Post by Arnaldo April 9, 2012 (281 of 549)
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Jonty said:
Why on earth would EMI spend the time doing yet another mastering when they have just done it for Japan? It would be total waste of time and money. These are obviously the same masterings.
Flawless logic. Unfortunately though, a bit too complex - or too simple - for some folks around here...
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Johnno said:
They could have gone direct to DSD, of course. Why go via PCM?
Interestingly enough their new LP reissues are all PCM-free.
http://store.acousticsounds.com/s/106/EMI_Testament_LPs
"Testament has revived these classic titles from the EMI catalog using only the original EMI master tapes, cut onto lacquer at EMI's Abbey Road Studios and mastered using full analog techniques throughout production."
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Most major labels are very stingy when it comes to remastering. Once done, they stick to it and don't bother for decades. Well, Sony is exceptional. They made new DSD remasters for each series (MasterWorks Expended Edition, LivingStereo SACD, Great Performances, Originals series), even if recent remaster exists.
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Post by seth April 9, 2012 (284 of 549)
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Jonty said:
Why on earth would EMI spend the time doing yet another mastering when they have just done it for Japan? It would be total waste of time and money. These are obviously the same masterings.
Exactly.
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Jonty said:
Why on earth would EMI spend the time doing yet another mastering when they have just done it for Japan? It would be total waste of time and money. These are obviously the same masterings.
Repeating the same PCM mastering process would, of course, be totally pointless.
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Here are impressions of my first 2 Signature double-disc sets.
The discs come in a hard-back book-form digipac, with discs in thin card pockets on the inside covers. It is a little tricky getting them out without finger prints. The discs are hybrid so it is easy to compare the RBCD and SACD layers.
As well as a good essay in three languages covering the compilations, there are illustrations in colour of original LP covers and labels, mastering logs and photos of the mastering rooms at Abbey Road and the four EMI engineers who worked there on this project.
According to the booklets, the process involved locating the original source analogue tapes and their previous use from the mastering logs. They were played on a carefully calibrated Studer A80 1/4" tape deck and converted with a Prism ADA-8 Converter at 96/24 to a Sadie Digital Audio Workstation. Decisions were then made as to necessity of applying CEDAR audio restoration. A final equalised version was made using the analogue EQ of EMI's own TG12412 & 12414 tone control boxes. The final remastered audio is converted to CD and DSD format masters for production. Embedded text on the CD and SACD layers confirm that new masters were made: On-screen Track Titles include "2011 Digital Remaster...".
I may comment more on the SACD layers of the discs I have (Beethoven Triple Concerto, Brahms Violin and Double Concerto, Elgar, Delius, Du Pre) when Steve lists them.
Are they worth getting at this low price? After making comparisons of CD - SACD layers in Pure Direct mode, and SACD with full Audessey room eq and 32-bit 5.1 modes, I would say definitely YES. What a thrill to meet these old friends in high resolution!
John
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Post by seth April 10, 2012 (287 of 549)
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Geohominid said:
I may comment more on the SACD layers of the discs I have (Beethoven Triple Concerto, Brahms Violin and Double Concerto, Elgar, Delius, Du Pre) when Steve lists them.
John
If you have the GROTC CD version of the Brahms Violin, will you please let us know if the overload distortions have been minimized at all -- just listen to the last minute and a half of the third movement.
Thanks
-Seth
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sunnydaler said:
http://magazin.klassik.com/reviews/reviews.cfm?task=record&RECID=11514 (German)
“eine nahezu perfekte Darbietung (a near-perfect performance)”
http://www.lucernefestival.ch/documents/sundaytimes.pdf
“Greatness is stamped on every bar”
You are right! the price is over 30 dollars... but it's worth it. Excellent, indeed!
30 bucks as an entrance fee to this basically otherwordly experience is nothing... It's one of the absolute-finest music performances that I've ever heard during my 35+ years of active music listening, one that for the first time really opened my ears to hear and feel something about this work (I've either had and heard it at some point or another by basically all the so-called greats, in all major media incl. SACD, and none of them could open it up at all and communicate it in comparison). Now I'm a fan of it.
And the recorded sound is practically just as exceptional.
Thanks for those links, btw -- hadn't seen them before.
-PT
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seth said:
If you have the GROTC CD version of the Brahms Violin, will you please let us know if the overload distortions have been minimized at all -- just listen to the last minute and a half of the third movement.
Thanks
-Seth
Hi Seth,
I didn't notice any significant overload signs at the big orchestral tutti at the point you mention on the CD, bearing in mind that the mass string tone on that recording is not particularly refined. In the 96/24 version, there is a slight degradation of the string tone at the same point, just noticeable; it sounds more gritty. Perhaps one could expect this; the new masters can only be as good as the master tapes. Its the old adage of opening the window and more dirt comes in, I suspect. It wouldn't have bothered me particularly if I didn't know what to look out for.
Geo
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