"A Charlie Brown Christmas" CD remaster.

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Mattb, Oct 10, 2006.

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  1. sherrill50

    sherrill50 Well-adapted Melomaniac

    Location:
    Mukilteo, WA
    Re: "A Charlie Brown Christmas" CD remaster. No-noised?

    I don't have a turntable either, but for this, I may get one!

    - Rich
     
  2. DJ WILBUR

    DJ WILBUR The Cappuccino Kid

    Re: "A Charlie Brown Christmas" CD remaster. No-noised?

    its not out yet...you still have time to buy a turntable and the vinyl.
     
  3. Planbee

    Planbee Negative Nellie

    Location:
    Chicago
    Re: "A Charlie Brown Christmas" CD remaster. No-noised?

    D'oh! I thought it was out already. I guess with vinyl I don't pay attention to minor details like release dates. :D
     
  4. Joe D.

    Joe D. Forum Resident

    Location:
    Oak Forest, IL
    Re: "A Charlie Brown Christmas" CD remaster. No-noised?


    This is a mistake:

    *]1986 CD Atlantic FCD6978431

    It's a Fantasy release not Atlantic.

    From the the CD label:

    FCD-697-8431
    DIDX-566

    Joe
     
  5. Mattb

    Mattb Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Maryland
    Re: "A Charlie Brown Christmas" CD remaster. No-noised?

    OK.. Back to the topic for a bit...

    I received the remaster today.

    I respectfully disagree with the previous review, and topic change regarding no-noise.

    I CLEARLY HEAR TAPE HISS. This release also sounds good to my ears. The hiss sounds very minimal, as if from a good source.

    This was remixed from the original analog multi-track masters by Stephen Hart.

    This was remastered by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in 2006.

    I should try to post some sound clips.
     
  6. Mike Dow

    Mike Dow I kind of like the music

    Location:
    Bangor, Maine
    Re: "A Charlie Brown Christmas" CD remaster. No-noised?


    Matt--

    Please do post some clips if you can. It is possible that my ears are deceiving me. If so, we should find out so we can get to the bottom of this.

    To me, the disc sounds muffled, lifeless and lacking dynamics.
    If it turns out that it isn't no-noised, we need to set the record straight for many folks who have checked out this thread and have held off buying the disc because of my earlier review. Thanks!
     
  7. Mattb

    Mattb Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Maryland
    Re: "A Charlie Brown Christmas" CD remaster. No-noised?

    Fair enough. I need to find some webspace to do this. At any rate I get these up when I can - Mike have you tried heaphones?
     
  8. Mike Dow

    Mike Dow I kind of like the music

    Location:
    Bangor, Maine
    Re: "A Charlie Brown Christmas" CD remaster. No-noised?

    No. I tried the disc on three different systems...my main home system, my car and work (I work at a radio station). I have not tried headphones. Should I?
     
  9. Mattb

    Mattb Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Maryland
    Re: "A Charlie Brown Christmas" CD remaster. No-noised?

    Please.
     
  10. Mike Dow

    Mike Dow I kind of like the music

    Location:
    Bangor, Maine
    Re: "A Charlie Brown Christmas" CD remaster. No-noised?

    Hi Matt-

    I did listen to portions of several tracks on my AKG's. While I can hear traces of hiss (which I could also hear at higher volume on the other systems), it still sounds to me like noise reduction was used. There is a bit of hiss, but it sounds like a "veil" is covering the music.

    One of the things I've always enjoyed about this music was it's "live in the studio" sound, the dynamics of Vince's piano and it's interplay with the percussion and cymbal splashes. Those dynamics on this release sound "deadened" to me. The vocals seem to suffer less from the problems that I'm hearing.

    I would like to be wrong as I really wanted to like the sound of this release. This album was a huge part of my childhood and I guess I was hoping it would sound better than I have ever heard it before.
     
  11. Mattb

    Mattb Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Maryland
    Re: "A Charlie Brown Christmas" CD remaster. No-noised?

    I did look at the file I am posting in Adobe Audition and it didn't look clipped at all. From the original LP and the older CD release I never thought of this as a really dynamic recording.

    Here is the first song on the disc...

    http://www.filefactory.com/file/c0674e/


    You may have to skip an add or two.
     
  12. Mike Dow

    Mike Dow I kind of like the music

    Location:
    Bangor, Maine
    Re: "A Charlie Brown Christmas" CD remaster. No-noised?

    I agree that it was never a dynamic recording by audiophile standards (Steve's upcoming 45 RPM version may prove to be the exception :) ) but there are dynamics present in the performance...the way the instruments interacted with the other, the sound of the room, etc. Hopefully, that makes sense. I'll be interested to read other opinions. I hope my ears are not going on me!

    Over the last month, I have been listening to a lot of DCC, Audio Fidelity and MFSL releases. It's possible that I've been spoiled! :)
     
  13. RoyalScam

    RoyalScam Luckless Pedestrian

    Re: "A Charlie Brown Christmas" CD remaster. No-noised?

