Vic Anesini: Elvis done right!

Re: Re: Vic Anesini: Elvis done right!

«Also in June, shortly before the 50th anniversary of That’s All Right, BMG/RCA will release Elvis at Sun, a new, comprehensive collection of Elvis Presley’s Sun Records recordings.» (http://www.elvis.com/news/full_story.asp?id=522)

I am not sure but since Anesini made the last remasters, chances are...!

 

Even though I'm very excited at the thought that Vic Anesini might be involved in potential future masterings of the Elvis catalogue - and even though I think his work sounds leagues better than previous BMG versions - I still can't shake the feeling that something funny is going on with the sound. The person who posted above that these may be PCM-based could very well be correct.

For instance, two OBVIOUS examples from comparing tracks from Anesini's 'Heart & Soul' DSD remaster to the same tracks on Steve's '24 Karat Hits' can be heard without paying attention. 'Love Me Tender (Stereo Version)' on the DCC disc is much wider and warmer; 'Love Me Tender (Stereo Version)' on the Anesini CD is considerably more narrow and forward-sounding. Is this compression? 'Can't Help Falling In Love' has the channels reversed on the Anesini CD - and has less warmth. I suppose the *warmth* on the DCC may be attributed to tubes, but what gives with the channel reversal? There are more differences, but the ones I've pointed out could be heard on a walkman with cheap headphones.

The point here is, of course, while I'm thrilled with Anesini's work on the Elvis titles so far, I still wonder if he's been given access to the actual master tapes. If only BMG were more forthcoming about how these things are handled...

 

The Elvis '56 disc *says* that the original master tapes were used, for the record. Of course, I have no way of knowing for sure...

Bob

 

Is there a list of Elvis (and other artists) stuff that Vic has done so far?

 

Todd,

The following Elvis discs were mastered by Vic Anesini:

"2nd to None" [I do not recommend the new Stereo mixes on this disc, the Mono masterings are compelling, however]
"Elvis '56"
"Can't Help Falling In Love"
"Heart And Soul"

Bob

 

... and the Close Up box set.

 

Thanks, Bob!

 

Vic Anesini

Some Vic Anesini Work. . .

