METALLICA - The Black Album 4LP boxset

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by James Glennon, Feb 26, 2009.

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  1. Tullman

    Tullman Senior Member

    Location:
    Boston MA
    When Steve Mastered Creedence Clearwater Revival for 33rpm, they used the same master for the 45 set. Everyone of Steve's masters that were used for both 45rpm and 33rpm, are the same.

    When Classic Records used Bernie Grundman's mastering for the Led Zep's 33rpm, they used the same master for the 45 set that came out later. In fact, all of the Classic 33rpm and 45rpm masters are the same.

    Again, why would they use a different master for the Metallica 45rpm? The same company released both the 33rpm and 45rpm versions. As you can see by my two examples, the industry standard.

    In fact, Every release that has come with both the 33rpm and 45rpm versions has used the same mastering. The Metallica release would have to be the only one in history to use different masterings. Just logic.

    I understand that you don't want to spend the money for the 45rpm set, but saying you are afraid it is a different mastering is just bogus. If you want the best sounding vinyl version get the 45rpm set. If you don't want to spend the money get the 33rpm set which sounds great as well.
     
  2. motorcitydave

    motorcitydave Enlightened Rogue In Memoriam

    Location:
    Las Vegas, NV, USA
    And it's pretty bad...:sigh:
     
  3. James Glennon

    James Glennon Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Dublin, Ireland
    Thanks for putting the above info together and I am completely in agreement with you.

    I will give you one example of what has happened regarding Metallica's Death Magnetic that has made me wary.

    The 2LP version (US pressing, available here) was cut by Kevin Gray, so I assumed that buying the 5LP boxset (European pressing) it would be same, well it wasn't. I was disgusted the European version was pressed in the Czech Republic (GZVinyl, they are pressing a lot of Universal's stuff here in Europe) and as you know Kevin Gray always signs his work in the deadwax, his initials are nowhere to be found on the deadwax. It cost me €80 (over $100) a very expensive lesson.

    Unfortunately 2LP version isn't available here, it could turn up in a few months time. Once bitten, twice shy as they say. By the way was there ever a US 5LP boxset of Death Magnetic issued?

    JG
     
  4. krlpuretone

    krlpuretone Forum Resident

    Location:
    Grantham, NH
    Yes there was/is a US 5LP Death Magnetic box...not sure on who mastered it but the packaging leads me to believe it's through RTI (same size as the Zep boxes)
     
  5. Tullman

    Tullman Senior Member

    Location:
    Boston MA
    If it is RTI it is Kevin Gray. He did the 33rpm that was pressed at RTI.
     
  6. Sam

    Sam Senior Member

    Location:
    Rochester, NY
    I agree with you fully. However, it would have been nice if initials were included so that no doubt was left in anyone's mind. The 45 does sound great, but I did not compare to the 33 version.
     
  7. Daniel Plainview

    Daniel Plainview God's Lonely Man

    I saw ...And Justice For All 2 LP at Hot Topic for $15.99. I have the original vintage vinyl, but the way you cats praised the sound tempted me to roll the disc on it. Might as well let sleeping dogs lie.

    Any word on "Load" yet? Not that I need it. In fact, I should probably not venture further than Black Album in my Metallica LP collecting. Best to remember them as they were, not the misguided banana eating group they became.
     
  8. phish

    phish Jack Your Body

    Location:
    Biloxi, MS, USA
  9. SamS

    SamS Forum Legend

    Location:
    Texas
  10. phish

    phish Jack Your Body

    Location:
    Biloxi, MS, USA
    up next, rob zombie in the new GAP ad.
     
  11. Mok

    Mok Has Potential

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY
    Just listened tonight to the 4x45rpm Metallica 'black' album and yes, it's fantastic. The best I've ever heard this album. I have never heard it on vinyl, but always thought the original issue CD was great. This does it better. $55 better? Maybe, if you can stomach the price. The vinyl, all 8 sides, is dead quiet. This is crucial for the great full band dropouts and punch-ins in the arrangements. No groove drag or pressing noise to be found anywhere. My only slightly negative remark would be that it sounds slightly shelved in the high end, but I remember the original release being crisp (which this is not). The things that this does better than the original release in spades are midrange reproduction and dynamics. The mids sound perfect. Everywhere the original was rock-compressed in the mix, this is, but less limiting overall so those punches hit harder. I can't end any arguments about who did this mastering job, but the label says "Bernie Grundman Studios", so I am inclined to believe someone there did it. All I really care is that it sounds great and I would be gobsmacked to find any mastering job for this album that can top this. Planning on doing a 24/96 needledrop when I get around to it - I'll have to post a sample here whenever that happens...
     
