So after reading this there isn't really a consensus on IV which is the best sounding? And the Black Triangle and VC are the same masterings just level shifted?
Like Floyd, probably not. It's going to come down to personal preferences. I however did not enjoy the remasters, any of them...
In case anyone in this thread is interested, I wrote the most recent edition of my The Best Version of Column (comparing digital masterings of classic albums) on Gabriel’s So: The Best Version Of… Peter Gabriel’s So
Thank you for this, a very interesting read. I have to be honest in that I have always been happy with the original CD and never sought out the 2012 high res due to comments about it being slightly compressed. I'll have to seek it out and decide for myself.
The download definitely isn't compressed. I think the confusion arose because some people incorrectly assumed the 25th CD (which is way too compressed) and the download shared the same mastering.
Think the DL was all that I wanted from that set. (iirc) While the presentation looks great, the price for getting to that mastering was out of reach for me. Shame B&W didn't offer it separately.
Thanks for the in-depth review. It seems I have to listen to the 2012 download or vinyl. Bought the 2002 version when it was released, but liked the early CD better. Never bothered with anything afterwards.
Dammit, I already own the original CD, the original vinyl, the 25th anniversary triple CD and the 45rpm vinyl with associated download - and yet, I’ve just gone and bought the 2012 boxset version from RealWorld. Really seems like I need some sort of help
Also saw the article and it got me thinking: I bought the box set back in 2012, I wasn't using high res files. So I opened the box, used the URL and was told I now needed to email w/ pics of my box and code. Well, while awaiting a response I realized I HAD downloaded the FLAC files and had stored them in a folder and forgotten. Meanwhile I later got a response from Real World with a new link - those resulting files are 24/96 WAV files. I've not listened to the later, yet, but each of the file titles include "MFit" in them (ex: 01_Red Rain Fit.wav). Unlike the orginal download files, the "extra tracks" in this download are not WAV and are m4a files.
Hmmm... This is interesting. I’ll try to investigate more. Hopefully they’re not the 24/96 files included with the recent vinyl remasters, rather than the 25th hi-res remaster.
So do I! Have just bought the box to get my hands on the 25th anniversary remastering, so will be mighty annoyed if they're not providing those.
Strictly my opinion of course, but I'd say if you shell out retail price on the box set, and you act in good faith to redeem the HD downloads, and you end up with files that are from the more recent remaster instead of the vaunted 2012 24/48 digital file mastering, you are on totally solid ground ethically to go out on the internet and find a downloadable copy of the 2012 24/48 files.
@petercw2 sent me the "Red Rain" file Real World sent him, and I checked it in Har-Bal. Unfortunately, it's the 2016 fils, not the 2012 25th file. If anyone gets the 2016 files, you should definitely email them back and say you want the 2012 25th 24/48 files (which also have extra tracks). I do agree with @tmtomh, though, that if for some reason Real World isn't sending the 25th files to anyone, it's certainly fine to find them "elsewhere" if you've done the right thing and bough the box.
Luckily for me, I had previously downloaded the original 25th anniversary files (probably back when I bought it, but wasn't using FLAC files, and had forgotten I'd done so), so I don't need to go back and ask for them. I'll confirm the 25th 24/48 files are a superior version. Since 'So' has been a favorite of mine, and I can't even begin to count how many times I've listened to it in various formats, there are some subtle - yet surprising - differences and things I'd not heard/noticed before.
My box should arrive this week, so will let you all know how I get on with Real World if I’m sent the 2016 files.
Quick update - I have received the 24/96 2016 files as well. Have emailed back and politely asked for the 2012 files.