? & the Mysterians Do You Feel It Baby? Mastering
A.K.P. All Kinds of Problems Mastering
Accept Restless & Wild Digital Mastering
Accept Balls to the Wall Digital Mastering
Aerosmith Get Your Wings Mastering
Aerosmith Pandora's Toys Remixing, Remastering
Aerosmith Night in the Ruts Mastering
André Previn A Touch of Elegance Digital Mastering, Remixing
Antenna For Now Mastering
Aretha Franklin Unforgettable: A Tribute to Dinah Washington (Reissue) Remixing, Digital Remastering
Benny Green These Are Soulful Days Mastering
Big Brother & the Holding Company Cheap Thrills Mastering, Mixing
Big Brother & the Holding Company Live at Winterland '68 Mastering, Mixing
Big Brother & the Holding Company Big Brother & the Holding Company (1967) Mastering, Mixing
Bill Sims Bill Sims Mastering
Blood, Sweat & Tears Blood, Sweat & Tears Engineer, Mastering
Blood, Sweat & Tears Child Is Father to the Man Mastering
Blue Öyster Cult Agents of Fortune (Bonus Tracks) Mastering
Blue Öyster Cult Secret Treaties (Bonus Tracks) Mastering
Blue Öyster Cult Blue Öyster Cult (Bonus Tracks) Mastering
Blue Öyster Cult Tyranny and Mutation (Bonus Tracks) Mastering
Bob Dylan Blonde on Blonde Remixing
Bruce Cockburn Joy Will Find a Way Remastering
Bruce Cockburn Night Vision Remastering
Bruce Cockburn Salt, Sun and Time Mastering
Bruce Cockburn Bruce Cockburn (Columbia) Mastering
Bruce Cockburn Sunwheel Dance Remixing
Byron Kelsey Atkinson All About Love Mastering, Mixing
C-Note Different Kind of Love (Australia) Mastering
Carl Anderson Friends and Lovers Digital Mastering
Carole King Tapestry Engineer, Mastering
Carole King Carnegie Hall Concert: June 18 1971 Mastering
Carole King Really Rosie Mastering
Carolyn Hester Carolyn Hester (Columbia) Mixing, Remastering
Cassius Clay I Am the Greatest! Mastering
Charles Mingus Let My Children Hear Music Engineer, Digital Restoration
Charles Mingus Mingus Dynasty Remixing, Mastering
Charlie Daniels Nightrider Mastering
Cheap Trick Cheap Trick (1977) Mastering
Cheap Trick Live at Budokan Mastering
Cheap Trick Heaven Tonight Mastering
Cheap Trick The Greatest Hits (Expanded) Mastering
Cheap Trick In Color Mastering
Chris Rush There's No Bones in Ice Cream Engineer
Convoy Black Licorice Mastering
Da Brat Funkdafied Mastering
Da Brat Funkdafied (Clean) Mastering
Dave Brubeck Brandenburg Gate: Revisited Remixing, Remastering
Dave Brubeck Brubeck & Rushing (1998) Remixing, Mastering, Mixing, Remastering
David Bromberg Midnight on the Water Remastering
Delaney & Bonnie D & B Together (Bonus Tracks) Mastering
Donovan Sunshine Superman (Epic) Mastering
Edgar Winter Shock Treatment Mastering
Ednita Nazario Ednita Por Ti Mastering
Elvis Crespo Wow Flash Mastering
Elvis Crespo Urbano Engineer
Elvis Presley 2nd to None Mastering
Fapardokly Fapardokly Mastering
Firesign Theatre How Can You Be in Two Places at Once When You're Not Anywhere at All Mastering
Firesign Theatre Waiting for the Electrician or Someone Like Him Mastering
Firesign Theatre I Think We're All Bozos on This Bus Mastering
Freddie Hubbard First Light (Bonus Track) Mastering
George Benson It's Uptown Digital Mastering, Remixing
George Benson The Essence of George Benson Mixing, Remastering
George Duke Brazilian Love Affair ?, Digital Mastering, Mastering
George Duke Master of the Game Digital Mastering
George Duke Guardian of the Light Mastering
Gerry Mulligan What Is There to Say? Digital Mastering, Remixing
Guster Goldfly Mastering
H.P. Lovecraft Live May 11, 1968 Digital Remastering
Hampton Grease Band Music to Eat Remastering
Harry Nilsson The Point! (Bonus Tracks) Mastering
Heatwave Central Heating Digital Mastering
Herbie Hancock Head Hunters ?, Digital Remastering, Digital Remixing
Indigo Girls Nomads Indians Saints Engineer, Mastering
Indigo Girls Nomads Indians Saints (Bonus Tracks) Engineer, Mastering
Jaco Pastorius Jaco Pastorius Remastering
James Cotton Deep in the Blues Mastering
Janis Joplin I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama! Mastering, Mixing
Janis Joplin Pearl Mastering
Jeff Beck Wired Mastering
Jeff Beck Blow by Blow Mastering
Jeff Buckley Mystery White Boy Mastering
