Which, as far as I know, is the same mastering as on the Sheer Heart Attack EMI CDs made in West Germany, UK or Holland.
Anyone have the peak levels for the WG Target for The Game? I would like to compare them to the 32XD. From another thread:
Target Elektra 64513-2: 77.6 / 82.8 / 69.5 / 71.4 / 82.2 / 81.9 / 80.3 / 71.9 / 77.2 / 83.2 Note: as I calculated the values myself from the DR dB peaks included below, the decimals might be off by 1 point.
Weird. Very close to 50% which would be exactly 6 dB. Are the peaks of the old 32XD really all below -6 dB ? I've seen some old discs with several tracks that low, but I don't recall any where an entire album is that low.
I loose my interest on searching more about Queen some time ago, so I overlook the SHM-SACD's, are not mentioned here? those are better than the old releases mentioned here (CDP's and others?)
I’ve been trying to find a Hot Space digital mastering I’m happy with and I came across this listing in the DR Database and Discogs: 2011 EMI FLAC for Europe. DR: 13. I tried to buy it but can’t since I’m in the US. Does anyone know if this is the 2011 remastering but with much better DR (that would be great) and how to get it in the US? Discogs listing: Queen - Hot Space DR Database listing: Album details - Dynamic Range Database
It looks like it could actually be the EMI 1994 remaster (exact same DR). The 2011 remasters were identical worldwide. It would be huge news if there were versions with the same transfer and mastering but without the excessive limiting.
Check this out: Greatest Hits 2011 remaster in Hi res with quite different DR levels: DR 11 (Min 9, Max 14) ProStudioMasters 24/96, 2016: Album details - Dynamic Range Database DR 9 (Min7, Max 9) Pono Music World 24/96, 2016: Album details - Dynamic Range Database The CD and SACD match this one. I got the one from PSM in 2019 but it’s definitely not the DR 11. What gives? Did someone somehow mis-list it? Are there actually 2 versions? Did PSM have to change the files? Did anyone here get the DR11 version? Van Halen had different DR’s for their 2015 remasters. The 24/192 have good DR but the CD and 24/96 versions do not, which is really odd.
I have tried the below masterings and tend to focus on my fave non-electronic tracks on the album: “Life is Real”, “Calling All Girls”, “Las Palabras”, and “Under Pressure”. 1986 original CD, which I find cold and bass shy. Sounds more like an unfinished demo production. But it’s the least of the evils so far. 1991 Hollywood which I find to have a fuller sound, more like a finished production, but the sibilance, especially on “Las Palabras”, is piercing. 1992 Parolphone - uses the 1986 mastering 1994 EMI - sounds like the 1991 with different EQ so same sibilance issues. 2001/2004 - I have a 2004 on the way. 2011 - I have the Forever Japan SHM, which is loud, and “Las Parablas” has the same DR as the 2011 CD so I haven’t tried the full Hot Space 2011 since that should represent how it would sound. The original isn’t sibilant and has good DR, but I’m hoping something better is out there.
That's the first time I've heard of different 2011 Queen masterings. Frankly it sounds like a bad DR entry... although stuff like you describe also happened for a Michael Jackson compilation, so who knows? It would be great if we could confirm these Queen versions exist.
Cold maybe, but bass shy? I would never use those words to describe the orignal. Quite the opposite on my stereo.
The low end on the non-electronic tracks on the original mastering sounds a bit hollow to me, for lack of a better word, but from what I remember, the low end is good and fuller and deeper on all of the electronic-backed tracks like “Dancer”, “Cool Cat”, etc. (it’s been a while since I’ve played the electronic tracks but that’s what I remember).
I have the 1994 Digital Master Series version of the first Greatest Hits album, and find it to be far more enjoyable than the 2011 remaster. The 2011 is too compressed for my liking; for instance, the amazing dynamic contrasts in "Bohemian Rhapsody" have been greatly diminished. Meanwhile, the 1994 version has a very impressive dynamic range, and seems to have minimal use of NR. For a cheap, readily available version, it's a winner in my book.
As an added bonus, many of the tracks on GH1 are less compressed than their equivalents on the 1994 album remasters. For instance, "Play The Game" is DR11 (-13.5dB RMS) on the 1994 GH1, and DR8 (-10.5dB RMS) on the 1994 The Game.
I see a 1992 copyright date on the CD pictured. What I have found is that some 1992 Parlophone CD's have the original mastering and some have the remasters while those with a 1993 or 1994 date definitely have the remastered version. I bought the 2011 GH hi res and it's too loud indeed. What's odd is that there are 2 listings in the DR database for the 2011 hi res, one with good DR, one with bad. I got the bad and don't know if the good was just mis-listed, but the 2011 I got is a definite no-go. I agree with others regarding the 2011 Queen and Queen II hi res and enjoy those. Even though prior digital versions have a better DR, the hi res are the most listenable to me and I think the guitars sound great on them. Too bad that didn't continue with that remastering campaign, as others also have said. The other 2011's after the first two albums, including GH hi res, are too loud and harsh.
Well, I got my 2004 mini-LP CD of Hot Space. While it has the deeper low end I was looking for on the non-electronic tracks, and it's nicely detailed, I like the relatively softer, more relaxed sound and relatively more open instrument separation of the original mastering.
I have the 24/96 master files which were used to create the SACD and CD versions. The DR numbers for Hot Space are: 8 / 7 / 9 / 9 / 7 / 8 / 8 / 8 / 8 / 9 / 7
After re-reading the last 10 pages or so, I want to thank Roland and all the Queen fans who have participated! And since this is a thread that should live forever (it wants to ), I wanted to give it a bump.
By the way, I have been comparing the Target and the CP32 for The Game, using Dragon Attack and over headphones I am hearing a lot of tape issues. Are those dropouts? Bad source?
