Sinatra / Reprise Sound Quality: "Sinatra and Strings" (rec. 1961) - incl. NAB/AME EQ, etc.*

The original R/R9 era pressings (beyond SINATRA AND STRINGS) seem to use at least two different plants - one that leaves a wide, "deep groove" impression in the label, and another that's more "Capitol" sized (kinda like the size of a large holed 7" 45). I *think* one of these plants was H.V. Waddell?

 

Thanks for digging this thread up. I always wondered why I couldn't settle into Ring-A-Ding-Ding. I couldn't put my finger on it. I liked the music, but it sounded so darn unsettling.

But that's it. Exactly.

 

I went through a few original mono and stereo copies and wasn't happy with any of them so when a sealed MFSL copy popped up a great price I thought I'd try it out. Better than the original copies I had on hand but not revelatory, I'll send some clips to Matt so we can all hear how it stacks up.

 

Listening to the MOFI right now. Frank's voice is nice and smooth. I guess the ETOC is a remix? The vocals are so upfront on that disc. The MOFI gets the imaging right. There is a certain air to it.
I will say that I don't hate the upfront, in-your-face approach of the ETOC as much as I thought. But I think the vintage mix wins out.

 

So I need to find an early stereo LP too? It never ends!

 

One of the few EOTC Reprise discs not re-mixed or remastered by Lee Herschberg (the other EOTC CD not done by Lee, that comes to mind, is September of my Years- which I think is downright awful). As far as Sinatra and Strings goes (on CD), I have to go with the suitcase version.

AJH

 

Keith Blake. Of the 12 Reprise EOTC editions, he remastered four: Ring-a-Ding Ding!, Sinatra–Basie, Sinatra & Strings, and September of My Years.

 

It's not like I like the suitcase version that much, it's just that I'm not that fond of Keith Blake's style of re-mixing and or mastering (i.e. he has a way of pushing the vocal way too far up front for my taste, and I especially can't stand what he did with Frank's vocal on September of My Years). I no longer have the original Reprise Strings CD, so, for me, it has to be the suitcase if I want to listen to Strings on CD. I think I have the LP somewhere in my basement. I do remember that the LP I have/had was a Columbia pressing- if I find it, I gotta check the deadwax.

AJH

 

For SOMY all I can say is "String him up, he's one of them!!!"

 

I hope your test track is "Stardust" as it is the most unique track.

 

Of note, on the first stereo mix released, Frank's voice was left dry on "All or Nothing At All".

 

The mono should have stayed the same - I'm not aware of two mixes.

I'd guess the 20 disc set and the '91 CD of the album should match. Bob would know.

 

Yes, the '95 suitcase mastering matches exactly the '91 CD issue (except for minor volume differences).

That first CD is noteworthy for inclusion of the rare bonus tracks, "As You Desire Me" and "Don't Take Your Love from Me," also available on the Japanese LP. These were also copied by the suitcase. They were later dropped from the '98 EOTC remaster (and recent UM duplicates of same).

 

Had the cd at work last week. Theey are really worthy bonus tracks, unlike, say Evrybody's Twisting.

 

The sound of those tracks are better on the CD. They're in some weird, narrow (?) stereo on that LP.

Doesn't it match the 1H and later LPs?

 

That should say 1G (for side one, since Matt noted "Come Rain or Come Shine").

 

Matt, I haven't done a comparison in a few years, though I'm pretty sure they're the same mix.