Depeche Mode - Mode [18CD Box Set] - November 22, 2019

No, these same errors are on the discs in the box. It's one of the first things I checked for, though I'll admit neither of these really bother me much.

 

I haven't listened much, but as far as I can tell, the first track on the first b-sides disc seems to sound just a badly mastered as it does on the 1998 cd The Singles 81>85. In case it helps answer your question, here is the dr meter log output .wav rips from the first b-sides disc:

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Analyzed folder: \Music\Depeche Mode\Mode 1981-1985\
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DR Peak RMS Filename
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DR8 -2.30 dB -11.18 dB 01 Photographic (Some Bizarre Version).wav
DR11 -0.02 dB -12.93 dB 02 Sometimes I Wish I Was Dead (Flexi-Pop Version).wav
DR11 -0.01 dB -11.93 dB 03 Dreaming Of Me.wav
DR11 -0.02 dB -12.68 dB 04 Ice Machine.wav
DR10 -0.82 dB -12.12 dB 05 Shout!.wav
DR11 -0.02 dB -14.92 dB 06 Any Second Now.wav
DR10 -0.02 dB -11.42 dB 07 Now, This Is Fun.wav
DR12 -0.24 dB -15.74 dB 08 Oberkorn (It's A Small Town).wav
DR10 -0.02 dB -11.93 dB 09 My Secret Garden (Excerpts From).wav
DR10 -0.02 dB -11.18 dB 10 My Secret Garden (Further Excerpts From).wav
DR9 -0.08 dB -10.85 dB 11 Get The Balance Right!.wav
DR8 -1.61 dB -13.89 dB 12 The Great Outdoors!.wav
DR10 -0.48 dB -12.46 dB 13 Work Hard.wav
DR10 -0.02 dB -12.01 dB 14 Fools.wav
DR10 -0.02 dB -11.01 dB 15 In Your Memory.wav
DR10 -0.08 dB -10.92 dB 16 (Set Me Free) Remotivate Me.wav
DR8 -2.57 dB -12.09 dB 17 Shake The Disease.wav
DR10 -0.44 dB -12.22 dB 18 Flexible.wav
DR9 -0.65 dB -11.21 dB 19 It's Called A Heart.wav
DR8 -1.23 dB -10.66 dB 20 Fly On The Windscreen.wav
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Number of files: 20
Official DR value: DR10
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Oh they didn't fix...

 

Damn. Definitely too expensive for missing material and the same mistakes.

 

No remaster (using 2006/2007 master), No errors fixed, only four "new" tracks, and too expensive. Definitely it's not good box set.

 

Just can’t get enough pleasure, little treasure?
“Everything counts.” “I want it all.”

Sacred. Monument. Perfect?!
“Sweetest perfection.” “Should be higher!”

Fools! I feel you.
“Nothing.” “Useless.” “It’s no good.”
Shame...

The bottom line? Shouldn’t have done that.

 

I can totally understand both views of whether this box is worth buying or not. I'm glad I bought it for the following reasons: 1) I like collecting things with cool packaging, which I realize is subjective, but I really like the way this looks and feels. The book has a lot of nice pictures. 2) I really like having 4 cd's that collect all the b-sides and non-album singles even though, like the albums themselves, they are often not the best sounding versions available. 3) I didn't previously own any of the 2006/2007 remastered cd's, and even though I mostly prefer other cd's for each album, I do like being able to hear these. And I now have cd versions of Speak & Spell, Construction Time Again, Black Celebration, and Music For The Masses without any extra bonus tracks on them.

On the other hand I can really see a lot of ways this could have been a lot better that several others have pointed out here.

Has anyone found any logic for what tracks are included on the b-sides disc and which are not? For example, you might say there is a rule that if a song appears on an album it is not repeated on the b-sides discs, even if an alternate single version was released. But then if that is true, then why do we have alternate versions of Photographic, I Sometimes Wish I Was Dead and Dressed In Black? What about all the other alternate versions that are not included? Similarly, you might say there is a rule that b-sides that were just remixes are not included. But then if that is true, why are Black Day and Breathing In Fumes included? Perhaps the rule is that if a b-side remix is quite different and given a different title it can be included. But then if that is true, then where is Are People People?

I'd also like to learn more about the source choices for each track on the last four discs of the box. For example, where did the DR 8 version of Shake The Disease come from? The version on The Singles 81>85 is DR 5, while the version from the third singles box is DR 11.

