The Master Flat-Transfer Thread

Flat copies of the master tapes, except the few inserted fake stereo tracks.

 

I just researched my own question, and EQ was not at issue. It's compression that is rarely, if ever, used on the MoFi titles. My mix-up.

 

I get that... see post #14... I wasn't intending to offend anyone.

 

Don't forget the Canadian "Help!" and "Rubber Soul" CDs that used the wrong tapes - flat as a pancake

Were any other Beatles CDs mastered flat?

 

Every MFSL aluminum, with one exception, CD and some of their gold CD's.

 

The story goes Let It Be and the White Album were flat as well as the first Japanese Abbey Road CD. Who knows if any of that is true.

 

Both versions of this SACD have the same stereo layer. Mastering is credited to Vic Anesini.

 

Of course - our old friend CP35-3016 (don't even have to look that catalogue number up any more - I am officially an obsessive freak ).

The CDs of "Let It Be" and "The Beatles" certainly sound great

How about "Yellow Submarine" - always sounded like a very pure transfer to me.

Was "Pepper" tweaked?

"Magical Mystery Tour"?

 

They sound good to me too but I've never read anywhere that they were flat transfers like I have with those other CDs. They very well could've been as far as I know.

So, did solid state playback keep these CDs from being all they could be? Surely there has to be more to it. What went wrong?

 

Pink Floyd's Meddle on EMI Swindon. I have no idea if it's a flat transfer, but who cares. It's audiophile goodness that sounds relatively un-futzed with, and that's good enough.

 

They sound great..definite "party" albums!

 

Wouldn't the Au20's qualify? More of those would've been nice.

 

Supertramp - Crime of the Century. Mobile Fidelity UDCD

Elle Fitzgerald - Clap hands, Verve vocal classics, 1989 Dennis Drake mastred. I'm not absolutley sure, but it sounds like a flat transfer to me.

 

ooppss..

Thanks!

 

Nope - here's the notes for the Bowie - Hunky Dory Au20:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Technical Notes
Mastering

This 24k Gold CD was mastered from the original 15ips stereo master tapes. A specially calibrated Sony APR-3000 analog 2-track machine was used for the transfer. Equalization was done in the analog domain using a Troisi Series 200 Equalizer. All equalization was patterned after the original EQ used for the earlier 16-bit Rykodisc release. No limiting or compression whatsoever was used in the audio chain.

The analog to digital conversion was done by a Troisi Digital Companion TM 20 bit A/D Converter. The 20 bit digital audio was then stored on a Macintosh computer hard disk and subsequently edited using the Sonic System TM.

Once the program was completed and in final form, the 20 bit audio was transferred through a Sony Super Bit Mapping TM filter which "noise shaped" the program to 16 bits, while maintaining the optimum signal to noise ratio of the 20 bit audio. This 16 bit "noise shaped" PCM master was then used at the compact disc facility for replication of the 24k gold discs.

Dr. Toby Mountain/Northeastern Digital Recording, Inc.

 

Interesting. Most everyone says that the MFSL gold disc is the best-sounding version, followed by the Japanese black-triangle disc. I wonder if either of these releases is a flat-transfer.

 

I have read that the Japanese 1983 pressing of the Beatles' "Abbey Road" was a flat transfer since I've been a member here. Yes?

 

I just checked it out. No mastering credit (that I could find). I've always loved the sound of that CD.

 

John Denver - Windsong

 

Right you are. Steve even told me this being true on the forum.

 

Gary Wright - The Dream Weaver

 

The Statler Brothers Best of LPs on Mercury from the 1970s as reissued on CD.

 

Hi BZync,

Thanks. I don't know if it has been "re-mastered" since the original but at the time it was being played a lot at audio shows and I really wished they'd included the mastering credit.

I did that one not too long after I'd left Atlantic and formed my own company, Barry Diament Audio.

Best regards,
Barry
www.soundkeeperrecordings.com
www.barrydiamentaudio.com