DCC Archive Stones question

What's with all these German made Stones albums that say mastering done by MFSL?
Are they all really that good? Cause if they are...

[ November 19, 2001: Message edited by: Dave ]

 

Luke knows this better than anyone, but yeah, depending on which ones you get, they're very impressive, particularly on recordings released up to and including 1967.

One pressing of Hot Rocks fades in and out of songs that aren't supposed to have fade-ins and/or fade-outs, so avoid those (lots of people here will know which those are).

The Aftermath CD and the Hot Rocks CD's are great, and are especially desirable because they have true stereo mixes that are unavailable on CD in the US. The stereo mixes aren't always that good ("Get Off Of My Cloud" needs some work, and on other tracks, Mick sounds a little too separated from the rest of the band), but in terms of sound quality, they're the best thing out there on CD.

[ November 19, 2001: Message edited by: Camarillo ]

 

If you're looking for the best sound and exclusive-stereo-tracks-per-buck, get the London "Aftermath" (best known to have the pink album cover, not the black streeky one).

Some London CDs are arguably the same as the US counterparts, like Beggars banquet and Let It Bleed, but both Hot Rocks series and a few others like December's Children, the Japanese 'No.2' have their exclusive tracks.

A couple of early stereo tracks suprisingly ended up on "Now!". Might wanna check Luke's site at Lukpac.org (stones).

Remember, some of the London stones are collected just for just that - collecting. Some of them actually DO have better mastering, but not all of them do, and some of the issues DO have fade-ins and outs. Luke will fill in the rest in his post, I'm sure.

 

Here's all you really need to know about the German/Japanese discs:

a) When you have the option, get the Japanese discs. They're usually easy to spot. To recognize 'em by catalogue number, look for:
i) P33L (first pressing, personally never seen one)
ii) P25L (second pressing) and
iii) EARLY POCDs (for example, POCD-1911 is good, but POCD-1967 is bad). Note that this is where the "US" permutations started creeping in...avoid those.

Why the Japanese discs? They're usually clones of the first German discs, but with MUCH nicer packaging!

Regarding the German source discs themselves...there are two main issues, some of which credit MFSL, some of which don't. The first batch of German CDs was pretty bare-bones packaging wise--many of these have a red "DIGITALLY REMASTERED" ribbon in the upper-left of the front cover, although not all do--with the second issue having a 12 page booklet, better artwork, et cetera.

However, some stuff was "corrected" poorly in the second batch, making the first pressings preferrable (althoguh hardly essential). Here's a quick listing of the more worthwhile ones:

a) Self-titled. The first German (and thus, the Japanese) has the only true 4:05 Tell Me (others list it, but don't have it)
b) December's Children. Soudns better, and has stereo Look What You've Done and Get Off of My Cloud. I've heard that this wasn't in the first batch of German CDs, which would explain why there're issues surrounding it (some pressings have the aforementioned songs in mono, yet the distinctly upgraded As Tears Go By, which I'll talk about in Hot Rocks)
c) Got Live. Depends on whether you LIKE the thing or not, but it's in true stereo.
d) After-math. True stereo, 14 tracks...by far the gem of the London series. I've never heard the Jpn disc or the early German, so I can't comment on differences.
e) Between the Buttons...sounds better, in true stereo. Still the US tracklisting. Both issues seem to be identical.
f) Satanic Majesties. DOES sound better (the same kind of improvement one hears on the More Hot Rocks Dandelion/We Love You). The second-issue German fades up a few songs, but very quickly, and only one is really noticable (2000 Man is the only one where the fade-up hits the music). EQ differences are also present, IMO.

Banquet, Bleed, and Ya Yas are...well, controversial, and I don't wanna get into a shouting match about them.

And, of course, you *need* all four Hot Rocks...significant upgrades exist even when a song is in the same phase (As Tears Go By and Ruby Tuesday both sound NOTICABLY better). The first two Hot Rocks do have two issues, with the early German/Japanese being preferrable (as the latter one has fade-ups that are very noticable...not to distraction, however). Hot Rocks 2 has no noticable differences, IMO. More Hot Rocks only exists on the second phase of reissues.

-D

 

Holy everything in one shot Batman!
Thanks a lot David

 

I do what I can..^_^ Keep in mind that the situation isn'y nearly as complicated as it sounds, and even if you find one of the "bad" London CDs, you'll probably be pretty pleased with 'em.

And anyway, it never hurts to pick up a London BEGGARS BANQUET if one spots one, neh?

-D

 

David,
Yes I'm sure that I would be satisfied with the original London release..........well maybe as I have been known to hold out until I can a) afford it & b) find it. Or I could always approach someone, not mentioning any names, on the forum.

PS. Thank you too Sckott

[ November 20, 2001: Message edited by: Dave ]

 

Original Rolling Stones German CD’s

Hot Rocks 1 820-141-2
Hot Rocks 2 820-142-2
More Hot Rocks 1 820-515-2
More Hot Rocks 2 820 516-2
Aftermath 820 050-2
Now! 820 133-2
Between The Buttons 820 138-2
Their Satanic Majesties Request 820 129-2
Beggars Banquet 800-129-2

I guess I’m missing the Debut and #2

 

Here you can find some useful information:
http://home.arcor.de/folon/stones_london_cds.html

Joachim