Remaster of a Remaster of a Remaster...too much of a good thing?

[Riff Raff]

I must admit Id love to hear every Iron Maiden album pre digital remastering. I hear the quality was better.

 

[Lynch]

MFSL had THE best remasters I've ever heard. It's too bad the company went under. Their re-releases were top notch.


And as for voting, enough is enough. Do it right the first time (on the remaster, that is) or don't do it at all.

 

[LG]

^^Sony bought them in the 90's Lynch, but then when downloading arrived you know the story. There was a shift as well from "Quality" to lossy and at that point a $30.00+ CD no matter how well done didn't stand a chance.

I think I have about 200+ MFSL albums now, mostly CD's...but a couple of vinyl's have survived the ages as well.

 

[aeroplane]

What pisses me off here is how a label (or labels) will reissue the same damn recording 4-5 times in a twenty year period but they can't be bothered to reissue harder to find records that went out of print 12 years ago that some people are desperate to get ahold of.

 

[LG]

I've had tremendous luck finding old rare albums, using Whatever Means Necessary Aero...and sometimes the bands have convinced the labels to release some of the older albums along with another greatest hits compilation.

For example April Wine finally released this old classic on CD, I got it last week off Amazon.ca,,,been looking for this one for over 15 years.

 

[aeroplane]

I've had tremendous luck finding old rare albums, using Whatever Means Necessary Aero...and sometimes the bands have convinced the labels to release some of the older albums along with another greatest hits compilation.

For example April Wine finally released this old classic on CD, I got it last week off Amazon.ca,,,been looking for this one for over 15 years.

I'll admit labels have been doing a better job of this in recent years. Sometimes if the original (larger) label won't reissue a recording, some smaller label might buy the rights to do it themselves.

Nice pick-up on the April Wine.

 

[Hardnecker]

Having heard Rush's Moving Pictures in it's new audiophile 5.1 format, I would be tempted to buy all or most of their albums again in this format. They also released Snakes and Arrows in the same format and it is awesome to my ears. However, if Kiss did it or some other meat and potato rock band with limited dynamics to begin with, then no. I think you have to figure out on your own if the new technology will enhance the recording or not. Pink Floyd, yes. The Ramones, no. That's how I see it.

 

[LG]

^^That's a good point Hardnecker, it does depend on the original production/engineering quality.

I have to say "Moving Pictures" the new edition sounds excellent, easily one of the best transfers to digital of any album, the stereo CD is great, and so is the 5.1 version.

 

[Riff Raff]

Trying to understand something, isnt the point of remastering to try to make the music sound 'cleaner' in sound quality??

 

[LG]

^^In theory a remaster is supposed to do a better job converting the old analog master tapes to a digital format. As technology has improved since the CD was invented all kinds of new remasters have been released.

When done with the attention to detail that Rush's album was, then it is a big improvement, and they didn't screw up any of the balance or loudness levels.

Other times the differences are so slight that it's obviously a way for a record company to get you to buy yet another new edition of an old classic.