Worst mastering you've ever heard?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Spaceboy, Jun 16, 2007.

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  1. Lownote30

    Lownote30 Bass Clef Addict

    Location:
    Nashville, TN, USA
    Compared to the Classic Records edition, and Steve's CD mastering of Who's Next, the mastering on the Deluxe Edition sounds really bad to me. Also, Stadium Arcadium clips in the right channel all over the place on the CD version. I can hear it in my car going 60mph on the highway with the windows rolled down. I haven't heard the Rush - Vapor Trails, so my choices probably don't sound as bad as that one does.

    Frank R.
     
  2. john lennonist

    john lennonist There ONCE was a NOTE, PURE and EASY...


    Is the 2001 "Very Best of Marvin Gaye" any better?
     
  3. john lennonist

    john lennonist There ONCE was a NOTE, PURE and EASY...



    All of it??

    IIRC, there's tape hiss on "Anywhere, Anyhow..." and maybe "I Can't Explain", etc.

    This collection has been slammed a lot on this thread, but I thought the early stuff sounded pretty good (at least the two songs mentioned above).
     
  4. Tone

    Tone Senior Member

    I've not heard these CDs but I keep seeing "The Who" remasters popping up as sounding horrible. Has Townsend ever commented on these 'Dog Piles'?
     
  5. Johnny Connor

    Johnny Connor New Member

    Location:
    Homdel,NJ
    With the exception of a few (A Quick One,The Ultimate Collection and Odds And Sods),the Who remasters sound are very good IMHO.;)
     
  6. Juan Samus

    Juan Samus New Member

    Location:
    Pennsylvania
    Townsend is in CHARGE of those dog piles - Jon Astley, his engineer of choice (who also happens to be his brother in law), is one of the worst mastering engineers on the planet. The only way I can describe his work is that it's disgusting.

    Now the only truly awful Who discs are the ones that have been done sice Astley took over. Namely...

    Live At Leeds Deluxe Edition
    The Kids Are Alright Soundtrack
    Odds & Sods
    A Quick One (Stereo Remix)
    The Ultimate Collection
    Then & Now

    Also, look out for his work on George Harrison's "All Things Must Pass", the Abba catalog, and the Judas Priest catalog (which is epecially bad).
     
  7. Joel1963

    Joel1963 Senior Member

    Location:
    Montreal
    Some of the early stuff (I believe Happy Jack and Pictures of Lily) is in fake stereo. That's pretty bad. The whole set just leaves a bad taste.
     
  8. Joel1963

    Joel1963 Senior Member

    Location:
    Montreal
    I believe that one is mostly, if not all, stereo.
     
  9. Johnny Connor

    Johnny Connor New Member

    Location:
    Homdel,NJ
    Most of the Queen 1991 remasters on Hollywood are horrible-muddy as a Jersey swamp.I recommend The Crown Jewels box set or the ones on MFSL or Seve's DCC gold disc.:)
     
  10. motorcitydave

    motorcitydave Enlightened Rogue In Memoriam

    Location:
    Las Vegas, NV, USA
    I like the Motorhead remasters. hehe.
     
  11. zen

    zen Senior Member

    The 2007 Gillan remaster for Future Shock (1981) is bad. I just came across the 1990 Virgin records version and it sounded much better. There was dimension to the recording and a better high end. The other 2007 remasters Mr. Universe and Glory Road seemed pretty good, but now it makes me wonder.
     
  12. Greatest Hits

    Greatest Hits Just Another Compilation

    "ALL THINGS MUST PASS" remaster.

    Honestly, it sounds like a very bad mp3 copy.

    Mr. Astley, you're killing me!!
     
  13. zebop

    zebop Well Known Stranger


    I didn't get a chance to hear it...
     
  14. JLGB

    JLGB Senior Member

    Location:
    D.R.
    What exactly is wrong with All Things Must Pass remaster....? I just have that so cannot compare.
     
  15. elgreco

    elgreco Groove Meister

    Can't compare it to the disaster that Anthology seems to be. It is way too bright to my ears, but not unbearable. And yes, all the tracks are in stereo, as Joel 1963 already stated.
     
  16. pool_of_tears

    pool_of_tears Searching For Simplicity

    Location:
    Midwest
    Don't waste your time...go for the box set "The Master". Great sound and song selection.
     
  17. Spaceboy

    Spaceboy Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Near Edinburgh, UK
    I've only heard Toxicity and it was horrendous, I had to sell it couldnt bare to keep it in my house.
     
  18. ChristianL

    ChristianL Senior Member

    Location:
    Berlin, Germany
    Kelly Groucutt's (ELO bass player) solo album has the worst sounding mastering I've ever heard. Compressed until distotion and weired EQ'd. The LP is not good sounding, but way better than the CD.
     
  19. Raf

    Raf Senior Member

    Location:
    Toronto, Ontario
    Jared Lekites put it simply (two posts above yours): it sounds like a bad MP3. The only thing worse that comes to mind is Disc 2 of the Deluxe Edition of Live at Leeds; that one sounds like a bad RealPlayer file.
     
  20. somnar

    somnar Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC & Amsterdam
    "The World Won't End" by the Pernice Brothers. TONS of high frequency junk make it impossible for me to listen to. It's a shame, too - I really like the record.
     
  21. trevaaar

    trevaaar Forum Resident

    Location:
    Australia
    A friend of mine recently lent me "Messengers" by a band called August Burns Red. The waveform alone would probably make most of you die, or at least violently expel vital fluids. Every single drum hit is distorted, even noticeably on cheap iPod headphones.
     
  22. Paul W

    Paul W Senior Member

    Worst mastering? Easy answer....

    The original "Street Legal" by Dylan.

    Paul
     
  23. JPartyka

    JPartyka I Got a Home on High

    Location:
    USA
    I hadn't thought of that, but yes, that's pretty terrible.

    The first things that come to my mind are the mono Pink Floyd Piper at the Gates of Dawn CD and the new McCartney album.
     
  24. Johnny Connor

    Johnny Connor New Member

    Location:
    Homdel,NJ
    The two Velvet Revolver CDs-sound like two long MP3 clips.
     
  25. Steve G

    Steve G Senior Member

    Location:
    los angeles
    Mission of Burma - the Obliterati

    great, now I can be in trouble with my label, my friends, and some of the greatest musicians ever to come from Boston. But I had to say it: that mastering is HORRIFYING!
     
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