I currently own The Police: Message in a Box set, & was wondering if the Ludwig redbook remasters offer any improvement. I am not interested in the SACD's. Thanks, Fred
If the CD layer on the Hybrid SACD was an improvement over all of the other remasters, would you be interested? I don't know if they ALL are, but the option is there
I have "Ghost In The Machine" (in a plastic jewel case and not a digi-pac) and it is a hybrid. I compared it with another CD (I don't recall if it was a upgraded remaster or a regular CD), but the SACD had more bass (I don't know if it was more than the original vinyl, but I really liked it.) I've noticed that the 'best of' (or whatever it is called) was in a digi-pac and labeled as an SACD on the back (didn't pay attention, again, to see if it was a hybrid).
If I'm not mistaken, the U.S. SACD's are single layer, and there were releases in at least Canada that I know of that are Hybrids. I still haven't bought a Police SACD (single layer or Hybrid), but I will most likely soon, just to hear the difference for myself. I guess I've just not been in a hurry since they are stereo only, and no 5.1 mix.
The Police catalog has been reissued and remastered several times in various incarnations. Here's a complete rundown, for future reference: - Circa 1983/84: Original CDs issued. As with other early A&M CDs, sound quality is debatable. The original Reggatta de Blanc CD sounds good IMO, but others are plagued by questionable fidelity and/or too-low volume levels. - Late 1980s: Outlandos d'Amour and Reggatta de Blanc reissued with CD-3xxx catalog numbers and "Audio Master Plus Series" logos deleted, no other changes. - 1993: Entire catalogue remastered; Message in a Box set released compiling the albums. I've heard almost nothing but good things said about the mastering of this box. - 1995: Individual albums reissued with the same remastering as that used on the Message in a Box set. The packaging of this series of discs is virtually identical to that of earlier CD issues, complete with outdated Audio Master Plus Series logos on some albums. The catalog numbers were changed to "75021-xxxx-2" and a reference to remastering was added on the back cover, however. I own a few of these, and think they sound great. - Late 1990s: A clear tray with a "Remastered Classics" blurb on the spine (like that seen on, say, the Carpenters remasters) is added, making later copies of the 1995 remasters easier to spot. - 2003: Entire catalogue is re-remastered in the U.S. as individual SACDs and standard CDs in digipacks, and elsewhere as SACD hybrids. The SACDs allegedly sound great; the standard redbook CDs (and CD layers, as the case may be) less so. These are the versions in print today. I'm personally skeptical that the current Police redbook remasters would offer a sonic improvement over Message in a Box. The 1993 mastering sounds superb to my ears.
The MIaB set sounds great to my ears, and in fact, I would not say that the SACD's of Ghost and Synchronicity were much of an improvement at all. I spent some time one afternoon A/B'ing tracks off of Ghost (Redbook vs. SACD), and even though I was not able to achieve a perfect level match, I was not really hearing a difference. WMMV, of course. Brian
As I was saying in another thread,"Every Breath you Take-The Singles" sounds great to me, and is certainly different mastering than both the A&M cds and the Message in a Box remasters. I'd say its a whole 'nother remaster.
What's the catalog # of the one you like? I have the version of this title that immediately preceded the hybrid SACD. I suspect yours is an earlier version?
I like the actual albums better myself. Andrew missed the most important one IMO. The MFSL UD1 version of Syncronicity in Jan. 89. The made in Japan 1st pressings, A&M+ series, are pretty decent mastering as well even though on some they were a bit bright in the top end. The later remasterings always sounded even more bright and lacked any analog warmth to me.
This wasn't the case in Europe though. We had the Audio Master Plus Series Discs until the new remasters can out. All Polygram in the intervening period did was badly cover up the 'Made in West Germany' text and change the catalogue numbers. I was never that impressed with Message in a Box's mastering, I found it too bright and echoy and introduced a huge click in 'Don't Stand So Close to Me'. The best Police on CD in my opinion is the 1992 Greatest Hits. Ken
I've never felt the need to replace the box for CD versions (which I could burn into individual albums if I wanted to). And the single-layer SACDs sound most like all the A&M vinyl versions I used to own. Felt no need to keep the MFSL, so I sold it off. That click during the introduction was most likely a bad tape edit (made with a magnetized razor blade) and was there on the original LP.
cd3902/dx824 Its this: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...bs_b_2_1/102-9466611-4870517?v=glance&s=music Do Do Do sounds the exact same way as the Nautilus LP of Zenyatta
Am I a buzz kill when it comes to Police threads? I know one of you could answer this cd. Everyone has/had it at one point.
I've read mixed reports about "Zenyatta Mondatta"on the forum. What is the general consensus: SACD or 25th Anniversary remaster or the original CD (not the box set)?
The Nautilus LP is great....well worth searching for. On cd, I am not happy with the Message in a box (1995 remaster cds) and I was disappointed with the SACD (Which made me seek out the Nautilus LP) I am still trying to get the A&M cd.
The original A&M cd has it. So does Message in a Box. I believe I read it was corrected for the SACD/Redbook.....but Every Breath....The Singles has it correct. I am not sure about Every Breath....-The Classics has it corrected.
I just bought a Made in USA copy of Ghost in the Machine with number CD-3730/DIDY 000002. It does not have a UPC on the back, and it says AM+ (Audio Master Plus Series). It sounds very nice to my ears, but I have nothing to compare it to. I did own the Message in a Box set at one point in time, but I think it sounds a little bright/digital. What ist the recommended version of this album for those who don't care too much about modern remastering (i.e. the Message in a Box set)? I understand there are early Japanese pressings of these albums. What is the total time of the respective Japanese pressing? The timing of my US CD is 41:06 (+/- 2 seconds, depending on the player). Would the Japanese pressing be different from this US version? Thanks, Roland
I am not aware of mastering differences between the original Japanese pressings, West German pressings, and later U.S. pressings with this catalog number. Unfortunately, I do not have all of these discs in front of me, but I can check total times tonight. I have a CD-R of the original Japanese CBS/Sony pressing (catalog number CD-3730, with DIDX-2 in the matrix code), and the total time on my computer is 41:11. As I recall, I made this copy on my Harman/Kardon CDR-30 CD recorder, which always adds three seconds onto a copy. So I would expect the original disc to register 41:08 on this computer. Again, I will check the originals tonight.
Thanks a lot. The CD shows 41:06 on my portable CD player and I think all CD's show 2 seconds more on my home player (my portable CD player does not count the first two seconds pause before the first song - hence the 2 seconds difference). Roland
I have checked the total times on a variety of early pressings of Ghost in the Machine. Here are they are: * Catalog number CD-3730, pressed in Japan at the CBS/Sony plant, matrix code is "DIDX-2 31A9": Total time = 41:11 * Catalog number CD-3730, pressed in Japan at the Denon plant, matrix code is "CD-3730 1B1 74": Total time = 41:11 * Catalog number CDAMLX 63730, pressed in Japan at the CBS/Sony plant for the European market, matrix code is "DIDZ-10071 31A2": Total time = 41:11 * Catalog number CD-3730, pressed in West Germany at the Polygram plant: Total time = 41:10 * Catalog number CD-3730, pressed in the U.S. at the DADC plant, CRC issue, matrix code is "DIDX-000002 2": Total time = 41:08 I have not compared these discs, but I will have to check whether there are any differences.
