To upgrade to a newer remaster/reissue or keep the existing version?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by bjdwsm, Mar 17, 2018.

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  1. bjdwsm

    bjdwsm Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Canada
    I finally went through my 900+ CD collection and catalogued my discs, and am weighing upgrading some of my collection that have since been remastered. Just wondering what everyone thinks I should do with the following items.

    Two caveats: I don't have a very high end system (just a 20-year old Pioneer XR-P170c with an occasionally cranky changer) and I'm mainly thinking "easiest copies to acquire" so that's mainly going to be standard redbook USA/Canada issues (though there are a lot of EU pressings that have become more common in the Canadian market), and no audiophile/limited editions/Japanese imports.

    Anyway, here are the titles I've flagged in my spreadsheet. I just use the catalog numbers to ID the discs here; if you need more details, let me know:
    Billy Joel - Turnstiles - Columbia - CK 33848 - USA
    Bob Dylan - Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits - Columbia - VCK 9463 - Canada
    Bob Dylan - Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. II - Columbia - WC2K-31120 - Canada
    Brian Eno - David Byrne - My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts - Sire - CD 6093 - Canada
    Bruce Cockburn - High Winds White Sky - True North - TNBD 0003 - Canada
    Bruce Cockburn - Stealing Fire - True North - TNMD 0057 - Canada
    Bruce Springsteen - Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. - Columbia - CK 31903 - USA
    Bruce Springsteen - The Wild, The Innocent and The E Street Shuffle - Columbia - CK 32432 - USA
    Bruce Springsteen - Born To Run - Columbia - CK 33795 - USA
    Bruce Springsteen - Darkness on the Edge of Town - Columbia - CK 35318 - Canada
    Bruce Springsteen - Nebraska - Columbia - CK 38358 - Canada
    Bruce Springsteen - Born In The U.S.A. - Columbia - CK 38653 - Canada
    Can Tago - Mago - Mute/Spoon - 9054-2 - Europe
    Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band - Trout Mask Replica - Reprise - 2027-2 - USA
    Cat Stevens - Teaser and the Firecat - A&M Records - CD 4313 Canada
    Cat Stevens - Catch Bull At Four - A&M Records - CD 69860 - Canada
    David Bowie - The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars - EMI - 7243 521900 0 3 - Canada
    David Bowie - Station To Station - EMI - 7243 521906 0 7 - Canada
    David Bowie - "Heroes" - Virgin - 7243 521908 0 5 - USA
    Depeche Mode - Black Celebration - Sire - CD 25429 - Canada - Disc made in USA
    Depeche Mode - Music For The Masses - Sire - CD 25614 - Canada
    Depeche Mode - Violator - Sire/Reprise - CD 26081 - Canada
    Derek and the Dominoes - Layla - Universal - 314 531 820-2 - Canada
    Dire Straits - Making Movies - Warner Bros. - 3480-2 - USA
    Fleetwood Mac - Rumours - Warner Bros. - CD 3010 - Canada
    Fleetwood Mac - Mirage - Warner Bros. - CD 23607 - Canada
    Fleetwood Mac - Tango In The Night - Warner Bros. - CD 25471 - Canada
    Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention - Freak Out! - Rykodisc - RCD 10501 - USA
    Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention - Absolutely Free - Rykodisc - RCD 10502 - USA
    Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention - We're Only In It For The Money - Rykodisc - RCD 10503 - Canada
    Frank Zappa - Hot Rats - Rykodisc - RCD 10066 - USA
    Frank Zappa - Chunga's Revenge - Rykodisc - RCD 10511 - USA
    Frank Zappa - You Are What You Is - Rykodisc - RCD 10536 - Canada - Mastering issues
    Frank Zappa - Jazz From Hell - Rykodisc - RCD 10549 - USA
    Frank Zappa - You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 1 - Rykodisc - RCD 10561/62 - USA
    George Harrison - All Things Must Pass - Capitol - CDP 7243 5 30474 2 9 - USA - oversize box
