Old Polydor CD "Strange Brew-The Very Best Of Cream" mastered by Dennis Drake. Best sound, cheap!

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Steve Hoffman, Dec 25, 2016.

  1. Carl Swanson

    Carl Swanson Senior Member

    It's not just technology, it's also "artistic" preference and mastering skill/ability.
     
    George P likes this.
  2. qwerty

    qwerty A resident of the SH_Forums.

    Yes, Wilfrid Brambell. If my memory serves me correctly, in Steptoe and Son he was often called a "dirty old man" by his son. So when he played Paul's grandfather in A Hard Days Night other characters would often comment that "he is very clean" as a joke referencing his previous character. I don't think he ever played drums, for Cream or any other band.
     
  3. Ric-Tic

    Ric-Tic Forum Resident

    Location:
    Stockholm
    Oh yes, you are correct. That's why I asked our host for recording examples for each change in technology.

    I suppose mastering skill leads back to the work of Dennis M. Drake on the Cream CD. Despite so many technological choices to make the master tape sound "better" he choose to leave it as is.
     
  4. GuildX700

    GuildX700 Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    Never been happy with most of Cream's recorded sonics, I just picked this up for $1.98, will spin it tonight. FWIW mine is a made in Canada Polydor and it's the same UPC and says mastered by Dennis Drake.
     
  5. Carl Swanson

    Carl Swanson Senior Member

    I think their sound was the result of decisions made in the studio, and only a remix, not a remastering, would make a fundamental change in those.
     
  6. Adam9

    Adam9 Русский военный корабль, иди на хуй.

    Location:
    Toronto, Canada
    A little off-topic but I just noticed that my Canadian RSO vinyl pressing of Fresh Cream omits the coda from Spoonful even though the track is listed at 6:31. Pretty bad!
     
  7. GuildX700

    GuildX700 Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    Just finished listening, probably the best Cream has ever sounded, too bad they don 't have any vinyl that really stands out as great sounding. I've got srveral copies of Fresh Cream and The Best of Cream (theone with the vegetables on the front cover as well as the CD THe Very Best Of Cream and this cD is much more listenable than anything else I have of them. Thanks Steve!

    FWIW, this is a Canada issued CD but is the correct UPC and has Dennis Drake listed as CD mastering.



    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]
     
    Robert C likes this.
  8. Lukather

    Lukather Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Mine is dennis drake, canada.....is that the same?
     
  9. GuildX700

    GuildX700 Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    Yup.
     
  10. joelee

    joelee Hyperactive!

    Location:
    Houston
    If get the opportunity to purchase the DCC Fresh Cream on LP go for it! It rocks!!!!
     
    telepicker97 likes this.
  11. gorangers

    gorangers Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Haven area
    Found this in my collection the other night...forgot that I had it. It actually sounds very nice. I was happily surprised.
     
    389 Tripower likes this.
  12. Ephi82

    Ephi82 Still have two ears working

    Location:
    S FL
    This thread prompted me to look in my cd racks and see what Cream I have.

    Turns out I have a Disrali Gears Polydor, made in US and mastered by Drake.

    Is this another highly desirable?
     
  13. Hardy Melville

    Hardy Melville Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York
    So I take it the view is that Strange Brew is superior to the 1995 release Very Best of Cream. How much so? Ftr I like the title lineup better on the 95 version. Strange Brew was mostly a modified singles list.
     
  14. Ephi82

    Ephi82 Still have two ears working

    Location:
    S FL
    I have taken a picture of the booklet with this iPad, but am baffled as to how to include in this thread.

    When I go to the image insert icon, it wants a url? Any other way to do this?
     
  15. Ephi82

    Ephi82 Still have two ears working

    Location:
    S FL
    By the way, sounds really good. Especially the drums
     
  16. Dee Zee

    Dee Zee Once Upon a Dream

    Just got my copy a few days ago and this disc does sound exceptionally good. Thanks Steve for the tip.
     
  17. Ephi82

    Ephi82 Still have two ears working

    Location:
    S FL
    Last one and I'll stop. Disraeli Gear was an epic record for me. Back when I was about 17 spent some time with a very nicely curved (but somewhat conservative) young lady in the back seat of the car. Up front was my 8 track stereo playing Disreali.

    The cool think with 8 track is that it would play continuously without having to touch it.

    This allowed my full attention to be on loving the young lady and coming up with the optimal techniques for getting her out of her clothes. Success finally after I believe 3-4 complete playing of the recording! Ahhhh....memories
     
    billnunan likes this.
  18. George P

    George P Way Down Now

    Location:
    NYC
    Can you please share the EAC peak levels for that CD in this thread: Cream - Disraeli Gears - early RSO/Polydor masterings? »

    Thanks :wave:
     
  19. Ephi82

    Ephi82 Still have two ears working

    Location:
    S FL
    I assume I would need some sort of software for this measurement? I also assume I need a computer with cd drive?

    My laptop is currently out for repair but should be back in a day or two.
     
  20. George P

    George P Way Down Now

    Location:
    NYC
    Yes, but it's free - Exact Audio Copy »

    Yes

    Ok, best of luck!
     
  21. misterjones

    misterjones Smarter than the average bear.

    Location:
    New York, NY
    I have EAC and three versions of Disraeli Gears, including the Drake version. I'd appreciate a "dummies" version of exactly what I'm looking for - or should be looking out for, comparing and/or assessing - when I run these three?
     
  22. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Disraeli Gears.

    The master tape sounds exactly like it was recorded in the towel room at a golf course. Under blankets, covered in tar.

    In other words, not good. If you want to hear the master without futzing, get the MoFi Gold CD. I love it, I can do my own tweaking.

    For those of you who would probably HATE that sound (I'd say 90% of you), any other version will have more punch. Along with punch comes tape hiss and along with tape hiss comes No-Noise, so choose wisely.
     
    Ephi82 likes this.
  23. supermd

    supermd Senior Member

    Location:
    San Jose, CA
    Yeah, but No-Noise gets rid of that awful hiss. Sounds like a win to me!

    ;)
     
  24. Ephi82

    Ephi82 Still have two ears working

    Location:
    S FL
    You know Steve, with all due respect, you said the Drake mastering was pretty good.

    Now you are saying that the overall quality of the record is limited by the mastering, version unspecified.?

    Yup, I'm going to go out and search a Mo Fi Gold Cd because it's better for what reason? It ain't happening.

    I don't get it. Maybe I'm not understanding?

    I'll stand on my opinion that "Gears" is a pretty good sounding record as mastered by Drake. Crap, I thought you were the one who raised the point that Drakes mastering was superior?
     
    Sax-son and misterjones like this.
  25. mpayan

    mpayan A Tad Rolled Off

    MFSL gets Disraeli Gears as good as right can be in mastering so far. It doesnt hype up Eric ,has some bottom to it and the dynamics are pretty decent. Also mfsl is mono and stereo. And cool packaging.
     

Share This Page

molar-endocrine