Jeff Buckley Live at L'Olympia Mastering
Jeff Buckley Mystery White Boy (Japan Bonus CD) Mastering
Jermaine Dupri Jermaine Dupri Presents: 12 Soulful Nights Christmas Mastering
Jerry Vale Jerry Vale Sings the Great Hits of Nat King Cole Mastering
John McLaughlin Electric Dreams Remastering
Johnny Cash Bitter Tears (Ballads of the American Indian) (Columbia) Digital Mastering
Johnny Cash Carryin' On (Bonus Tracks) Mastering, Mixing
Johnny Cash Blood Sweat & Tears Mastering
Johnny Cash At Folsom Prison Mixing
Johnny Griffin Chicago, New York, Paris Engineer
Judy Collins Fires of Eden Digital Editing
Jules & The Polar Bears Bad for Business Mastering
Kansas Audio-Visions Digital Remastering
Keith Johnson Our Gift to You Mastering
Lauryn Hill Doo Wop (That Thing) (US CD Single #1) Mastering
Leonard Cohen Songs of Love and Hate Mastering
Leonard Cohen New Skin for the Old Ceremony Mastering
Leroy Jones Mo' Cream from the Crop Mastering
Leslie West Mountain Mastering
Livingston Taylor 3-Way Mirror Remastering
Loggins & Messina On Stage Mastering
Long John Hunter Ooh Wee Pretty Baby! Mastering
Lou Reed Transformer (Expanded Edition) Mastering
Luther Vandross Live 2003 at Radio City Music Hall Mastering
Mahavishnu Orchestra Inner Worlds Digital Mastering
Marty Robbins The Song of Robbins Mastering
Max Roach M'Boom Mastering
Meat Loaf Bat out of Hell (Australia Bonus Tracks) Mastering
Meat Loaf Bat out of Hell (Super Audio) Mastering
Michael Bloomfield The Live Adventures of Mike Bloomfield and Al Kooper Mastering
Michael Martin Murphey Swans Against the Sun Mastering
Miles Davis Seven Steps to Heaven Engineer
Miles Davis Miles in the Sky ?, Digital Remastering, Digital Remixing
Miles Davis Sorcerer Remixing
Mountain Flowers of Evil Mastering
Mountain Nantucket Sleighride (Bonus Track) Mastering
Mountain Climbing! (Bonus Track) Mastering
Mtume You, Me and He Digital Mastering
Original Surfaris Bombora! Mastering
Ozzy Osbourne Ozzmosis (Expanded) Mastering
Paddy Casey Whatever Gets You on the Radio Mastering
Patti Smith Horses Mastering
Patti Smith Easter Mastering
Patti Smith Radio Ethiopia Mastering
Patti Smith Wave Mastering
Patti Smith Dream of Life Mastering, Remastering
Paul Alexandre John Dusk Monsoon Mastering
Paul Revere & the Raiders The Spirit of '67 Mixing
Pete Seeger Waist Deep in the Big Muddy and Other Love Songs Mixing, Remastering
Poco Pickin' Up the Pieces Digital Remastering
Poco Seven Mastering
Poco Crazy Eyes Remixing
Ray Conniff Music from Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music, My Fair Lady & Other Great Movie Themes Digital Mastering
Return to Forever Live Remastering, Digital Remastering
Rising Sons Rising Sons Featuring Taj Mahal & Ry Cooder Mixing, Remastering
Rodney Crowell Diamonds & Dirt Mastering
Roger McGuinn Born to Rock & Roll Remastering
Russell Malone Black Butterfly Assistant Engineer, Mixing Assistant
Santana Abraxas (Bonus Tracks) Engineer, Mastering
Santana Moonflower (Bonus Tracks) Mastering
Santana Love Devotion Surrender (Bonus Tracks) Mastering
Santana Welcome (Bonus Tracks) Mastering
Santana Caravanserai Mastering
Santana Live at the Fillmore 1968 Mastering, Mixing
Scott & Todd Scam-Busted!: Comedy Album, Vol. 6 Mastering
Sesame Street Sing Along Travel Songs Mastering
Sesame Street Hot Hot Hot Dance Songs Mastering
Sesame Street Kids Favorite Songs, Vol. 2 Mastering
Sesame Street Elmo and the Orchestra Mastering
Sesame Street Elmo Says Boo Mastering
Sesame Street Elmo's Lowdown Hoedown Mastering
Sesame Street Fiesta Songs! Mastering
Sesame Street Elmo Saves Christmas Mastering
Sesame Street Kids Favorite Songs Mastering
Sesame Street Count's Countdown Mastering
Sesame Street Sesame Street: Platinum Too Mastering
Sesame Street Sesame Street: Oscar's Trashy Songs Mastering
Sesame Street Dreamytime Songs Mastering
Sesame Street Sing the Alphabet Mastering
Sesame Street Silly Songs Mastering
Sesame Street Monster Melodies Mastering
Sherri Jackson Catalyst Mastering
Sherry Goffin Kondor Mellow My Baby: Soothing Songs and Lullabies Mastering
Simon & Garfunkel Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme (Expanded) Mastering, Mixing
