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

@jwp1029, if possible could you snip out the beginning of Tom Sawyer and share it here? I'd really like to hear what this watermarking sounds like.

 

And here are the three samples where I do not hear any watermarking.
1) "YYZ" from "Exit...Stage Left", 2) "Mystic Rhythms" from "Power Windows", 3) "Lock and Key" from "Hold Your Fire"

Dropbox - YYZ (Live In Canada 1980) 24-48 7digital sample.flac - Simplify your life
Dropbox - Mystic Rhythms 24-48 7digital sample.flac - Simplify your life
Dropbox - Lock And Key 24-48 7digital sample.flac - Simplify your life

 

Happy to - what is the best way to share, since I just tried Dropbox but it was removed?

 

Strange, your Dropbox links in the previous post worked fine!

 

Thank you so much for taking the time to edit and post these!

I was truly hoping that you had versions that were different than mine (I bought mine from HDTracks and ProStudioMasters) and didn't include the watermarking. Unfortunately, I hear it in exactly the same spots.

For the drum solo in YYZ, I hear it most obviously at the following points:

0:13
0:26
0:33
0:36
0:52
1:05
1:13
1:42
2:19

In Mystic Rhythms, I hear it most clearly in the space between 0:01 and 0:02 - Neil hits two notes on the low toms, then answers with two notes on the high pitched Chinese cymbals, and then repeats. I hear it super clearly in the reverb trails right before the second two sets of low tom notes.

I actually don't hear it in the end of Lock And Key.

FYI, I was listening with a pair on Westone ES60 custom in-ear monitors, into a Dragonfly Red DAC, playing the files using Vox.

 

Based on the samples @jwp1029 so kindly posted, I went ahead and bought the download of Power Windows. Partly because it's one of my favourite Rush albums, and partly because it's one of the few remaining albums in their catalogue where I felt like there was room for improvement in my preferred master.

Most importantly, I really like what Magee did here. It's fuller-sounding, with more bass and warmth to it. It's not as midrange-y as the original master, which is precisely what this album needed. The drums have more body, and the synths are a little less in-your-face.

10/10 from me, I can't see how it could be improved on. Wholeheartedly recommended.

Following your description here, @wellers73, I went and listened for the watermarking in Mystic Rhythms.

Yes, it's there. It's very, very, very subtle. If it hadn't been pointed out to me and I couldn't directly compare between the new master and the old one, I never would have noticed it. It's a slight digital warble that, like you said, is apparent in the decay of the toms. It sounds almost like mp3 quantization.

Do I wish it wasn't there? Sure. Does it ruin it for me? Not really. I'm never going to notice it unless I'm listening intently through headphones.

 

Interesting - the second time I tried to post the "Tom Sawyer" clips, it was removed again. But the other three clips weren't...

Anyways, I agree with @Dansk. With the exception of "Moving Pictures" (I have three pre-1997 CD versions that are all excellent), I have found almost every 2015 hi-res release to be an improvement over previous versions. Even with the watermarking. Any other thoughts on this?

 

I've only heard the remasters of the Atlantic-era albums so far, because when I bought them on vinyl they came with hi-res downloads. They were all big improvements over the originals, in some cases huge ones (T4E, S&A). Sean knows what he's doing.

The Mercury albums only came with mp3 downloads and I never bothered to check them out, especially when I heard about the watermarking. Based on Power Windows, though, I'm going to have to start getting them. It's very good, a definite improvement, and that's an album I didn't think you could do much with because of the era it was recorded in. Early digital can be unforgiving...

 

I agree; most of the Magee downloads (and CDs for Kings and Hemispheres) are better than the original CDs to me. These are my exceptions:

Permanent Waves - I'm waiting until I get the 40th anniversary edition to hear this one since I want a physical copy. For now, the 25-8P/AMCY/SHM is my favorite.
Moving Pictures - I like the 25.8P and Anthem way more.
Signals - Several CDs are better than the Magee for this one. The AMCY/SHM, MFSL and Anthem are the ones I'd definitely pick over Magee's remaster, though I still need to compare it with the rest of the CDs.
Presto and Counterparts - AF SACD for both.

Hold Your Fire is kind of a tossup. There are moments where I prefer the warmer tone of the Magee download, but sometimes, I feel that the original CD has better clarity. I also like most of the alternate mixes on the Sector 3 remaster enough to listen to it regularly.

 

Just realized Presto, Roll the Bones, Counterparts, and Vapor Trails Remixed are all no longer available to purchase from Amazon or any other outlet not on the resale market.

Assume they’re out of print, hopefully temporarily. Does anyone have insight into this and whether they will available again at some point? Apologies if this was already addesssd in the thread. Thanks.

 

I have absolutely no inside info, but I would imagine the first run of these is simply sold out, and even if a re-pressing was in the cards, that has been delayed by the combined forces of the pandemic and the vinyl shortage resulting from that fire a few months ago.

 

That all makes sense...thanks for the reply

 

I dithered for a couple days with getting Counterparts and Snakes & Arrows from Barnes & Noble, and the next time I looked they were gone. "Temporarily Out Of Stock Online."

Picked up VT Remixed just before the lockdown.

 

The lacquer shortage will not affect a repress of this series, they were cut DMM if I remember right

 

Doesn't matter for a repress (unless the mother gets damaged when pulling the new stampers). No new master is required.

 

Sure, but even if the original parts are damaged they can always recut more metal parts with the same settings on the same gear. No lacquer required

 

Try ordering from Amoeba Records online

 

Yep, checked. Unfortunately none are available.

 

Can anyone answer a question about the EU Grace Under Pressure lp reissue. I was looking on amazon UK and they have the vinyl lp and my wife is asking about presents she can get me for the forth coming birthday. Anyway Amazon says its a 2016 release and clearly show a label on the pic that its part of the Back to Black but also a pic of the reissue campaign. I checked discogs and theres a 2015 release with the same barcode as the amazon pic but it says Bob Ludwig mastered it, although I thought Sean Magee had done them all.


Is it a different release to the US one? My EU Moving Pictures is a Magee master.

 

I don't remember all the details now but I remember the EU press of Grace has a problem (think it's a drop out). I went through 2 copies and both the exact same. Ended up ordering a US copy which doesn't have the problem.

 

Ok thanks. Didn't realise that!

 

An update on this- I was unable to find the Van Dette remaster on HDTracks as of 6-24-20... I did find it at 7digital. HDTracks appears to only have the remix available now.

 

I got mine at 7digital. It may also be available on Qobuz. Look for original artwork (possibly with the black WMG border) and a release date of 2013.

 

Thanks for this tip, I need to track this down. Like many of you, I thought the original mix was way too loud but the remix went too far the other way and removed a lot of power of the songs.

 

The remix is mastered just as loud, but some of the stylistic choices (e.g., beater-forward kick) make it less enjoyable.