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

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Ken_McAlinden, Apr 27, 2015.

  1. bbanderic

    bbanderic Forum Resident

    Just picked this up from HDtracks, DR values for those interested:


    foobar2000 1.3.17 / Dynamic Range Meter 1.1.1
    log date: 2020-01-23 21:58:45

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Analyzed: Rush / Exit...Stage Left
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    DR Peak RMS Duration Track
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    DR13 -4.32 dB -18.70 dB 5:13 01-The Spirit Of Radio (Live In Canada / 1980)
    DR13 -2.55 dB -17.69 dB 6:49 02-Red Barchetta (Live In Canada / 1980)
    DR12 -2.62 dB -18.12 dB 7:45 03-YYZ (Live In Canada / 1980)
    DR12 -2.96 dB -17.60 dB 3:49 04-A Passage To Bangkok (Live In The UK / 1980)
    DR12 -2.56 dB -17.37 dB 3:11 05-Closer To The Heart (Live In The UK / 1980)
    DR12 -3.11 dB -17.12 dB 2:36 06-Beneath, Between & Behind (Live In The UK / 1980)
    DR14 -0.37 dB -19.15 dB 8:50 07-Jacob's Ladder (Live In The UK / 1980)
    DR11 -14.22 dB -29.21 dB 1:37 08-Broon's Bane (Live In Canada / 1980)
    DR12 -2.62 dB -18.44 dB 4:51 09-The Trees (Live In Canada / 1980)
    DR13 -2.35 dB -18.92 dB 12:11 10-Xanadu (Live In Canada / 1980)
    DR13 -1.14 dB -16.00 dB 5:33 11-Freewill (Live In Canada / 1980)
    DR13 -2.67 dB -17.63 dB 5:04 12-Tom Sawyer (Live In Canada / 1980)
    DR13 -3.63 dB -19.61 dB 9:50 13-La Villa Strangiato (Live In Canada / 1980)
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Number of tracks: 13
    Official DR value: DR13

    Samplerate: 48000 Hz
    Channels: 2
    Bits per sample: 24
    Bitrate: 1607 kbps
    Codec: FLAC
    ================================================================================
     
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  2. 44.1kHz multitracks——D/A conversion——Analog mixing console——A/D conversion——48kHz master

    Or alternately:

    44.1 kHz digital source——DAW or digital mixing console——SRC——48kHz master
     
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  3. Right! Guess what you have when you dub a 16/44.1 digital source to analog tape? Yup—an analog tape! It’s no longer digital, albeit it won’t contain content over 22.05kHz.

    Likewise, when you take a 16/44.1 digital tape/file and SRC it to 24/96, guess what? It’s no longer a 16/44.1 file! Sure, the music content doesn’t have the dynamic range of a “native” 24-bit file and there is no music content over 22.05kHz, but EQ, FX, and anything else you do will be at 24-bit precision and the end product will sound better than a straight 16/44.1 file.
     
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  4. Serapis Bey

    Serapis Bey Forum Resident

    I have both. They are superior to all other versions, IMO. Granted, I haven't examined them in as much depth as I have with the studio albums
     
  5. bbanderic

    bbanderic Forum Resident

    Thanks, I grabbed them both, very pleased with them, money well spent.
     
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  6. HotelYorba101

    HotelYorba101 Senior Member

    Location:
    California
    Are the high resolution Tidal Masters versions of these Rush albums the Sean Magee mastered versions? Sorry if this has been asked before, 171 pages here and couldn't find an answer quickly doing a forum search
     
  7. albertop

    albertop Forum Resident

    Don't know the answer, but the credits say: 2015 Anthem Entertainment / Mercury Records... so I'd say yes?
    EDIT: for Moving Pictures only. Other albums report a different date... (all post-2011 though).
     
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  8. gdpeck

    gdpeck Forum Resident

    Location:
    Mesa, AZ
    I recently purchased the 2015 Presto and Snakes and Arrows LPs. Neither record lists a mastering credit for Sean Magee. Presto mastering credit is Bob Ludwig. Snakes & Arrows credits Brian "Big Bass" Gardner. Were these actually remastered, or just repressed?

    To confuse me even more, both of them have stickers on them that say remastered on 200G audiophile vinyl. I also purchased the 40th anniversary Deluxe Farewell to Kings and the 2015 remaster of Grace Under Pressure. Both of those list a re-mastering credit for Sean Magee. I'm also not sure about the version included with the Presto and Snakes & Arrows downloads. The comment field in the flac tags for Presto states "2004 Atlantic Records". For Snakes and Arrows the comment field states "2007 Atlantic Records." Is this consistent with what others have seen?
     
  9. Queezma

    Queezma Forum Resident

    So....I could be wrong....BUT I think Sean Magee mastered everything from debut up to and including Show of Hands which were all on Anthem/Universal (here in Canada). I think Atlantic has the rights for everything from Presto up to and including Snakes And Arrows.
     
  10. ad180

    ad180 Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    Those credits are the original album credits. Magee cut everything in the Rush vinyl reissue series, from both Universal and Atlantic.
     