I am wondering if the book and cd colors from this box have now revealed the colors for any further 12" singles boxes that are ever released in the future, since they seem to match on the six that have already been released. I'll buy Songs Of Faith And Devotion and Ultra just to get boxes with such cool purple colors even if I don't need any of those remixes!

 

These extra's were probably sourced when Rhino was doing the 12 incher boxes.
The alternates were from obscure comps/flexi's etc..
The US had some mixes commissioned, obtaining rights may have not been possible (or worth it)
The DR 8 Shake is from the DVD (Black Celebration Deluxe)

 

Shake The Disease :
The Best Of Vol.1 (2006): DR 8
Black Celebration 2007 DVD: DR 8

 

Lazy, aren't they Marc

 

I'd buy it ... if I had the funds.

 

CDs 1-10 used the DDP files from the UK 2006/7 remasters. CDs 11-14 used the existing DDP files. They are bit-for-bit the same.

ALL of the Blu-Spec CDs used the same masters used on this "MODE" box. They are identical. If you rip a Blu-Spec CD, and a 2006/7 remaster (or one of the MODE box CDs), and invert, you will hear silence. Again, the same DDP files were used for all. The Blu-Spec CDs are merely "pretty". I have the full set of Blu-Spec discs, and the boxes that hold them, solely because they look nice.

On "MODE", CDs 15-18, Sony's Battery Studios received the master files from me, and then did mastering to match volumes with the other 14 CDs.

 

Rhino only distributes the 12" Singles Boxes. ALL of the boxes (including "MODE") are made by Sony, who then go and put Rhino logos and copyright info for the North American copies.

The boxes being made (12" and "MODE") are being made from UK masters. The theme of the 12" boxes is to recreate all of the UK 12" singles. The theme of "MODE" CD 15-18 is b-sides and rarities.

I would address the "DR #" questions, but I don't quite understand what you are all referring to.

 

Dynamic Range : Dynamic Range
later
-1

 

Thanks for confirming that, which is what I suspected after getting a chance to compare my 2005 PTA cd with the one from this box. However, my mistake on initial impression when first playing the new black cover cd did inspire me to order myself a copy of the PTA SACD version so that I can actually hear what that version of the album sounds like.

So far, all my friends and children to which I've shown this box do agree that the black on black cover concept is pretty cool. My wife thinks it's dumb but then she's been mad at the band ever since we saw them on the PTA tour almost 15 years ago, and even back then she thought that Martin was way to old to be wearing wings and Dave was way too old to be wearing no shirt .

 

The versions of Photographic, Sometimes, and Dressed In Black, Black Day, Breathing In Fumes are either alternate recordings or early/alternate mixes by the band and LP production team completed during the recording sessions, and not third party mixes prepared for single releases outside of the bands recording sessions.

You can argue the set is incomplete without extended versions prepared by the band for 12" release, but remixes like that are not where this box set is going. I wish it was. The box set might be better value for money that way.

 

Update on the boxset availability from superdeluxedition:
"So what’s going on? Some fans are under the impression that Sony have ‘made some more’ box sets to react to the demand (and lack of stock). This seemed to be supported by some listings indicating that MODE will be available again in mid-February, however this is not the case. Sony have remained tight-lipped regarding numbers in original production run, but they have confirmed to SDE that there is not going to be another production run of MODE. So any fresh availability on Amazon (or anywhere else) is simply to do with retailers ‘finding’ stock sources from within existing distribution channels."

later
-1

 

Had mine on preorder with Amazon since November and got it last week. Glad I didn't cancel the order when they delayed the release.

 

This reminds me of their X boxes, which were supposedly released and deleted the same day.

 

Damn shame that all the US only mixes seem to be excluded.

 

Another thing I liked about the X boxes

 

Actually it is my first time to know about it. When did it happen?

 

1991 Japanese 2 x 4CD Box Sets of rare tracks and Oddities

Depeche Mode - X¹
Depeche Mode - X²

 

Mark appears to be a serious collector and can likely answer most of your questions. The official website has a good discography page that includes rarities and promos.

I picked up a book called Monument a couple years ago by the German fan club of the band and it has extensive photos of LPs, cassettes, CDs, VHS tapes, etc. - @c-eling would go insane if he saw this book....

 

.... many things in this book originally come from the collection of my girlfriend's cousin and her husband who had amassed a - then - complete DM collection of every pressing worldwide. They sold everything - bar one ultra rare Japanese promo cd and Daves leather trousers - in the early 90's to a collector who later sold several items to the guy who eventually wrote "Monument". We learned all this in 2013!