Shown here are the inserts accompanying the Japanese CBS/Sony pressing of Don't Look Back. Note that they differ from the inserts found with other pressings. This a rare instance where CBS/Sony changed the inserts in going from the Japanese CBS/Sony pressing to U.S. pressings.
Finally, here is a scan of the Japanese Denon plant pressing of Don't Look Back. This disc has "EK 35050" in the matrix code and has the same inserts as are found with U.S. pressings. This disc also states "MADE IN JAPAN" along the perimeter. The mastering on this disc is identical to that found on U.S. pressings.
I see so the inner ring has to say "MANUFACTURED BY CBS/SONY RECORDS. INC. too" stamped on the clear plastic ring. cause mine does not. but under the EK# I do have DI8P 50007 with no leading 0. why would the US use the same code as japan. this makes it very confusing. this is on my dont look back disk. just notcied! mine has the columbia logo on the disc with the DI8P 50007 I am all done looking at boston discs! what a pain! thanks for your help.
bru87tr, it's not that easy. There are three primary plastic ring variations among early Japanese CBS/Sony pressings. You will find discs with "MANUFACTURED BY CBS/SONY RECORDS INC." stamped on the ring, "CSR COMPACT DISC" repeating three times in the ring, or no text stamped on the ring. My particular Japanese CBS/Sony pressing of Don't Look Back has "MANUFACTURED BY CBS/SONY RECORDS INC." stamped on the ring, but the other two variations might also exist. When determining whether a disc on a CBS/Sony label is a Japanese CBS/Sony pressing, I normally do not look first at the plastic ring since there are variations. With nearly all Japanese CBS/Sony pressings of titles on the CBS/Sony labels, you will find either "MADE IN JAPAN" or "MANUFACTURED IN JAPAN" along the perimeter. That is something to look for, most of the time. As I said, Don't Look Back is a rare case of a Japanese CBS/Sony pressing not stating where it was actually made. The easiest thing to look at is the matrix code. This is clear cut. The Japanese CBS/Sony pressing of Don't Look Back has "35 8P-7" in the matrix code. No other pressing has it. The Japanese Denon pressing has "EK 35050" in the matrix code, and many U.S. pressings will have "DI8P 50007" or a variant of that in the matrix code. What is the matrix code on your disc?
If your disc has the Columbia logo and not Epic, it is a later U.S. pressing. The earliest U.S. pressings had the Epic logo.
maybe I am not clear what a matrix code is. I am frustrated cause I have spent money on so many boston discs that I thought were japan and are not. this is whats on my disc. its stamped with a Columbia logo on the disc. EK 35050 DI8P 50007 but nothing on the inner ring. on the silver part of the edge of the inner ring I did notice a DI8P 050007 this is at the center of the disc. on my other dont look back disc..... its stamped with a Epic stamp on the disc. EK35050 with nothing underneath it. CMU P 85 on plastic ring. both discs have nothing saying where they are made.
O.K., your discs are U.S. pressings. For the first disc, the matrix code, or a part of it, is the "DI8P 050007" in that inner silver ring bordering the clear plastic ring. There may be additional characters in that silver ring, which complete the matrix code. For the record, that inner silver ring is also referred to as a mirror band. Although you did not state the matrix code for the second disc, it too is a U.S. pressing. I can tell this from the "CMU P 85" on the plastic ring. "CMU P" refers to Columbia Music Pitman, which indicates that the disc was pressed at Columbia Music plant in Pitman, NJ. This disc was probably pressed in the late '80s or early '90s.
I am waiting for the Boston remasters to come out next month (hopefully!) The best reviews are the ones on the forum for the most part. If they sound good to most forum members, I'll pick them up. Everyone seem to agree the Mastersound is way top bright. I agree, I unloaded mine three years ago.
Maybe. I'm dubious. Toby Mountain is a No Noise expert, IIRC. And Scholz' remarks on the remasters sound like "flat transfer" is very far from what he has in mind. I expect over-eq'd and dynamically limited transfers that try to sound like all the other junk on the radio. I hope I'm wrong.
I certainly hope you are wrong. Sony has generally done a good job with its remasters in recent years, and I am hoping that they continue that here. That said, I'd feel better if Vic Anesini were doing these remasters.
I have an Epic Dutch pressing on vinyl. It sounds very good to my ears, very lively and organic, but I have nothing to compare it to
I found a copy of a 'Wally' on both sides Boston S/T vinyl LP, this past weekend. Upon several listens, it does indeed live up to all the hype.
Guys, I picked this one up. The disc is made in Austria. I assume the pic of the bottom disc is the Made in USA less desirable one. Any thoughts on the mastering of the Austrian disc?
SACD might be more detailed, but I am gonna say that I prefer the "Wally" Lp better. but I just may like the sound of vinyl more. glad I have gone back. what a great sounding record.
For the debut album I stick with the Wally record (found one factory sealed a 3 months ago in small town in North Western Spain) which I find both warm but with punch at the same time. The SACD for me is the best digital version ever available, love the sound of it. The same for Don't Look Back, nothing beats the Wally LP. The first CD version is OK, the MasterSound is too bright. In both cases the Scholz remasters are nice as collectors items, the digipacks look cool, listen to them is another story...
there is an original I think, "no bar code" sealed Boston album that I want to buy but affraid it wont be a "wally" what you think my chances are ? your right about the punch. DLB "wally" has even more punch.
There are more non-Wallys of S/T than there are of DLB ... but some non-Wally S/Ts are mastered by Allen Zentz and they are not too bad.
