"THE BEST OF BREAD" SACD from Audio Fidelity, surround and stereo - Adventures In Mastering

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Steve Hoffman, Jan 13, 2015.

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  1. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Audio Fidelity said I could go ahead and give a little mastering background on our new version..

    BREAD. I like these guys, I mean, the stuff sounds great, the songs are great, what's not to like? When AF told me that this was in the legal stage my first thought was "nice!"

    My second thought was "Hmmm, another "Best Of" which will require all original masters from the original albums and singles and not just a dub tape of THE BEST OF BREAD. This means cooperation from Warner/Elektra/Asylum and a lot of luck. We had both. Found all the original stereo mixes and found the original four-channel surround version, all analogue first generation.

    That was the big hurdle, weeks of back & forth, a lot of poor Ernie Campagna (GM of Audio Fidelity, late of A&M) doing phone duty trying to pull it all together. He did, bless him. We had a meeting a few weeks ago to discuss, and we were off!

    Stephen Marsh Mastering is all set up in the new deluxe space in the Hollywood Hills and thanks to his dedication and experience, I got to hear a set of 1:1 flats of the songs to be worked on. I played the flats at home, in the car, on all my systems, made my usual notes and couldn't believe how neat it was going to be to get this stuff into focus.

    First thing we did was send off the analog surround version to Gus Skinas at SuperAudioCenter.com. for his authoring of the songs. Gus is an old hand at this (worked with him on all the Nat King Cole stuff I did for AP, etc.) and he knows what to do.

    With that side of it handled, it was time to master the 12 original stereo mixes in DSD with a split feed for our CD section. We were only allowed to use the original track listing. Please don't suggest extra tracks, ain't gonna happen, it's a wonder we got this much from a major label to begin with! Regarding the sound: Just a little polishing here and there was all it took to make me happy. As always (and I wish this was better understood in our industry) Stephen Marsh spent a LONG time getting each tape dialed in on the tape machine, carefully adjusting, tweaking, massaging, so the playback was perfect. There was one Dolby A reel (you know what kind of hell that can be) and it was a long process to get it to play back with the same dynamics and tonality that the original machine brought to it over 40 years ago.

    I resisted turning the brightness to stun as most other versions have done in the past. Hurt my widdle ears that way. I mean, adding 10db at 8k to everything is no way to run an airline, fellows. That's just murder for the delicate tone and musical overtones that are on the original tapes. To bulldoze them away for the sake of an etched sound is not my thing (never was) and I'm sure a lot of you (not all, sad to say) will agree.

    So, you'll hear the songs in a very "true to the mix" fashion, just like they heard them back in the studio, before the shrill stuff was added in vinyl and CD mastering. Pretty sure you'll love the sound.
     
    Steve Hoffman, Jan 13, 2015
    #1
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  2. Paul Saldana

    Paul Saldana jazz vinyl addict

    Location:
    SE USA (TN-GA-FL)
    The reissue title I am most looking forward to in some time.

    I have the Bread cd-4 vinyl, and have never had a way to decode it. I play back my Columbia SQ vinyl in ProLogic all the time.
     
    Paul Saldana, Jan 13, 2015
    #2
  3. RubenH

    RubenH Forum Resident

    Location:
    S.E. United States
    Thanks for the details Steve; very much looking forward to this release.
     
    RubenH, Jan 13, 2015
    #3
  4. MilMascaras

    MilMascaras Musicologist

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Please add "Guitar Man" as a bonus track , as Best of Bread doesn't really need a 2LP version just to get that obvious track
     
    Last edited: Jan 13, 2015
    MilMascaras, Jan 13, 2015
    #4
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  5. Remy

    Remy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brooklyn NY
    I would say thank you, but I'm trying to curb my buying! Please slow down! :)
     
    Remy, Jan 13, 2015
    #5
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  6. supermd

    supermd Senior Member

    Location:
    San Jose, CA
    As far as I know, I've never heard any Bread songs. I bet I have, though; my mom has a greatest hits CD. I should pull it out. Time to explore some new music!
     
    supermd, Jan 13, 2015
    #6
    AudiophilePhil likes this.
  7. Gary

    Gary Nauga Gort! Staff

    Location:
    Toronto
    Ya made me laugh out loud with that one! You've never turned up the brightness, let alone to stun! :D

    LP, too? Didn't realize that but the last time I heard my Canadian LP was when I had a completely different system. Muffled everything and anything. :)

    Sorry. :shake:

     
    Gary, Jan 13, 2015
    #7
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  8. Dave

    Dave Esoteric Audio Research Specialist™

    Location:
    B.C.
    Looking forward to hearing this one Steve. Glad you guys were able to pull it all together. :thumbsup:
     
    Dave, Jan 13, 2015
    #8
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  9. DPM

    DPM Senior Member

    Location:
    Nevada, USA
    Looking forward to this one. Some wonderful music getting the SACD treatment. 2015 is getting off to a good start reissue-wise.
     
