Being my age I have a long history with Led Zep. Started listening to them at 11 years old. I had a friend with one of the largest collections around. After all the promo stuff the only thing left to collect is bootlegs. Over the years I have seen and heard a lot. Still like most my interest is really only in a few studio albums and The Song Remains The Same movie soundtrack.
The Song Remains The Same was really the first one( remaster) Jimmy did somewhere around 08-09. The series ended yesterday with the release of the last three Zeppelin studio records.
I have mixed feelings about the series. First off, my favorite 2 records are 1 and 4 and they both sound great though different. Being a guitar player some guitar parts in both records sound amazing. Stairway To Heaven sounds amazing.
I played the remaster of Stairway at the beach for a friend with using the AKG k701s and the JDS Labs c421. Needless to say he broke down in tears. So if that is what the remaster series is about (emotion) then I think it is a success?
Still there is enough quality in the original albums. Many like the old mixes better. I guess any artist can dig around in the old master tapes and find small sections to apply effects onto and make people go wow. Does it improve the music for all the future generations? Is it worth the extra money? I'm guessing maybe?
Still the only vinyl of the series I have heard was Song Remains the Same remaster on 180gram vinyl and it sounded amazing. I also have the remaster on CD. So I have not heard the treatments on vinyl. If I did then maybe my opinion would change. I also found the original remasters of a couple albums before the end early 1990s box set. I have to say that I like them better. The 1990s box set is a little on the thin side, still that is what I listen to the most?
Just like Dark Side Of The Moon, there are hundreds of copies of stuff out there to find. And don't forget there was a 45rpm remaster series of the entire Led Zeppelin studio records put out by ( I think "Classic" records ) the 24 bit rip of 4 from that has the most bass I have heard. Still I think it is nice to hear them as you remember them. Everyone has their own personal story of how they remember them.
Zeppelin is the best! I started listening to them at teh age of 11 too, incidentally, but I am only 27 now, they were a band well before "my time" but I don't care about silly things like that They're honestly just about my favorite band of all time.
LZ, incredible band. My fav albums - I, II, IV, and PG. Then there's "Achilles Last Stand" from Presence and "Fool In The Rain" from In Through The Outdoor.
I have had the privilage to see a lot of really wild Zep stuff. I have seen the Presence thing that everyone is looking at in the pictures on the album. I forget how many they made but each one was numbered. I have held the 45rpm record of Stairway To Heaven, it is a white label promo regular 45rpm size that was given to radio stations when 4 came out. They actually promoted the song because they did not know if it would be popular or not. The whole song fits on a 45rpm. I have seen rooms that look like libraries full of bootlegs. There are a ton of them. There are blow-up Zeppelin blimps. The other thing Zep fans collect is magazines with Zep on the cover. There are hundreds of rock magazines like Circus Magazine from those days with Zep on the cover.
Still just give me a good recording on a loud system and I'm not that fussy. I have heard Houses Of The Holy from Classic records remastered ( Which Jimmy put a pressing stop to ) on a $100,000 speaker rig. On an expensive stereo the music almost sounds close to classical music. There are some really detailed parts that you would normally never hear. It really does not matter that much, maybe more to some people. But it IS interesting that the information is in there. One part in Houses of the Holy has John Bonham playing this fluttery drum that sounds almost like a train. When you hear it for the first time, you look up in surprise. There is an entertainment factor hearing something new in a recording you have heard many times before.