    Grateful Dead - Trilogy: Three Classic Albums - Warner Strategic Marketing - R2 73252 - Canada - 3 CD book (Live/Dead, Workingman's Dead, American Beauty; appear to be 1988 Gastwirt/Dead masterings with replica Green WB label on discs)
    John Coltrane - Giant Steps - Atlantic - CD 1311 - Canada
    John Coltrane - My Favorite Things - Atlantic - CD 1361 - Canada
    John Coltrane - A Love Supreme - Impulse! - GRD 155 - USA
    John Lennon - Plastic Ono Band - Capitol - CDP 7243 5 28740 2 6 - USA 2000 remix
    John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers - Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton - London - 800 086-2 - Canada
    Kate Bush - The Dreaming - EMI - 0777 7 46361 2 4 - Europe
    Kate Bush - Hounds Of Love - EMI - 7243 5 25239 2 4 - Canada - EMI100
    Kate Bush - Aerial - 2005 0946 3 43960 2 8 - Canada - disc 2 indexed as separate tracks
    Led Zeppelin - Untitled - Atlantic - CD 82638 - Canada
    Miles Davis - A Tribute To Jack Johnson - Columbia/Legacy - CK 47038 - USA
    Ornette Coleman - Free Jazz - Atlantic - 1364-2 - USA
    Pat Metheny Group - Still Life (Talking) - Geffen - M2G 24145 - USA - Columbia House
    Pat Metheny - Secret Story - Geffen - CGEFD 24468 - Canada - Columbia House
    Paul McCartney - McCartney - MPL/Parlophone - C2 0777 7 89239 2 3 - Canada
    Paul Simon - Graceland - Warner Bros. - CDW 46430 - Canada - Enhanced CD
    Peter Gabriel - So - Geffen - GEFMD 24088 - Canada
    Pink Floyd - Ummagumma - EMI - 7243 8 3120 2 2 - Europe - 2CD with outer box
    Pink Floyd - Atom Heart Mother - EMI - 7243 8 31246 2 6 - Canada
    Pink Floyd - Meddle - EMI - 7243 8 29749 2 5 - Canada
    Pink Floyd - Obscured By Clouds - EMI - 7243 8 36609 2 9 - Canada
    Pink Floyd - The Dark Side Of The Moon - Capitol - CDP 7243 5 82136 2 1 - USA - Hybrid SACD
    Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here - EMI - 7243 8 29750 2 1 - Canada
    Pink Floyd - Animals - EMI - 7243 8 29748 2 6 - Canada
    Pink Floyd - The Wall - Harvest/EMI 1979 - 7243 8 31243 2 9 - Canada - 2CD fatboy
    Ramones - Ramones - Warner Archives/Rhino - R2 74306 - Canada
    Simon & Garfunkel - Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M. - Columbia - CK 9049 - USA
    Simon & Garfunkel - Sounds of Silence - Columbia - CK 9269 - USA
    Simon & Garfunkel - Bookends - Columbia - CK 9529 - USA
    Sonny Rollins - Saxophone Colossus - Prestige - OJCCD-291 - Canada
    Supertramp - Even In The Quietest Moments… - A&M Records - CD 69948 - Canada
    Supertramp - Breakfast In America - A&M Records - CD 3708 - Canada
    The Kinks - The Village Green Preservation Society Reprise - 6327-2 - USA
    The Kinks - Arthur (or The Decline and Fall of the British Empire) Reprise - 6366-2 - USA
    The Replacements - Tim - Sire - CD 25330 - Canada
    The Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers - Virgin - V2 7243 8 39525 2 6 - Canada
    The Rolling Stones - Exile On Main St. - Virgin - V2 7243 8 39524 2 7 - Canada
    The Velvet Undeground The Velvet Underground & Nico Verve - 823 290-2 - Canada
    The Velvet Undeground - The Velvet Underground - Polydor - 531 252 2 - Europe
    The Velvet Undeground - Loaded - Warner Special Products - CD 27613 - Canada
    Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Damn The Torpedoes MCA Records - MCABD-31161 Canada
    U2 - Achtung Baby - Island - 510 347-2 - Canada
    Van Morrison - Astral Weeks - Warner Bros. - CD 1768 - Canada
    Van Morrison - His Band and the Street Choir - Warner Bros. - CD 1884 - Canada
    Van Morrison - Moondance Warner Bros. - CD 3103 - Canada
    XTC - Black Sea - Virgin - CDVX2173 724385063626 - Europe
    XTC - English Settlement - Virgin - CDVX2223 724385066023 - Europe
    XTC - Skylarking - Virgin - CDVX2399 724385069024 - Europe
    XTC - Apple Venus Volume 1 - TVT Records - TVT 3250-2 - USA
     
  2. Channel Z

    Channel Z Forum Resident

    Location:
    Illinois
    The Bruce Springsteen remasters are better than the ones you got. Get the Box Set The Album Collection Vol. 1 1973-1984. Its not too expensive.

