Sinatra / Capitol Sound Quality and General Discussion: "Where Are You?" (1957 album)*

I've added two new clips to the mono page:

•A D7 LP mono clip. (Look for the photo of the Capitol rainbow label.)
•Thanks to our friend and fellow member Howlinrock, a clip from the CD layer of the new MFSL Hybrid SACD, which is utterly fantastic, undoubtedly the best the mono mix has ever sounded, and maybe the best this album (in any form) has sounded.

See here: http://www.11fifty.com/Site_108/1957_-_Where_Are_You_3.html

 

I agree -- that new mastering sounds fantastic, with much better dynamics than my old D7/D11 pressing, and tone that is as good if not better. I need to dig out the D1/D1 copy I have and check the dynamics there, but my personal opinion is that the new MFSL may be the best the mono version has ever sounded, and is well worth purchasing. "Two thumbs up." We can debate which is the absolute, 100% best version, but I think it's clear that the MFSL is at least "really, really good."

 

TLMusic sent a clip from the new MFSL mono LP, which I've added here: http://www.11fifty.com/Site_108/1957_-_Where_Are_You_3.html

I think it sounds better than the SACD, which sounds great on its own terms. Thoughts?

Matt

 

Wow, I never realized that the 10-song, retitled version was around for as long as it apparently was! Looks like roughly 1970-1980 or so.

 

The MFSL mono LP (data shown at right, below, based on my un-futzed transfer to digital) has a higher DR rating than the new CD layer on the Hybrid SACD:

 

From the MFSL/Sinatra thread:

Yes! I've e-mailed two of the Sinatra nuts here about this before actually choosing to post about it myself. I wanted to see if their copies had that, too, and if it bugged the heck out of them as much as it bugged me.

As far as it being "intact as it was on the first release," I've got copies going back to a D1, and none of them create any sort of "issue" where this is concerned. Same with the MFSL mono LP -- it's not bothersome. On the Hybrid disc? It's bothersome, and it's oddly done, too, as tracks actually transition to "digital zero" very abruptly.

Back when the Mercury Living Presence reissues hit 23 years ago, they realized that to just "cut off" between tracks was a no-no. Somehow, that message has been lost, lo these many years later.

Also, prior to track 8 only, there are two distinct "revolutions" (as the reel rotated) of audible print-through. Odd that several tracks were reduced to "digital zero" between tracks, yet this one was allowed to just breathe through, unimpeded. (Listen to the gap between 7 and 8.) Oh, heck, here's that transition and a lot of other blah blah blah. Have a listen, then correct me as needed. I'm likely way off the mark:

http://www.11fifty.com/Site_108/1957_-_Where_Are_You_Addendum.html

 

Just a note (if anybody cares), the original tape of WHERE ARE YOU has no leader between tracks. It's biased 111 tape as is all Capitol album masters of that era.

 

Cool! That's what I suspected, and it's mentioned on that linked page. Thanks for confirming.

 

I've got two head-to-head comparisons of the new MFSL CD vs. the new MFSL LP, towards the bottom of the page here: http://www.11fifty.com/Site_108/1957_-_Where_Are_You3_2.html.

 

I'd say those are the only two that are in the running, at least, and remember that these are actually completely different RECORDINGS of the same performance, not just subtly-different mixes, so it's really a matter of preference. Clips of the Walsh CD are here and here, if that helps.

 

This is the thread to watch on that front: http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threa...sinatra-capitol-titles-on-mfsl-lp-sacd.294645

The three titles that are mono releases even though stereo versions exist are: "Sings for Only the Lonely" which has been out on gold CD (not SACD) since 2008, and is still available; "Where Are You," which is available now on SACD; and Come Fly with Me, which is announced but not yet available on SACD. Those are also the only three albums that used different mic complements for their mono and stereo set-ups.

Matt