There is also the raw drum tracks for Coda floating around. Something they did was put a mic up to his mouth and had him grunt to every beat. It is one of the strangest things I have ever heard. I don't know if it was mixed in with the attack of the drum beats or what? Just another Zep mystery. There are still many.
foobar2000 1.3.8 / Dynamic Range Meter 1.1.1
log date: 2015-08-02 22:06:41
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Analyzed: AD NAUSEAM / Nihil Quam Vacuitas Ordinatum Est
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR Peak RMS Duration Track
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR9 -0.20 dB -10.24 dB 6:31 01-My Buried Dream
DR9 -0.20 dB -10.19 dB 5:32 02-Key To Timeless Laws
DR9 -0.20 dB -10.29 dB 6:12 03-La Maison Diev
DR9 -0.20 dB -10.81 dB 7:37 04-Into The Void Eye
DR9 -0.20 dB -10.27 dB 6:04 05-Terror Haze
DR9 -0.20 dB -10.50 dB 4:49 06-Lost In The Antiverse
DR9 -0.20 dB -11.08 dB 7:58 07-The Black Veil Of Original Flaw
DR6 -0.20 dB -9.01 dB 10:59 08-Superimposing Mere Will And Sheer Need
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Number of tracks: 8
Official DR value: DR8
Samplerate: 44100 Hz
Channels: 2
Bits per sample: 16
Bitrate: 884 kbps
Codec: ALAC
================================================================================
Wow, this is unexpected. I think I'll sacrifice some bandwidth to download higher res. I didn't realize until just now that Bandcamp's AAC downloads are such low bitrate.
foobar2000 1.3.8 / Dynamic Range Meter 1.1.1
log date: 2015-08-02 22:27:06
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Analyzed: Chapel Of Disease / The Mysterious Ways Of Repetitive Art
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DR Peak RMS Duration Track
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR11 -3.93 dB -17.76 dB 5:36 01-The Mysterious Ways...
DR11 -2.91 dB -15.88 dB 5:57 02-The Dreaming Of The Flame
DR12 -2.90 dB -16.29 dB 6:23 03-Masquerade In Red
DR11 -2.84 dB -15.84 dB 8:27 04-Lord Of All Death
DR11 -2.96 dB -16.06 dB 6:46 05-Symbolic Realms
DR12 -2.33 dB -16.41 dB 4:12 06-Life Is But A Burning Being
DR11 -2.30 dB -16.47 dB 10:12 07-...Of Repetitive Art
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of tracks: 7
Official DR value: DR11
Samplerate: 48000 Hz
Channels: 2
Bitrate: 129 kbps
Codec: AAC
================================================================================
Wow, this is unexpected. I think I'll sacrifice some bandwidth to download higher res. I didn't realize until just now that Bandcamp's AAC downloads are such low bitrate.
foobar2000 1.3.8 / Dynamic Range Meter 1.1.1
log date: 2015-08-02 22:27:06
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Analyzed: Chapel Of Disease / The Mysterious Ways Of Repetitive Art
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR Peak RMS Duration Track
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR11 -3.93 dB -17.76 dB 5:36 01-The Mysterious Ways...
DR11 -2.91 dB -15.88 dB 5:57 02-The Dreaming Of The Flame
DR12 -2.90 dB -16.29 dB 6:23 03-Masquerade In Red
DR11 -2.84 dB -15.84 dB 8:27 04-Lord Of All Death
DR11 -2.96 dB -16.06 dB 6:46 05-Symbolic Realms
DR12 -2.33 dB -16.41 dB 4:12 06-Life Is But A Burning Being
DR11 -2.30 dB -16.47 dB 10:12 07-...Of Repetitive Art
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of tracks: 7
Official DR value: DR11
Samplerate: 48000 Hz
Channels: 2
Bitrate: 129 kbps
Codec: AAC
================================================================================
I am using my phone because the dorm internet is $65 a month and it's very slow. Slower than my phone sometimes. One of the downsides of Yongsan is that the infrastructure is outdated and they don't want to upgrade it because the Army is supposed to be moving out of here. Meanwhile, we have all kinds of problems with our quality of life. Oh well, the location rocks
This hardcore punk show is on Saturday if you think you can make it. One of the bands (Nahu) is a decent deathgrind band.