    DPM, Jan 13, 2015
    #9
    Simon A likes this.
  10. The Dunster

    The Dunster Forum Resident

    Location:
    Australia
    As much as their music makes me cringe there is no doubting David Gates' ability to write a catchy tune that will appeal to the masses.
    I will definetly be buying a copy as it will go out of print faster than you can blink.
     
    The Dunster, Jan 13, 2015
    #10
  11. Licorice pizza

    Licorice pizza Livin’ On The Fault Line

    Location:
    East Bay/Oakland, California, USA
    Oooh, baby I'm a want you!
     
    Licorice pizza, Jan 13, 2015
    #11
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  12. KeithH

    KeithH Success With Honor...then and now

    Location:
    Beaver Stadium
    Thanks for sharing the details, Steve. Great stuff. I've passed up the standard Elektra CD and other Bread compilations many times over the years, so this SACD will be my first slice. :D
     
    KeithH, Jan 13, 2015
    #12
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  13. Myke

    Myke Trying Not To Spook The Horse

    Location:
    Hendersonville, Tennessee Home of Cash & Orbison
    Only Bread in my collection for the last 45 years has been 2 original 45s.

    This'll be a great first time for this comp. I've put off over, and over again.
     
    Myke, Jan 13, 2015
    #13
    Simon A likes this.
  14. rxcory

    rxcory proud jazz band/marching band parent

    Location:
    Portland, Oregon
    Another instant purchase for me. Can't wait!
     
    rxcory, Jan 13, 2015
    #14
    Peter Pyle and Licorice pizza like this.
  15. GV1967

    GV1967 Senior Member

    Location:
    Northeastern US
    Phenomenal! Looking forward to this one, indeed!
     
    GV1967, Jan 13, 2015
    #15
    Peter Pyle likes this.
  16. jeffrey walsh

    jeffrey walsh Senior Member

    Location:
    Scranton, Pa. USA
    Great collection, a must own pop compilation done right.

     
    jeffrey walsh, Jan 13, 2015
    #16
    anduandi, Bill and AudiophilePhil like this.
  17. mpayan

    mpayan A Tad Rolled Off

    David Gates was one finest pop singers ever imo.

    Steve, any recollections on what it was like hearing such a great voice from masters? Any special things you had to do that will make David sound even more excellent than he always has?
     
    mpayan, Jan 13, 2015
    #17
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  18. MonkeyMan

    MonkeyMan A man who dreams he is a butterfly?

    Location:
    Colorado Front Range
    Lovely...
     
    MonkeyMan, Jan 13, 2015
    #18
  19. Peter Pyle

    Peter Pyle Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ontario CAN
    A-W-E-S-O-M-E. Love the post!!!
     
    Peter Pyle, Jan 13, 2015
    #19
  20. Scott S.

    Scott S. lead singer for the best indie band on earth

    Location:
    Walmartville PA
    This will surely help broaden the appeal for the act I consider to be the most underrated in the history of pop music.

    Also includes one of the greatest 'unreleased as a single' songs of all time, Look What You Done.
     
    Last edited: Jan 13, 2015
    Scott S., Jan 13, 2015
    #20
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  21. AudiophilePhil

    AudiophilePhil Senior Member

    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    It was James Griffin on lead vocals on that "Look What You've Done" video with David Gates singing the second voice. Both of them were great singers and the blending of their voices are among the best I've heard from any rock band. They were really an underrated and under- appreciated band.

    I just cannot wait to have my hands on this audiophile release.
    Thanks so much Steve and Stephen Marsh for making it happen.
     
    Last edited: Jan 13, 2015
    AudiophilePhil, Jan 13, 2015
    #21
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  22. jacksonwalker

    jacksonwalker Forum Resident

    I like this release. Thank you Steve.
     
    jacksonwalker, Jan 13, 2015
    #22
  23. mpayan

    mpayan A Tad Rolled Off

    My post fell right under that video so I guess it looked like I was refering to it. I was just making a general statement about David Gates. But, yes, they sounded great together for sure.
     
    mpayan, Jan 13, 2015
    #23
    AudiophilePhil likes this.
  24. drbryant

    drbryant Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    I used to sing "Everything I Own" at karaoke bars. I'm in.
     
    drbryant, Jan 13, 2015
    #24
    Simon A likes this.
  25. EndOfTheRainbow

    EndOfTheRainbow I Want To See the Bright Lights Tonight

    Location:
    Houston
    GREAT !!!
    I was listening to the Rhino "Best of Bread" this morning... I think it is the Bill Inglot version with 20 tracks. I usually lean toward "Mother Freedom" instantly (good radio song).
    When I was in high school, the one of my five friends that had a car would play this ENDLESSLY on 8-track, so for awhile afterwords I could listen to it (you didn't tend to hear Young's "Tonight the Nights" in that car).
    When I finally got a car, I played "Darkness on the Edge of Town" and "Lennon/Plastic Ono Band" on 8track for awhile (among others), but finally ditched it for a cassette and made my own metal cassette tapes, which to my ears sounded better than the store bought cassette tapes.
     
    EndOfTheRainbow, Jan 13, 2015
    #25
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