Rush - new 2015 vinyl and hi-res reissues thread. (Part 2)

So, regardless of whether or not the provided links/codes still work, Warner is still making good on the downloads. This is the important bit.

 

This is exactly what I needed to know. Thank you!

 

I might splice the very end from the VanDette mastering onto it. Level matching shouldn’t be hard for a little snippet. I’m talking about the hi-res files, obviously.

It’s probably my favorite thing about Snakes and Arrows.

 

Got it. I was not a fan of any of the Sectors remasters that Andy VanDette did, so I don't know if I'll find his Vapor Trails worthwhile, but maybe I'll sample it. I love the music on the album, but I just find it hard to get through, because of the sound.

But if the remix came out in 2013 (the date on my vinyl, at least), why did someone have Andy VanDette remaster the old mix and reissue that the same year?

 

Which track are you referring to here? There is a bit cut off from a track on the Magee remaster of S&A?

 

Feedback is currently $13.68 on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015O1O0TG

 

Just bought it! Feedback was the only one I didn’t have.

 

The remix SHOULD have been great. David Bottrill is no production slouch, so i wonder how this went so weirdly (semi triggered drums from the man who produced Lateralus and Thrak? Cmon!)

 

The VanDette remaster was done first. The remix was released later in the year.

 

That's where I stand as well. For what it's worth, I find the upper mids pretty harsh on Van Dette's master, but it's an improvement nonetheless, considering how over-the-top Weinberg's master was, if only because Van Dette wasn't using the limiter as a weapon. It's still not dynamic by any stretch of the imagination, it's about par for a modern rock album.

Vapor Trails was a hugely important album for me. I'd caught on to Rush right around the time that Test for Echo was released, when I was 11 years old. I remember reading about the tragedies in Neil's family and the band's indefinite hiatus and feeling tremendously disappointed that I might never get to see them live or experience the release of a new album. I spent the next years buying the band's whole discography and posting in fan forums and becoming a true obsessive. I remember how exciting it was to hear that Neil had picked up drumsticks again, and then that the band had been jamming together, and then that there was going to be a new album coming out of it. By the time VT was released, I was 17 and desperate to hear something new, and for the next couple years I listened to that album relentlessly, despite the sound quality.

I still think it's among Rush's best work. It has a raw and chaotic quality to it that complements the lyrics perfectly, and the denseness of the mix and the overwhelming layering of tracks makes it feel like the musical equivalent of wandering through a thick, dark forest, full of surprises and hidden treasure. Most Rush albums deal in airy philosophy and social commentary - and I love them for it - but Vapor Trails is an entirely different beast, searingly introspective and personal. Its gravity and seriousness feel entirely justified in light of what Neil went through, and it never crosses the line into maudlin or self-pitying.

I love it and always will. I've resigned myself to the fact that I'll buy any version of this album that the band releases: I have the original CD and LP, the Van Dette remaster, and the Bottrill remix on both CD and LP again. One of these days I hope that a remaster worth owning gets added to my collection...

 

The original Vapor Trails might be the most unique album in their catalog.

 

Without reading through all 200+ pages - I have a question...

I just received my vinyl reissue of Moving Pictures in the mail. However, the sticker on it says “180 gram” vinyl. I thought these were all 200g...?! Any ideas?

 

US pressings of this reissue campaign are 200-gram while European pressings are 180-gram.

 

Either way, vinyl weight is basically marketing b.s. The heavier (i.e., thicker) vinyl doesn’t affect sound quality and, if anything, leads to pressing problems such as non-fill and playback problems such as incorrect VTA adjustments.

 

Thank you both!

Yes - I meant to add that I was not in any way worried about the actual weight. I just wanted to make I didn't get some weird unofficial version.

Looking forward to spinning it!

 

Exactly.

 

Update: they're still honouring the digital download codes as of today, just got an email from them with new codes for Roll the Bones, Feedback, and Snakes & Arrows.

 

This! Carts with sound that's susceptible to VTA don't play well with heavyweight vinyl. A 200g album is going to sound audibly more bass heavy and treble light - bloated - than the exact same master pressed on 120-150g vinyl.

 

After some listening last night, I'm thrilled to agree with the consensus here: these downloads are essential to get ahold of.

Feedback and Snakes & Arrows were each nothing short of a revelation. The drums have life in them, and there's actually some space between the instruments! Simply astonishing. I'd written those albums off as unlistenable years ago, I never expected to hear them sound this good.

I already had Test for Echo from a few years ago, and it's just as well done. A massive improvement over both the standard CD and Van Dette's master.

Unfortunately, Roll the Bones was a disappointment in comparison to the AF gold disc. It was bright and thin, much like the original CD release. I don't foresee listening to it again.

 

If i want something more laid back than the MaGee's remasters, which digital versions should i look for? I prefer the Audio Fidelity's "Hemispheres", for example.

 

They are already pretty laid back compared to the '97 remasters or the Sectors remasters.
The only other versions possibly even more laid back or on par are the Audio Fidelity or the original 80s Anthem CDs.

 

Thanks. They're still a little loud to me though, i wish they were quieter. What about the MFSL and the Steven Wilson releases? And the 80's Anthem are well regarded? Cheers.

 

They actually don't have any limiting applied so they are fully-dynamic in that regard, and are just as dynamic as past versions. Hemispheres 2015 and the AF SACD actually have the exact same DR values, so one isn't mastered louder than the other, it's just how your equipment plays the different formats.
2112 highest peak even is -3.63dB! so if you want them quieter, you would actually need to lower the volume of the file itself further more, losing a bit of resolution in the process.

The MFSL Signals was recently voted the best-sounding version: RUSH - Signals on CD: Blind Listening Test Poll

The Wilson versions are 5.1 remixes, they don't exist as stereo remixes, so they are a totally different animal. If you can play 5.1 they are fantastic.

The old Anthem CDs are well-regarded for some albums, however the Rush discography is very complicated. There was a lot written on the subject, if you have the patience to read you can start here: The Rush cd mastering thread

 

With headphones the MaGee's disturb my ears a little beat, just during some louder/harsher parts. I'm not saying they're bad, but nowadays i only listen to music with headphones and to do so, i need a very laid back mastering, otherwise i get ear fatigue. Maybe my ears are too sensitive, who knows. Anyway, thanks for the tips!

 

For clarity, for others who may not know, Steven Wilson has only done 1 Rush remix (so far): A Farwell to Kings (5.1 surround, 2017)