Anyone got the Heart remasters so far?

The new remasters sound MUCH better!!!

 

Are you asking what they sound like? As in, what is the difference between the mixes? Or are you asking about being able to spot a pressing with the desired mix by looking at the record or cover?

I may have been misunderstanding your question all along. Sorry about that if that's the case...

Now that I have all three, I find them only marginally better - and that's only because the dynamics are squashed (as is typical). On Bebe Le Strange, "Rock Me Home" no longer gets louder as it plays to the end - it's now all at the same apparent acoustic level from the opening single guitar string picks to the ending full-on band and vocal built-up.

 

Both, actually.... .Thanks...

 

Okay. It took me a while to get back to this...

On site? I pretty much told you all I know. Just about any CD of that release sold in the US will have been changed to include all the re-mixed versions starting about 4 months after it's initial release. The very first CD's released in the US (with the original mixes matching the first LP pressings) were made in the UK by Nimbus and were silk-screened printed in red ink. There has been no change in the cover/insert artwork since that first issue. Any copy you find today has the exact same artwork (catalog numbers, DIDX number - 405, UPC, etc...) as it did on that first day 19 years ago. And most people who bought the album and/or CD at the time did so after it was changed so most who became fans at that time (the so-called, 80's-late-comers to the original 70's fans ) only know of the re-mixed sound - since it not only was the sound of the 45's but also the videos and every Greates Hits comp released since. That is up until Essential Heart was release last year - finally the original mixes came out of the vaults.

What are the differences? Mainly vocal. Apparently Producer Ron Nevison had Ann record several different vocal takes, and he cherry-picked from the takes to make his final LP mix. But he went back and picked out other takes here-and-there for the 45's. There are subtle music changes too.

For "Never", the opening of the original starts off with the music, then the background vocals kick in for the "Oh, Oh, Oh, ooo Ohhoo Ohhoo" 2 times and then the first verse. Ann's first line "Hey baby I'm talking to you..." is rather calm. In the re-mix, Ann wails a bit of "Ohhh Ohhh ooo yeeaah..." before the background vocals do thier bit. The first line is sung with a bit more aggressiveness, giving the word "talking" an almost spitting emphasis. there is also a harder guitar strum that follows under the music a bit throughout.

Ann also wails a bit before the first lines of the re-mix of "Nothin' At All" and the lyrics are sung more harshly here too. While the original mix does not have the wailing at all before the first line which is also more calmly sung.

"If Looks Could Kill" just sounds more "echo-y" for lack of a better term on the re-mix than the original, but basically is still the same.

That's the best I can do with words to describe musical differences. I could send you a short 30 second snippit of both versions of "Never" and "Nothin' At All" since the big differences are all noticable within that time, if you'd like.

 

This helps a lot. Thanks for taking the time. I listened to the MoFi CD in the car today. Yesterday, picked up a second copy of the LP...this one with the SHRED on side one and side two. According to the site noted above, if the SHRED is on side one, then it is an original pressing. I listen tonight for this things you note above....and let you know what I come up with.

Thanks again...

 

OK...I got it now.

My first LP had the original side 2, but the remix side one. My new LP has the original on both sides...just listened to it. My MoFi CD has all remixes.... ("Original Master Recording" hummmmm....)

Thanks again...

 

My thoughts exactly when I first bought the MoFi.

Glad to help and congrats on finding a "rare" pressing - not that too many other people really care about that particular release .

 

Description please, how so?

 

Funny, I was looking for this pressing yesterday, and this record was the first one I saw in the bid at my favorite used store...very surprised it was the one I was looking for...

I have always been a fan of Heart...and always thought that this LP was underrated...there are some great tunes on it...

 

Found the CP32-5078...just got it today. Will take a listen shortly....

 

Okay, so what's the bottom line here with the new Heart remasters? if I really don't give a damn about the artwork, and I'm only interested in the sonic quality--and can take or leave the bonus tracks--are the "old" CDs just fine, or are the new remasters a "must"?

 

I don't think they are a "must".

After all this time with them now, I'd say that only Dog & Butterfly comes out better - but only marginally. Much of the album was recorded rather softly as it is so when it does kick in louder with tracks like "Cook with Fire", "High Time" and "Mistral Wind", the limiting/compression used on those tracks to get the softer tracks up several decibels is a bit more tolerable than what it does to the whole of Little Queen and Bebe Le Strange.

I've gotten to where I just can't listen to the Little Queen remaster at all. I can take the original CD, eq the bass about 1.5db higher and the highs about 1db higher, and get the same eq effect, but with much more breath between the beats and much more punch in the kick drum relative to the rest of the music.

Bebe Le Strange is just about the same. When the end of "Rock Me Home" doesn't sound any louder than the opening guitar picks because limiting has squashed the sonics near dead-level from start to end, something is wrong. (hint: it's suppose to build up louder and louder at the end before the fade-out).

Just IMNSHO (when it comes to Heart, that is ).