I don't purchase remixes with the idea of getting an improved version or with the hope of finding a replacement for the original. I'm interested in hearing the presentation of an alternate soundstage. Maybe it'll work, maybe it won't. But where this album is concerned, I'm interested enough to lay my money down.
I don't know. Ever since I purchased the Quadio box, those seem to be the mixes I now prefer to hear Chicago in. Of course, that doesn't stop me from occasionally pulling out the Mofi SACDs of Chicago Transit Authority, Chicago, & VI.
I wonde how much of that is the ritual of handling the box and mini-LP sleeves ... but yes. It will be difficult for me to justify owning another copy of CTA.
A little too free, and not enough form for my tastes. Plug me in, I could probably do that too. And I don't even play...
It wasn't until researching this that I saw there is a SACD for this (from 2015?). Amazon says it is from Mobile Fidelity Koch (?). How is it?
Yes, the "Two Eye" is the one to get. The difference is remarkable. I got rid of my pristine early 70's pressing for the original. I hope the new one sounds as good.
One of my favorite albums, and yes, the original mix is great and it's hard to imagine what room for improvement there is, unlike Chicago II, which badly needed a remix. I have an original two-eye and, except for a few minor clicks, the sound is pretty great. I'll be buying this, though. Honestly, I've listened to this album so many times and know it so well that I'm looking forward to hearing the remix to find out what the differences are. A remix can make an old favorite sound fresh, if it's done well. And if it's even better than the original, that's a bonus. Since I haven't heard the original multi-tracks, I don't know if it can be improved, but I intend to find out for myself.
You know, one remix I could get behind would be if they kept it exactly the same, but just got rid of all the horns, or turned them down considerably...
I love this album and a NM two eye would be a no brainer for me. Maybe I’m too lazy but I’ve never come across a good enough copy. I held out hope for a premium vinyl reissue, we got an SACD but no vinyl. Enough reason for me to try this. Gold? Why not? Ordered.
I don't remember what the "Two Eye" sounds like but I've yet to hear any version better than the 2010 Rhino 180g LP remastered by Chris Bellman. The MFSL SACD is very good (I have it) and it sounds very similar to the Rhino vinyl...but I wouldn't say it's better.
I'll hang with my long box gold CD unless the new remix has something more to offer. I've got the MFSL CD version as well but I prefer the long box CD.
The long box gold CD is the Sony/Legacy Mastersound SBM CD remastered by the late Doug Sax. It's my favorite digital version of CTA.
Always heard from others that the Mastersound was great but unfortunately I've never had the opportunity to hear it myself. That's one I missed!
For clarification, Fred Catero (the same guy who engineered Blood, Sweat & Tears albums) was the one who engineered Chicago Transit Authority. Chicago (aka Chicago II) was engineered by Donald Puluse and Brian Ross-Myring. The change in the engineering personnel is probably the main reason why the sound of Chicago II is very much different from the sound of CTA. I prefer Fred Catero as recording engineer.
As usual, Doug Sax used vacuum tube amplification in TML (The Mastering Lab) when he remastered the album from the original analog two-track Columbia master for the long box Sony Mastersound/Legacy Gold CD release. That's why it has a warm sound of tubes.