    The Rolling Stones Virgins you have are good. No need to upgrade.
     
  3. mwheelerk

    mwheelerk Sorry, I can't talk now, I'm listening to music...

    Location:
    Gilbert Arizona
    If you like the audiophile releases by Mobile Fidelity (gold CD and SACD), Audio Fidelity, DCC and Analogue Productions you have about 18 opportunities to spend a lot of money.
     
  4. gregorya

    gregorya I approve of this message

    Get the new one, keep the old one, complain about lack of space... ;)
     
  5. Thievius

    Thievius Blue Oyster Cult-ist

    Location:
    Syracuse, NY
    I really like some of the Zappa remasters, but I can't speak to all of them versus the Rykodiscs. Plus, weren't a selection of the old discs remixes and the 2014s original? I don't want to sway you either way as my knowledge is limited, but I think they're worth looking into on an individual basis.

    But in general I'd be wary about "upgrading"to remasters because usually the recordings are simply louder with less dynamic range.
     
    steppednwhat, SOONERFAN and c-eling like this.
  6. c-eling

    c-eling They're made of light,We never would have guessed

    Depeche Mode-Keep
    Fleetwood Mac-Keep
    Dire Straits-Keep
    Supertamp-Keep
    The Replacements-Keep, grab the 2008 for the extra's
    The Rolling Stones-Sticky Fingers. if it's anything like the old US DADC I'd keep it
    Peter Gabriel-Keep
    Pink Floyd-Keep, but grab a 2011 of your favorite title for a comparison and go from there.
     
  7. Chemguy

    Chemguy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Western Canada
    Yep, get a turntable and get on it!;)

    Yes, the Springsteen’s are better now, but I’d keep the majority. You ears will thank you.

    Um...you’re a Canadian and you have no Neil Young. Is that allowed?
     
    Szeppelin75, JasonA and Mugrug12 like this.
  8. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product

    If i am happy enough with what i have, i don't bother with it. End up spending too much time collecting and not enough listening.
    If something comes out on 5.1 it will probably find its way to my house
     
    recklessczar likes this.
  9. ricks

    ricks Senior Member

    Location:
    127.0.0.1:443
    Don't know how it is in OP's areas but around me a used CD commands a measly 15 USA cents if brought to a CD shop.

    Not quite but nearly all of the time a non "audiophile" label remaster is a downgrade from an original CD. My opinion do not make the same mistake the vast multitude have made here - hang on to the originals!

    As for which are better, you already have the old CD's which checks off the difficult part, so do not rely on anyone's opinion but your own. Do compares on fully warm gear and form the only opinion that will work best for you!
     
  10. Here's my 2 cents (can't help you with the other titles):

    Billy Joel - Turnstiles: The MFSL SACD is the only version of the album where I like the sound. Get it while it's still relatively cheap.
    Dire Straits - Making Movies: keep, 1996 remaster is no improvement.
    Fleetwood Mac - Rumours: the 2004 remaster may be worth picking up, excellent bonus material and good sound. There's also the 45RPM LP Steve Hoffman and Kevin Gray did, if you can find it somewhat cheap.
    Fleetwood Mac - Tango In The Night: I assume it's the same mastering as the European 1987 CD, in that case keep. One of the best sounding CDs I have.
    Grateful Dead: keep what you got, unless you really want the bonus material from the reissues. Don't expect a significant sonic upgrade.
    Pink Floyd: Keep. What you have already sounds very good.
    Simon & Garfunkel: The reissues are very cheap and sound better than the originals. If you don't care about packaging the box set The Collection has them all, along with the Central Park DVD, in one cheap package.
    Supertramp: keep, remasters are no improvement
    XTC: get the excellent CD/bluray combos from the XTC surround series where they exist, keep what you've got for everything else.
     
  11. Dave S

    Dave S Forum Resident

    I believe this one is an US release with the disc pressed in Austria.
     
