What is the best sounding Cliff Richard compilation 1958-1982

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by pantofis, May 7, 2011.

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  1. pantofis

    pantofis Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Berlin, Germany
    Hello, I want someone to recommend me a good sounding Cliff compilation that covers his prime years 1958-1982 (or 1987...).
    I have "40 Golden Greats" double CD from 1989 (CDS 792425 2), and while it does sound sweet, the transfers are obviously from inferior sources.
    I also have the double LP "Remember Me" (German DMM pressing) and while I really like the song selection (except the title track!) it has a very clear, but strangely pinched sound and it sounds about 5 times brighter than the "40 Golden Greats" CD...

    So what do you recommend?
     
  2. oxenholme

    oxenholme Senile member

    Location:
    Knoydart
    Look out for the EMI-Virgin-Ariola double CD compilations released in 1989 by EMI BOVEMA BV.

    The single CD and 4CD boxset of the Rock n Roll Years from EMI(UK) sound pretty good too.

    All the UK Columbia 45 rpm singles sound superb - the original (UK) Columbia LPs sound superb too, and also the Dutch EMI re-releases.
     
  3. voicebug

    voicebug Senior Member

    Location:
    now in Houston, TX
    There's the newer 2 CD Cliff Richard: 50th Anniversary set that I've seen on Amazon. This looks like a very good career retrospective and I've been wondering if anyone here can comment on the sound quality.

    I also have the 40 Golden Greats set from 1989 and would be interested if there are sonically superior transfers of the earlier recordings.
     
  4. mikrt17

    mikrt17 Life has surface noise.

    Location:
    BROADSTAIRS UK
    Most UK CD compilations have been remastered using digital reverb to create a stereo effect and sound lacking in warmth and these masters were prepared for the CD 'The Hit List' and every compilation since has used these remasters, '40 Golden Greats' and 'Love Songs' are the original masters but not remastered but closer to the original recording. The Cliff Richard singles are badly in need of good remastering without stereo effects and hard sound. The albums however do not suffer from digital reverb and the box sets also sound fine. to track down natural sounding Cliff singles you have to explore many of the overseas releases prior to 1998 when the 'Hit List' first appeared which overseas markets are now using for their compilations. EMI need to collate all the Cliff Richard singles and re-master them using a top re-mastering engineer, maybe the same people who re-mastered the Beatles.

    The 50th Anniversary set uses the the same masters as 'The Hit List' and these are now standard on all compilations.
     
  5. J.A.W.

    J.A.W. Music Addict

    Many post-1988 EMI hits CD packages (and other CD reissues, for that matter) are notorious for the heavy use of noise reduction. How do the Cliff Richard compilations compare in that respect? Many compilations of his early backing band, the Shadows, are unlistenable because of the use of noise reduction - and sometimes fake stereo.
     
  6. Andreas

    Andreas Senior Member

    Location:
    Frankfurt, Germany
    Is that really true, what are the examples for this? I found this 2 CD set quite nice sounding. For the later stuff, I have of course the 1976-1994 CD mastered by Steve.
     
  7. Nobby

    Nobby Senior Member

    Location:
    France
    I was going to make the same point.

    I first noticed this "stereo reverb" effect on the "Cliff At The Movies" CD which came out in 1996.

    Stick with the early ones if you can.

    "20 Golden Greats" and "Private Collection" are fine to these ears.

    Of course, as Andreas mentions, Steve mastered a late Cliff compilation as well.
     
  8. kwadguy

    kwadguy Senior Member

    Location:
    Cambridge, MA

    Attached Files:

  9. carrolls

    carrolls Forum Resident

    Location:
    Dublin
  10. pantofis

    pantofis Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Berlin, Germany
    Mainly just the orchestra overdub on "The Young Ones" which makes the whole thing quite murky compared to the orchestra-less version on "Remember Me". Also "The Minute You're Gone" and "Wind Me Up" sound a little boxy. But other than that I agree the discs sound rather nice.
     
