[Stephen_Ri]

Are there any Velvet Underground or Nick Drake boxsets? I suppose those are the only artists whose catalogs number three or more that I actually like. I would buy the beatles mono box, but with others above, I agree that it's simply too expensive.

Also, I think some members of the forum are under the impression that ideal "audiophile" mastering of an album originally recorded to tape is doing a straight transfer from the master tapes to digital. While this has been done, the results are not ideal--to the best of my knowledge, the audiophile labels like MFSL, Audio Fidelity, DCC, etc., don't do it that way. They tweak the sound so that it is best suited for presentation from the CD format. I also feel that the folks who remastered the beatles catalog for CD did a great job, and suspect that they have never sounded as good as now. Blathering LP fanatics will take note that even Dr. Ebbetts, the best known of the needledroppers, closed his operation when he heard them and admitted they sound better than anything he'd done. And he had tracked down the very best virgin LP pressings. But then the discerning audiophile community I'm sure knows more from a few diagrams about compression than Dr. Ebbetts or whole mastering teams.

 

[Redcarmoose]

Yes, Velvet Underground has a nice one. I will have to break it out, it has been a couple of years. As far as I can remember the CDs look like master tapes. That is what you were to feel like with that box set, unreleased stuff. The cover has the banana with Niko Velvet Underground that is burned into everyone's mind. I remember reading the book that came with it too. It came out longer than 10 years ago as I remember?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peel_Slowly_and_See It came out in 1995

 

[DavidMahler]

one reason Oh By The Way truly irks me is......

You don't get their early singles like See Emily Play, Arnold Layne,Careful With That Axe Eugene..................It would be a really complete experience if they'd included Relics or a collection of Singles Material.

 

[leeperry]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephen_Ri /img/forum/go_quote.gif Blathering LP fanatics will take note that even Dr. Ebbetts, the best known of the needledroppers, closed his operation when he heard them and admitted they sound better than anything he'd done. And he had tracked down the very best virgin LP pressings. But then the discerning audiophile community I'm sure knows more from a few diagrams about compression than Dr. Ebbetts or whole mastering teams.

well, the HDCD bootlegs sound true to the source, not overly EQ's/post-processed.

I couldn't have said it better: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/6023528-post158.html

I would have it bad if I had spent so much money for some guys to use an aural exciter on the original master tapes, and put them in a fancy box for $200.

I guess there wouldn't have been any glory to simply copy the master tapes, denoise them, put them on 24/96 stereo LPCM DVD-A and call it a day? a CDDA version going through some killer noiseshaping wouldn't have hurt either

 

[Uncle Erik]

I've never been much of one for box sets. They're difficult to store and are often a lot more "complete" than I care for. An extra three CDs of studio outtakes and chatter, as well as old radio interviews is useless to me. Those sorts of things are interesting - at best - one time and throwing them into a fancifully shaped cardboard box that doesn't fit on a CD rack with a healthy price tag is not something I'll pay for.

I prefer whole albums with the best recording possible. I'll pay more for a SACD, DVD-A, or other excellent version.

 

[Happy Camper]

Pink Floyd, The Beatles, Led Zep, etc. I'd classify as rips. The whole concept is just repackaging old material with a few unreleased songs you know shouldn't have been once you hear them.

When they can release technology that will bring back the original sound, I'll replace. I did it once when they came out with cd. I won't continue feeding the beast.

 

[Stephen_Ri]

Quote:

Originally Posted by leeperry /img/forum/go_quote.gif well, the HDCD bootlegs sound true to the source, not overly EQ's/post-processed. I guess there wouldn't have been any glory to simply copy the master tapes, denoise them, put them on 24/96 stereo LPCM DVD-A and call it a day? a CDDA version going through some killer noiseshaping wouldn't have hurt either

How could you possibly know what sounds "true to the source?" Even if we grant that the master tapes are themselves the source, we must also notice that they must be played back, and that playback equipment can very, as well as its calibration. The closest approximation to the source that you've heard might be an LP, which itself required a bunch of tweaking to cut. And why do you suppose that the albums need "denoising"? Noise reduction is as much anathema to "audio purists" as compression and digital eq. And DVD-A, as well as SACD, are pretty much dead, and have been for years, a however much a tiny community kicks and screams. Blu-Ray may have been an option, but of course they're not going to release the catalog on that yet. Like George Lucas with his Star Wars DVDs, the record company is going to wait until everyone has a Blu-ray player before releasing those.

 

[Redcarmoose]

Just went out and purchased the White Album in Stereo for $27.00 in Apple LP form. Done.

 

[leeperry]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephen_Ri /img/forum/go_quote.gif How could you possibly know what sounds "true to the source?" Even if we grant that the master tapes are themselves the source, we must also notice that they must be played back, and that playback equipment can very, as well as its calibration. The closest approximation to the source that you've heard might be an LP, which itself required a bunch of tweaking to cut. And why do you suppose that the albums need "denoising"? Noise reduction is as much anathema to "audio purists" as compression and digital eq. And DVD-A, as well as SACD, are pretty much dead, and have been for years, a however much a tiny community kicks and screams.

DNR is horrible on video content(especially bluray's where it smears all over the place), but properly done audio NR can sound very good...actually they did NR the Beatles box sets: CEDAR is used to clean the complete Beatles catalogue and to create the Beatles Rock Band game

I would guess that so many years later, the tapes could use some dehissing/50Hz hum removing on some individual tracks and what not.

well, they released the dumb LOVE album on DVD-A, why not the originals? who needs reorchestrated versions in 24/96?

anyway, they wanted to brush up all these old standard to today's standards...you know V shaped EQ, slight dynamics compression, aural exciter to makes the trebles sparkle. some ppl prolly spent half a grand on the mono + stereo box sets..I dearly hope that they're happy w/ the result

allow me to stick to my needledrops HDCD bootlegs, that's how I wanna hear their songs.

PS: that reminds me of all the bad words the engineers had to somehow hide at mixing(on 4 tracks, so they had been merged already), like in "let it be" I think...Lennon throwing his HP to the floor and shooting "******!"...you can still hear it

 

[SgtPepper]

As others have said, the Beatles box set is a rip-off. Just sounds like a noisier, EQ'd version to my ears. Wouldn't even buy it at half the price.

Anyone know if there are any decent Cream box sets out there?

 

[falis]

I've got a Cream set that covers all the official albums. Haven't really evaluated from a SQ perspective, since the music was so good.

- Ed

 

[gbacic]

the Magma box set....

because I don't have it, they don't make it anymore and it costs around 270 USD now

 

[Redcarmoose]

I heard they were going to press the whole Beatles Box set on vinyl! So far I have the remastered Abbey Road and it sounds killer! I will like to see what it costs. I have a lot or Live Magma cds. Really an eye opener how many live albums they put out. For being an undergrownd band they have more live stuff then Hawkwind! That's saying a lot. I will have to look into their box set. Do not think I would be a player for more Magma. It may be great though so who knows. Magma is so hard to find!

 

[gbacic]

Yes, I know

Their new CD is fantastic, though.

 

[Redcarmoose]

What after all these years Magma has a Cd?


Update.........yes, wow new cd. cool they list it like this is the last! lol