📣 News Carpenters: "The Vinyl Collection"

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I finally got my box set. There was a problem in getting it. I was supposed to get it right away since it was pre ordered but it did have to come to America. I finally got it a couple days ago on December 7th and so far the set is sounding good but not quite as holographic as I would hope but it does sound very very good good. I've been listening straight through. I've gotten up to the Carpenters (Yellow album even though mine is much whiter than the original) and unfortunately that record was really noisy on side 1 and perfect on side 2 but something will have to be done about it because it's very distracting. I saw a link about getting records replaced if need be. I'll listen to the whole set first and it won't take me long since I LOVE KAREN CARPENTER !!! I'll keep everyone informed.
Thanks, DLKG (Karen Gawn)
 
guys, I have a question, given I`m not that technical about the technical side of music, if you know what I mean :)
I`ve been trawling Ebay and came across a couple of these box-sets and one thing keeps bothering me each time, but I see it with most releases. it`s a pretty simple question really, but not knowing how it`s done ............. how many times can you `REMASTER` music?
my take on it and the wording, is that it `improves` the quality each time it`s done, but I have an opinion, whether it`s correct or not I`m not sure. if they wanted the very best recording on a vinyl album, say the carpenters stuff, wouldn't it just be wise to use the K2HD stuff that's out there, job done?
 
The best masters would be the original masters. So the tapes made in the 70’s. I’m from a video background, so normally a Remaster of a movie or TV show comes from going back to the first master and either transferring it to a higher quality master than is available (I.e theatrical movie being Remastered to 4K Video from the original 35mm negative compared to using an older 480p master for home video/download). Another Remaster is going back to the original camera footage and audio tapes and building the picture and sound up to a higher quality and, say, 7.1 sound. Think of what CBS did with “Star Trek The Next Generation”. In the 80’s the original was done on low resolution SD tape with the audio mixed into stereo: the new HD Remaster went back to the original 35mm film and audio tapes and remixed and remastered them into 1080p and 7.1 surround sound.

So with audio it should be the same (and as far as I am aware, the original multi-track masters still exist, it was the 2-track masters that were destroyed, so any Remasters of Carpenters could be built from the ground up onto higher resolution audio tape).
 
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the original multi-track masters still exist, it was the 2-track masters that were destroyed, so any Remasters of Carpenters could be built from the ground up onto higher resolution audio tape).

I believe you've got this backwards. The original multi-track masters had been brought to California so Richard could build the 5.1 SACD mixes. They were unfortunately not shipped back to Pennsylvania and were reportedly destroyed in the Universal fire.

Other 2 track mixdown masters are likely still OK, and Richard may in fact own copies of the multi track tapes, but those original masters are gone.
 
Not all the original multi-track masters are gone. If you read Chris May’s post in this thread:
Multi-Channel Mixing and the Universal Fire

Richard has apparently said that most of the 1st generation stuff is gone, but there’s still some left, as it wasn’t sent out because he didn’t need anything from those tapes. Plus from what we know of Iron Mountain and other answers from Richard, there seem to be digital copies of the 1st Gen Multics in existence, which would be just as good as the 1st gen tapes. I was just looking at Iron Mountain’s website, and while I don’t know what they were using 10+ years ago, they seem to make digital copies at the highest bit rate available. So the digital copies are probably close to 128-bit or higher.
 
I said nothing untrue.
You seemed to be implying that all the multis had been destroyed. Sure we don’t know which 1st Gen analog tapes are still at Iron Mountain (most likely the majority of the Christmas tapes, except for the “Merry Christmas Darling” tape as that was the only Christmas track on the SACD. Plus considering that it was remixed in 78, it might be the remix master that was destroyed, since I think I’ve read that by 78 they had gone to 24-track rather than the 16 that was being used around 69-70, and they might’ve transferred the original to allow for more tracks to use in the remix), however there are stil 1st Gen analog multis in existence.
 
I don't mean to re-open the well-trodden ground of the "analog vs digital" debate, but simply want to know if anyone has any definitive information on whether these vinyls are sourced from analog or digital masters. If it is the latter (regardless of their bit rates), then I've zero interest in this box set.
 
To have and to hold. I find it titillating that the entire CarpenterS catalog has been rereleased. There are resolutions for the unhappy listener. When all is said and done each will hear the melodious tones of the prized duo. I dig this collecting thing. It's what I do. An all consuming, satisfying and wholesome aural event at every single spin.
 
Has anyone contacted universal and heard back? Does anyone know a timeline?
Yes, I emailed on Nov 30th and received a response on Dec 8th that is 1 week counting business days M-F. I'd rather not say what my response was at the moment but I will say that it was not good. Still working on a resolution....There is part of me that wishes I never bought this set.
 
If you can let me know please Sue if you have had confirmation of postage of your set?, I haven’t had anything as yet and it’s released today?, hope they dont let us down!. I’ve ordered two sets and it’s a lot of money to have to go chasing up orders.

I've just had a look on the Spin site my order still says processing but I noticed they appear to have removed The set! It doesn't say sold out just 000ps page cant be found. I hope its just because theyve sold out but............
 
If anybody has ordered the vinyl collection with spin cds you will not be getting it.
I rang them today and they have cancelled all pre orders due to the fact that the price they were promised by their supplier was not honoured.
Well that’s their excuse anyway......
This is not the first time I have had problems with them and I will not be using them again.
Getting back to the sound quality issues, I was thinking of ordering from Amazon Italy but having read some of the posts can anybody give any advice as I was really looking forward to getting this set and now having read that replacements are being sent out for various LPs I don’t know what to do.
 
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If anybody has ordered the vinyl collection with spin cds you will not be getting it.
Thanks for the info on Spin Tony. I emailed them again after today as I saw it had been removed. At the weekend they told me it would be in early this week but obviously not now!
I think we knew it was really too good to be true at that price!
Have you had a refund? Ive just checked my card and no money has been refunded. What a disappointment!!
 
Hi Sue.
I got an email from them confirming that the refund will be made to my bank account within the next few days.
I will not buy from them again as I have had problems with orders in the past and I would not be surprised if I have to chase up my refund as well.
I am dying to order this from amazon Italy but really do not know what to do.
Are you going to chance getting a good copy?
 
Hi Tony I will have to wait for my refund but priced up from USA it would be £156 but ofcourse there are the problems with quality. What is the price from Italy?
 
Works out at around £191.
Would the USA price include import duties?
It’s a shame that this release has had the problems posted as this is one release I was really looking forward to.
 
It seemed to and the £156 was the total in sterling? I'm not sure whether there would be anything else to add but delivery wouldn't be for 2/3 weeks.

Its a bit disappointing when I have had this ordered with Spin since October and they haven't let me know yet that I won't be receiving it! Will certainly steer clear of them in the future!
 
HMV record store in Cardiff UK have vinyl copies of Close To You, Now & Then, A Song For You and Singles 1969-1973, no sign of the vinyl box set. Could only verify country of manufacture of one album.

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I have ordered it from amazon.com which is a good price and includes import duties and postage for £156.
It won’t arrive until after Xmas so so hopefully any faulty copies may have been withdrawn by then.
Thanks for the information Sue.
 
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