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  11. howlinrock

    howlinrock Forum Resident In Memoriam

    Location:
    SF Bay Area
    "Private Collection" EMI UK 1988 sounds good as well as "The Collection" Razor and Tie 1994 mastered by our host. Both recommended. Some great pop he recorded with Alan Tarney's "A+" production.
     
    Jarleboy likes this.
  12. Nobby

    Nobby Senior Member

    Location:
    France
    I do Cliff a great injustice.

    When I typed "20 Golden Greats" I, of course, meant "40....."
     
  13. mikrt17

    mikrt17 Life has surface noise.

    Location:
    BROADSTAIRS UK
  14. mikrt17

    mikrt17 Life has surface noise.

    Location:
    BROADSTAIRS UK
    The Young Ones with strings is mono only as the strings were overdubbed direct to the mono tape and not the stereo which is why there is a stereo version without strings, on many compilations the mono 'Young Ones' is turned into fake stereo which does make the whole thing very murky and unclear.
    'Minute Your Gone' and 'Wind Me Up' were recorded at RCA Studio B in Nashville which has a very different sound to the Abbey Road recordings.

    '40 Golden Greats' has the more natural sounding tracks and are comparable to the vinyl singles and if you want the original sound then this is the compilation to grab.
     
  15. J.A.W.

    J.A.W. Music Addict

    According to this review on Amazon U.K. the sound on some of the discs has been "treated".
     
  16. BradOlson

    BradOlson Country/Christian Music Maven

    Thanks. Since 40 Golden Greats is inexpensive, I have just ordered this exact comp and this along with the Razor & Tie will have all the Cliff hits I'd want in comps but I'd buy original vinyl for cheap.
     
  17. kwadguy

    kwadguy Senior Member

    Location:
    Cambridge, MA
    Well, the reviewer gives six of the 8 CDs 10/10 grades on sound quality. He doesn't like two of the discs, but reading his reviews it's not entirely clear if he's very reliable...
     
  18. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    Don't forget the essential import CD: "Rock On With Cliff Richard" on EMI Music For Pleasure from 1987. All flat transfers, all great sound, no noise reduction or weird mastering sh**.

    CD-MFP-6005

    25 songs, an hour of great rockin' Cliff.
     
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  19. BradOlson

    BradOlson Country/Christian Music Maven

    Thanks, I have just got Rock On With Cliff Richard off of eBay's UK site for cheap to go along with 40 Golden Greats which I got off of eBay US
     
  20. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    You'll like ROCK ON, it has the nicest, cleanest version of MOVE IT! on CD. And don't forget APRON STRINGS, one of my favorites. Enjoy.
     
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  21. BradOlson

    BradOlson Country/Christian Music Maven

    Which means that ROCK ON is a great companion to the 40 Golden Greats 2 CD set.
     
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  22. J.A.W.

    J.A.W. Music Addict

    Yep, saw that. I didn't imply that he was reliable (I have no idea whether he is or not), I just posted the link because it was stated here that the sound was untampered with and there seem to be doubts about that.
     
  23. Andreas

    Andreas Senior Member

    Location:
    Frankfurt, Germany
    There are also some mix variations on the common songs.

    Do You Want To Dance: stereo on 40 Golden Greats, mono on Rock On.
    It'll Be Me: stereo on 40 Golden Greats, mono on Rock On.
    Nine Times Out Of Ten: mono on 40 Golden Greats, stereo on Rock On.
     
  24. goodiesguy

    goodiesguy Confide In Me

    Location:
    New Zealand
    I'm yet to hear cliff's 1950's/1960's singles without the terrible noise reduction and that stupid metallic effect thats been done to them.

    my scratched up el cheapo 50c 45's of Please dont tease and A voice in the wilderness sound "Normal" unlike the cd counterparts.
     
  25. mikrt17

    mikrt17 Life has surface noise.

    Location:
    BROADSTAIRS UK
    Thanks Steve I had forgot about that one which I also have and it's excellent just like the master tapes.
     
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