Peter Gabriel Half Speed Master finally turned up yesterday....

Billy Shears

Well-Known Member
Jul 27, 2015
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[video=vimeo;134616031]https://vimeo.com/134616031[/video]


I went ahead and orderd all the first 4 Albums.

Understand that some of you want to know how they compare to the classic Records Reissues. I wont be making that comparison as i dont own them, and if you do, i dont understand why you would be interested in these (unless you are a "Die Hard" Fan in which case you will be buying eitherway)

there was some negativitiy about these reissues as they are allegedly cut from file not from Tape. The reason i was not put off in this instance was Peter Gabriels "New Blood" Album. Which is a digital recording and the LP Is cut from the 24bit/96 Master. It is also one of the most spectacular recordings you are ever going to hear on any format be it vinyl or else.

So how does it sound?
So far, in a word: Amazing. I have only got around to comparing "melt" and listening to Security but i am not expecting the rest to be inferior.

Games without frontiers from the original west german pressing is a very Anemic affair. The tonality of the remaster is not per se different but it seems as they have taken every instrument, every soundeffect and restored it to its original weight and dimension and then put the whole recording back together again. The CD of Melt has always sounded very bad but the original vinyl copy i have sounds like a cardboard cut-out aswell now..

One thing i have noticed though is that the reissue seems to be a couple of db louder then my original, which can be down to two things:
The reissues are cut at 45 Rpm and the new found heft of each sound on this LP just gives so much more "Jump factor" it makes listening at lower volume levels more engaging.

There was also more spacial dimensionality then i have ever experienced from this Recording.

More to follow....
 
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spiritofmusic

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Jun 13, 2013
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Despite me universally preferring lp over cd, and it seems dsd over pcm, it's still down to the mastering.
I've heard Metallica and Coldplay on vinyl and have to run to the hills, and Ella on lowly cd, and can't leave my seat.

It looks like this is a thumbs up for the mastering.
 

Billy Shears

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Jul 27, 2015
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Despite me universally preferring lp over cd, and it seems dsd over pcm, it's still down to the mastering.
I've heard Metallica and Coldplay on vinyl and have to run to the hills, and Ella on lowly cd, and can't leave my seat.

It looks like this is a thumbs up for the mastering.

Yes, it very much seems that way...
 

spiritofmusic

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Jun 13, 2013
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Just when I thought I would wind down my spending (fat chance!), new ways to extract my cash sneak up on me.
Half speed vinyl remasters, making the serious journey into tape, dsd.
All tempt me away from the simplest and purest option, stock up on reasonably priced, good quality, used vinyl (mainly classical), and go to more classical and jazz gigs (I think I'll pass on most rock live, Rush sounded quite dreadful at the London O2 on the Clockwork Angels tour).

I'm seriously tempted by these, but a few 180g and 200g remasters I've heard recently have been poor wrt their bog standard vinyl predecessors when the albums originally came out.
Bright, hard, surface noise, off centre, too loud/hot mastered, remixed weirdly.
Your comment on them being louder I really hope is not a downside, and dynamic swings are maintained.

Steve Hoffman Forum is a good place to get forensic analysis of reissues made public, although I don't know how good most of the listeners' systems on that forum are.
 

Johnny Vinyl

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
May 16, 2010
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While mostly not at the level of investment that members here have been able to amass, and many really, really low-end systems, the average is probably close to where I am. More importantly however, they know their pressings and are passionate about acquiring the best of the lot and sharing their finds. I personally have not found a better resource.
 

Billy Shears

Well-Known Member
Jul 27, 2015
255
1
150
Just when I thought I would wind down my spending (fat chance!), new ways to extract my cash sneak up on me.
Half speed vinyl remasters, making the serious journey into tape, dsd.
All tempt me away from the simplest and purest option, stock up on reasonably priced, good quality, used vinyl (mainly classical), and go to more classical and jazz gigs (I think I'll pass on most rock live, Rush sounded quite dreadful at the London O2 on the Clockwork Angels tour).

I'm seriously tempted by these, but a few 180g and 200g remasters I've heard recently have been poor wrt their bog standard vinyl predecessors when the albums originally came out.
Bright, hard, surface noise, off centre, too loud/hot mastered, remixed weirdly.
Your comment on them being louder I really hope is not a downside, and dynamic swings are maintained.

Steve Hoffman Forum is a good place to get forensic analysis of reissues made public, although I don't know how good most of the listeners' systems on that forum are.

To make it clear; there is way more microdynamic information then on any other release i have heard..... The loudness seems to be from the 45 Rpm pressing, something i have experienced many times with this format...
 

spiritofmusic

Well-Known Member
Jun 13, 2013
14,601
5,411
1,278
E. England
While mostly not at the level of investment that members here have been able to amass, and many really, really low-end systems, the average is probably close to where I am. More importantly however, they know their pressings and are passionate about acquiring the best of the lot and sharing their finds. I personally have not found a better resource.

That's interesting. I've had a really variable success w/reissues, often heavier vinyl sounding worse than my bog standard vinyl from back in the day. Good to hear these Gabriels pass muster.
Interestigly, on SH forums, many are raving about the Rush vinyl reissues, but one notable exception was a guy from this forum who hated the first such, and his system is a lot closer to mine.
No snob attitude intended, just an observation.
I'm still minded to stick to taking the opinions of the SH guys.
 

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