Jethro Tull - Thick As A Brick 40th Anniversary Special Edition

Still waiting for the LP set... In the meantime, I'm listening to my 23$ Clapton Slowhand Super Deluxe and my 27$ Smashing P. set.

 

Opportunist! ;-)

 

This release has been my biggest disappointment of 2012 (musically). Perhaps ever, considering that this is my favourite album.

I would give anything to hear the Steve Wilson 2Ch remixes without the compression and bright EQ that Peter Mew added. Its a pity the re-pressed set won't contain it.

Currently, I am listening to a homespun rip of the 24/96 2Ch remix (extracted using DVD Audio Extractor) that I've run through iZotope Declipper (Settings: Quality High, Clipping Threshold -4.5dB, Makeup Gain -2.5db
and the Apple AU 31 band Graphic EQ -0.29dB @ 4,5, 6.3 & 8 kHz and -0.58dB @ 10, 12, 16 & 20 kHz.
Side 1 gain 0.7dB, Side 2 gain-1.2dB, dithered using iZotope MBIT+ to 16bit and sample rate converted to 44.1kHz using iZotope Resampler, to redbook specs.

I've included the specs. in the unlikely case that anyone with the same set-up wishes to rescue the abomination we have been sold.

Merry Christmas.

 

How does the 5.1 mix sound. Is the EQ fixed???? So far not one person who has received there fixed version has commented on the EQ?

 

I have to agree. This is one of my all time favorite albums and my anticipation for the remix was huge. I have been horribly disappointed ever since first listening to the CD.

What makes it worse is the fact that there was absolutely no reason for Peter Mew to take was was almost certainly an outstanding remix and intentionally compress it's dynamics and skyrocket it's treble. I am beyond sick of these music industry terrorists vandalizing musical treasures.

 

Perhaps we could start a YouGov petition to have him straight-jacketed during working hours?

 

I like that idea!

 

I had a bad feeling about this set from the start.
Glad I grabbed the MFSL at a low price as lots of folks were dumping these when the set was announced.
I returned mine and invested the money into the new CTTE sacd.

 

The EQ on the surround mix is improved, with the excessive brightness removed. The stereo remix and stereo original mix are unchanged as far as I can tell, but didn't share the same problem. The final "yeah" is restored at the end of the surround mix only.

Tim

 

So the consensus is the mastering on the Cd remix is poor?

 

I posted a review somewhere (page 4, or 12, or 20 I don't know ), and while NONE of the Steven Wilson remixes have been "warm" (and I've heard Crimson, Tull and ELP from him) this mastering in particular is the worst, IMHO.

 

The treble boost and compression start off moderately and seem to ramp up further in. The last third is an ear-bleeding, shrieking mess of treble - the worst EQ on ANY CD I've heard.

 

Yikes! Will this be corrected in a new pressing or is this a FUBAR release to stay away from?

 

FUBAR?

 

an acronyn, WWII slang.

FUBAR: F#cked Up Beyond All Recognition

 

Aha! Many thanks for the explanation.

 

That might be the real vernacular, but it was originally reported as "fouled up".

 

A bit like SNAFU (that one I did know), according to Wikipedia

(Apologies for going off-topic)

 

It seems they're only replacing the DVD because it has obvious glitches (but the replacement will incidentally get Steve Wilson's proper remix, without the crazy tampering with the EQ and loudness). The CD will apparently remain in its current abominable form.

 

Note only the surround is changed. The stereo transfers are unchanged on the fixed DVD.

Tim

 

I contacted Amazon UK today to enquire about a replacement disc, received this reply a couple of hours later...


"Hello,

I'm sorry to hear about the problem you've had with your Thick As a Brick (40th Anniversary Special Edition) (CD + DVD).

Please be informed that we haven't received the corrected copy of this item "Thick As a Brick (40th Anniversary Special Edition) (CD + DVD)" from our suppliers yet and so we can't send a replacement. However, we'll be happy to issue a full refund for this order.

Although the item might be available on our website from third party sellers, we can't source items from them but you can decide to place a new order from one of them if you wish.

Normally, we'd ask you to return the original item to us within 30 days. As the cost of returning this item is likely to be prohibitive, please dispose of this item at your own convenience if the item is unusable, otherwise please keep it with our compliments unless you wish to donate it to a local charity."

So a full refund has already been confirmed via another email from Amazon, so now ill just wait or confirmation that replacement copies are available and order a new one

D

 

Interestingly, some non-UK Amazons have already deleted that "item under review" blurb and got the set back in the stock.

 

Thanks for clarifying - I missed that.

 

That's very strange. I got a similar response from them when I first contacted them but last week the item was back in their own stock so I contacted them again and they indeed dispatched me a whole new set. It has not arrived yet but I hope it to be the corrected set.

 

I received the corrected set from Amazon UK a few days ago. Maybe the stock got mixed together.

Tim