The final 'Layla on CD shootout': a new blind listening test

Hello folks,
long ago I set up a blind test for Derek and the Dominos' Layla, taken from different version of the album Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs.

The 'Layla on CD shootout': a blind listening test

Back then, the Platinum SHM-CD version won hands down. Now thanks to @jhm, @hvbias and @moss, who provided a handful of samples, we have a new shootout: the SHM-CD version vs other three masterings of the song.

Here you have 4 samples A, B, C, D (1'45") ripped from different CD masterings, in FLAC format.

Dropbox - Layla 2nd blind test

Each sample comprise three excerpts of the song. All the sources presented here have the original mix (the remixed versions were left out).

The samples have been level adjusted so that the excerpts have the same Replay Gain values (based on EBU R128 standard with target of 89dB sound pressure level).

It would be great if you could listen to the samples and compare them to each other, reporting which one sounds the best on your system and why.

Instructions:

• If you intend to vote, it's recommended reading the discussions after you have listened to the samples and voted, in order to escape confirmation bias.
• It's recommended listening to the samples and discussing what you heard. Please take into account that discussions based on visual inspection of waveforms, spectral plots and DR values might condition the poll results while the poll is open, if folks read the discussions before listening to the samples. Also guesses on "which mastering is which" might alter the results.
• You can pick up only one sample.
• You can't view the results before you vote, in order to escape confirmation bias (the results are viewable to everybody when the poll closes).
• Votes are publicly displayed.
• You can change your mind until the test expires, in exactly two weeks.
• The sources will be revealed after the expiration of this period, when the poll is closed (and it's impossible to vote).

This test will expire on September 30th.

I hope you'll have fun and I thank you for your participation.
G.

 

OK, so I prefaced this test by listening to the old test (purely by accident as I clicked on the wrong link). Anyway it was sort of a good introduction as to what sounded good to my ears and what didn't.
For this test, I didn't like A or B at all. B was particularly unpleasant with even more prominent highs and upper mids than A. C, on the other hand, sounded a little muted but much more listenable than the first two. Overall, though, D was the most balanced and my preferred mastering.

 

Sample A sounded the most transparent and clear to me, with a little less bass prominence than on the smoother sounds of D and particularly C. Sample B compared to the other seemed to have an upper midrange boost which I didn't like at all. Ranking: A D C [long gap] B

 

As I started going through this test I was thinking it was going to be really difficult because I wasn't hearing a lot of difference between A and B. Both of them sounded really harsh to me, especially in the screamed vocal section -- they hurt my ears in those parts. Probably B was the worst of those two. Then both C and D seemed to be grouped together as more pleasant presentations, I could really go for either of those two. I guess D by a hair, because I was hearing a little more separation between the various parts.

 

Enjoy the Polydor 1972 reissue DLPs & 1996 Remaster CD. The 1977 RSO reissue DLP set is a step down, imho.
Any Tom Dowd production should be a cut above the pack. Never fair to compare sources via headphones.

 

I think D sounds the best to these ears, although C isnt far off. A and B arent in the conversation.

 

Sample A - clearest. The drums and slide guitar come through clearly.

 

A and B sounded really really harsh to my ears as well. I also had to choose D, but just by that proverbial hair.

 

They all sound sound the same on my iPhone

 

I can't tell from these but my favorite sound wise in the 93 MFSL CD. I even like it better than the new MFSL LP.

 

A sounded like the regular muddy mix to me. B sounded like the highs were boosted - cymbals seemed to pop out more. C seemed a tad muddy again and D maybe less muddy than C.
I'd probably pick D - (B was too harsh on the highs).

 

I'm going to compare them more closely tomorrow, but right away I can exclude sample B. Sounds awful.

D is the early pick.

 

I was initially attracted to B with it's clearer high end, but I get the feeling this has been artificially boosted. It was just too harsh. Also, B is running slightly slower (lower pitch) than the other 3. A seemed a bit light on bass. I went with C because it had more heft in the bass, but a little more clarity in the bass than D, which seemed to have the most bass, just a tad too muffled. Thanks as always, Grandegi. These are always fun.

 

I went with C on a quick listen. It sounds cleaner with better definition to me. This was on computer speakers. Later I listened on headphones. I am still going with C, but C and D are very close, such that I would not be surprised to discover that they are basically the same mastering. None of the samples sound particularly good in an absolute sense but the performance is sublime.

I thought A and B were significantly worse than C or D.

Tim

 

A sounded uninspiring (or as uninspiring as Layla can ever be).

B had a great deal more get up & go but had a harsh treble.

C sounded very natural to my ears.

D was similar to C & was more detailed but seemed to lack the last little bit of naturalness that C had.

I voted for C but D came a close second.

 

I noticed this while assembling the samples: the other 3 sources run at the same speed, so sample B is off-speed.

 

Why?

C and D seem very similar. D seems to pull to the right slightly, and seems ever so slightly muted compared to C.

B sounds like it has a fair amount of EQ in an attempt at "clarity". Too much, IMO.

A sounds slightly more clear and open than C.

My first choice was A, although I could probably go between A and C depending on the day.

1) A
2) C
3) D
4) B

 

I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that track B is the Kevin Gray mastering for Audio Fidelity, off the Time Pieces comp. As others have noted, that has a much clearer and more prominent top end, which makes it a bit more "vinyl sounding" than the others. It also seems more dynamic, but perhaps thinner than the others. It's interesting that the speed was sightly slower than the others. That further suggests to me that this is the Gray, as the track time for that is 7:15, as opposed to ~7:06 (give or take :01) for the other versions I own.

Sample D has a natural sound and a solid bottom end. As in the earlier test, I noticed the kick drum had more punch on this track than the others. This makes it stand out.

Sample C is pretty close, and also sounds good. It has a bit more clarity, but lacks the punch of D. I'll go with D, but C is a close #2.

I thought A was pretty muddy, like a blanket was thrown over the speakers. I didn't like it as much as the others.

 

As per instructions:

 

Love these blind tests

Tim

 

With just a quick listen through headphones, I thought each sample sounded just a little bit better than the one before, so I'd go D, C, B, A

 

Yeah, preference is one thing, but calling A "pretty muddy" compared to C or D is pretty baffling to me.

 

Are any of these the "Anniversary Mix"? That's my go to (for cd listening). Had the Mofi, sounded muddy...

 

The remix? No.

The sound of the original mix is the sound of the original mix.

 

Needs the help modern technology can bring.
Wonder what Steven Wilson could do for Layla.