For Single Man, the '98 remaster, the liner notes state: Original analogue and 16/10 masters digitally transferred at 24 bits resolution, processed using Sonic Solutions No Noise Technology and mastered to 16 bit for CD using Prism SNS Noise Shaping Digital remastering: Gus Dudgeon at Abbey Road Studios Engineer: Pete Mew Supervising Producer: Mike Gill at C-Dreams
I would also add the MCA plaid back for Captain Fantastic. It may not be from the original master tape but it is a warm sounding transfer. I’m torn for GBYBR nd don’t have a preference for either the Mofi or the SHM. Both have their merits and there is no clear winner IMHO.
Thank you for your effort. It turned out a nice list. If I understand correctly, Blue Moves is the leader in sound, Captain Fantastic is second best and so on… Is there a pair of albums that can be considered equal in sound - for example, GH1 and GH2? Could you briefly comment on this?
The DCC blows the SHM-CD out of water !!! Beside of Caribou the "worst" SHM-CD. P.S. I do not own the debut, and cannot comment on this one.
I heard Caribou and liked the sound very much. Well, i heard all of them but GH1, GH2, ES, ROTW and Blue Moves (the two latters are already on their way... ). As i said, can only compare with the 95's Classic years. The SHM-CD are fantastics. I would love to have the same treatment on the '98 remasters.
I look through all the comments for each title. Coincidentally, many have called Blue Moves and Captain Fantastic the best-sounding albums of the set. Yesterday I went through GH1 and GH2 and came to this conclusion: Greatest Hits – Good (second best after DCC) Greatest Hits 2 – Good (the best digital version) Ranking List now looks like this: - update – Elton John S/T – Best (second best after SHM-SACD) Tumbleweed Connection – Best (the best digital version, slightly superior to MFSL due to advantages of the new 192Hz/24-bit transfer) Elton John Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player – Best (the best digital version) And Goodbye Yellow Brick Road – Best (the best digital version) Blue Moves – Best (the best digital version) Captain Fantastic – Best (the best digital version, slightly superior to MCA and DJM due to advantages of the new 192Hz/24-bit transfer) Caribou – Good (the matter of preference: roll-off trebles of SHM vs. heavy brightness of DJM CD) Greatest Hits – Good (second best after DCC) Greatest Hits 2 – Good (the best digital version) Not many comments about the Empty Sky. I temporarily suspended it, waiting for an answer: What does Empty Sky sound like compared to other Elton albums? Does it sound roughly at the level of GH1 and GH2?
The SHM-CDs are a pleasant surprise, they are better as the orginals and slightly better (or same) as the Mofis. Everyone has different preferences, and I prefer an analogue-like, balanced sound. I like all SHM-CDs*, except Madman Across the Water, Caribou and Greatest Hits, Vol.1. * I do not own the debut, Blue Moves and Greatest Hits, Vol.2
Which digital version (no needle drops) of Madman do you feel is better? The MFSL? I'm just curious .
I've compared the MFSL with the SHM-CD and to be honest, I wish I could have both merged into one. I find the bass on the SHM-CD Madman is just a bit too boomy with not as much clarity and definition as the others (except for Empty Sky). I prefer the bass on the MFSL. However, in the mids and highs there is really no contest. The sense of space and transient clarity on the SHM-CD really shows what modern AD converters combined good mastering can do. In A-Bing them recently, I found the cymbals in particular on the MFSL to have a grainy, non-distinct quality to them, whereas the cymbals on the SHM-CD Madman have an almost uncanny 3d clarity to them. Mind you my criticism of the MFSL is only in comparison to the SHM-CD. It sounds better than other redbook MATWs I've heard (DJM and 95 remaster). The Madman SACD (stereo SACD layer) would be good as well were it not for too much compression and a bit too much boost on the highs. I really just wish the SHM-CD didn't have too much bass as it would be darn near perfect, along the same lines as Caribou, Captain Fantastic and Blue Moves. I may try some EQ matching to make my own hybrid version with the MFSL bass curve applied to the SHM-CD.
Thanks for that I'm still interested in @Claus opinion as I believe he said his favorite Madman is a needle drop of an LP. I'd like to know what CD version he thinks is best.
Just listened to GBYBR and i agree SHM is the best version, i have all of them. The vocals are more clear with better separation of instruments, i always liked MFSL but will now be put into a box of CD's stored in the loft.
