Music On CD Label (Holland) Question

Hi everyone. I was shopping on the Importcds.com web site and noticed many cds that are on a Holland label called “Music On CD”.

I’ve never heard of this label and was wondering if anyone is familiar with them? Is it a legitimate label with no loss in quality in sound and packaging? Or..is it a CDR label??

Thanks!

 

They’re a legitimate label, with legally licensed releases. Masters and art are often taken from previous CD issues. They use SACD cases instead of standard jewel cases. I have some Herbie Hancock and Sly Stone from this label, and am totally happy with their work.

 

It seems like this label might be the CD companion to Music on Vinyl.

 

Correct! — They are from the same company.

 

I bought Heart's Passionworks and Kansas' Vinyl Confessions from them. Each one is identical to the original CD, right down to the packaging (aside from slightly altering it to accommodate the SACD-style case). I thought about getting Wally Badarou's Echoes from them, but if they used the old CD as the source, then I'll pass. However, they reissued it on vinyl a few years before they put it out on CD, so I'm hoping they went back to the master tapes.

 

Ministry-Work For Love, 1983 (2014)
Carries the old Euro/German mastering.
Should be fun comparing the old US Disctronics (With Sympathy) to this
A neat thing. The US must of had better converters at the time. The Euro mastering has the distinct 21 or so cut-off. The US is full 22

 

I've got the old US Arista for this one. Nice sound and great album, but it's the only Ministry I own.

 

Curiosity got the best of me for this one D.
The old US really shines

 

Hopefully this thread can answer that Graham.
One I was curious about was the Men At Work-Cargo (extra track) edition, if it used the crushed to hell mastering on this one as well. Since it's seems these are somewhat Sony related, they may use the latest if applicable. Maybe others can chime in.
It'd be nice if they used the mastering from their LP counterparts for these.

 

I'm sure you're answer was probably already answered. I am a Gloria Estefan collector and her "90 Millas" album was reissued on this labeling 2016. I own a copy and it's a legit CD pressing no CD-R and it came housed in a super jewel box. Not sure if all releases are like this but the original CD release back in 2007 was in a digipak. Here is the link to my Instagram page if you want to see images of it.
Gloria Estefan Collection on Instagram: “. “90 Millas” (2007) European CD 2016 “Music On CD” Reissue Music On CD / Sony Music: MOCCD13375 / 8718627223918 Sony Music…”

 

My wallet would appreciate it

 

As others have stated, Music on CD is a legit company from Holland, a sister company of Music On Vinyl. They specialize in older CDs that usually (but not always) are out-of-print. They're pressed CDs, not CD-Rs.

Living in Holland, it's easy to come by these reissues for a reasonable price of 7.99 or 8.99 euros, sometimes even cheaper. I like what they are doing, because they make a wealth of CD albums available again.

It's my impression that they release what they are handed down by the record companies, mostly from the Sony and Universal vault. That means that, in my experience, they issue wonderfully sounding discs that appear to retain the older masterings, like for instance their Willy DeVille and Gary Brooker reissues and Don Airey's K2 project. I didn't buy their Men at Work reissues, but I'm curious if these reissues contain the same atrocious mastering that the latest Sony remasters had. Since they carry the same bonus tracks I'm inclined to fear the worst, but I can't say for sure.

On their web site they state that 'the audio is checked to ensure the highest quality manageable and the artwork is refined or in some cases redesigned'. Whatever that means - it could be that they do some remastering by themselves. So far, I haven't really been disappointed by their output. Nice thing is that they take requests for reissues too (see their website), but of course everything depends on availability and licensing fees.

I did notice that in the last few months the sheer output of their CD reissues is drastically increasing. A good thing in itself, but it also leaves me wondering if they really do take enough time for proper masterings. Unfortunately, I don't have a reissue of theirs that I can directly compare to an older version.

As of late, it appears that they have abandoned the super jewel case packaging. The most recent reissues that I acquired come in standard jewel cases.

About us – Music on CD

 

I got their reissue of The Walker Brothers' Nite Flights:


foobar2000 1.1.11 / Dynamic Range Meter 1.1.1
log date: 2019-03-10 11:04:11

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Analyzed: The Walker Brothers / Nite Flights
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DR Peak RMS Duration Track
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR12 -0.56 dB -16.36 dB 2:47 01-Shut Out
DR12 -3.07 dB -18.23 dB 2:57 02-Fat Mama Kick
DR14 -0.77 dB -17.27 dB 4:25 03-Nite Flights
DR14 -2.24 dB -20.88 dB 6:11 04-The Electrician
DR17 -1.84 dB -21.58 dB 3:45 05-Death of Romance
DR15 -1.96 dB -19.64 dB 4:04 06-Den Haague
DR15 -0.56 dB -17.58 dB 2:55 07-Rhythms of Vision
DR15 -1.57 dB -18.86 dB 3:49 08-Disciples of Death
DR15 -0.74 dB -20.24 dB 3:58 09-Fury and the Fire
DR13 -1.40 dB -18.21 dB 3:14 10-Child of Flames
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Number of tracks: 10
Official DR value: DR14

Samplerate: 44100 Hz
Channels: 2
Bits per sample: 16
Bitrate: 1411 kbps
Codec: CDDA

 

Interesting, today I learned that there is Music On CD, a sister company of Music On Vinyl.

Too bad that there is very little for metal and punk music at the time being. I'll have to keep my eyes open for their future releases.

 

The booklet that comes with it is a straight reproduction of the vinyl gatefold, so there's no information about its mastering unfortunately. I don't have any decent equipment, so can't give such an informed opinion about the sound, but it's obvious listening to it that it's nothing like modern CD releases, and I would guess that the original masters were used.

 

Seems these are just repressings of old out of print titles, so whatever mastering was on the original release.

 

Joan Armatrading's To The Limit (1978) has been out of print in the US since 1988 first/ last issued by A&M. UK/ EU copies have been expensive on the secondary market. Suddenly, a Music on CD edition has become available at Importcds for well under $10. To The Limit was the last of her three records produced by Glyn Johns with that folk-rock-jazz-soul sound. It's long been on my want list so here I go, wallet in hand. Good to know Music on CD is turning out a quality product.

 

Whoa! Take a look at Music on CD's catalog Catalog – Music on CD

Music on CD is like the Real Gone label on steroids with its deep catalog offerings. 55 pages with 12 CDs a page. And you can submit requests. This is going to cost me.

Here's my list so far and I'm not half way through:

Gene Clark Roadmaster
King Curtis Fillmore West
BOC On Your Feet or On Your Knees
Nils Lofgren I came To Dance
The Byrds Untitled/ Unissued
McGuinn Hillman Clark (is this any good?)
Mitch Ryder Rev Up (greatest hits)

 

I'd be careful with assuming these all use (the good) old mastering's.

 

I have bought some that were unique CD masterings. I think they are given a hi-res file to make their vinyl or CD's from. Some may be the same some may be a new hi-res master and that's then used to make the product.

The booklet and disc printing look great and I have been very pleased with the ones I have.

 

Importcds.com has plenty of these releases far under $10, so you risk little to buy. I am totally happy with them

 

No SACD style case on my copy of L.A. Guns' Vicious Circle. Just a regular CD case. I guess they stopped doing that or don't do it for every title.