  12. erniebert

    erniebert Shoe-string audiophile

    Location:
    Toronto area
    ... And Justice For All (2 x 33 RPM) was also mastered by him. How does that one sound?
     
  13. hvbias

    hvbias Midrange magic

    Location:
    Northeast
    Does anyone know which of these 2xLP sets is the Chris Bellman mastered Black Album? Acoustic Sounds descriptions are fairly generic.

    Label: Simply Vinyl

    Label: Warner Bros.
     
  14. James Glennon

    James Glennon Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Dublin, Ireland
    Most definitely not Simply Vinyl, it is Warner Brothers!

    JG
     
  15. James Glennon

    James Glennon Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Dublin, Ireland
    Can you post the deadwax info please...

    JG
     
  16. tim_neely

    tim_neely Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    Central VA
    Echoing prior posters: Yes.

    It has a WB logo on the back cover rather than Vertigo. The box contains five records with white labels that have a "WB/50" logo, each housed in a poly-lined sleeve, each of which is housed outside its custom inner sleeve. It also contains two 12x12 inserts plus a full-length CD in a cardboard sleeve, plus some fat bubble wrap at the top to keep the contents from shifting during transit. The trail-off of the records has the magic letters "KAG@ATM" scrawled in it.
     
  17. James Glennon

    James Glennon Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Dublin, Ireland
    I thought so! The European pressing has GZVinyl in the deadwax (Czech Republic pressing plant) no sign of KAT@ATM. I won't be splashing out €100 on the 4LP Black Album just to find the same thing has happened and that is not the Bernie Grundman mastering!

    JG
     
  18. hvbias

    hvbias Midrange magic

    Location:
    Northeast
    Thanks! :righton:
     
  19. SergioRZ

    SergioRZ Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Portugal
    Interesting that the sticker on the 45rpm 4LP Black Album says "cut at Bernie Grundman's Studio"... but the sticker on the 45rpm 2LP Black Album says "mastered at Mobile Fidelity".

    Could they be much different?
     
  20. SergioRZ

    SergioRZ Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Portugal
    Any thoughts? :confused:
     
  21. James Glennon

    James Glennon Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Dublin, Ireland
    The US double LP is also cut by Bernie Grundman, but the European version certainly isn't.

    JG
     
  22. James Glennon

    James Glennon Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Dublin, Ireland
    Just wondering if anybody has bought the 4LP box with Made in the EU on it.

    I would love to know what the deadwax information is on the European version. Anybody?

    JG
     
  23. James Glennon

    James Glennon Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Dublin, Ireland
    Is CB on all 4 sides?

    JG
     
  24. Tullman

    Tullman Senior Member

    Location:
    Boston MA
    Why do you think they would switch mastering engineers between sides.:rolleyes:

    Just get the 45 rpm set from the USA. It sounds fabulous.
     
  25. James Glennon

    James Glennon Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Dublin, Ireland
    Well now I am really lucky and disgused!

    I saw a Made in EU copy of Metallica's Garage Inc. Double LP (about $45) and the 4LP Boxset ($200) with the sticker ''Cut At Bernie Grundman Mastering Studios from the original analog master tapes'' with becausesoundmatters.com at the bottom of it. I decided to buy the double LP because the boxset was way overpriced.

    When I brought it home and opened it, I checked the deadwax no 'CB' (Chris Bellman) and the all the numbers are stamped, it also has www.gzvinyl.com which leads me to believe that this LP has been pressed from a high res file and not from a Bernie Grundman stamper.

    My US 'Black' LP with the same sticker has handwritten matrix numbers and 'CB' in the deadwax.

    This is definitely the last time I am going to get suckered! Imagine if I had spent the $200 and found they weren't from the same stampers as the US version.

    JG
     
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