Smashing Pumpkins catalog reissues

The entire things sounds amazing. Some of the Sadlands stuff is a bit bright.

Only gripe way too much filler in the bonus tracks.

 

http://imgur.com/a/EaLce

pics of the vinyl set

 

Gorgeous vinyl box! Really a highlight of my collection.

 

As requested, I now have my 96kHz/24bit files for the box set. Here's a comparison of the wave forms for the '95 original CD, the '12 remastered CD, and the '12 remastered high-res files:


The replay gain values:
1995 original CD1: -1.7db
2012 remastered CD1: -2.6db
2012 remastered 96/24 files for disc 1: -1.6db

So the 2012 remastered 96/24 files have a bit more headroom and are not as loud as either the original CD or remastered CD.

As for the SOUND, I think the remastered version cleaned up a lot of the muffled mix of the original CD. While the original wasn't bad by any stretch of the imagination, it wasn't really a clean mix either. This new remaster sounds fantastic. I won't pretend to know what they did, but if I had to guess, the remaster was EQ'ed differently, and I dunno, I hesitate to say it, but it almost sounds like the mix was cleaned up a little. I know it wasn't billed as a remix, but A/B'ing "Bullet" above, I could definitely hear that the vocals were more centered. The original '95 CD has the vocals panned slightly to the right in my headphones, the remaster (both CD and hi-res) the vocals are dead center and strong. The guitars sound smoother. The drums, more powerful.

Here's a 44.1kHz/16bit .wav file of 1995/2012 CD A/B'ing on various small clips of the song so you guys can hear it too:
http://alanlastufka.com/img/MCIS-1995-vs-2012.wav (please "Save as..." instead of streaming multiple times from my server, thanks!)

It goes 1995 / 2012 / 1995 / 2012 / 1995 / 2012, each playing the exact same short clips. This is the CD version of 2012, so I wasn't dithering the hi-res files.

Tell me it's not just me and my headphones, but I feel the 2012 remaster is the winner!

 

Makes you wonder what happened with the problematic Pisces reissue since it's clear they know how to do the reissue thing right when they want to.

 

How does the 24/96 look spectogram wise?

 

How do I check? Like, which piece of software would allow me to do that. I just use dBpoweramp to rip, and iTunes to play. But I'll download whatever's needed (freeware) and post results.

 

Audacity does it freely and easily

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

 

There you go. This is my first time "plotting" so I don't know what the spikes mean.

 

That's a pretty good looking spec. The big bump just before 30k is probably tape noise.

Another method is to use the "spectrogram" drop down on the right hand side - here:



That gives it a clearer view.

 

The best software to use is Spek.
http://spek-project.org/

 

I like this one:

 

Okay, here it is via that method:

 

Hey thanks for that great analysis and review. I did download your clip, much appreciated. Even on my PC speakers, I could tell the difference.

Sorry for the ignorance, as I have not been following this thread (or re-release) very closely. What is the best manner to buy the hi-rez downloads, and will I need to buy the deluxe CD version, as well?

 

The only place I'm aware of that you can get the hi-res files are buying them directly from the band on smashingpumpkins.com, that's what I did. They offer both just the original 2-disc album for purchase in hi-res files for $27.99 ($1 per track, 28 tracks), or you can buy the entire 5-disc box set in hi-res files for $75 (81 cents per track, 92 tracks). The order is fulfilled by Topspin, who kinda sucks most of the time, but after a lot of pre-order confusion and delays, it seems they are finally sending out the hi-res files without a problem now. I'm downloading disc 3 of 5 for the hi-res files as I type this.

 

Unfortunately the reissue over here is as expensive as an unnumbered original. This is not the first time that record companies price imported reissues of "in demand titles" up. But the box looks gorgeous, for 79$ I would totally pick it up. But...let's wait because I suspect the European prices might drop when they realize that people don't want to pay a whooping 150€ for a new reissue.

 

I don't understand European prices and the shops that ask them: why would somebody order it online for 150 euro (or more)from a webshop in Europe if he can order it online from the US for about 65 euros, even with import taxes this will be something like 90 euros, not nearly 150 euros

 

Better ordering it for €48,78

 

I ordered that one too, can't wait to hear (and see) it.

 

I called Amazon.it yesterday just to be sure they shipped the box. Still not sure if there are different EU and USA pressed Boxsets

 

Exactly.

 

hey, how could you get so low price at amazon.it? i checked and it shows something like 119 pounds...

 

Well... the answer is easy: The people responsible for the import like to make some profit too. Amazingly this mostly happens with "in demand items". I never, ever buy overpriced import items, normally I either order them online or have a friend buy it in the USA directly. But this thing is so heavy.

If I ordered it from the US then postage would be another 20 Euros. Should it get stuck in customs I risk paying taxes and having to wait for two or even three hours at their offices. Plus: If you order a boxset from the US you always risk seamsplit or other in transit-damages.

Since I'm not too crazy for the item - I've got an original - I will wait and see what happens to the prices.

 

Quick question - does the new vinyl have 28 tracks or 30? and if its 28 are they in the same order as the orig CD? and if 30 are they in the same order as what the orig vinyl release had?

Ta

 

Amazon.it had the €48 preorder price for some days during late September/early October; I believe somebody thought the "Mellon" reissue was a 2LP set, hence the temporary bargain