I have had the privilage to see a lot of really wild Zep stuff. I have seen the Presence thing that everyone is looking at in the pictures on the album. I forget how many they made but each one was numbered. I have held the 45rpm record of Stairway To Heaven, it is a white label promo regular 45rpm size that was given to radio stations when 4 came out. They actually promoted the song because they did not know if it would be popular or not. The whole song fits on a 45rpm. I have seen rooms that look like libraries full of bootlegs. There are a ton of them. There are blow-up Zeppelin blimps. The other thing Zep fans collect is magazines with Zep on the cover. There are hundreds of rock magazines like Circus Magazine from those days with Zep on the cover.
Still just give me a good recording on a loud system and I'm not that fussy. I have heard Houses Of The Holy from Classic records remastered ( Which Jimmy put a pressing stop to ) on a $100,000 speaker rig. On an expensive stereo the music almost sounds close to classical music. There are some really detailed parts that you would normally never hear. It really does not matter that much, maybe more to some people. But it IS interesting that the information is in there. One part in Houses of the Holy has John Bonham playing this fluttery drum that sounds almost like a train. When you hear it for the first time, you look up in surprise. There is an entertainment factor hearing something new in a recording you have heard many times before.
There is also the raw drum tracks for Coda floating around. Something they did was put a mic up to his mouth and had him grunt to every beat. It is one of the strangest things I have ever heard. I don't know if it was mixed in with the attack of the drum beats or what? Just another Zep mystery. There are still many.
I just have the new Page Zep 1. Definitely haven't heard the scope of Zep masters Redcar. But we're in the same generation & have been listening to Zep since the 80s. Big fan of 1 especially.
IMO short of going vinylon I think the new series is the way to go. Noticeable improvement in clarity to me from the popular 90s remasters which never sounded great. Some may disagree but if you're looking to add Zep to your catalog, the new Page remasters are an easy recommend.I'll definitely get II through IV.
So wait then guys, which version of the remastered Led Zeppelin Discography is generally considered to have the very best detail and resolution? I'm planning to buy the entire collection and want the best hi-res I can get for it.
So wait then guys, which version of the remastered Led Zeppelin Discography is generally considered to have the very best detail and resolution? I'm planning to buy the entire collection and want the best hi-res I can get for it.
There is no easy answer. The thing is there are a lot of choices.
Some people have spent days on this question. Some people have explored the question for years. You find many that you like some of the new series but maybe don't think the complete set it worth getting.
If history repeats itself, we should see a new complete box set of the special editions in about 10 months. So you could just get that.
Still I have my issues with the new Jimmy Page series. I spent the most time researching and studying the recordings around for my two favorite records which are one and four.
I actually believe one is a remix. I think Jimmy Page went into the original masters and put effects on parts. So for some this starts to change the whole idea of the record. I'm not sure but this is just my opinion. Jimmy has not said yes, they are all very subtle remixs. Even if he changed the volume on tracks in the multitrack master before going to the two track master, that is a remix.
Do you really want a different version of rock history? One that reflects the musical taste of 2015. That is why some just like the originals. They are not messed up with and have the sound of our modern day and effects.
The easy thing for me to was to find the early first CD remasters before the 1990s box set. I own the box set. Then I also listen to the HD tracks of the new remasters. So I'm entertained by it all and have no real opinion, of which is best.
The only thing I'm sure of is The Song Remains The Same is best in the latter remaster. I would say get that. It has extra songs too. I don't like any of the extra songs in these new special editions sets. Why? Why subject yourself to watered down 2nd rate versions of epic songs.
I only like the songs the way they were. I don't need alternate mixes or songs with different musicians. Why?
To make more money is the only reason I can think of doing that with the albums?
So wait then guys, which version of the remastered Led Zeppelin Discography is generally considered to have the very best detail and resolution? I'm planning to buy the entire collection and want the best hi-res I can get for it.
