SH Spotlight I'm asked stuff: Favorite mastering engineer, best BOSTON CD, best TRAVELING WILBURYS CD, etc..

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Steve Hoffman, Oct 3, 2018.

  1. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Nothing I would reach for unless I needed to sink down in my chair..
     
  2. Jack_Straw

    Jack_Straw Forum Resident

    Location:
    Wichita, KS
    Have you seen any concerts in the last 5 years? 10 years? Anything notable, performance-wise or sound-wise?
     
  3. slunky

    slunky Forum Resident

    Location:
    MA, US
    Hi Steve,

    Where might I find the best sounding version of Mickey & Sylvia's "Love Is Strange" on CD?
     
  4. supermd

    supermd Senior Member

    Location:
    San Jose, CA
    I think you mentioned Pulp Fiction and "Misirlou" once.
     
  5. AudiophilePhil

    AudiophilePhil Senior Member

    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    Mr. Steve Hoffman:
    What source tapes did you use when you reissued "Band on the Run," "Ringo," "No Dice" "Straight Up" and "City to City" on DCC?
    Did you use the Capitol or EMI stereo analog master tapes?
     
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  6. Man at C&A

    Man at C&A Senior Member

    Location:
    England
    Have you ever heard the original UK Pyramid 45 of Desmond Dekker - 007? It's very clear sounding. The top end and cymbals sound 'phasey' (is that even a word?!) on every other issue of it I've heard, like a tape alignment problem. I'm surprised nobody has mastered from it if the first generation master doesn't exist anymore. I've never have heard the song sound anywhere near as good as this single anywhere else. The problem is it's very difficult to find in excellent condition.
     
  7. tubesandvinyl

    tubesandvinyl Forum Resident

    Hi Steve,

    Much of the great music that we love so much from the 50s and 60s doesn't extend very high in the top end. Beatles, Buddy, Elvis, Ray, Sam, Otis, Aretha, Jimi, CCR, Doors, etc. Since you've listened to/worked with some of these master tapes, what is the general area of high frequency extension? 15khz?

    Thanks,
    Tony
     
    Last edited: Oct 22, 2018
  8. carrick doone

    carrick doone Whhhuuuutttt????

    Location:
    Vancouver, Canada
    Hi Steve, I have a thank you and a question.

    I grew up listening to the Mamas and Papas in my house. The music has always had a special spot in my heart. When I came across your mastering of their greatest hits it was revelatory. As I acquired better headphones and amplification I appreciated your touch with this music even more. I'm currently listening to a different mastering on Spotify and it could not be more different and frankly lesser. You understood that the sound was about the delicacy of the vocals. I listen to your version at least once a week. It has added to my emotional life immeasureably. So thank you.

    Now to my question: I understand from your previous writing on this album that the mono tapes are lost. On Dancing in the Street are we listening to a second version recorded in stereo? Or is the version we hear now the same as the mono original release? I ask because it's clear on the last chorus Mama Cass flubs the word "grab" and says "grasp", then she blows another word and Denny suddenly comes in and they goof off with city names until the end of the song. It's a lot of fun but I have a hard time believing the record label accepted it in that state as a single. Or maybe it wasn't a single? You can tell I have spent too much time with this song. :)

    Thanks in advance.
     
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  9. Time Is On My Side

    Time Is On My Side Forum Resident

    Location:
    Madison, WI
    Yes as far as tapes cannot be found, bad condition of the tapes, etc.
     
  10. MGM

    MGM Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Diego
    You (and Michael Goldstone) are credited as having ‘compiled’ the 1985 Elton John MCAD-31016 compilation “Your Songs”.
    Does that mean you remastered the CD?
    - If so, did you also remaster the 1989 reissue MCAD-31016 CD release?
    - If so, did you also remaster the 1985 MCA-37266 vinyl release?
     
  11. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Local jazz, school concerts, some classical shows, a theatre revival or two, saw LeAnn a bunch of times. Nothing of a Rock nature that wasn't local..
    No idea. I play my old 45. Love to watch that label going around.
     
  12. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    About 1/2 of the US vault tapes and 30 ips 1:1's of the British. Depending on the amount of damage, it was usually about 50/50 per album. So much tape damage!
     
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  13. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    The CD has it right, I've written about this before a bunch.
     
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  14. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    If you get 12k it's a good day.
     
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  15. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    I haven't heard the mono version in over 50 years, sorry!
     
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  16. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Eh, to list a bunch of bummer memories is pointless. The rule is, if I can't find something that sounds good, the project is cancelled.

    Once, a song was made up of 4 different tapes that I edited together to make one acceptable version. Crazy ****.
     
  17. uzn007

    uzn007 Watcher of the Skis

    Location:
    Raleigh, N.C.
    Which CD?
     
  18. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    The vinyl was mastered by either Steve H. or Greg F., can't remember. Michael and I were standing right there watching. Getting those Trident Dolby A tapes to play back correctly was a true bitch.
     
  19. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    The Harder They Come. First Mango edition. The LP versions always had it WRONG.
     
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  20. AudiophilePhil

    AudiophilePhil Senior Member

    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    Thank you Steve for your response. Do you have any reason why you did not use the British tapes 100%? Do they sound better than their U.S. counterparts?
     
  21. bmoregnr

    bmoregnr Forum Rezident

    Location:
    1060 W. Addison
    This was the post that caused me to realize my Deluxe Edition of it, on top of being a bit hot, had it wrong, as did any other Trojan Dekker compilation I had. Your one or two favorite Reggae songs (Ska, Blue Beat, Rocksteady, Reggae)..

    I since fixed that via the Mango CD of Harder They Come and it is also un-swishy on the Tougher Than Tough box set.
     
  22. Man at C&A

    Man at C&A Senior Member

    Location:
    England
    Interesting. I only have the remastered The Harder They Come CD. 007 sounds poor on every compilation I've heard it on too. That old post from you explains it all.
     
  23. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Reread what I wrote! I chose the best parts from each. Rim damage (edge) mostly. Wicked machines, operator error, whatever. It is what it is.

    Once I reconstructed a 3:00 song from 4 separate sources and 2 were records.
     
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  24. uzn007

    uzn007 Watcher of the Skis

    Location:
    Raleigh, N.C.
    Thanks guys. As Man at C&A said, I've often noticed this as being "swishy", especially on the classic Club Ska '67 comp. I think I have an original Mango Harder They Come so I'll have to check that out.
     
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  25. Keith V

    Keith V Forum Resident

    Location:
    Secaucus, NJ
    Do you have a favorite music magazine?

    Mine was Musician.
     
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