Sinatra / Capitol: General Purpose Sound Quality (and more) Discussion Thread*

Thank you both, bgiliberti and sean!

 

I think none of the Walsh are pure mono. The channels are asymmetric on all of them - sometimes more (In The Wee Small Hours), sometimes less...

 

Matt what happened to the gray label mono LP clip and 12:00 Rainbow Stereo LP clip?

Having listened to each of these I would say that the Walsh remix is really quite good. Yes, you can sometimes hear the distortion from the bad tube on the flutes, but it sounds better than the other stereo versions.

I thought the gray label mono LP had the most direct and engaging sound overall. The mono from the new LP and Catch Me If You Can have too much reverb for my taste. Your EQ tweak did improve the sound of the new LP. The MoFi sounds has a nice smooth quality to it, but I think on the whole I prefer the Walsh CD, at least for this one song.

As usual the Norberg is the worst. Just awful. I sincerely believe the man must have significant hearing damage. I don't mean that in a snarky kind of way, but it is hard for me to imagine that anyone would not hear how much significantly worse he makes everything sound.

I'm gonna have to get a gray label mono version of this one. Thanks again for posting all these clips, it is very helpful considering what a minefield Sinatra's releases are.

 

The Walsh 'Songs For Young Lovers/Swing Easy' is solid mono. As mentioned, it is an excellent, warm sounding CD.
'Swingin' Affair.' is mono too, with some minor droputs present in either channel from being played on a stereo machine 'unfolded.'

I don't believe there was a 12 o'clock stereo there.
It was a 9 o'clock stereo (which I can't find either.) And a 12 o'clock mono.

 

Thanks for the update. Not a big deal. It did actually sound pretty good, IMO, but then I think the Walsh sounds quite good as well.

 

No need to speak gingerly. It was my fault and I f'd it up. My apologies if anyone was misled by my inadequate file keeping methods.

I was processing the stereo and mono LP's at the same time. I record mono LP's with a stereo needle and then fold it down using MS processing. Somehow, I folded down the stereo and marked it as mono. I then brilliantly deleted the original mono files and sold my minty mono pressing.

$hit happens. Once again, my apologies guys.

 

You really have nothing to apologize for. Mistakes happen, it's not open heart surgery or anything.

 

Yeah I know...but I still feel bad.

 

I checked again and there's some difference between the two channels on SFYL and SE. The Walsh CD in this case sounds MILES better than the UK version. I assume the Walsh version comes from the 10" master...

 

Not my Walsh CD. I tell ya. There's no difference between the channels.

 

Have there been two different pressings, then? I've ripped with EAC and substracted one channel from the other and got a significant amount of signal. Could be the playback on stereo equipment-effect you've described above...

Ironically, this seems to be just about the only thing that is right about the Norberg 'Concepts'...

 

I have the 1987 Walsh (Capitol CDP 7 48470 2) CD.

Listening over headphones, and switching the mono button on my amp back and forth, it stays as dead center as can be.
I haven't gone into any EAC stuff.

 

They wouldn't have to borrow anything. Capitol U.S. has the masters. EMI UK would have copies...

 

The Walsh SFYL/SE is so mono I use it to phase my speakers.

 

The 'expanded' 12" 'Swing Easy' is pretty lousy, no high end at all. It's like you stuffed your speakers with cotton wool.

 

Capitol 1429.

12 song version with some single tracks (like 'Lean Baby') scattered in there.

 

This came out circa 1962 (although some sources date it in 1960), after Capitol had futzed with the mono master tapes. Not only did they intersperse four unrelated singles, but they reordered the original eight album tracks. Horrible.

This is the album which was reproduced in the UK/Alan Dell 1984 LP series and 1998 CD box set. As Steve said, the Capitol 12-inch from 1955 (W 587), with Swing Easy! on one side (and the cover), and Songs For Young Lovers on the flip, is the preferred LP issue for both albums.

 

For those of us who haven't had access to a turntable for many years, are there any import CDs containing the MONO mixes for the stereo era Capitol albums (or the early Reprise albums, for that matter)?

I have the (wonderful) MoFi "Only the Lonely," but would love to own CD versions of the MONO "Where Are You?," "Come Fly," "Come Dance," "Swingin Session," etc.

Excuse my ignorance if this has been covered already.

 

No. Occasional mono versions of individual songs may be found on compact disc, but no full albums (besides the recent MFSL Only The Lonely release).

There is at least one mono Capitol track which differs (i.e. is a different take) from its stereo counterpart: "Autumn Leaves" from the Where Are You? LP. This was available only on a French EMI double CD titled Embraceable You. It's one of the only officially-released Sinatra recordings which I don't have on compact disc.

 

Thanks again, Bob. That's very disappointing. Maybe the success of the Beatles' Mono Box will encourage Capitol (and Reprise) to think about Mono CD releases.

 

I agree. My two-fer gray label sounds wonderful. I avoid those Capitol 14XX reissues.

 

You need (if you don't have) the 2 on 1 W-587, which has it and YOUNG LOVERS as intended, each on one side of a 12" LP. Either an old pressing, or the Mobile Fidelity (which was only sold originally as part of the box set). Those expanded issues come from the bad tapes. The 80's JPN copy is pretty good too - ECJ-50065, IIRC.