Simon & Garfunkel Live From New York City, 1967 Mastering
Simon & Garfunkel Sounds of Silence (Expanded) Mastering, Mixing
Simon & Garfunkel Bookends (Expanded) Mastering, Mixing
Simon & Garfunkel Bridge Over Troubled Water (Expanded) Mastering
Sly & the Family Stone Life Mastering
Sly & the Family Stone Whole New Thing Digital Mastering
Son by Four Purest of Pain Mastering
Spirit Spirit Mastering, Mixing
Spirit The Family That Plays Together Mastering, Mixing
Spirit Clear Mastering, Mixing
Spirit The Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus Mastering
Stan Getz The Peacocks Remixing
Stanley Clarke The Clarke/Duke Project, Vol. 2 Mastering
Starcastle Starcastle Mastering
Steve Forbert Jackrabbit Slim Mastering
Stevie Ray Vaughan Texas Flood Engineer, Mastering
Stevie Ray Vaughan In Step Mastering
Stevie Ray Vaughan Soul to Soul Mastering
Stevie Ray Vaughan Couldn't Stand the Weather Producer, Mastering
Sugar Beats How Sweet It Is Mastering
Sugar Beats Wild Thing Mastering
Sugar Beats A Sugar Beats Christmas Mastering
Sugar Beats Car Tunes Mastering
Swingin' Neckbreakers Kick Your Ass Mastering
Taj Mahal The Real Thing Mastering
Taj Mahal Taj Mahal Mastering
Tammy Wynette Your Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad Mastering
Ted Nugent Cat Scratch Fever Mastering
Ted Nugent Free-for-All Mastering
Ted Nugent Live at Hammersmith '79 Mastering
Ted Nugent Ted Nugent Mastering
The Byrds Mr. Tambourine Man Mastering, Mixing
The Byrds Sweetheart of the Rodeo (Expanded) Mastering, Mixing
The Byrds Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde Mastering, Mixing
The Byrds Turn! Turn! Turn! Mastering, Mixing
The Byrds Fifth Dimension Mastering, Mixing
The Byrds Younger Than Yesterday Mastering, Mixing
The Byrds The Notorious Byrd Brothers Mastering, Mixing
The Byrds Sweetheart of the Rodeo Mastering, Mixing
The Byrds Ballad of Easy Rider Mastering, Mixing
The Challengers Tidal Wave! Mastering, Mixing
The Chambers Brothers The Time Has Come Mastering
The Del-Tino's Go Go Go to Surfin' School Mastering
The French Kicks One Time Bells Mastering
The Greenhornes Greenhornes Mastering
The Isley Brothers Twist & Shout! Remastering
The Kingsmen Since We've Been Gone Mastering
The Knickerbockers The Great Lost Album! Remixing, Remastering
The Maze Armageddon Mastering, Mixing
The Mojo Men Sit Down...It's the Mojo Men Mastering, Mixing
The Revels The Go Sound of the Slots (Sundazed) Mastering
The Woggles Get Tough! Mastering
The Yeah The Yeah Mastering
Thelonious Monk Criss-Cross (Columbia) Mixing, Remastering
Thelonious Monk Big Band and Quartet in Concert Remixing, Mastering
Thelonious Monk Monk's Blues Engineer
Tom Chapin Around the World & Back Again Mastering
Tom Chapin In My Hometown Mastering
Tom Chapin This Pretty Planet Engineer, Mastering
Tom Scott Blow It Out Remastering
Tony Bennett MTV Unplugged Remastering
Uncle Tupelo Still Feel Gone (Bonus Tracks) Mastering
Uncle Tupelo March 16-20, 1992 (Bonus Tracks) Mastering
Uncle Tupelo No Depression (Bonus Tracks) Mastering
Valerie Carter Just a Stone's Throw Away Mastering, Digital Remastering
Van Morrison Blowin' Your Mind! Mastering
Various Artists Psychedelic Microdots, Vol. 2: Texas Twisted Remastering
Various Artists Zip-a-dee Doo-dah Engineer, ?, Digital Engineer, Digital Restoration
Various Artists Surf War Mastering
Various Artists The Raging Teens, Vol. 1 Preparation
Various Artists The Raging Teens, Vol. 2 Tape Preparation
Various Artists Lounging at the Nick at Nite Club Digital Mastering
Various Artists Psychedelic Microdots, Vol. 3: My Rainbow Life Mastering
Various Artists Madeline's Favorite Songs Mastering
Various Artists Bring It on Home, Vol. 2 Digital Remastering
Various Artists The Best of Columbia Records Radio Hour, Vol. 1 Engineer, Mastering
Various Artists Bring It on Home, Vol. 1 Remastering
Various Artists Songs in the Key of X: Music from and Inspired by 'the X-Files' Remixing, Remastering
Various Artists Country for Lovers: Love Can't Get Better Than This Mastering
Various Artists The Raging Teens, Vol. 3 Tape Preparation
Various Artists Woodstock 1999 Mastering
