I did some FLAC comparison by ear between the Columbia Masters boxset and the japanese DSD masterings. After "I Am", they sound different, so definitely not clones.
I really like the IMPEX reissue of That's The Way of The World, on vinyl, mastered by Kevin Gray. Shining Star sounds a little light on the bottom end, but otherwise it's fantastic. I prefer it to the MFSL SACD.
It is a great album and 'Millennium' from the early 1990s is even better, but unfortunately, neither were on the Columbia Label, so were not part of the Columbia Box Set.
There is a rule here that if you want to comment on sound quality, you have to list your equipment, or they can remove your posts.
Huge EW&F listener pretty much all my life. I feel the original vinyl issues are pretty good, some in the excellent category. I also have some CD versions, most I don't care for. The only one being the Sony Master Sound gold CD of All n All, pretty amazing to me. (Gear listed on my info page)
Wtf? Lol what foolishness. Anyhow I have Sharp bookshelf speakers with the Technics SU-V76 amp stanton T.92 turntable ($300.00) with the hifi-esque groovemaster v3 cartridge (around $200.00) Some might think those parts can't compare to a "audiophile set up" but it definitely can hold its own with the generally "higher end" stuff.
Just trying to be helpful: List your equipment in your profile, not in a thread. The idea isn't to compare who has the "best" system but rather to give some context to members' assessments of the relative merits of different releases.
I actually don't mind that, I just thought and yet still think it pretty stupid to delete a comment like that just because of not having your equipment listed, but seeing as I take pride in my setup I will definitely list what I have in my bio.
You narc but yet hide your profile. If you have never commented on sound quality you have my apologies, but if you do comment on it at any time that seems rather like hypocrisy. Steve Hoffman Music Forums - Error This member limits who may view their full profile.
The BBR remaster > Spririt looks very nice done, good dynamic range and a decent peak level. DR Peak RMS DR13 -0.30 dB -15.64 dB 3:38 ?-BIYO DR15 -0.47 dB -19.81 dB 6:48 ?-BURNIN’ BUSH DR11 -9.25 dB -27.08 dB 0:27 ?-DEPARTURE DR13 -0.30 dB -15.78 dB 4:41 ?-EARTH,WIND&FIRE DR13 -0.30 dB -15.02 dB 3:47 ?-GETAWAY DR14 -0.30 dB -16.04 dB 5:16 ?-IMAGINATION DR13 -0.30 dB -14.70 dB 4:33 ?-ON YOUR FACE DR14 -0.30 dB -15.96 dB 4:02 ?-SATURDAY NITE DR12 -0.30 dB -15.97 dB 3:13 ?-SPIRIT DR13 -0.30 dB -15.82 dB 4:55 10-SATURDAY NITE(Alternate Mix|????·????) DR16 -0.30 dB -18.74 dB 2:07 11-SERAPHIM(????·????) DR11 -5.99 dB -19.75 dB 1:03 12-IMAGINATION(Angels Mix|????·????) DR13 -0.67 dB -19.91 dB 3:37 13-DEPARTURE(The Traveler|????·????) DR16 -0.30 dB -21.01 dB 2:03 14-AFRICAN SYMPHONY(????·????) DR13 -0.30 dB -15.38 dB 5:09 15-GETAWAY(12?Disco Version|????·????) DR14 -0.30 dB -16.13 dB 3:40 16-SATURDAY NITE(Singles Version|????·????) DR11 -1.52 dB -19.61 dB 2:54 17-DEPARTURE(Single Version|????·????) DR14 -0.30 dB -16.55 dB 3:51 18-GETAWAY(Instrumental|????·????) Album details - Dynamic Range Database »
Just saw this thread, just to let you know uk stores now selling Earth wind & Fire Vinyl LP gratitude live double for about £22... music legacy.... I Already own two orig older mint copies, so not for me.....but nice to get some funk, soul, on the forum.
This looks encouraging. I hope it means that whomever did the mastering has backed off the limiter. My question is, did they back off the compressor and the EQ too?
BBR has gotten much better on their mastering over the past year or two. It started during their Salsoul reissues (somewhere midway through the series you can hear the limiting lessen). Their Al Jarreau Breakin' Away remaster was actually really good, IMO! I just wish they figured their mastering out years ago.
That's good to know. I purchased a number of their early releases. Given that they were all horribly mastered, I pretty much gave up on them as a reissue label even though they reissue quite a bit of music that would otherwise interest me. I doubt they have done so, but if they did a "secret remaster" of Gloria Gaynor's "Never Can Say Goodbye" I would probably double dip for that one. Their original cd is one of the worst I've ever heard.
That Gaynor disc had multiple issues, mostly major phasing issues (probably in an ill-conceived attempt to widen the sound field). The limiting was only part of the problem. I bought all of the post-Central Heating Heatwave remasters when they came out on BBR. Now THOSE were limited within an inch of their lives. They've improved...I'd still be cautious, though.
Spirit has been issued on the Speakers Corner label, according to the UK distributor (Pure Pleasure Records), and has been well reviewed for sound quality. It should be good if the Speakers Corner version of That's the Way of the World is anything to go by.
Wayne A. Dickson performed the mastering and IMHO did an amazing job. The BBR is my go to release for Spirit. I get no sense that a limiter, compressor or very little if any EQ was used. It has 9 bonus tracks (4 more than the 2001 remaster) including Getaway (12" Version) which is a lot of fun! Sadly it is already OOP. Highly recommended if you can find it.
