Yes it's another The Who thread, but with this thread I hope to cut through the many reissue campaign thread discussions which can often get pretty deep into the weeds as important as that is; here we want to primarily solicit opinions from people regarding what they consider to be the best digital version of each album. If anyone has listened to a good many versions and come up with a favorites list it would be very helpful to others who are trying to wade through the many many digital varieties. If you have not listened to every version of every album same as me, feel free to put what you consider the best so far noting where you are still searching. Nothing is limited to this list, but these are the ones I am primarily interested. My Generation A Quick One The Who Sell Out Tommy Who's Next Quadrophenia The Who By Numbers Who Are You Face Dances It's Hard Meaty Beaty Big And Bouncy Odds And Sods Who's Missing Two's Missing The Kids Are Alright Live At Leeds
If anyone sees improvements I can make with these please let me know. The only HD Tracks hi res I have heard is Quadrophenia; the only MFSL I have heard is Tommy. My Generation - the 2011 shm-sacd for the mono. I can’t see this one getting beat by much. A Quick One – 2011 SHM-CD UICY-20182; pretty happy with it The Who Sell Out – I have the Deluxe Edition, but I am looking for a replacement Tommy - 2013 CD B0019381-02, I found it was better than the 2012 SHM-SACD Who's Next - mostly Steve's CD; I also think 2013 SHM SACD is a good different listen Quadrophenia - 2013 SHM CD/SACD; darn happy with this Live At Leeds – the 1995 MCAD-11215 although I have not paid attention if it has been surpassed. I am using original US CDs for these albums but am considering any others if better: The Who By Numbers Who Are You Face Dances It's Hard Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy Odds And Sods The Kids Are Alright I don’t have these yet: Who's Missing Two's Missing
I like the Blu-Ray of Quadrophenia a lot, which is supposedly identical to the HDTracks in every way.
I thought the HDTracks was very good. It seemed a tad more modern sounding to me and I somehow appreciated the shm-sacd sounding more of its time maybe. Small differences I guess, but again one sucked me in with 100% focus on the music, the other always made me think about what it was, and I went with the one that sucked me in.
Here's my desert island selection (assuming I could only choose 1 CD or DL and couldn't make my own selection) My Generation - 2012 Japanese SHM 2CD (for the Mono and 2002 Stereo mixes, plus bonus tracks) A Quick One - 2012 Japanese SHM 2CD (not perfect but best selection of bonus tracks) The Who Sell Out - 2014 Mastered For iTunes download (lossy but sounds better than the 2009 set) Tommy - 2013 Super Deluxe Edition (perfect for the main album, but lacks the 2002 bonus tracks) Who's Next - 2014 HD Tracks DL (perfect for main album, plus Record Plant and Young Vic sound pretty darn good) Quadrophenia - 2014 Super Deluxe HD Tracks DL (original album mix + Pete's demos, what more could you want?) The Who By Numbers - 2011 Japanese SHM CD (they messed up Blue Red and Grey but the extended fades on Slip Kid and However Much I Booze make up for it) Who Are You - 2011 Japanese SHM CD (for all its flaws, the bonus tracks make up - No Road Romance with Keith drumming is worth it) Face Dances - 1980's Polydor CD (never cared for this one, to be honest) It's Hard - 2011 Japanese SHM CD (as above, sorry) Meaty Beaty Big And Bouncy - 1980's MCA CD (standard?) Odds And Sods - 2011 Japanese SHM CD (great set) Who's Missing/Two's Missing - 2011 Japanese SHM 2CD (excellent bonus tracks) The Kids Are Alright - 2011 Japanese SHM CD (never really listen to this one anyway) Live At Leeds - 2014 HD Tracks DL (aside from the edits in the usual places, its pretty darn amazing) But the OCD in me would still come out and I wouldn't settle for the above on their own. I recently made my own collection for A Quick One and it was taken from so many sources it hurts to remember where everything came from: Disc 1 & 2 - Original Mono and Stereo Album Run, Run, Run Boris The Spider I Need You Whiskey Man Heatwave Cobwebs & Strange Don’t Look Away See My Way So Sad About Us A Quick One While He’s Away Disc 3 - Mono Bonus Tracks Substitute (1966 Mono Mix) Circles (1966 Mono Mix) I’m A Boy (1966 Mono Mix) In The City (1966 Mono Mix) Disguises (1966 Mono Mix) Batman (1966 Mono Mix) Bucket T (1966 Mono Mix) Barbara Ann (1966 Mono Mix) Happy Jack (1966 Mono Mix) I’ve Been Away (1966 Mono Mix) Happy Jack (Acoustic Version) (1966 Mono Mix) I’m A Boy (Alternate Version) (1966 Mono Mix) Man With Money (2014 Mono Mix) My Generation/Land Of Hope & Glory (2014 Mono Mix) Substitute (US Single Version) (1966 Mono Mix) I’m A Boy (Alternate 