Flashpoint wrote:tdfan wrote:What are your opinions about the sound quality of the 1995 remasters? Are these the best versions available on CD?
sparrow wrote:The first edition of Encore sounds better than the remaster....
Flashpoint wrote:
The 1995's are OK but I think the original's much more closely match the tone of the LP's and are more dynamic, therefore I feel the original's are overall better sound quality. The 1995 Encore and Tangram are especially dull. Well maybe not dull exactly, more like muted high end and middle range in contrast to the originals. They were probably noise reduced which back then was the style but engineers since have learned what a very bad thing that was. As Mastering Legend Bob Ludwig has said no engineer worth his salt uses Noise reduction anymore. Which really makes me wonder about what kind of amateurs work for Esoteric.
paul wood wrote:In my opinion, the 1995 remaster of 'Encore' is the worst offender in the noise-reduction stakes. In attempting to eliminate the hiss on the opening of 'Monolight', the piano section suffered terribly. The end result to my ears sounded more like a low-fi recording plagued with drop-outs.
Exactly Paul!
My friends I have almost all Virgin era TD CD , actually almost every CD issue of a 1973-1990 TD album. From my personal experiences this what I've learned.
- Original CD's - Sound quality is nearly always the best. It is the most life like, most Dynamic and closest to the Vinyl LP's in tone
Most of these were made from the original master tapes which at that point in time had little or no aging. Some hiss depending the recording but that is on the master tapes so it beongs there. If you like vinyl the originals are the closet thing. Linear notes for most albums are mostly non-existent.
Please note in some cases like Poland the original USA CD is far better than the Europe issue. Or the reverse like for Exit where the original Europe CD is much better than the USA.
- 1990's remasters [including the "20-Bit"] - "muted", cold and lifeless sound due to the now very dated [out of date] 90's mastering style. Not even close to the vinyl in tone. Linear notes and artwork usually nice but not necessarily the original cover art.
- early 2000's remasters - much more life than the 1990's remasters. Tone is still not good. Loss of Dynamics due to the discs being made louder which is a style that exists to today. This style to me does not fit TD's type of music. Linear notes and artwork usually nice but not necessarily the original cover art.
- recent Esoteric - ack...back to the 1990's Noise Reduced "muted", cold and lifeless sound. My opinion is they have inexperienced engineer's. These also have Loss of Dynamics due to the discs being made louder. Tone is nothing like the vinyl. In effect the worst of worst I do not believe master tapes were used for any of these [now confirmed]. Linear notes and Art are the best ever but not necessarily the original cover art.
I realize many will disagree with my opinions, but if you are truly a TD fan then you owe it to yourself to compare at least all CD versions of 1 album [like Encore] in order to come to an informed decision. My friends do not go on old memories any audiologist [or ear nose throat Doctor] will tell you that sound memory fades after less then a few minutes.
