How does the half speed master compare to the UhQR version discussed in this thread. I guess more specifically how much better is the £150 release compared to the £30 release!? Gary
Having remembered to actually check, the 2001 cut is indeed Sterling, so I got that wrong, and it may explain why the 2001s are decent sounding, I still assume them to be digitally sourced though.
Enjoying some of the recent posts as its cool to be reading more comments about Marley here. Did anyone ever figure out why Amazon still has this listed for preorder? Very strange...I placed an order the day they listed it it as I thought it would make a great gift for one of my sons. Of course I don't expect to actually get a copy from them though...
I had called acoustic sounds last week to let them know Spoke with Dee that it was on Amazon and Amazon Canada. I see no reason why Chad or the Marley family would have put it on Amazon. It is nice to see discussions about this release and Marley Instead of the back-and-forth. Furthermore I feel like Bob might have liked this release after all he drove BMW and Benz And lived on a mansion on the hill. I don't know much about the Marley family but I would hope that they would follow what Bob wanted And not go after the money if that wasn't his wishes. Do you think the next album Is going to come out Before January. Seems Is Steely Dan Is is up next
Analog masters are a totally unnecessary feature. There are some wicked plugins that make any mix sound "analog" Plus whats the deal with "analog" sound??? A well done digital recording and mix can sound totally wicked. I know, I have released some badass fully digital records and some so called AAA experts couldnt even tell these were recorded via protools, mixed on protools and mastered on a digital app.
Hi Guillaume, did you hear the Rastaman UHQR? What is your POV vs. 1976 releases and/or the half speed? Agree with you. This ‘all analog’ obsession is becoming a farce….
Hey, I have no problem with high-res digital sources and totally agree people can't tell the difference, I only pointed out it was digital as it is unlikely Chad will touch it, MoFi on the other hand.
I didnt mean to react to your comment, but when I see certain words, it triggers a reaction!!! I received a copy from Chad, I opened it and thought, geez, this looks and feels wonderful, but then I got lazy thinking I would have to put it on the turntable, be careful about dropping the needle (in 45 years of owning a turntable, I still havent picked up the habit of using the lever to gently drop the needle!), figuring out the channel on my amp (which sounds great but doesnt show what device is connected to what output, like tape, turntable, CD, etc...), adjusting the volume, getting up after 15 minutes to remove the needle, flip the record and go all over again... too much work for me!
Though I haven’t spun it yet, I finally opened the shrink on my UHQR - got copy #2088 Everything is very nice, the jacket is very nice, the disc upon first impression maybe feels even more substantial than my 45 KoB UHQR? The cut, just on a visual level, looks great. You can tell there is some serious bass and dynamics in the groove, and I am always glad to see RKS/STERLING in the runout. Their VMS-80 makes some pretty mean cuts, and they’re one of very few studios in the US equipped with such a lathe. It’s undoubtedly a bit more sophisticated than what would have been used at the time of the album’s initial release. Of course, gear is only one part of the equation, though with Ryan at the helm that part of the equation is very well taken care of too. My only real complaint so far is that the booklet is a bit underwhelming. It was cool to have context for the album and some of the songs, but it was pretty light in terms of actual content. The text was blown up to large print for all the senior citizens, laid out around larger pictures, and even then it still only took up a couple of pages. I realize this is very dependent on them getting permission to include such things but I really wish the booklet included pictures of the master tape box, and more technical notes on the production. Maybe a quote from Ryan on his approach to mastering the album or something? It’s a very far cry from the KoB UHQR where you get very in depth info, pictures of the tape box, Bernie Grundman’s original mastering notes from 1997 and even a QR code to download a full-size scan of Bernie’s mastering notes! It was also strange to see what I believe to be a typographical error, like the backing vocals credited to “I Three” inside the booklet when on the actual album jacket they are the “I Threes” (and that is how most would refer to them) So I think the booklet is just not up to the same standard of the rest of the presentation, or the booklets included with other UHQR releases. But overall, still really nice and I can’t wait to spin it soon once time allows.
Agreed about the booklet - pretty underwhelming. In addition to the backing vocal group be referred to as "The I-Three" 3 times, I'm curious about the assertion in the essay that there were no hard feelings between Bob, Bunny and Peter when The Wailers split. I've always been under the impression that there were. Also I noticed that the back cover typeset and track running times on the uhqr match the recent reissues rather than the originals from the 70's. The track times are quite different.
Is it possible that some different mixes are used in some instances? Or do the track times actually match up to what’s on the record? I don’t believe anyone has done a comparison that thorough yet. I’m not too surprised that the jacket uses graphical assets also used on other current reissues. One interesting thing I just noticed is that the track timings printed on the jacket seems to vary a bit between UK, US, and Jamaican issues. Even when the UK and US both feature the original Sterling cut.
I had to come home and crack mine open to see what the fuss is about. #1130 here…. Wow! Sounds phenomenal through my modest system (Denon DP60L, Marantz 2270, Morel MLP 202’s).
How does the half speed master compare to the UhQR version discussed in this thread. I guess more specifically how much better is the £150 release compared to the £30 release!? I’m not as fussed about the packaging etc as some, for me it’s all about how it sounds but the prices of these UHQR releases is very high…. So any opinions on this release v Half speed master version would be appreciated Gary
I'm going through it the second time. Sound quality is stunning but I am no expert. Sadly this is my first Bob Marley record. I think I have Legend on CD. My mom's boyfriend brought over that tape back in the 80s and that was my first exposure.
Has anyone who ordered from the Marley site received their order yet or heard from them? Excuse me if I missed the answer in an earlier post.
Opened and played #792 last night. Incredible pressing. Such separation between the instruments. Everything sounded natural and organic. Soundstage is wide. While I won’t sign up for every UHQR they produce, I will definitely sign up for more Marley and other titles I enjoy without reserve…or at least until my reserves run out.
