[fordgtlover]

Are Gold CD recordings that much better than the standard or original recordings?

I guess it depends on the quality of the original album, but are they worth $60 or more?

 

[markl]

The gold is a marketing gimmick, it has nothing to do with the quality. The reason DCC and MFSL discs sound so much better is that they are mastered by experts such as Steve Hoffman from the original master tapes. Not LP EQ-ed tapes, or third generation dubs. These experts do as little as possible to the sound-- no COMPRESSION to make it LOUDER, no wild EQ to make it shriek and "stand out", and they do not use no-noise to strip out yummy tape hiss. So, for the most part, you get pure master tape.

If you are raised on today's LOUD and COMPRESSED aggressively EQ-ed CDs, they may at first sound "dull" and "quiet" to you, but know that that is how they are supposed to sound- like real music, not hyped all to hell. That's why God invented the volume knob-- so YOU can decide how LOUD your music should be!

Full dynamic range-- now there's a concept!

 

[fordgtlover]

I appreciate that the gold disc is of marginal consequence.

Much of my music is from the eighties and nineties, where many of the waveforms use less than half of the available dynamic range. I dislike compresse music.

DCC discs like Van Halen don't need to have compression fixed so is the remix just that, a remix? How different are the mixes?

 

[markl]

I think you are confused between re-mixing and remastering. No, the DCC and MFSL discs are not re-mixed, that would be sacrilege. Like I said, they use the original master tape (original mix) and remaster that. Remastering is transfering the master tape to digital to be put on a CD, it does not involve re-mixing.

 

[fordgtlover]

Ok cool - thanks

 

[Mastergill]

Quote:

Originally Posted by markl /img/forum/go_quote.gif The gold is a marketing gimmick, it has nothing to do with the quality.

It's more than that, it's part of the "no compromise" package these discs try to offer. The very ductile nature of gold allow a perfect covering of pits and lands. it's also used for durability, unlike aluminium, gold will never oxidise in extreme conditions. Some glass and gold discs made for archival purpose are supposed to last 1,000 years if no longer.

But it's true that audiophiles (phool?) are usually attracted by gold.

 

[robert]

If you're interested in blow your mind sonics, and have a taste for classical (if you're already deeply that, then this note is not news); spend a few bucks on RCA Living Stereo CDs. The Reiner and Munch discs especially. The first commercial stereo releases (tape, not vinyl(.