Kinks Deluxe Editions 2011-2014 (Part Five)

Andrew "produced" both the Pye deluxes and the Legacy editions, but he has indicated recently that he has very little control over the final mastering, which is almost exclusively controlled by Ray.

However, that doesn't explain why the Pye albums are LOUD while the rca albums are audiophile standard. Perhaps Sony has certain rules?

 

I never thought that the Kinks deluxe editions sounded horrible. Loud, yes, but not anything resembling unlistenable. In fact, my opinion was largely in line with the overall consensus in this old thread:

What was the consensus on The Kinks Deluxe editions?

Did I miss something along the way?

 

My general impression was the same as yours and what led me to try these out. I never considered Kinks' albums to have great sonics to begin with.

 

The comeback argument to that is "So obviously what you literally mean by that is that they should be completely destroyed in the mastering and made to sound like Death Magnetic", but as Sandoval pointed out around the time the first Village Green deluxe came out, the tapes themselves are flawed and require a decent amount of processing to make them sound "musical". While I appreciate the flat approach of the Muswell Hillbillies Legacy set, let's be real, it sounds really muddy and indistinct. Of course, you can then adjust the EQ to your liking, whereas a master with harsh EQ added can't be changed nearly as easily.

I guess my point is that albums with bad sonics need a middle ground when it comes to mastering, and we haven't achieved that with the Kinks yet. From everything that I've read, the new HD remasters are an improvement (though I think some are stereo only?) but it doesn't seem that they're recommended whole-heartedly.

 

Too compressed and brick walled to my taste.

 

I think this may have been mentioned but couldn't find it.

Has the 2014 Deluxe of "Lola..." always come in a jewel case rather than the digipaks the earlier releases came in, or was it changed later on?

Thanks!

Mark

 

Always in a jewel case

 

Thanks!

 

Are they actually brickwalled or simply more compressed than you'd like? I'm not trying to be cheeky here - if they're actually brickwalled I'd like to know because I want to start going deeper into The Kinks library and have been considering these. Its just sometimes people use "brickwalled" as a catch all term.

 

I agree - I've been very happy with them, especially in comparison with the 1998 Castle remasters.

 

Possibly the wrong place to ask, but what about the CDs from the 80s? I take it there was some issue with them as well? Because they appear to have had little to no problem with compression but they aren't discussed very often. Or are they just hard to find...?

 

BTW, since reading the thread, I've purchased the Legacy Edition of Everybody's.

The outtake "History" not as strong as the ones off the Lola vs Powerman Deluxe set, but I dig the alternate takes!

SQ is excellent on studio material - a little sharper than my go-to MFSL SACD, but doesn't mean it's better. Just now have two as-good-as-this-album-will-likely-sound editions of this great album.

Always had a little gripe about the live stuff. It's like they couldn't push this excellent 10-track studio album on its own - like tagging Pet Sounds onto The Beach Boys' Carl and the Passions I think it was... not needed - great releases on their own!

Jeff

 

Somewhere in between. The waveforms don't actually look brickwalled, just very compressed. But they are as loud or louder than masters that truly are brickwalled due to EQ. I can't get images right now, will try when I get home.

 

I just looked at some files from Something Else and Arthur and I must admit I used the term incorrectly, I'd say they are compressed but not brick walled. Sorry about that, glad that you asked.

 

See my reply above.

 

Some of the original PRT CDs are hard to find, but the 1989 Castle Classics (CLACD) are damn near identical and plentiful.

The main issues with the pre-98 CDs:

- Side 1 & 2 of the UK PRT "Face To Face" are swapped in order on the CD (i.e. the album starts with Holiday In Waikiki and ends with A House In The Country)
- Face to Face is the inferior "stereo" mix
- "Top Of The Pops" is missing the drumroll intro on Lola
- "Tin Soldier Man" has the intro chopped off and "Situation Vacant" is missing the outro

 

Brickwalled is not the correct technical term, but its general meaning - harsh, loud, congested, and heavily compressed with little in the way of macro or micro-dynamics - does apply. So, forgiven.

Personally, I think they sound acceptable. I dislike the sound, but not enough to seek a superior-sounding CD pressing. Especially not since most digital versions have some kind of issue with them (errors as noted above, compression, etc.). Plus, I like the design, liner notes, and wealth of bonus content too much to worry about finding a better version.

If they released these again, but with superior mastering (and hopefully typos/errors in the booklets fixed), I would re-buy them all in a heartbeat.

 

I agree. I can't get into the live half of this album. A snippet of Lola and general goofiness doesn't work for me (and I know that Ray liked to be...theatrical on stage.) The studio half? It's great.

 

I am far from an expert on Kinks releases, but these Deluxe reissues sound a lot like almost all (60s) Kinks vinyl and CDs I've personally heard. To me, the masters are a little hot and distorted going all the way back to the studio tapes, most likely.

 

They're not mixed tremendously well. Usually the telltale sign of compression is missing drums; the drums were mixed pretty low to begin with. The added loudness and EQ didn't help. But I think you're right - if you were to take the flat transfers, you would probably get a more pleasant and less harsh sound, but no sonic revelation. Hell, the forum-beloved "ugly pink" CD still has EQ recommendations from our very own host to make it sound better.

I agree with the general notion that excessive compression and EQ is not the way to enhance a poor recording. But a poor recording just isn't going to sound fantastic no matter what you do to it. Sadly the truth. :/

 

Inspired by this thread resurfacing I'm listening to my Deluxe The Kinks Kontroversy which I will follow by listening to the Deluxe Kinda Kinks .

(Not in order of original release because I'm, you know, a forum rebel. )

I've never experienced ear fatigue from listening to recorded music either.
Of course I've played in and gone and seen bands for 50 years where the sonic overload was unbelievable, so a minor thing like goosed mastering of a record or a CD isn't going to be on my radar .


Getting back to the Deluxe's, the bonus tracks are just an incredible pulling together of miscellaneous songs for a great "one stop" Kinks listening experience per album era so I love them.

And, I wish I could ever figure out my favorite Kinks album: One day it's Something Else the next day it's Village Green and it's been that way for 50 years .

I've got tomorrow off so I'll be spinning both of those deluxes plus Face to Face.

Kinks fatigue ? Never.

 

I don't think anyone fully answered your question. The stereo Face To Face is true stereo but (I believe) it was done from a three-track so many songs were mixed very narrow.

 

I'm liking the sound of this double LP set:

 

Got this, but to be honest I can't remember how it sounds.

 

Mine is nicely balanced mono, with a few stereo tracks from Arthur. It's a Pye pressing, so it's likely they used the original mix masters in putting it together. I'd recommend it, if it's something one finds on the used market.