DCC Archive Joni Mitchell HDCD remasters

I really enjoy the DCC and the MFSL Joni Mitchell CDs. The other albums (i.e. "LAdies Of The Canyon", "Hejira", "The Hissing Of Summer Lawns", etc.) have at least been remastered with the HDCD process a few years back. How do they sound compared to the original CD issues? Are they worth an upgrade or are the older CDs still better?
Thanks for your comments
Thomas

 

Hi Thomas,

Don't have the originals to compare but have bought the HDCD's remastered by Joe Gastwirt and I like them. They have nice detail, dynamics and clarity.

Hope this helps ya,
Jeffrey

 

They sound much better than the originals... IMHO

 

After comparing the originals to the HDCD versions on my HDCD player (Linn Ikemi), I prefered the HDCDs with one possible exception: Ladies of the Canyon. The older version is smoother and more analogue like - a bit easier on the ears compared to the HDCD, whose detail retrieval may be too revealing for this album (system dependent, I'm sure).

 

Thank for your inputs! Fireblade, since we had a similar discussion a few months ago via e-mail: is the remastering of those CDs more "Hoffman-like" or more "Eroc-like"? What do you think of Randy's statement about "Ladies Of The Canyon" (which I think is one of the most beautiful Joni Mitchell CDs)?
Greetings
Thomas

 

It was very hard to find the first Joni Mitchell on HDCD... because they all have the same booklet, same # like the old one's...
Anyway I have compared the HDCD's on my KRELL CD player, and I would like to say they sound better than the first pressings... even the originals on vinyl! The same goes for Ladies On The Canyon (yes, a beautiful record)... I do prefer the latest remaster over the first CD pressing.
And all HDCD remasters (done by Joe Gastwirt) sound pistine and clear... not over-eq'd like many other's! These remasters are more analogue-like than the most remasters by EROC. Period!

 

So how do the HDCD's stack up against the 2 DCC albums?

 

I have the HDCD and DCC Gold versions of "Court & Spark."

The verdict is unanimous: DCC.

The DCC: Warmth. Breadth. Full and sweet.

HDCD: Warm. Bright. Trebly. Not so great.

JMHO

Ben

 

Yes, Steve's remaster of Blue and Court And Spark is marvelous... better than the HDCD remaster, but the differences are not so obvious.
I like DCC's reproduction of the "emboss" artwork on Court And Spark... wonderful.