The Van Morrison cd thread

German Polydor 839 166-2

Disc 1:
Matrix: 834 322-2 02

Track 1

Spitzenpegel 79.7 %


Track 2

Spitzenpegel 93.3 %


Track 3

Spitzenpegel 77.6 %


Track 4

Spitzenpegel 74.6 %


Track 5


Spitzenpegel 88.4 %


Track 6

Spitzenpegel 82.6 %

Track 7

Spitzenpegel 79.0 %


Track 8


Spitzenpegel 56.6 %


Track 9

Spitzenpegel 76.4 %


Track 10

Spitzenpegel 75.8 %




Disc 2:
Matrix: 834 333-2 02

Track 1

Spitzenpegel 97.7 %

Track 2

Spitzenpegel 97.7 %


Track 3

Spitzenpegel 97.7 %


Track 4

Spitzenpegel 97.7 %


Track 5

Spitzenpegel 93.2 %


Track 6

Spitzenpegel 97.7 %


Track 7

Spitzenpegel 97.7 %


Track 8

Spitzenpegel 97.7 %

 

Thanks, Rolf! Different again, as we've come to expect. I've heard some good things about the Polydor version of Too Late, so I'm really looking forward to hearing from someone who has compared it to the WB. . .

 

Someone has writtene that the WB is very dry and no great pleasure to hear, but I can`t find this post. I have to agree with this opinion. This is the first of the original WB CDs I dislike on my home system (CD: Pioneer PDR-W 739, Amp: Marantz PM 7200, Speaker: B & W CM 4) Here, the original German Polydor is the winner for me.

 

Here's the Canadian Moondance catalog CD 3103 on WB.

76.8 %
70.4 %
60.0 %
81.2 %
83.5 %
80.0 %
87.5 %
87.4 %
75.0 %
70.1 %

Here's the Australian Street Choir catalog #759927 1882 also on WB mastered by Digital Audio Technologies Australia.

85.3 %
60.9 %
72.7 %
69.0 %
67.4 %
69.3 %
62.9 %
53.0 %
72.6 %
60.5 %
58.7 %
55.3 %

So I guess they're essentially the same.

 

Thanks, Dave. If you have heard multiple pressings of any of those first 3 WB discs, do you have any preferences?

 

Interesting, Rolf. I think the WB sounds good, but that is in comparison to the first Polydor remaster. Can you also confirm the channel orientation on the Polydor? Piano should be to the right side of the soundstage throughout.

 

"Ain't Nothing You Can Do", from my hearing position Piano is on the left side, mirror-inverted this must be the right side of the soundstage. Horns are on the right side from my hearing position.

"Wild Children" Guitar right side from hearing position.

"St. Dominic's Preview" Piano left from hearing position, guitar right.

"Caravan" Piano left from hearing position, guitar right.

 

I think your channels are right and mine are wrong. When I checked them for this thread I did a quick listen over my computer. Either I suffered from temporary "audio dyslexia" or my computer is inverting the channels, because my memory tells me that when listening on my stereo the piano was left. I'll double-check and report back. . .

 

I honestly don't recall, but I like these original masterings.

 

So, the original Polydor has added reverb?......

This was my conclusion with the Saint Dominic's Preview discs - the original Polydor has added reverb compared with the original WB disc - clearly audible on the intro to "Jackie Wilson Said".

Something has been done to all the original Polydor discs I've listened to that makes them less natural sounding compared with their Warner Bros counterparts to my ears. It's hard to tell for sure but I wonder if a small amount of added reverb is the culprit for the unnatural sound on all the original Polydor discs?.....

 

Yes, piano is definitely left. May be I had my headphones on backwards earlier

 

The Polydor is slightly louder. When I match the volume they sound closer. Currently I have a slight preference for the WB, it sounds fractionally cleaner/clearer.

Tim

 

Since Craig is heading out of town for a while I have volunteered to push on with this project. We may not be getting a huge variety of different CD's to compare, but I think it's still proving to be a worthwhile exercise.

Up next for dissection we have Veedon Fleece and A Period of Transition. I have the WB of Veedon Fleece and both versions of A Period of Transition. Could somebody with the Polydor Veedon Fleece please either post the peak levels and channel markers here, or preferably, PM them to me so I can post the lot in one message.

