Led Zeppelin 'How The West Was Won' - 2018 Multiple Format Remasters (Pricing & Shipping Thread!)

It can’t. They should be exactly the same. Any differences are hardware based. Regardless unless your hardware is seriously malfunctioning or improperly setup, any audible difference would be minute - not one “in your face” vs the other.

 

Made no sense at all not to package the BR within the SDE. This is an item priced at $160-$175, (though I don't think many will end up selling at that price).

As a stand-alone thing, the Blu-Ray is really cool. Nice packaging, better than the CDs

BTW, Kevin Shirley is credited with "Surround Sound Remix" for the BR. Surprised at that.

 

My memory might be wrong, but I think that same language was used for the original DVD-A as well.

 

Yes, it's just the original mixing credit, carried over from the 2003 release, since the new release was not remixed.

 

What is the set-up used to replay? All 96KHz 24 bits files? Coax ouput to DAC from BD are limited to 48/24...

 

Bought the new 2018 version on CD and it sounds good. I never did buy the original release (2003), but my brother had it...let me borrow it once I didn't care for the SQ.

 

Does anyone know what the next Zeppelin release will be?

 

We can only speculate. If I had to guess, I'd say they might issue a remaster of the 2007 version of The Song Remains the Same soundtrack sometime this summer, to finish off the remaster/reissue campaign for their existing catalogue. Then after that I would guess we'd get an announcement of the first truly new, 50th Anniversary release, since the anniversary begins in September.

However, I would be surprised if they only announced a 50th anniversary release in September. My guess, instead, would be that they'd want to announce the first 50th anniversary release in July, for a September release. If so, then they would have to announce any final pre-50th anniversary remasters very soon, like by the end of this month.

But again, all just speculation.

 

This title will be released on September 7, 2018.

https://www.amazon.com/Song-Remains...TF8&qid=1532647791&sr=1-1&keywords=B07DTV2PGK

 

“THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME is the soundtrack to the legendary concert film of the same name, which was released in 1976. The performances in the film were recorded July 27-29, 1973 at Madison Square Garden during the band’s tour for its then-current studio album, Houses Of The Holy.

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The Blu-Ray configuration includes 96kHz/24 bit 5.1 (DTS-HD Master Audio Surround) and stereo mixes (PCM Stereo and DTS-HD Master Audio Stereo), and video performances of four songs not in the original film: “Celebration Day,” “Over The Hills And Far Away,” “Misty Mountain Hop,” and “The Ocean.” (All with 5.1 audio)”

 

Sept 7th 2018. 50 years to the day since the first show in Denmark.* Big on the significance of dates is Page.


*unless that story about a previously unknown warm up in Germany is true which I seriously doubt it is.

 

Curious to know if anybody feels that there's a significant sonic upgrade from the DVD-A to the Blu Ray.

 

Absolutely, IMHO.

 

Depends upon your definition of significant. The remaster is a little better, but it is not a “significant” sonic upgrade IMO. There’s only so much which can be done with the crappy mix. I’d say it went from 5 to a 6 on a 1-10 scale.

 

Funny this thread should be bumped up today.
I was going through my floor piles of vinyl yesterday and thought time for you to find rack space.
Probably never get played ever again unles a friend comes round and wants to hear the LPs.

 

Different strokes, of course. Personally, and given the date/vintage of the original recording, I'd rate the original CD as a 6, the original DVD-A as a 7, and the new Blu-Ray as an 8.5. Not night and day, but IMHO a significant upgrade because the new mastering's sonics are subtly different from the original mastering's in multiple ways, and each of those ways is positive - so those multiple subtle improvements add up to a notably better listening experience, at least in my view.

Specifically, the mix, flawed as it is, sounds less congested now; the overall sound is more laid back and far more natural-sounding; and perhaps most importantly, the sound is non-fatiguing, whereas it's fatiguing on the 2003 version. The 2003 mastering clearly tries to make this 1972 source sound "big" and "modern" with what sounds like some sharp, unnatural-sounding EQ to fatten up the mid-bass and the midrange "presence" region. To me, the 2003 mastering sounds like it's sort of fighting against the intrinsic qualities of the source to try to punch it up, while the new mastering sounds more like it's working with the source to let it be what it is. The acoustic tracks in particular really breathe on the new mastering, whereas I find them to sound a bit closed-in on the original mastering.