Yes, lots of opinions. So as I said I'm less versed than Redcar & only bought Zep 1 of the new Page remasters, and my only previous ownership of Zeppelin was the crappy 90s remasters (JMO-the 90 remasters blow hard), but my Zep 1 sounds so much better than the 90s version that Im sold. But props 2 Redcar. He's got more history with the band. The other thing is, I'm less of a purist. I don't really don't care if it was tampered with. Im just looking for the best overall sound as I hear it.
And it's totally subjective.
Long ass way to say the Led Zeppelin 1 Page remaster is sufficient for this listener. I'll go on a limb and say for the casual fan like me (& I use that word loosely-I LOVE Zeppelin...they are one my favorite bands of all time...the Beatles of the 70s heavy rock era) or a new young fan, I say the new Page Remasters are an obvious way to go. That's my take.
Track listing for Presence
“Achilles Last Stand”
“For Your Life”
“Royal Orleans”
“Nobody’s Fault But Mine”
“Candy Store Rock”
“Hots on for Nowhere”
“Tea For One”
Disc 2
“Two Ones Are Won”
“For Your Life (Reference Mix)”
“10 Ribs & All/Carrot Pod Pod (Pod)”
“Royal Orleans (Reference Mix)”
“Hots On For Nowhere (Reference Mix)”
July 31 had the final Zep remasters released. After hearing the 1990s box set remaster of Presence I just had to go across the street and find the original LP from the day. Listening to the original LP was also kind of a let down as it just has this compressed thin sound. It maybe has a modern sound in comparison to the 6 albums before it.
Listening to it when it came out was always great because we were a room full of people high on coke and pot. The ultimate musical placebo effect.
Still this new mix with the 2015 voodoo treatment by Jimmy Page does sound great. It is maybe my third favorite album and I was wishing that this mix could be an improvement? It is!
Still I will not be listening to the 2nd disk any time soon, just added stuff to sell records. IMO
Yes, lots of opinions. So as I said I'm less versed than Redcar & only bought Zep 1 of the new Page remasters, and my only previous ownership of Zeppelin was the crappy 90s remasters (JMO-the 90 remasters blow hard), but my Zep 1 sounds so much better than the 90s version that Im sold. But props 2 Redcar. He's got more history with the band. The other thing is, I'm less of a purist. I don't really don't care if it was tampered with. Im just looking for the best overall sound as I hear it.
And it's totally subjective.
Long ass way to say the Led Zeppelin 1 Page remaster is sufficient for this listener. I'll go on a limb and say for the casual fan like me (& I use that word loosely-I LOVE Zeppelin...they are one my favorite bands of all time...the Beatles of the 70s heavy rock era) or a new young fan, I say the new Page Remasters are an obvious way to go. That's my take.
Yes, I kind of do look at it like seeing an old movie on DVD. The movie may not look exactly like it did in the theater. On an LED TV the colors may be on the bright side? Still entertaining. But just remember that your going to have some really diehard members ( which have actually posted before on this thead) saying that the remaster of one has this fluffed out sound and shine not like the original LP.
Funny to have this talk remembering how happy I was in 1972 to hear Zep one on this..........
Of couse there'd be like 234983274237 million different varying opinions on teh subject, now wouldn't there?
We can all agree wholeheartedly on one thing though, I suspect. . .that remastered or not, LED ZEPPELIN WAS THE FREAKING SHIZNIT!
Listening to No Quarter right now, a high-res FLAC version a friend of mine a while back ripped straight from the bona-fide oldschool vinyl release 2007 remaster of Mothership. OH MAN, it sounds soooooo good. I freaking LOVE No Quarter. Might be my favorite Zeppelin song, honestly, although that statement is iffy at best, since one does not simply choose a favorite Led Zeppelin song (and yes, in the spirit of the almighty Interwebz meme-machine, you are to imagine me saying that in the same tone as Boromir). In fact, guys, here ya go, for your craps and giggles:
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They're honestly just about my favorite band of all time.