  11. Lamus

    Lamus Forum Resident

    Location:
    Tempe, Arizona
    I’m seeing 2015 for a lot of the Masters versions (Signals, AFTK, Hemispheres...). The 2015 Masters Tidal version of Hemispheres is quieter than my 80’s CD (standard Mercury one). Am I missing something?
     
  12. DiabloG

    DiabloG City Pop, Rock, and anything 80s til I die

    Location:
    United States
    I know that this is off-topic, but I bought the FLAC download of Working Man (Vault Edition) from 7digital today. I can hear watermarking artifacts on the drum transients (very prominent between 6:15 and 6:40), matching the artifacts that I heard on my Magee hi-res files. I thought that it might be an up-sampled mp3, but that's not the case because there's audio all the way up to 22kHz.
     
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  13. DiabloG

    DiabloG City Pop, Rock, and anything 80s til I die

    Location:
    United States
    All of the Mercury era downloads (both the Magees and Sectors) on 7digital are showing the release date as 03/02/20 right now. I'm not sure if that means anything was done to them, but if so, hopefully there isn't any watermarking. On the other hand, the prices seem lower than the last time I checked the site, so that could explain the date change. I'm downloading the 24/96 Magee versions of the first 2 albums and 2112 right now.
     
  14. JediJoker

    JediJoker Audio Engineer/Enthusiast

    Location:
    Portland, OR, USA
    Please report any findings re: watermarking! I know my copy of Fly By Night (Blu-ray download card) is watermarked.
     
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  15. DiabloG

    DiabloG City Pop, Rock, and anything 80s til I die

    Location:
    United States
    What section was the watermarking most noticeable for you?
     
  16. Dansk

    Dansk rational romantic mystic cynical idealist

    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    I've been holding off on buying any of those remasters because of the watermarking others have mentioned here. I have yet to actually hear what it sounds like, though. Is there a sample available somewhere?
     
  17. bbanderic

    bbanderic Forum Resident

    There’s no watermarking on the 2015 24/192 Magee’s from the first album through Exit Stage Left. I have them all, have dissected them inside and out, head phones, no headphones, and there’s zero signs of watermarking. Anyone who comes on here claiming otherwise should show it and identify exactly where to find it, put their money where their mouth is.
     
  18. DiabloG

    DiabloG City Pop, Rock, and anything 80s til I die

    Location:
    United States
    I listened to some of the first 2 albums earlier. It doesn't sound like they're watermarked. If they are, then it is not as apparent as it was on Caress of Steel (24/96 from HDTracks). On COS, I could hear some 'swishy' or 'watery' sounds in the decay of the drums on every track, which indicated that the download was watermarked. Not hearing that on Rush or FBN thankfully, but I still need to listen to 2112.
     
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  19. JediJoker

    JediJoker Audio Engineer/Enthusiast

    Location:
    Portland, OR, USA
    It's been a long time since I listened. I'll have to check when I can and get back to you.
     
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  20. wellers73

    wellers73 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY
    Are you talking about the digital downloads, or the LPs?
     
  21. bbanderic

    bbanderic Forum Resident

    The digital downloads
     
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  22. wellers73

    wellers73 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY
    I have to respectfully disagree, then. The two spots I noticed watermarking is the commonly referenced beginning of Tom Sawyer on MP - you can hear it in the reverb trails on the drums.

    However, and I don’t think this has been mentioned before, the most infuriating example to my ears is on Exit...Stage Left, during Neil’s drum solo on YYZ. The entire first minute of the solo is destroyed by the tell-tale annoyingly swishy, fluttery harmonics in the treble. Absolutely intolerable, and insulting to the band and the listeners.
     
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  23. bbanderic

    bbanderic Forum Resident

    I just listened to both tracks you listed again and I'm not hearing what you're hearing. My MP (24/192) was purchased at 7Digital and ESL (24/48) at HDTracks. What versions do you have and from where?
     
  24. DiabloG

    DiabloG City Pop, Rock, and anything 80s til I die

    Location:
    United States
    Another good place to hear the watermarking artifacts is during the final minute or so of Lock and Key on Hold Your Fire. That 'swishiness' is present in the decay of the drums and keyboards. It's a shame since I really like the EQ Magee used on the album.
     
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  25. jwp1029

    jwp1029 Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Richmond, VA, US
    I just bought the 2015 hi-res versions of all the albums from 7digital. Includes 1974's "Rush" through 1987's "Hold Your Fire." All are 24/192 up until 1981's "Exit...Stage Left." That album (along with "Signals," "Grace Under Pressure," "Power Windows," and "Hold Your Fire") is 24/48. For some reason, "Caress of Steel" was only available as 24/96.

    I have listened to most of the areas identified as problematic for watermarking in the various albums, based on what has been posted on this thread, and the only one that stood out to me as having obvious watermarking was the first few bars of "Tom Sawyer" on "Moving Pictures" (I downloaded the 24/192 version, which I assume is identical to the 24/48 version).

    Can anyone else confirm if these 7digital versions are watermarked or not? They are listed as having a release date of 03/10/20, but all are copyrighted 2015.
     
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