Beside the DCC LP, the SHM-CD is my favorite CD, compared to the original UK, Japan CD and MFSL. I like the beautiful midrange, the soundstage is also better to my MFSL.
This is what I want to draw attention to: clarity and separation provided by the new 192/24 transfer on top of great dynamics – it cannot be “toss-up”, guys. If recording was done right – that’s it. I chose it in a short music sampler (unknowingly) over 4 other mastering. It struck me with its solid and balanced sound. I only can imagine how deep soundstage it can make in my main system, which gets lost in the headphones comparison. Old MoFi cannot do that… This is 3-dimensional sound. I can hear both speakers standing by the one of them. Add to this the benefits of SHM and you will get the winner by a wider margin. The new MoFi releases... Yes! If they only could reissue all their old Gold CDs in the Hybrid Mini LP SACD, I would pay double for them.
I agree mostly with the above but it's not the SHM disc material it's because of the mastering. When i get the time i will rip a disc then stream from my server to my rasberry pi to a chord qutest DAC and i guarantee the sound quality will be the same if not better then playing from the CD.
That is good to hear. I will play the SHM GBYBR over the weekend, having recently played the MFSL, which I thought was great. If this is better then I am truly excited.
We all are buying them for mastering. In 2001, I went into the huge Chicago Tower Records store and bought set of Yes Mini LP CD – just a regular CDs. Each had a store sticker with a price - $24.99. How much is this new 2019 Mini LP SHM-CD today? I just checked out - $24.76. It may make sense to buy the SHM version at no extra cost. Maybe more accurate pit formation of the SHM-CD affects the sound a bit. Please read Post # 1403, p. 57 and Post #1692 p. 68. The test is a good idea, but it is a hardware test, not an SHM. If the Chord DAC is better than the internal DAC of your CD player and the file sounds better than the SHM disc, you may not need the disc. Sell the Mini LP to fund another such purchase and create a great file library.
I did the same thing with the EJ Classic Years mini-LPs back in 2000. Bought all 12 of them for about $25 at Virgin in NYC. They were the Dudgeon remasters, but with LP replicated artwork. It was more about the packaging than the mastering. I came to realize this quickly and returned them the next day. So, yes, considering these are exceptional remasters, on a very high quality disc, with authentic LP replicated packaging, the average price for each is pretty good in an era when CDs are dwindling.
Finally received my last SHM-CD, "Blue Moves" (I only ordered the studio albums). Digital comparisons on this one were between the 96 remaster and the 1988 Rocket CD (Europe) w/15 tracks. I also threw in my 1976 MCA vinyl and recent the Ludwig remaster. I have to say that the 96 remaster is ok and not as bad as some of the others in this series. It has nice clarity and decent bass, but is a bit compressed and one-dimensional. The 1988 Rocket CD is lacking bass, thin sounding, with a harsh high end (at all volumes). The new SHM CD has a very nice "flat" response with the high end tamed, but present, and a very nice tight/punchy bass. The dynamics are here and this one really shines with the volume turned up. The SHM compares well to the Ludwig vinyl and is fuller and more dynamic than the 76 MCA vinyl. Pretty much agree with what others have said that this is (finally) a great digital representation of this album. This is certainly my go to digital with the 96 remaster actually coming in (a distant) second. Overall, as a 45 year old uber fan of Sir Elton's work, I have been impressed with this reissue/remaster set. Some minor disappointments, but several new "go to's" have been established for me. For purely digital comparisons , I found the following to be my favorites and runner's up for each album. Just my humble opinion as heard on my humble system. Empty Sky - 1) Polydor/DJM 2) none worthy Elton John - 1) 2011 SHM SACD 2) SHM- CD Tumbleweed - 1) MFSL 2) SHM-CD Madman - TIE (Polydor/MCA & SHM-CD) Honky Chateau - 1) Polydor /DJM 2) MFSL Don't Shoot Me...- 1) SHM-CD 2) Polydor UK/DJM Goodbye Yellow BR 1)- SHM-CD 2) MFSL Caribou - 1) SHM CD 2) Polydor Captain Fantastic - TIE (US MCA & SHM-CD) Rock of TW - TIE (AF Gold & SHM-CD) Blue Moves - 1) SHM-CD 2) none worthy
