Anyone for 180g LP reissues?

[Rudy]

Thing is, these vinyl releases are those who own well-maintained playback equipment to play them on, not the general public. These niche-market products are just that--we're not asking for mass-market items here.

 

[Greg Shannon]

I kinda figured a debate might arise on the question of vinyl v. digital. I'm no audiophile or recording engineer. However, I was just re-reading some comments made by a person I admire who was a recording engineer, as well as a composer and recording artist. Wendy Carlos reminisces about the recording process in the booklet that comes in the "Switched-On Boxed Set." Because vinyl has so many mechanical restrictions, it was common practice to mix a master tape down to a "cutting master" that would accommodate the reduced dynamics afflicting vinyl. The cutting master wasn't needed when Wendy remastered the Bach performances for CD, because digital can handle a dynamic range unavailable to vinyl. Wendy says: "It surprises me how many of the self-proclaimed 'golden eared' would have us believe such frantic roller-coaster rides of stylus in grooves is the best audio reproduction ever invented...wanna buy a bridge?"

Cheers,

Greg Shannon

 

[Vinylalbumcovers]

In response to Ms. Carlos, I'm equally baffled by how many people CD's are the "be-all-end-all". They absolutely aren't. That's a falsehood perpetrated by the music industry as a whole. Yeah, vinyl absolutely has it's limitations but dynamic range ain't one of 'em if it's done right. When you're dealing with 180g vinyl, it's all about how many songs you place on each side. If you reduce that number from say 5 to 3, the grooves can handle the dynamic range quite nicely.

Ed

P.S.: As for the best possible reproduction, might I point you to reels?

 

[Rudy]

In response to Ms. Carlos, I'm equally baffled by how many people CD's are the "be-all-end-all". They absolutely aren't.

We can't judge mass-market vinyl issues with the premium audiophile editions that have been out since, oh, 1977 or so. Cutting equipment has also improved, and cutting heads can now handle some of the transients and dynamic range that they couldn't before. In fact, if you want to hear the definitive version of Joni Mitchell's "Blue", get the newly released Rhino that was cut straight from the 2-track master tapes, not a safety copy EQed for record production.

I personally get headaches playing CDs--the sampling rate is just too low, and I hear the graininess. I don't even need a high-end system--I can hear it even in the car now. I can also clearly hear the difference between the two layers of a CD/SACD hybrid--the Rolling Stones remasters are no sonic miracle, but the SACD layer sounds like you're listening to the tape, where the CD has that telltale hardness to it.

Again, there is a market for good vinyl these days--it's thriving, and growing. I've played LPs hundreds of times without wear (having a good cartridge), and most don't have any more pops or clicks than the day I bought them...some are still silent in that regard. The old "scratchy, noisy" LP thought process is an outdated stereotype. Anyone who hasn't heard a good vinyl rig is missing out on a lot. A lot of the definitive releases of albums are coming out on 33-1/3 and 45RPM vinyl sets. Donald Fagen's "Morph The Cat" is one of the best examples: the LP version is said to sound the best (as it was tracked and mastered in analog, not digital), with the DVD-A in second and the brick-wall-limited CD a distant third.

 

[Captaindave]

All of that may be true, but you have to remember where the money is. 99% (or more) of people don't have systems that are capable of even reproducing a CD properly, let alone a pristine vinyl album.

Exactly.

You will be interested IF you are a fan, have audiophile equipment including a turntable, and possibly be a collector of vinyl and/or album covers. As Rudy mentioned above, it is a niche market, and most buyers of recorded music do not fall into that category

Otherwise, nil...

 

[Rudy]

I guess I should rephrase my poll question somewhat. For those who own good equipment to play back LPs, would you be willing to buy new LP versions of these albums, direct from the master tapes?

 

[Hurrikane]

I would purchase them all, no questions asked, without hesitation, and be waiting with baited turntable and new cartridge!

HurriKane

 

[Dave]

Well, here we were wanting this on CD, and now... neeye:

I would like an incentive to go back to using my turntable again... I do appreciate the fidelity vinyl (much like even reel-to-reel tape) has to offer and sadly the Digital Format, as clean sounding as it is, doesn't have the ambience you always had with records...

'Cept there's still the "changing sides"...!



Dave

 

[Dave]

...I was just re-reading some comments made by a person I admire who was a recording engineer, as well as a composer and recording artist, Wendy Carlos, who reminisces about the recording process in the booklet that comes in the Switched-On Boxed Set... Wendy says: "It surprises me how many of the self-proclaimed 'golden eared' would have us believe such frantic roller-coaster rides of stylus in grooves is the best audio reproduction ever invented...wanna buy a bridge?"

Many of us should know that Wendy Carlos was formerly the actual Walter Carlos, author of the Switched On Bach, as well as other Synth/Experimental recordings..



Dave

 

[alpertfan]

I was actually on Shout's! website not too longer ago to see if there were actually any new vinyl pressings of the albums, in addition to trying to find out when the next batch of reissues would be coming out. I don't have a turntable, but if these were released as special edition 180g LPs, I'd collect them.

 

[Vinylalbumcovers]

"Morph The Cat" is sonic loveliness on 180g vinyl. The CD is good in the car only. Actually, it's ideal in that sonic perfection from my car system (stock, thank you) will never be achieved but nothing gets lost amid the noisy traffic. I think that's why Warners packaged his album in a CD/DVD-Audio package. That way, you get one for the house and one for the car. I snapped up all three.

Ed