Cheap old 80's CDs that actually sound terrific

Island Life!!!!

 

Totally agree. Lovett's CDs sound really, really good.

 

I very often see Bonnie Raitt cds from the 80s and 90s turn up at shops ranging just 1$-5$ and those cds have always sounded natural and well balanced sonically.

 

It's the opposite for me. I didn't worry too much about DR prior to tinnitus, but now I'm much more sensitive to compression and actively seek out the most dynamic discs I can find.

 

Ya, I meant the new CDs have the issue, not the 80 CDs.

 

Just got the 1987 Atlantic "Brain Salad Surgery" and it is stellar. I think I own every iteration of this and I need to give this more time but it might be one of my "go-to's"

 

Oh crap. The end of Karn Evil 1st fades then brought up again like it did when you had to flip the vinyl. Newer versions the synth keeps going at same volume. Still sounds good

 

Possibly from a production copy tape that was EQ'ed and faded for LP?

 

That's always been my problem with early CDs. Yes warmer and yes more dynamic range but sadly way too thin and lacking in bass. Then we have awful smiley face EQ, compressed, brickwalled remasters. It's rare to find something in the middle.

 

You know, having grown up with it that way, it doesn’t sound right to me without the fade!

 

This 1987 smooth jazz/pop album by Jonathan Butler sounds amazing with a heap of bass. You can also see the DR ratings I added to the page below (DR14 overall). I presume the other 1987 CD pressings have identical mastering. I haven’t heard the 2013 Cherry Pop reissue, but can’t imagine it being any better.

Jonathan Butler - Jonathan Butler

 

One of the best sounding CD's I own, PERIOD, is this one. Although I'm not sure how easy it is to find:



That being said, their other 2 releases from that period (Once Bitten and Twice Shy) are also fine sounding discs and are a bit more common than Hooked.

Just noticed that Hooked was 1991. Oh well, close enough. The other two are 80's though.

 

This

 

Just got the OJC 1987 Waltz For Debby, sounds really good.

 

Yep! I was surprised how good this sounds. Probably just a simple flat transfer. No need for a remaster, which would probably be brick walled and ruin it!

 

I vote that actually be removed from the thread title, as there are tons and tons of great sounding 80s CDs.

 

What is Smiley Face EQ and how can you identify it?

 

Masterings with extra bass and treble, but light on midrange. Think of an equalizer. If you make a smiley face with it, the ends, treble and bass, are boosted, but the mids are low.

 

Until the recent release of remastered SHM CDs, most of Elton John's early catalog best versions were from the 80s.

 

Thanks for the clarification.

There might be a 'legitimate' reason for it considering that a lot of 80s CDs were mastered from tapes used for LP cutting. These might have had reduced extremes to compensate for the deficiencies of the medium? With CD they could master hotter and put the bass back but they went too far and got completely carried away.

 

No, I think these were purposely EQ'd this way. A good example of a flat ---> would be Diament's Back in Black. I'm starting to think Gastwirt had this approach as well.
Thinking all of Wax Trax! compact discs were done like this as well. Really no EQ tweaking whatsoever.

 

I played the old Warner Brothers cd of Deep Purple Made In Japan the other night...…..what a great sounding disc.

 

I use this CD every time I make changes in the system.