Thanks,

Russ

 

I have the Polydor VF, and I wish I could help you, but I can't, I don't know how, so all I can do is bump this and hope some van fan comes to the rescue...

 

Well, I see this thread didn't progress any better in my absence. Can we draw any broad conclusions about fans of Van Morrision compared to fans of, say, Pink Floyd, Genesis or King Crimson

 

Yeah.. Van fans are not so anal and obscessive...

welcome bakc Curb, we missed you, rather too quiet round these farts...


cheers,

mrbill

 

Welcome back Craig. After getting no response to the request for Polydor Veedon Fleece data I considered moving to A Period of Transition, which I have both versions of. This thread will be more useful for future reference if it's properly chronological though.

Can anybody help us with EAC levels and channel markers for the original Polydor Veedon Fleece CD? Thanks.

 

So what's the deal with the new VM CD reissues? I was very pleasantly surprised to find It's Too Late to Stop Now at Best Buy the other day, as I've been wanting it for some years, but found that it was OOP and selling for $45 used on Amazon. Then I found out that Veedon Fleece has been OOP (I bought the Polydor CD three or four years ago) but that a new press is coming out soon.

Does anyone know what these are/what this is about/what titles are included? I've found nothing here or elsewhere.

 

There is a reissue campaign in progress. It has been discussed in other threads here. Not particularly recommended unless you enjoy jacked up high frequencies or must have the paltry bonus tracks they are tacking on.

 

Yeah, I really liked the exciting "bonus track" of "BEG" on It's Too Late...BUT, it is nice to finally be able to own this on CD for cheap, high frequencies or no.

To that end, and maybe I can find this out elsewhere, but why not...what kind of outtakes, leftovers, demos, relevant live sets, etc. are there that could potentially end up on something like an Astral Weeks deluxe edition? I normally avoid these like the plague, even for albums I really love, but I think this is one record that I really wouldn't mind having extras for.

 

It's Too Late. . . was originally intended to be a triple album, so there is an entire lp's worth of additional material that would easily fit on the double-cd. Awfully generous of them to toss us "Brown Eyed Girl", eh?

If you have plenty of time on your hands (and a high tolerance for silly off-topic banter--who me?), I'd recommend you check out the Van Morrison album-by-album discussion moderated by Mr. Tom Boreen and DJ Wilbur. It has plenty of information on unreleased studio and live recordings.

Part 1:
http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=127195

Part 2:
http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=132859

Part 3:
http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=141838

Part 3 is currently in progress, so if you want to jump in with your thoughts that would be the place. . .

 

Since we haven't progressed any further than It's Too Late To Stop Now and Hard Nose the Highway here, and I just added the WB of both to my collection, I will comment on them.

I really like the WB It's Too Late a lot. I only had the '97 remaster to compare it to and it trounced that - the remaster is loud and has the high frequencies boosted. The EQ is much better on the WB and it is just a lot smoother overall.

I also like the WB Hard Nose, although I don't think it's as good as some of the other WB's. I have the original Polydor too, and it's an interesting comparison. The Polydor is a little louder without being compressed. It is also considerably brighter, with more prevalent tape hiss. However the WB is a little dull - somewhere between the two would be right. I agree with Mal that there is something a bit peculiar about the sound on this Polydor. The WB sounds "drier", although I'm not sure if it's added reverb on the Polydor that's the cause. Maybe it just the extra brightness? The Polydor has stronger bass but it sounds a bit wooden and unnatural. If you like a more hi-fi presentation but don't want the crispy treble and loudness of the remaster, the Polydor might be for you. If you want the smoothest possible presentation and can live with a little muddiness, go the WB. I'll be sticking with the WB.

 

I also acquired the WB It's Too Late a few months ago and agree with you completely here. It's no contest. The additional artwork on the remaster is nice, though

 

Yep that really is one terrific sounding disc. I'd go so far as to say I had not fully appreciated the album listening to the remaster.

Should we carry on here? I can post the WB Veedon Fleece data, and both WB and Polydor for A Period of Transition.

 

By all means. I know there are forumites with the Polydor Veedon Fleece, so I'm sure someone will help us out eventually. And I'm interested in your thoughts on the WB v Polydor for APOT. It's not my favorite sounding WB, but may be it's better than the alternatives? I think the Pig Whisperer has said he likes the remaster for this one. Se possible'. . .