It was my understanding that for TNOTB and SiT, there was no difference between the Capitol and EMI? And that for POM there was just a volume difference between the 2? Not sure about Powerslave and SSOASS though.
They may all be the same for TNOTB ( I bought the EMI), but S/T, Killers, and POM are different. I don't have the others.
Just the other day I listened to Killers and Number, ye olde Capitols from the early 90s. Nothing special (in fact I really didn't like how Killers sounded) but I'll take them ANY day over the ****ing remasters.
I have few different editions of all the albums (on both cd and vinyl), but as usual I tend to listen to mostly the originals, some later reissues (possibly FAME) or '95 2cd editions. Those are all wonderful compared to disappointing '98 remasters, which were louder and got even some errors etc in the booklets and couple weird edits audiowise.
Once I heard the intro to Powerslave missing on the 98s, I said to myself, "**** this ****". Back then I wasn't attuned to the Loudness Wars like I am now, but I still thought something was wrong. They sound like FM radio, CONSTANT LOUDNESS ALL THE TIME. But the Powerslave edit was unforgivable.
Is it possible to buy any original issue (Silver) Maiden cd's from a source in America? I expect the cheapest I will be able to re-purchase my collection will be 20 bucks a pop (for the 5 dollar copies + 15 dollars international shipping). Why is it so difficult to find original issue Maiden cds, and so easy to find original issue Priest, Scorpions, Dio, Sabbath, etc cds?
Of course it is possible, but you have to hunt them down, since you are talking second hand...scarcity is probably an indication of quality Try Discogs.
This thread goes all over the place, but I get the impression you can't go wrong with the original UK, German or Japanese releases correct? How do the 2 disc Castle releases stack up against the originals?
I have the UK ones-Killers through Somewhere in Time. I don't think there is a difference after Somewhere in Time. The UK CDs are very good, but the vinyl is excellent if you can find a good copy. For the debut album get the first US pressing on CD. For some reason the UK did not turn out well.
Castle releases were only out for 3 years. At the time (1998) I wondered why Maiden was churning out so much re-release product.. Still wonder today.
Through the magic of the internet, I just compared the EMI, Castle and vinyl editions of Killers through my home stereo. The EMI and vinyl are nearly indistinguishable. I must say I prefer the Castle release. I hate describing sounds, but here I go lol. The Castle release is louder, but when turned down to roughly the same level, it is more dynamic, punchier and clearer. The guitar solo that comes in near the beginning of Ides of March rings out bright and clear. When cranked I don't get the sense that it's compressed, no hissy symbols or painful highs. Castle all the way for me.
I remember the Castle releases sounding very good. Stupidly, I sold them all once the wretched 1998 remasters were released.
I have a original mastering Canadian CD of Powerslave for auction on eBay atm. Not 100% sure when this pressing is from but I'd estimate late 80s since the CD face is near identical to West German pressings from that time and has the plastic center ring. Anyway it sounds brilliant and worth picking up. Not easy to find in the UK. I have an original LP as well as lossless rip of this CD and so figured I'd let the CD go to someone who wants it. Starts low. http://www.ebay.com/itm/171692511041?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649
I finally found the original US FOTD on EPIC today for $5. Curious to hear the difference between it and the '98 remaster.
You are correct, you can't go wrong with either of those. Although there are some variation in level between them. They are all dynamic and presumably from the same tape-transfers. Same goes for 2cd-editions. 1998 are presumably fron the same tape-transfers as well but compressed and re-eq:d.
So, yeah, after reading nearly 17 pages, the net result is get anything before 1995. Haha. Great thread! Yeah, I listened to my original UK Self Titled album tonight, with a fine sheen of tape hiss, throughout, and I had forgotten how warm and clear the recording was for fairly low budget sessions from 1980. I'm on a Maiden kick now. Up the irons!
Here's another different one I found in my disk archives - I'd have to dig out the actual CD from storage to identify it exactly, but I am pretty sure I bought it way before 1998 so I don't think it is a remaster. Or is it? : Track 1 Filename C:\WORK\SIT\01 Caught Somewhere In Time.wav Peak level 99.9 % Extraction speed 11.1 X Track quality 100.0 % Copy CRC BB74B473 Accurately ripped (confidence 2) [E74B9B45] (AR v2) Copy OK Track 2 Filename C:\WORK\SIT\02 Wasted Years.wav Peak level 100.0 % Extraction speed 12.4 X Track quality 100.0 % Copy CRC 2FE99D58 Accurately ripped (confidence 3) [1A6F3C75] (AR v2) Copy OK Track 3 Filename C:\WORK\SIT\03 Sea Of Madness.wav Peak level 92.3 % Extraction speed 13.6 X Track quality 100.0 % Copy CRC 11D5825D Accurately ripped (confidence 3) [AA7D35DA] (AR v2) Copy OK Track 4 Filename C:\WORK\SIT\04 Heaven Can Wait.wav Peak level 82.0 % Extraction speed 15.1 X Track quality 100.0 % Copy CRC 8C838202 Accurately ripped (confidence 3) [03D35129] (AR v2) Copy OK Track 5 Filename C:\WORK\SIT\05 The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner.wav Peak level 97.8 % Extraction speed 15.9 X Track quality 99.9 % Copy CRC 86BCBF66 Accurately ripped (confidence 2) [8DF2286B] (AR v2) Copy OK Track 6 Filename C:\WORK\SIT\06 Stranger In A Strange Land.wav Peak level 100.0 % Extraction speed 17.1 X Track quality 100.0 % Copy CRC 9A9CA926 Accurately ripped (confidence 2) [AE69E2E9] (AR v2) Copy OK Track 7 Filename C:\WORK\SIT\07 Deja-Vu.wav Peak level 99.8 % Extraction speed 17.3 X Track quality 99.9 % Copy CRC DD0755B9 Accurately ripped (confidence 2) [5AEC8AD6] (AR v2) Copy OK Track 8 Filename C:\WORK\SIT\08 Alexander The Great.wav Peak level 96.3 % Extraction speed 19.4 X Track quality 100.0 % Copy CRC 85C2F8E4 Accurately ripped (confidence 2) [C62E6154] (AR v2) Copy OK All tracks accurately ripped No errors occurred End of status report
Simple................. Iron Maiden - US Capitol CDP '88 pressing or EMI Fame (are they the same mastering? I think so) Killers through Seventh Son - Japan CP-32's Bonus Tracks - EMI twofers or Holland EMI Box set Everything else.......not interested.
The 80's discs are better. The 95' Castle versions I believe are the same masterings as the first US pressings. That's great for the first album, but the CP-32s are better for the rest. Just avoid all Maiden CDs after the 95 Castles, as they are all remastered, and sound awful.
Anyone buying the CP-32’s for the perceived better sound quality is really wasting their money. This thread points that out pretty well. They don’t have any unique mastering.
are the US pressings even readily available anymore? I've been on a quest for all of the 80's original issue cds for several months. Called dozens of record shops, scoured numerous websites. I've been able to find Piece of Mind and Seventh Son only. I may be in touch with the poster here who has a few copies of NoTB in the original issue. Somewhere in Time is the holy grail for me. I have the first 2 (Di'Anno era) on remaster, they don't sound as loud and painful to listen to as Somewhere in Time did (Maiden was a bit more treble happy on SiT, and it conveys as the worst remaster).
Far more readily available than the CP-32 black triangles. I was able to gather the early 80s US/UK CD releases with not too much trouble using Amazon Marketplace, eBay, and Discogs. Rare that they turn up in used bins in my local record shops, but it happens occasionally. I recently found an 80s release of Killers at CD Trader in Tarzana.