Various Artists Top Gun (Expanded) Mastering
Various Artists The Red Violin Mastering
Various Artists Great Songs of George Gershwin Mastering
Various Artists Songs of Jimmie Rodgers: A Tribute Mastering
Various Artists Double Date with Joanie and Chachi Digital Mastering
Various Artists Nick at Nite: Patio Pool Party ?, Digital Mastering
Various Artists Nick at Nite: Beach Blanket Bash Digital Mastering
Various Artists Furthur More Mastering, Mixing
Various Artists Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Vol. 4: Flash FM Mastering
Various Artists Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Vol. 2: Wave 103 Mastering
Various Artists Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Vol. 5: Wildstyle Mastering
Various Artists Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Vol. 1: V-Rock Mastering
Various Artists Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Vol. 6: Fever 105 Mastering
Various Artists Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Vol. 3: Emotion 98.3 Mastering
Various Artists Pitamaha: Music From Bali Mastering
Various Artists Billboard Hot Latin Tracks: Best of Tropical 2001 Mastering Engineer
Various Artists Northwest Killers, Vol.3: Work It on Out (1965-1966) Mastering
Various Artists Christmas Calling Compilation Mastering
Various Artists A Patriot's Songbook Mastering Engineer
Various Artists Star Time International Presents Supercuts Mastering
Various Artists Freedom: A History of Us Mastering
Various Artists Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Vol. 7: Radio Espantoso Mastering
Various Artists Northwest Killers, Vol. 1: Stomp (1960-1964) Mastering
Various Artists Northwest Killers, Vol. 2: Shout (1964-1965) Mastering
Various Artists Keeping the Dream Alive: Race to Erase M.S. Mastering
Various Artists Furthur Most Mastering
Various Artists Z-100 Compilation Mastering
Various Artists La La Vida Mickey Mastering
Various Artists Major League Baseball Presents: M.L.B. Caliente Mastering
Various Artists Best of Twist-A-Rama Mastering
Various Artists Movie Soundtracks Mastering
Various Artists A Broadway Valentine Mastering
Various Artists Latin Mix USA, Vol. 3 Mastering
Various Artists Friday at the Hideout: Boss Detroit Garage Mastering
Various Artists The Rainbow Colored Lotus: A Big Hand for Hanshin Mastering
Various Artists Ozzfest 2001: The Second Millennium Mastering
Various Artists Top Gun (US) Mastering
Various Artists Trucker's Jukebox, Vol. 2 (CBS) Remastering
Various Artists Trucker's Jukebox: 10 All-Time Radio Requests Digital Remastering
Various Artists Raunchy Business: Hot Nuts & Lollypops Engineer
Various Artists The Will Rogers Follies (Original Cast) Digital Editing
Various Artists 'Til Their Eyes Shine (The Lullaby Album) Mastering
Various Artists Surf's up at Banzai Pipeline Mastering
Various Artists Rock Artifacts, Vol. 1 Remastering
Various Artists Hillbilly Boogie Mastering, Archival Restoration
Various Artists The Promised Land (Columbia) Mastering
Various Artists Texas Mastering
Various Artists The Best of 415 Records Digital Mastering
Various Artists If You're Ready! The Best of Dunwich Records, Vol. 2 Mastering
Various Artists Time to Taste Bass Mastering
Various Artists Trucker's Jukebox, Vol. 3 (Columbia) Remastering, Digital Remastering
Various Artists Rock Artifacts, Vol. 2 Digital Remastering
Various Artists Rock Artifacts, Vol. 3 Digital Remastering
Various Artists Original Rockabilly and Chicken Bop, Vol. 2: Rockin' in the Farmhouse Digital Mastering
Vidyadhar Vyas Colors of the Night Mastering
Walter Cronkite I Can Hear It Now/The Sixties Mastering
Waylon Jennings Ol' Waylon Mastering
Waylon Jennings Lonesome, On'ry and Mean (Bonus Tracks) Mastering
Waylon Jennings Waylon Live: The Expanded Edition Mastering, Mixing
Weather Report Weather Report (1971) Digital Remastering
Whitford-St. Holmes Whitford/St. Holmes Remastering
Willie Nelson Yesterday's Wine Mastering
Willie Nelson Honeysuckle Rose (Expanded Edition) Mastering
Wu-Tang Clan Iron Flag (Clean) Mastering
Wu-Tang Clan Iron Flag Mastering
Young Black Teenagers Dead Enz Kidz Doin' Lifetime Bidz Mastering