1966 Mono Mix) Batman (Early Instrumental Take) (1966 Mono Mix) Happy Jack (Alternate 1966 Mono Mix) Happy Jack (Acoustic Version, Take 1 Studio Chat) Happy Jack (Acoustic Version, Alternate 1966 Mono Mix) Disc 4 - Stereo Bonus Tracks I’m A Boy (1966 Stereo Mix) In The City (1966 Stereo Mix) Disguises (1966 Stereo Mix) Barbara Ann (1966 Stereo Mix) I’m A Boy (Alternate Version, 1966 Stereo Mix) I’ve Been Away (1966 Stereo Mix) My Generation/Land Of Hope & Glory (1988 Stereo Mix) I’m A Boy (1994 Stereo Mix) In The City (1995 Stereo Mix) Batman (1995 Stereo Mix) Man With Money (1995 Stereo Mix) My Generation/Land Of Hope & Glory (1995 Stereo Mix) Run, Run, Run (2002 Stereo Mix) Boris The Spider (2002 Stereo Mix) I Need You (2002 Stereo Mix) Heatwave (2002 Stereo Mix) Cobwebs & Strange (2002 Stereo Mix) So Sad About Us (2002 Stereo Mix) Bucket T (2002 Stereo Mix) Barbara Ann (2002 Stereo Mix) Man With Money (2008 Stereo Mix) Batman (2014 Stereo Mix) Bucket T (2014 Stereo Mix) Man With Money (2014 Stereo Mix) My Generation/Land Of Hope & Glory (2014 Stereo Mix)
Full disclosure; all my Who CD's are the '95-'98 remix/remasters (plus the 2001 CD of The Kids Are Alright). Oh, and I also have the MoFi for Tommy.
I love that one, too, but recently @lukpac pointed out that: Also... You would think that Universal would take notes and use this list as the follow-up to the My Generation box. Tack on whatever's left of Pete's 1966 demos for Disc 5, and there you go.
The HD Leeds is easily the best official release. It just still has issues. The bonus tracks on the SHM WAY are good, but I can’t recommend that disc for the album itself.
Awesome input @RobCooper thanks for taking the time it should be real helpful. I think you have inspired @Chemguy to do the same now . I am going to have to go through that list again with a fine tooth comb, but it did jump out at me what you said about Kids Are Alright; I don't really listen to it except I need it for that perfect AQOWHA.
I've got everything from your fantastic list through eBay, CDJapan, iTunes, HDtracks, bought back when released, any particular reason this choice Rob? Only one of SHM I didn't get having the original MCA and Astley remaster. Understood on not listening much to it, agree with above comment for the audio of A Quick One, one of their greatest performances caught on tape and camera.
There are two I can recommend without hesitation. Live At Leeds (Deluxe Edition) - HDtracks [This is the definitive version as far as I'm concerned] Quadrophenia - MFSL [Only version I've heard, I can't possibly imagine this sounding any better for my tastes]
"Quadrophenia" SHM CD UICY-76020 and "Who's Next" SHM CD UICY-75764 are the closest I've heard to UK vinyl in digital form.
No real reason aside from it is the complete album, a nice package and not the 2000 remaster. I've not really done a full A/B as the only tracks that interest me on this release are the alternate studio mixes like Tommy Can You Hear Me.
Can't argue with Rob's post there although I'd plump to the SH mastered "Who's Next" for the main album tracks.
I’m tackling Meaty Beaty next. Does anyone think anything topped Mr. Steve’s CD yet? I’m apt to agree with @RobCooper, but I half have to think the mastering technology advances alone might have made that a possibility; but as always I figured it’d be best to ask the experts before wracking my brain and wallet.
I wouldn't expect magically better mastering but I'm pretty sure better, lower generation sources have been discovered for a number of the tracks.
The Quad MFSL sounds dull to me. I believe it was the 1996 Japanese version which brought some life into the mix.
It depends on the track. That CD was put together from a number of different sources, some good, some not so good. 1996 JPN is the remix.
Luke, back in my foolish early days of collecting, I followed Mr. Fang's advice and bought that Japan '96 Quad remix thinking it had the secret sauce my MCA remix did not have. I was convinced it was better when I listened. Am I dead wrong on that or is there some digital difference? Even so, once I got some copies of original mix versions including the amazing SACD SHM and 1973 first pressing vinyl I never go back to the remix much anyways.
Digitally identical. Someone lent me a European copy at the time and I struggled to hear any difference.
I do particularly like Steve's version of Meaty Beaty. His version of Who's Next is excellent, but I think there a number of excellent versions of the this. The SACD and HD tracks are quite nice in my opinion. Quadrophenia has a number of good choices. Recent remasters are good; but the MFSL is also good. I am still blown away at how good the masterings of Live at Leeds (not to mention the extra tracks) have become. I really did hate those pops and clicks.