    And the problem with this master is what exactly? As with everything, it's all subjective, but I was expecting to hear the equivalent of cheese cloth over my tweeters...and I just don't. And, yes, I do hear hiss. Faint, but it's there.
     
  14. Mattb

    Mattb Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Maryland
    Re: "A Charlie Brown Christmas" CD remaster. No-noised?

    I think it sounds good. I really don't think it was no-noised.
     
  15. izaboo

    izaboo Forum Resident

    Location:
    LA
    Re: "A Charlie Brown Christmas" CD remaster. No-noised?

    There was no no-noise employed to make this new remaster with the exception of a slight amount on "Fur Elise" as that tape is and has always been a 1/4" and to make it work with the rest of the remixed program a touch was used.
     
  16. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    Re: "A Charlie Brown Christmas" CD remaster. No-noised?

    There you have it; NOT No-Noised. Good.

    Remember, this is a remix and artistic sensibilitles change over the years. The original mix was done with a tubed Ampex 300-3 to an Ampex 351-2 via a tubed mixer and nifty Pultec EQ while listening to Altec monitors powered by tube McIntosh monoblocks.

    The modern remix was probably done in a much different way.
     
  17. andyinstal

    andyinstal Runner for Others

    Location:
    Allen, Texas
    Re: "A Charlie Brown Christmas" CD remaster. No-noised?

    Steve,

    Did you and Kevin alter the rig any at Acoustech or leave it as usual for this mastering?
     
  18. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    Re: "A Charlie Brown Christmas" CD remaster. No-noised?

    I'd tell you but then Chad of Acoustic Sounds would have to kill you.
     

    Attached Files:

  19. Sean Keane

    Sean Keane Pre-Mono record collector In Memoriam

    Re: "A Charlie Brown Christmas" CD remaster. No-noised?

    The old CD is VERY hiss laden, if I remember correctly. Was there ever a release like that that any of you recall? I'm not talking about smooth, clear hiss, but that loud and grainy hiss.
     
  20. Mike Dow

    Mike Dow I kind of like the music

    Location:
    Bangor, Maine
    Re: "A Charlie Brown Christmas" CD remaster. No-noised?

    My apologies for stating so matter-of-factly that I am hearing noise reduction on this release. I'm not exactly sure what I'm hearing here. I'm no stranger to noise reduction so I'll have to chalk it up to Steve's explanation above...it's a remix and maybe I've been "programmed" to hear this album in it's original form. In other words, please don't let my earlier comments keep you from buying this CD. You may feel completely different about it.
     
  21. Andreas

    Andreas Senior Member

    Location:
    Frankfurt, Germany
    Re: "A Charlie Brown Christmas" CD remaster. No-noised?

    I just compared it against my old Fantasy CD (FCD 8431-2, 12 tracks).

    I don't hear noise reduction either, but it doesn't sound as open as the original mix. The original mix has wider separation; for example, the bass is mixed hard right while it is centered on the new mix.

    Mastering-wise, the new disc is fuller and a bit more booming which is not bad but maybe a bit overdone. The old disc sounds a bit thin compared to that, but very dynamic. There is no clipping or compression on the new disc (as far as I can tell).

    The hiss level is greatly reduced on the new mix without sounding noise-reduced.

    The remix has a three-second long intro which is not on my CD. Close listening makes it appear as if this was edited out from the original mix, and it starts rather abruptly.

    Does this piano intro belong to the original mix?

    I think I still prefer the old disc since I find the sound on the new mix somewhat processed; but the very high hiss level on the old disc is distracting so I might chnage my mind in the future.
     
  22. HGN2001

    HGN2001 Mystery picture member

    Re: "A Charlie Brown Christmas" CD remaster. No-noised?

    I have that '86 CD too - missing "Greensleeves". It's codes are:

    Fantasy 8431
    DIDX-566
    Bar Code: 0 2521-88431-2 6
    Disc Catalog #'s: FCD-697-8431 DIDX-566
    Hub Ring: DIDX 566 11B1

    This was one of those very early CD purchases for me. I still recall the day, and the store - the Sam Goody in Ardmore, which just closed down this year, a shadow of its former self.

    Harry
     
  23. JohnBeas

    JohnBeas Forum Resident

    Re: "A Charlie Brown Christmas" CD remaster. No-noised?

    Has anyone compared any of the CD releases to the original LP (mine is Fantasy 8431)? I'm wondering at what point the master tapes were damaged and if the LP was made from undamaged tapes. My LP sounds very nice but I don't have anything to compare it to and I don't really have the type of system to make any kind of "audiophile" judgement.
     
  24. stereoptic

    stereoptic Anaglyphic GORT Staff

    Location:
    NY
    Re: "A Charlie Brown Christmas" CD remaster. No-noised?

    Here's your answer:
    Vince Guaraldi Trio/"A Charlie Brown Xmas"/"A Boy Named Charlie Brown"
    thread 7/31/2003 post # 38


     
  25. JohnBeas

    JohnBeas Forum Resident

    Re: "A Charlie Brown Christmas" CD remaster. No-noised?

    Thanks for pointing me to that thread - very helpful.
     
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