Kind of sort of exactly what I was thinking. I have a hard time beleiving that the latest remasters sound better than the "Message in a Box" set.
Has there been any more consensus on the 2003 digipak re-releases since this thread started? The rumor has it that the catalog is about to be reissued yet again, and another box set is a good possibility. Anyone think that the single disc albums will have a bonus disc of b-sides, live material, etc.? Wouldn't that make sense? Or will it just be saved for the box? Why re-release the single disc albums yet again 4 years later with nothing better to offer?
When the SACDs came out, I wish they had compiled a "rarities" sacd with all of the stuff in the box set that was non-LP. I think I have all of the non-LP stuff on vinyl - except one track. For a long time, I kept looking at a used copy of the cd box in a local store - with a cheap price - but I went back one day and someone else had purchased it. The box set was a great way to get all of the rare stuff in one place but its kind of disappointing that their whole catalog was released on sacd EXCEPT the rare material in the box.
if anyone is interested you can get the first four digipak releases (all except for synchronicity) at best buy as part of their 2 for $12 deal. it's also available on bestbuy.com with free shipping.
Also remember that the first 3 police CD's were remastered in 1989 or 1990 without any change of info on the disc or liner notes. Same went for the Styx A&M CD's.
Interesting tidbit from the revamped ICE forum: "...Costco has all the remasters (5 studio + double live) packaged in a box for $49.99." [ajc68] http://www.imwan.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=272721&sid=56343427fec70498cce731d36ed8d230
Mine too. I have the D32Y version of "ZM" and like it more than the 32XB pressing, but it's just personal preference as both sound great.
I listened again to it recently after years of not hearing it and I'm glad to say I like it and I'm keepin' it!!!
I have multiple pressings of the Styx albums. Only around 1993 or so I start to hear somewhat of a difference, and mainly on the Japanese POCM pressings. They're definitely louder. But I hear no real discernable differences and I have a good few domestic copies of albums like Grand Illusion domestically from various pressing plants and eras. The one big difference you can see on later Styx CDs is that many lost the AM+ markings.
I just want to remove the " " from my last post. It should read: "I just noticed that my Bro's box set is still here. I'll have to give it back. " I don't dig the "ZM" tracks on the "Message in the Box" set.
A friend of mine brought home his Message in a Box set and we gave it a listen. I've got the non-remastered Police CD's and I prefer them to the Message in a Box remasters. My friend also liked the non-remastered CD's. Here's two waveforms of Driven to Tears (Zenyatta Mondatta) on Audacity. The first one is from the non-remaster CD and the other from the Message in a box I know that we don't listen to waveforms, but...
Hmm, according to your waveforms, I'll get the originals used in the 3.50 bin, and will be happy with the dynamics. That middle section is now as loud as the ending of the track, totally ruining the original intent, which is that the tracks ends BIG
Welcome! We got single-layer SACDs here in the U.S. and separate remastered CDs in digipaks at the same time. I assume the CD layers on your hybrids are identical to our digipak CDs. I've only bought the single-layer SACDs, so I can't comment on the sound of the CDs. The original Japanese and West German pressings on CD sound very good, and I probably won't get the current remasters. I love the original Ghost in the Machine CD. Sounds great!
Took a little while, but I was very glad to find AM+ US pressings of Zenyatta, Ghost, and Synchronicity....
I may be in the minority here, but I seriously dislike the sound of the AM+ CDs. I stopped listening to them when the Message in a Box set came out. The SACDs are the version I like the most.
Hi Roland, I've heard the majority of these Police albums now and can without a doubt recommend the Japanese 1st pressing catalog #38XB-18 of Ghost In The Machine. There's not another pressing that sounds close to this one IMO. In fact, when I also bought the 38XB or Syncronicity I sold my MFSL UD they're that good.
Does anyone have any knowledge of the sound quality of the recent Japanese reissues...Universal Japan, UICY-XXXXX series?
It easily beat my SACD in a shoot out (all IMHO). I'm pretty sure the D32Y Japan was also a nicer listen than the SACD, but I will have to shoot them out again to be sure. I'll post when I get around to it.
IMO, comparing the Nautilus record of Ghost In the Machine to my AM+ CD pressing from the 80s is almost like comparing FM to AM. I'm really hoping that the 2006 Japanese pressing I just ordered will be an improvement over the latter.
I don't know. I shot out the "Ghost in the Machine" Japan D32Y with the SACD, the Japan 38XB and the box set version. I like both Japan discs more than the SACD and the box. I'd say the 32XB is best, but the D32Y is nothing to turn your nose up at. I don't listen to the SACD anymore. With "Zenyatta Mondatta" I like the Japan D32Y more than the 32XB. They both sound great. I haven't heard the SACD for this one. All IMO.