The one thing that can also throw off comparisons is that the first track, Immigrant Song, is the least dynamic and worst-sounding track on the album, and so the differences between the two masterings are least apparent on that track. I would recommend Over the Hills and Far Away as a good first comparison.

Finally, I should note that my ratings here are based on the fact that I'm a stereo person. The 5.1 surround mix has never been anything to write home about on this release, and while the new version does have better mastering on that track just like it does on the 2.0 stereo track, there's no significant difference in the surround experience between the two. (Although I will say that playing the surround track in auto stereo mixdown mode is a better, more balanced-sounding experience on the new release than the 2003 one).

EDIT: One more thing - I rate the original DVD-A higher than the original CD because it's a different mastering. Very small difference, but a noticeable one - slightly more air. The 2018 mastering, by contrast, is identical across all formats. So I'd rate the 2018 CD version as an 8.5 as well - I love the Blu-Ray, but more for the convenience of having the whole concert on one disc than for any sonic benefit of Blu-Ray vs CD resolution. The sonics of both are 95-99% the same IMHO.

 

I broke down and bought the CD set of the HTWWW remaster....Now that is down to realistic prices, that is. I'm probably more irritated at subtracting "Hello Mary Lou" than most people, but I started getting used to the idea. Anyway I think it sounds pretty good and better than the 1st CD version, but still could have been better......Getting stupid buying sh!t over and over though....

 

I have not bought it yet but I already heard it. I did not find much difference with respect to the 2003 version. It seems terrible to me that it has been "mutilated" with the edition of Hello MaryLou from Whole Lotta Love meddle.
I think maybe my best option is to buy Blu-Ray for what I've read here... also adding the Blu-Ray audio from The Song Remains The Same.

 

Maybe it was already discussed and I missed it, but any idea why the track order is different on the vinyl from the CD? On the vinyl, What Is And What Should Never Be and Dancing Days are moved up earlier in the set. Maybe so Dazed & Confused and Moby Dick could each occupy an entire side?

 

Yes, you have surmised correctly. It's because of vinyl run-time limitations and the need to keep the longer tracks on one side each. WIAWSNB and Dancing Days by themselves aren't long enough to be a side. So those two had to be moved up and combined with other, short (well, short for Zep, anyway ) songs from the earlier part of the set.

 

I finally went and recorded my one take version of this Zeppelin tune, that's going into my setlists of the covers from here forward when I play live. Don't be too harsh, if you feel the need to opine lol, I tried to hold together the overall integrity of the song rather than being a hardcore attempt at emulating Page/Plant to the precise atom. I pulled my version together with the influence of the Earls Court version and the one on HTWWW and the studio version. Love the song, always have thought it to very a very original sort of song, unique in music on a couple of levels in my limited musical abilities and knowledge.
ThatsTheWay Led Zeppelin Acoustic Cover | THE ACOUSTIC WARRIOR/CHRIS WARREN Acoustic/Electric Covers/Originals/Instrumental

 

Which one wins in a contest between the 2018 CD and the "How The West Was Redone" fan remaster?

 

I might get some grief for this, but IMHO the 2018 remaster is better than the How the West Was Redone fan version - even though the "Redone" version is excellent too. The 2018 is more natural and laid-back sounding, while retaining an impact and cohesiveness that "Redone" lacks. I feel this is especially true with the acoustic set, but it's also true with, for example, Page's opening riffs on Whole Lotta Love.

Now, that said, if one is aiming for the most dynamic stereo presentation, then it becomes about comparing 5.1-to-stereo mixdowns, and there "Redone" still is king, because with both the original 2003 surround mastering and the 2018 surround mastering, a straight surround-to-stereo mixdown sounds unbalanced and just wrong. By contrast, "Redone" was painstaking in its mixdown and separate treatment of the six surround channels (and I believe also mixed the result with a very attenuated version of the standard stereo track, to help glue it all together sonically). So "Redone" is clearly the choice for 5.1-2.0 mixdown listening.

Finally, "Redone" has the 2 minute "Mary Lou" medley segment of Whole Lotta Love, which Page cut from the 2018 version for some reason.

 

Must admit I haven't heard the remaster, but really enjoy The How The West Was Redone, which does sound better than the original release (to my ears).