Stones Singles Collection...geez

For some proof of noise reduction, check this out:

http://lukpac.org/mp3/ms_amanda_nr.mp3

The first part (with hiss) is from the SACD sampler, the second part is from the Between The Buttons UK release.

The effects of the NR (both less hiss and the digital artifacts) are pretty easy to hear.

 

Thanks for posting those sound clips, Luke. Just listened through my laptop speakers here at work and - while the noise floor here is too high to hear any his in either - the first part of that clip sure has more punch and presence than the second half.

Ray

 

Just wondering. I have the original London 45 with this mix, but it is in bads shape. I have the Singles Collection remaster but have not noticed any NR artifacts listening with speakers. They *could* be there...

I wonder where that promised ICE magazine expanded Watchdog column is? They were supposed to devote it all to the new Stones remasters. I'll bet they couldn't get answers from the parties involved...

 

Any chance of an upload?

Any chance of you uploading a ripped WAV file of the non-NR track, Luke?



Maybe to a binaries group or an FTP server? I'd be willing to host it on my server for 1 week....

 

So did anybody (other than RDK) listen to this or what? Here's the proof you folks keep asking for...

As far as an MP3 of MAJ goes, I *could* do that, although I'm not sure there's anything special about the sampler version, really. While I don't have it myself, the old London CD version should be wider in places. Don't know about the overall sonics, though.

 

They no-noised it all right. Why is there no sound on the last half of the clip?

 

Definite NR! It's quite clear on my PC speakers. Why did they pull this?
How's the Hot Rocks? I have yet to purchase any of these. Even with all the ramblings about the series, I have yet to read a definitive review, just disagreements?

 

Yeah, Luke's right.

Two quick questions, though: the FAQ mentions that Between the Buttons is probably taken from a safety. Do the unfutzed (or not so futzed) tracks on the new SACD really sound that much better, assuming they came from the original masters?

Also, I asked about the distortion at the start of 19th Nervous Breakdown before. Can that be removed using a filter from NoNoise, CEDAR, or any other noise reduction process? Or did they actually find a better source to master from?

 

That is a great example of noise reduction at work. If you're not sure what digital noise reduction does to sound, listen to the right channel alone. The processing KILLS the music. And that's LIGHT noise reduction!

There should be a website with a list of cds that have this no-noise crap. So people will know what to buy and what to avoid! Do any of the other Stones' remasters have this?

 

Christ, if that ain't NR, I don't know what is.


...

 

Okay, just listened again on my home PC with much better stereo speakers. The effect is even more pronounced. I won't make any claims for noise reduction, but there's definitely some "hiss reduction" going on.

Again, why was this necessary??

Ray

 

It wasn't, that's the point...

As for 19th Nervous, without doing any checking myself, I *think* you could probably remove that crackling at the start of the song, although I'd have to really sit down with it. The tape wow near the end would probably be harder to fix, though.

The better question is, why didn't they use the stereo mix? I can't believe it was an "artistic" issue, since they used the stereo mix of Mother's Little Helper, which is one of the worst ones out there.

 

Just checked it out -- man, if they really think they're not affecting the music, they must not be listening! Sounds like someone threw a blanket over the speakers.

Is BTB US the same deal?

Ryan

 

The use of NR is quite obvious. What a shame.

Luke, the London version is nice, but the sonics don't match up with the rest of the remastered album.

It would be nice to have this track available in remastered form without NR, even if it's in PCM format. An MP3 is nice, but we all know the severe limitations of that format.

E-mail me, [email protected] , if you're interested in just upping the WAV file to my FTP. It's a fast connection, should take about 10 minutes.

Then I'll make the whole song available to forum members.

Please let me know you're thoughts.

 

Anybody check this stuff out on a regular stereo system, as opposed to a PC?

 

BTW, 19th Nervous is clearly something "new"...the tape drag at the end appears to be gone, and the mix of the beginning is strikingly different.

-D

 

Yes, there is a 'noticeable' (I suggest it's a matter of degree, but it is there) difference per Luke's mp3 example on the title "Miss Amanda Jones".

I just don't think it ruins the song or, in context, the album or the recent SACDs versus th sampler.

I am actually enjoying these SACDs with "Ruby Tuesday" being my main issue.

Having kept the old CD issues of these recordings and acknowledging all the posted discussions, I'm not convinced that one should avoid these new SACDs.

I actually still recommend them.

I don't think the discussion needs to be labelled nitpicking and/or negative. The discusions have been forthright and I'm glad to have them pointed out. I just don't find as many negatives as, let's say, with The Who's reissues. And I am very pleased to own these.

From my listening experience here, "Miss Amanda Jones" rocks just fine.

 

"Miss Amanda Jones": It is a shame that the hiss was knocked down so much from the sampler to the official release. Sounds like Ludwig got it right the first time, and it was approved for the sampler, but someone chickened out about leaving on all that hiss, and ordered it reduced. There is hiss still there, but it is way down. While I guess just about everybody here would have preferred the hiss be left in and the music not screwed with, I can easily believe that many buyers of this title are glad the hiss was reduced.

Luke, as far as your mp3 goes, while it's better than listening over the telephone like Wyman did, it's pretty lacking when it comes to quality. Obviously it's more than adequate to show the strong hiss reduction though.

That said, the opening several seconds are by far the worse sounding portion of the song. I don't know what the sampler sounds like after that, but the song on the SACD of Between the Buttons sounds much better after 6 seconds. So I'm wondering if this was a case like the stereo "Lady Jane," where the NR hand was heavier at the start of the song and then lighter when the music signal was loud enough to drown out the hiss without any help.

"Lady Jane" has plenty of opening hiss on Singles Collection, in mono.

 

Paul,

I am curious as to what you mean about Luke's mp3 lacking in quality. It sounded fine here. As a matter of fact, that is why I'm not so put off by the difference in the two sample intros. The guitar sounds fine in both instances for me, and, itself is of quite good quality.

As a collector, it makes me want to own a copy of the sampler. But as a listener I am not distressed by the SACD release of BTB UK or USA.

 

Father,
I just meant it sounded like an MP3 file.

 

Whoops, this was supposed to be a new thread, and I can't delete it...

 

I agree!

The only boo-boo I made was forgetting to back up my old singles collection version of "Ruby Tuesday" before trading it in for the new one. At least I backed up the good "Under Assistiant West Coast Promotion Man" first.

I will probably also get "Let It Bleed" and maybe "Beggar's Banquet" and call it a day.