The SHM CD that I have received is the 3 track WPCR-13246 released by WEA Atltantic Japan and it says on the back that it was Digitally Remastered By Joe Gastwirt at Ocean View Digital. According to Amazon it was released in 2008. It appears to be the exact same re-issue/re-mastered in 1994 released as 3 track 82666-2 Atlantic release which was Digitally Remastered By Joe Gastwirt at Ocean View Digital; I have this disc for comparison. It is not the Rhino reissue/remaster with any of the additional tracks or any of the Japanese SHM minidiscs with the HDCD.
I have listened now to the disc many times and have just started to make some comparisons with my 82666-2 Atlantic release which was Digitally Remastered By Joe Gastwirt at Ocean View Digital. I can not say that the two are exactly the same remastering but I suspect that they are. I have found that the new SHM pressing appears to be at a higher gain level than the original. Additionally, I would say that the original sounds a bit anemic compared to the new SHM pressing.
My impressions of the SHM disc follow those that I read on-line and confirms that the performance of these SHM CDs are going to be recording/mastering specific. There is no doubt in my mind that the SHM pressing is a much fuller sound (more body) than my other pressing. Chris' bass is stronger and tighter and all of the other instruments and voices are better rendered in space, overall the sound is quite dynamic with a more natural presentation, and there is more life like presentation to the sound of the instruments and Jon's voice. I think that the new SHM pressing may well have more detail in the recording with better separation than the 1994 digital remastering and release. Instruments appear to be better rendered and placed in space for both imaging and soundstaging and I think that I may be hearing a wider and possibly deeper soundstage as well. If this is from the same1994 digital remastering and release, I would say that my initial impressions are largely due to the Polycarbonate material of the disc. Of course anything else that was done in Japan for this re-release has also added to the performance.
I will have to continue to listen and make additional comparisons. But, at this point, I do not want to really go back to the 1994 digital remastering of this disc and would much rather listen to the new SHM CD.
I will continue to check in on this, but if anyone is interested in this pressing, they can be found in the Amazon Market Place for around $26.50 plus shipping; you do not have to pay the Amazon price of $36+ that I paid.
Rich