Tears For Fears 'Songs From The Big Chair' - Best Sounding CD/Digital release

This coming from the guy who brags about having 27 different pressings of Pet Shop Boys' Disco 2!

 

The Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab is the most listenable. Case closed.

 

It would be great if you gave some more details, how does the MFSL improve over the original CD?

 

Overall, it's less fatiguing and more crankable.

 

I don’t think,the original CD is fatiguing in the least. It’s DR values are really good the only issue I have with it is, as I recall, the channels are reversed.

I agree that the Mofi sounds best although the latest remaster is pretty good as well. I no longer have the Mofi but, as I recall, it had a nice bottom end without any EQ used to boost it and was remarkably detailed with a nice soundstage. Keep in mind this is from memory about 10 years ago.

Earlier in the thread it’s stated that the Mofi also has the channels reversed and that different Master was used for at least one track making it unique.

Wish I had kept mine but I went through a culling period where I wanted the money for something else. Dumb move on my part.

As far as the Blu ray goes, it’s the best versions n IMHO but if you are CD only, for the original mix, the Mofi sounds very nice.

The Stereo version that you can download from the Blu-Ray is, I recall, the Wilson remix. If I’m wrong on this maybe someone can correct me.

 

You can't go wrong with the Mobile Fidelity Ultradisc gold CD.

 

My original UK CD is absolutely fantastic. Thunderous clarity and power. I wouldn't even consider looking at anything else.

 

I own the SACD and paid a large sum of money for it, I was hugely underwhelmed , very flat and dull.
The blu Ray imo is way better.
I am also aware lots of people love the sacd version, but not I.

 

I'm going to spin my original LP later today.

 

It’s funny how things have come full circle.
Most people including me bought into the marketing of digital remastered and expanded editions, ditching the original 80s cd.
Turns out in most cases those original cds were the best versions ever, and didn’t need fiddling with to begin with.
Sad but true.

 

I assume this is one of the Mercury Atomic designs.

 

The problem with early mastering was more around converters, LP masters being used, wrong tapes, reversed channels, etc. if it was done right the first time though (our host, Barry D and others being prime examples), they still could sound pretty terrific.

 

I found the 1999 remaster while on vacation a few years ago. Thought it make a good souvenir, especially since it was only a buck and in mint condition to boot. After sampling a few songs, I had to shut it off and I gave it right back to Goodwill. I still had my old WG CD, so losing that dollar was no biggie.

 

You should have destroyed it so that no unsuspecting person could have their ears assaulted by it.

That thing is blasphemy to a classic album and should be removed from circulation.

 

It's clearly the worst version!

 

You may find on google for 2014 Original Mix and You can enjoy Tears For Fears 'Songs From The Comfortable Big Chair'.

 

For anyone interested, I wrote the most recent version of my column on the recording of The Hurting and Big Chair and did some analysis to determine the best digital masterings of each IMHO.

 

Thanks for posting this - I recall you did an in depth analysis on Peter Gabriel last year!

 

Thanks for the detailed analysis, but shouldn't the blue and yellow be reversed for the SHM-SACD vs. `85 CD for Songs...? Since you write, "the Whittaker transfer has slightly more bass on some tracks and a sub bass boost that’s so low that it’s mostly inaudible" it must be the blue line, not yellow as indicated earlier in the text.

 

Thank you for the catch! I did flip the wording in that sentence. I just fixed it. The blue line is the ‘85, in that graph and the previous one.

 

Wow, great article, - amazing, detailed analysis.

Question for the forum: I see two SHM-SACDs... a 2014 (UIGY-9559) and a 2016 (UIGY-15010). Are they the same Whittaker version? Can't tell from the Discogs entry.

On another note I do notice the 5.1 SW mix is not addressed, still very enjoyable. I have the Hi Fidelity Pure Audio BD w/the 5.1 and obtained the redbook stereo as a hi-res download via the DL card in the box.

 

Happy to help!

Yes, only the packaging changed!

 

I believe you're right. HDtracks has this blurb on the "About This Album" section for Songs from the Big Chair.

"Songs From The Big Chair was originally recorded on 1/2" analog tape in 1983 using a digital compressor that cut frequencies higher than 20kHz before being written to tape. This 2014 remaster was done by Andy Walter, at Abbey Road Studios from these same analog tapes which were transferred to digital at 96kHz/24-bit."

Source: Songs From The Big Chair | HDtracks - The World's Greatest-Sounding Music Downloads

 

I personally checked one of the SACDs, a SHM, and the MQA CD, and they’re all the Whittaker. According to several sources (including people here on SHF), all post-2014 Japan SHMs and SACDs are the Whittaker.

I actually didn’t know the Blu-ray came with a hi-res download. The Hurting Blu-ray only came with an MP3 download, which is strange.

 

Tremendous work, Josh. I hadn't seen any of your columns until you popped the link to TFF into this thread yesterday. You're hitting some of my all-time faves; So was a great read/comparison, in particular. (It's a shame the TFFs are riddled with glitches, channel imbalances, channel flips, etc.)