  12. stef1205

    stef1205 Forum Resident

    VU & Nico - the latest remaster sounds a lot better
    Simon and Garfunkel - the remixes (?) i.e. the editions with bonuses sound awesome and better than your CDs
    Bowie: STS get the 2010 remaster, unfortunately it is only available in a 3 CD box with a completely useless live concert (brickwalled as hell), Heroes: keep, the Virgin edition is bad but the German RCA is insanely expensive, and the other remasters (EMI, Ryko, Parlophone) are nearly as bad or worse.
    LZ: I find the recent remasters are really good
     
  13. SOONERFAN

    SOONERFAN Forum Resident

    Location:
    Norman, Oklahoma
    Solid advice IMHO.
     
    George P likes this.
  14. bjdwsm

    bjdwsm Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Canada
    I have a lot of his discography; upgraded to the remasters for the first four, haven't bothered with the 5-8 and 8.5-12 boxes yet.

    I do have a record player but it's a crappy Crosley cruiser; thinking of investing in a better player before I expand my (limited) vinyl collection.
     
    Chemguy likes this.
  15. irong

    irong Forum Resident

    Location:
    Quebec, Canada
    You have a bunch of keepers (All the Doug Sax mastered Pink Floyd, Tom Petty, Cat Stevens)

    I could suggest replacing all of your Bowies for the latest remasters. I'm only moderately interested in Bowie, but I just bought Station to Station and Heroes and I think they better than the EMIs. Also, Bowie sells quite well used.

    The 2010 Lennon POB is also an excellent disc.
     
  16. InStepWithTheStars

    InStepWithTheStars It's a miracle, let it alter you

    Location:
    North Carolina
    All the Zappas except Money should be upgraded to the 2012 CDs. VU & Nico from 2012 is wonderful, not sure about the other ones.

    I'm actually on the fence about the Springsteen remasters, even though I have a way better tolerance for compression than most here. It really depends on the album. Born to Run and Born in the USA sound harsh with some strange anomalies like the beginning of "Night", Wild & Innocent sounds better, Darkness sounds good but just different (I played the original CD a few million times). Still, if you can find the CD box set for ~$25, go for it.

    Rolling Stones on Virgin are wonderful, DO NOT upgrade. The Polydor/UMe reissues are unspeakably bad. Pick one up if you really want to induce migraines.
     
    telepicker97 likes this.
  17. bjdwsm

    bjdwsm Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Canada
    My VU & Nico is the 1986 version with the alternate "All Tomorrow's Parties".

    Any opinion on the Dylan hits comps, the George Harrison, and the early Van Morrison?

    Weird related question: was there actually a recent remaster of the Canadian version of Cohen's "Various Positions" a few years ago?
     
  18. telepicker97

    telepicker97 Got Any Gum?

    Location:
    Midwest
    Ah, when did you come over??
     
    gregorya likes this.
  19. telepicker97

    telepicker97 Got Any Gum?

    Location:
    Midwest
    All this, and drop the Virgin Bowies for Rykos or recent remasters.
     
  20. telepicker97

    telepicker97 Got Any Gum?

    Location:
    Midwest
    so much truth
     
    George P likes this.
  21. J.A.W.

    J.A.W. Music Addict

    The 2 MFSL Grateful Dead remasters I have are excellent:
    - American Beauty
    - Workingman's Dead
     
    expo62, Freebird and Say It Right like this.
  22. George P

    George P Notable Member

    Location:
    NYC
    For Dylan hits, the two Audio Fidelity releases are excellent and a clear upgrade.

    And I have yet to hear an early Van Morrison CD I didn't like so I say keep those.

    And I second the MFSL Turnstiles recommendation.

    And for the George Harrison All Things Must Pass, seek out the 2010 download.
     
    Last edited: Mar 18, 2018
    telepicker97 likes this.
  23. telepicker97

    telepicker97 Got Any Gum?

    Location:
    Midwest
    The MFSL Silver disc of Mars Hotel is also quite excellent.
     
  24. Paul Saldana

    Paul Saldana jazz vinyl addict

    Location:
    SE USA (TN-GA-FL)
    I like the 1986 VU&N.

    Back to the OP's list, the early versions of 'My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts' miss the bonus tracks but I swear they sound better.
     
  25. J.A.W.

    J.A.W. Music Addict

    The early WB Van Morrison discs are pretty good, I'd say keep 'em.
     
    telepicker97 likes this.
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