Rush - new 2015 vinyl and hi-res reissues thread. (Part 2)

The Magee remaster of Counterparts is afik only available in digital form through download via a code you get when buying the vinyl. It says 24/96 on the sleeve but the download is in fact 24/192.

 

Here's a new comparison video:

 

Would you guys quit convincing me buy the new ones when I already have the old ones in good shape!!

 

Just accept the reality that you will be buying them all. I did and was able to move on with my life.

 

This is true.

I convinced myself (quite correctly) that I did not need the series of releases from Moving Pictures to Hold Your Fire because I have excellent sounding originals.

Well guess what I just ordered from Amazon today

 

I haven't bought GUP or HYF for the same reasons.
I keep reading how good GUP sounds though so I'm bound to give in eventually.

 

My overall assessment if the Rush reissue series is of course that it is absolutely fantastic. With that said, a few of the recent ones I got do not quite live up to the original pressings I own. Hempispheres (U.K. version) sounds a bit muted but still excellent but it does have the 4 second gap between tracks on side one. This does not bother me as much as some but still not a mistake that should have been made. Probably my biggest disappointment is Caress of Steel, not sure if it was the quality of the original recording but I think my original copy will remain my favorite of this one. I still have to give Grace and a few others full listens but my initial impression of Grace was that it sounds fantastic. Still waiting for All The Worlds A Stage. Final word on the 180g Europe Back on Black pressings is that the sound quality matches the others from QRP that I have ordered from Amazon. The inner sleeves do suck though and I had to replace both of them. I did not find the vinyl to be overly loud with crackle and no warps of any kind. Overall very pleased. Farewell to Kings in particular sounded great.

 

Those are the OLD remasters, not the new ones. You cannot buy the new remasters online. They are only available via the download cards that come with the vinyl.

 

I sure hope that changes at some point.

 

I love looking over at my vinyl shelves and seeing all of the reissues lined up. A complete mint run of all Rush albums released on vinyl through Clockwork Angels.

A thing of beauty, so it is.

 

I have a 4-sided Gilbert Kong pressing of All the Worlds A Stage. Is the new one much better than the GK?

 

I recently purchased from ProStudioMasters the 2015 hirez download of Exit Stage Left.
Sounds decent, but low output, I have to crank the volume on this one. I compared the opening track,
Spirit Of Radio with the Sectors version. Only a quick comparison so far, by I seem to prefer the Sectors version...more punchier and livelier sounding. But, I still prefer the latest vinyl version of ESL. But the Sectors version is not too shabby at all.

 

A heads up to anyone looking to order the new Exist Stage Left vinyl from Amazon US. The item is fulfilled by Amazon and sold by a third party at the moment. What they are shipping is the Back To Black version, not the new DMM one despite it being clearly listed that way in the description.

JQ

 

Yeah, I just ordered from Zoverstocks (Hemispheres and Farewell To Kings) knowing that because it is from the UK it would be the Back to Black versions although the Amazon website said otherwise. Tried for a partial refund but Zoverstocks wanted a full return and I opted to keep them. They sound nice and are perfectly flat so I don't want to risk anything. One other issue came up when downloading All The World A Stage MP4 vinyl rip from UMG. I think my computer ran out of hard drive space and it would not download, now the code is no good. Anyone know how I can get this or if anyone had a code they dont need I would love to have that one? I could not seem to find a proper email contact on their website.

 

Just a heads up that the Back To Black versions have the same DMM mastering (as far as I understand) but are not pressed at QRP. I did notice the sleeves to be of lesser quality, actually had to replace the two that I got. One had three inch tear and the other was hard as hell to slide into the sleeve. Listening to the ATWAS vinyl rip and it sounds a little loud, not bad although I hear a little sibilance. Thanks again for sending the code!

I wanted to add that I have gone back and forth on what I think of the quality of these vinyl rips but overall I am pleased with the quality. I do think some of them beat the Cd versions that I had. Obviously, Fly By Night being the exception, that one stinks. The Moving Pictures one is fantastic.

 

The Back To Black (i.e. EU versions) use the same mastering/cut. Same Magee sig in the deadwax (!...!). They are pressed at GZ Vinyl. I've got a couple of them and they're fine. The records are dirtier but no sound issues - except for GUP. I've got 2 copies of it and on both there are skips at the very start of 'The Body Electric'. I also got the US press of GUP and that plays fine so there is definitely a faulty batch of EU copies out there.

 

I had the skip on GUP but had it replaced with another EU pressing without the skip.

 

Thanks for clarifying. I already sent mine back to Amazon for refund as a "wrong item shipped." However, this is an "ok" turn of events as far as I am concerned. I was experiencing a bit of buyers remorse over this one - I simply do not need it when I have an original pressing (with RL on some sides) and the new 24/48 Hi Res.

 

I see an issue here. A Farewell To Kings should be before Hemispheres. You need to fix that. Then you are good to go.

 

Ah, you can tell which one I listened to most recently! Good old AFTK.

And good old Rush.

 

Needle-drops are ridiculous. Why go through the extra two generations of pressing equipment and turntable playback? Mercury should have given codes for the HD source instead.

 

Because the popularity of needledrops on file-sharing sites convinced folks at some labels that people really want them.

 

Quoting your text simply for a frame of reference. I am not challenging or "calling you out."

I opened my copy and it definitely does not have the Magee sig in the deadwax, it has some block letters - that's it. This leads me to believe that this is indeed the incorrect pressing and not the EU pressing of the Magee cut.

Does anyone know if there was a previous pressing of ESL on Back To Black or Back On Black that was issued prior to the current reissue campaign??

Edit - this particular copy is also LOADED with non fill...something I have not seen on any of the new Rush pressings

 

How do we know the EU copies are all of the Magee cuts? The only reason I ask is because isn't his deadwax signature something like "i..i"? Those are NOT on the EU copies anywhere in the runoffs if Discogs is to be believed, but it appears on all US pressings.