 

Right or wrong, decoy to distract from who's to blame for the re-issue history, I don't know. But the argument "due to budget constraints" sounds rather silly to me. Do the math. Which comes cheaper: to remaster tapes that are more or less sounding OK; or to remaster, EQ, compress/expand/whatever, try to make the best from lousy de-noised, crappy PCM transfers?
If I had to save money from a remastering job, I would use the best tapes that I can lay my hands on. This should make the job much easier. Don't you agree?

 

It takes man-hours, researching and locating the right tapes in the record cos. massive vaults, to obtain original master tapes. Someone's got to get paid for the time it takes, and it probably costs more to do that research and spelunking (not to mention that it takes longer) than it does to EQ/compress/maximize/NR in this day and age (which they've gotten down to a quick, assembly-line process, it seems).

 

Re: Vic Anesini

That's a particularly beautiful sounding disc, almost as good as a DCC. I love it, and I'm not especially a Tammy Wynette fan.
It was Tammy's first album, and she sings like she doesn't ever want to go back to working at waffle house. I'm guessing she's overdubbing her own background vocals, and doing a great job. The song "Your Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad" is a rockabilly-tinged classic. What I've heard of her later stuff doesn't grab me as much.

 

I still think an archivist may cost less per hour than a well respected audio engineer who is even given credit in the booklets. And remember our host Steve when he talked about the days and weeks to find out the right mastering steps? But after all, we are not talking any obscure one hit performer, we are talking Elvis! I cannot imagine they do not know where the right tapes are... If I only consider the huge marketing hype around Elv1s, the production of these four reissues must have been almost for free!

