Quality Re-Masters

rblnr

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I remember when "Nevermind" was released and Nirvana fans were pissed because the production values where too good; meaning that the band had 'sold out'

I remember when the Clash took some heat on an early album for playing their instruments too well.

thanks...will check out these new remasters!

Great, let me know what you think.
 

Phelonious Ponk

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Jun 30, 2010
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I remember when the Clash took some heat on an early album for playing their instruments too well.

The early days of punk were strange ones. I think it was more performance art than music. Dumb, derivative, repetitious performance art. All based on a "brand-new" idea - rock n roll as a rebellious expression of teenage angst - that was 20 years old at the time.

Tim
 

rblnr

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Agreed, but it's a right of teenagers to think whatever they're doing is new, and it's their right to do and like stupid things. It's a unique crossroads of increasing capability and relatively minimal responsibility
 

LL21

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Dec 26, 2010
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Talking about the brand new Wall. The new Nirvana 24/96 is better than the Mofi which I also own. The relative lack of hash and murkiness (compressed mix) takes some getting used to, but I don't believe it's contrary to the artist's intent.

Hi...let me understand before i buy: how would you rank: Nevermind Remaster on CD which just came out, Nevermind MOFI Gold? (i do not have hi-res capability) thanks!!!!!
 

LL21

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'Nevermind'...pun intended...i just read a series of reviews lambasting this remastered CD version...saying they got rid of all dynamics and just cranked it up. I am going with mfsl.
 

mep

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Apr 20, 2010
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'Nevermind'...pun intended...i just read a series of reviews lambasting this remastered CD version...saying they got rid of all dynamics and just cranked it up. I am going with mfsl.

Pesky dynamics. I’ve said it before and I will say it again, there is no greater irony than having a medium with the capability of 96dB of dynamic range and yet at no time in the history of modern recording have we had so many recordings so severely lacking in dynamic range. The Edison wax cylinder is probably capable of capturing the dynamic range being used in most of today’s recordings. If you want to hear some dynamic range, you need to listen to analog as the recording engineers and record companies know that analog people like their dynamic range served straight up.
 

rblnr

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'Nevermind'...pun intended...i just read a series of reviews lambasting this remastered CD version...saying they got rid of all dynamics and just cranked it up. I am going with mfsl.

I have the original mofi CD and the 24/96 is much better than that. You could always burn a CD from the hires download.
 

LL21

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Thanks. will look into it.
 

LL21

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OK...so i found the Mofi CD Nirvana second-hand (i dont have 24/96 on my Zanden anyway)...compared to the original CD, it is better. In general, when i listen to Track 6 Polly on both CDs, (adjusting for volume differences between the 2)...the original CD sounds like a recording of a band. The best way i can describe the MoFi version is that Track 6 sounds like an "Unplugged" version of the original CD...even though they are exactly the same, even at super soft volumes (4 on the preamp out of 99)...the MoFi version feels more like you are listening to 2 real people playing a real guitar in a studio...vs a recording of 2 people playing guitar.

Is it a massive improvement? hmmm...More so on the "grungier" parts of the album which can feel a touch brash/bright...but at these whisper-soft levels it is not more than '20% better'...i may feel differently this weekend when i can play at normal volumes. I will say it is definitely a more 'human sounding' recording than the original CD. That said, I certainly have found greater improvements on certain Blue Note Remasters (Thelonius Monk, Red Garland Trio and Quintet albums, even Horace Silver), the U2 and Police/String Remasters, even the Rudy van Gelder remasters (which i am aware some like and some dont).

I also feel the Muddy Waters original CD was excellent...and the Mofi better, but i would not be unhappy at all with just the original CD.

Just got the John Lee Hooker "The Healer" in Mofi...great stuff. Expect April in Paris (Basie), Scarecrow (J Cougar Mellencamp) and a few others coming shortly in Mofi form, plus SACD of Blues Walk Lou Donaldson and XRCD of Dexter Gordon (have original CDs of both for free....so will compare).
 
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LL21

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Hi. Has anyone heard the FIM (k2, hdcd, xrcd) masters? Just looking for advice as to how good they really are. Specifically, i am looking at the Rossini string sonatas by Accardo (FIM).

Separately, I also believe there is an XRCD version of the Rossini string sonatas (Neville Marriner) from Decca...but i cannot find the XRCD version anywhere to buy. Worth searching for...or just buy the regular? Thanks!
 

Ronm1

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While I don't have the FIM Rossini's I do have about a doz other Fim/Lim disc very glad I have them....
OTOH I do have Sonate per Archi #1-6 Rossini - NBK/Erxleben DG which I'm very happy with, some of these tracks were used on an old MBL demo disc.
 

MylesBAstor

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Apr 20, 2010
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Hi. Has anyone heard the FIM (k2, hdcd, xrcd) masters? Just looking for advice as to how good they really are. Specifically, i am looking at the Rossini string sonatas by Accardo (FIM).

Separately, I also believe there is an XRCD version of the Rossini string sonatas (Neville Marriner) from Decca...but i cannot find the XRCD version anywhere to buy. Worth searching for...or just buy the regular? Thanks!

IIRC, it is our own Bruce Brown who does Winston Ma's FIM reissues.
 

LL21

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Thanks, Myles. I have found a place that sells both an XRCD of Neville Marinner Rossini Sonatas, as well as the Four Seasons played by Accardo on 4 different Stradivarius violins. Hope to hear back from the Seller soon. I will def buy the Four Seasons if the price is ok...i like his interpretation which is very different from the ones i have (Hogwood, Marriner, Biondi).

As for the Rossini Sonatas, i like the Marriner...but suspect the Accardo is good too...if only i could hear it. If i thought Accardo was good, i would probably go for the FIM version instead of the XRCD of the Marriner, just to experience FIM.
 

garylkoh

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www.genesisloudspeakers.com

LL21

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LL21

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Thank you....yes, i happened to come across elusive disc and emailed them but did not hear back. So i have gone with Acoustic Sounds thanks to you.

I will say, i feel fortunate that finally, i feel like i enjoy listening to large-scale symphonic music on my system as much as smaller scale acoustic or hip hop/rap. Something to do with the amp being able to drive the signal thru the speakers with the level of dynamics, instrument separation that always felt constrained/smashed together...which bugged me before. I am playing Karajan's Beethoven symphonies now and really enjoying it. So now i am really looking forward to hearing this version of Vivaldi Four Seasons on my system.
 

rblnr

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May 3, 2010
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Hi. Has anyone heard the FIM (k2, hdcd, xrcd) masters? Just looking for advice as to how good they really are. Specifically, i am looking at the Rossini string sonatas by Accardo (FIM).

Don't know about these, but have been underwhelmed by the few JVC K2/XRCD pop/rock discs I have by Tina Turner, Dire Straits, and The Eagles.
 

LL21

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Dec 26, 2010
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Thanks, Bob...i have to admit, i notice that in many cases the remastered versions are actually of very high quality recordings on regular CD. So one needs to be careful...just may be marketing hype. In the case of older jazz the remasterings have been a definite improvement. Same with U2, Sting/Police. But i have found on a couple that the remaster was at most 20% better...and probably mainly revealed on a very, very revealing system. In cases where i really, really cared about the album, i have bought the MoFi after owning the original CD and found the MoFi to be better...but i have yet to hear XRCD or K2...i have ordered a bunch where i figured i dont have the music anyway (except in 2 cases where i got the original cd for free)...and i will just see if i think it is a good sounding album or not.
 

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