first CD version brings this out, the remaster grinds any individuality into the ground with EQ designed to compensate for the bad reviews of the sound quality on the original CD release.

So, let me say this. When I first got the original CD issue of RUMOURS, I thought it sounded pretty bad. I mean, it sounded just like my original USA LP, which I thought sounded pretty bad (muffled). I was expecting sonic bliss or something. The remaster tried to fix this by adding a bunch of treble. In reality, some subtle remastering techniques could make this album shine. I have not heard the surround remix though. Does it sound wonderful, tone wise?
Click to expand...

My copy, which I acquired only a month or so ago, is an early Japanese pressing: 3010-2 501178. As Steve said, it's not a great sounding disc, it just IS the first version of the CD, with the fade up on Gold Dust Woman. That is how you tell the difference. I also have the DVD-A which, IMHO sounds great.

Chip Stylus · Jan 25, 2003

I have a "Made in West Germany" cd of Rumours that has the fade up on GDW and has different eq on each track just like Steve suggests it should sound. Mebbe you all should be looking for GERMAN copies . . .

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Rumours...yet again!

VeeDub Senior Member Thread Starter

Chris R Forum Fones

Chip Stylus I buy music!

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Rumours...yet again!

VeeDub Senior Member Thread Starter

Chris R Forum Fones

Chip Stylus I buy music!

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