 

I was pleasantly surprised to listen to "Elvis: Second to None". "That's All Right" starts off the disc with gen-u-ine tape hiss! Yes, the stereo cuts are only okay-sounding, but the mono cuts shine! "Treat Me Nice" has never sounded better. Why didn't Vic do volume one?


Evan

 

Too true !!The 1999 Elliot Federman mastering was full of digital overload and crackles and cranked right up.When I saw the new version in the shop I looked at all the extra material and would have bought it later but after looking in the booklet and seeing Vic Anesini's name I grabbed it immediately.I at first thought he must have gone freelance and BMG have come to their senses.

 

I hope BMG uses Vic for ALL Elvis remastering.

 

The sound is almost as revelatory as the music! ALMOST...

The good news is that Anesini is doing BMG's other Waylon remasters: "Ol' Waylon," "Lonesome, On'ry, and Mean," and the new "Ultimate Waylon Jennings" comp (whatever it's called). He may have done the "Platinum and Gold Collection" comp, too. Of course, Steve has done Ol' Waylon thumbsup: ) and there's already a great sounding LOM (the Camden twofer with Honky Tonk Heroes), so I don't have those discs, but I bet they sound killer!

Said it before and I'll say it again... Vic Anesini rules!

 

SO, how does one find the Vic Anesini remastered version of Elvis 56? I was at a&b sound two days ago looking at their copy of the CD. In fact the music software mgr. and I cracked it open. We could not find the name Vic Anesini anywhere in the liner notes or on the back tray card. Why would BMG still have old copies of this for sale? I can't afford the crapshoot of now going to another music shop, buying this CD and finding out again, it's not the Vic Anesini remaster.

 

Anyone has a comparison against the wonderful Greatest Hits (DCC)???

 

Chris,

It should have a 2002 publishing date...

Bob

 

Claus,

I haven't taken the time to do a written song-for-song comparison between the DCC Greatest Hits and Vic Anesini's remasters. However, earlier in this thread, I described two obvious differences on two different songs. There are definitely more differences - and as you'd expect - the DCC ALWAYS wins! If you have the DCCs and you are happy with the relatively few songs presented, I could never recommend picking up these titles.

However, in my opinion, there was a lot more to Elvis than just the hits. In that regard, Anesini's remasters are probably the best of the commercially mass-produced lot. (One caveat - I haven't compared the Dennis Drake remastered Time-Life recordings to anything - DCC or otherwise. Still, I don't recall being particularly knocked out with them. As with the Anesini remasters, I still have my doubts about what kind of source tape is being used. Steve's is the ONLY instance where it really sounds like a true master tape was used. Perhaps that sound originates from the all-tube playback chain, but I think there's more going on than that.)

Jamie

 

I agree. I can't think of anything that beats DCC; even on my very modest system, I can hear differences.

 

Andreas Meyer

 

Well after reading this thread I decided to look for the remaster, as I already had the first issue of Elvis 56'. I got one on ebay for $1.99 plus shipping! An easy way to tell them apart is on the back lower right corner of the first issue it says "digitally remastered" and in the same spot on the newer version it says BMG Heritage. It also has the BMG Heratige logo on the disc, the other doesn't. The new remaster cerertainly sounds crisper and more detailed. Depending on the system I played it on, occassionally it made E's voice sound a slightly thinner than the first issue. What really struck me was the difference in Hound Dog. The remaster sounds so much better it sounds like it's from a better tape source. A better sounding disc easily worth my $1.99.

 

Thom,

I can't believe I missed your post regarding the PCM sources used on these discs. Where did you read this information? This is exactly what I've suspected all along regarding these titles. I compared the old master of 'Heart And Soul' with the new DSD version this weekend, and I could hardly hear ANY difference at all - even on headphones. Why in the world would they go to the trouble of re-releasing the EXACT same title using what sounds like the EXACT same PCM source and then tout it as a DSD remastered title? What greed.

Jamie