Remasters vs. original issue cd's

[bigwavedave]

Do any of you collectors keep the original cd after buying remasters? Over the past year I have made a point of keeping (or even re-purchasing used copies if I previously sold them) my original issue cd's. Not sure why...nostalgia? Collectibility? Sound quality?

Regarding the latter, it's been well documented on this site that many remasters are poorly done becuase they are too compressed and loud, losing the frequency range of the original. Even so, some of the first generation cd's were pretty shabbily transfered to digital and clearly needed some kind of upgrade.

Speaking of that, I wonder why Warner Bros. has still not upgraded the early Devo and B-52s cd's? It may be time to update the old cd wishlist thread...

[bruiser]

[quote]Originally posted by bigwavedave
[br]
Speaking of that, I wonder why Warner Bros. has still not upgraded the early Devo and B-52s cd's? It may be time to update the old cd wishlist thread...
[/quote]

as far as devo goes: i'd love to hear the first album remastered. "freedom of choice" needs it ridiculously. it hasn't been touched since coming out on cd in the early 80's... all the others up through "shout" were remastered (i believe) for the rollins-released infinite zero reissues in the mid-90's. the new-ish "collectables" series are these same remasters. most bonus materials, including demos, have all been made available, so i don't know what would go on them- a dub or two here and there, maybe?
"freedom of choice" is begging for remastering. it's a crime how bad it sounds.

b-52's: i'd love this. there are lots of extended things here and there that would be great supplements. how the first album has not had a deluxe re-issue is beyond me. but, they have a brand new cd coming out soon, so maybe that will drum up interest...

[bigwavedave]

Agreed on the crummy sounding Freedom Of Choice. I actually sold my first copy becuase it sounded so horrid...then bought it again when it appeared there are no plans to remaster it!

I do have a few (were there 3 total?) of the Infinite Zero remasters...I love what they did with the bonus tracks, and I have no complaints about the remastering job either.

[bruiser]

[quote][i]Originally posted by bigwavedave[/i]
<br>
I do have a few (were there 3 total?) of the Infinite Zero remasters...I love what they did with the bonus tracks, and I have no complaints about the remastering job either.
[/quote]

there were 4: "duty now" "new traditionalists" "oh no" and "shout"- warner's have inexplicably never remastered the 2 BIGGEST ALBUMS OF DEVO'S CAREER. maybe an old grudge?

i do know that remasters were planned, but didn't happen- as part of that warners deluxe series i believe.

[obs]

I pretty much keep all my CDs and vinyls, remastered or not. Even the stuff I buy used for $1 and don't like at all, I keep . You never know when your tastes change, and that album starts sounding okay.

[bigwavedave]

I wish I had kept all my vinyl! Luckily I kept most of the cool stuff, such as Elvis Costello's first two albums on a double sided promo picture disk. I have recently been on a quest to track down some of my fave 12" singles that I used to own.

I guess the early cd issues are mostly of nostalgic value...especially if the artwork has been altered on the remaster.

[Demetri]

I don't keep my original CDs, but I DO keep my vinyl! That said, I was under the impression that the Rhino collection of The B-52's ("Nude on the Moon") was remastered, no? Sounds much better than what I'd purchased on the original CDs (e.g. "Wild Planet"). But, I would LOVE LOVE LOVE some remastered Devo. I mean...COME ON! [;)]

[bigwavedave]

Good reminder Demetri; the Rhino anthology is remastered. Ditto for their Devo anthology "Pioneers Who Got Scalped" - although that one may be out of print since Amazon does not show any in stock.

Still, it seems that Warner Bros. has been really random about remastering old stuff. The remasters seried mentioned above started well with the first three Madonna cd's, most of Dire Straits catalog plus a few classic rockers, then petered out pretty quickly after it started.

[tikibars]

[quote]Originally posted by bigwavedave
[br]too compressed and loud, losing the frequency range of the original.
[/quote]
Over-compression diminishes the DYNAMIC range, not the FREQUENCY range.

These are two different things.

DYNAMIC range is the difference between loud and quiet sounds, which is what dynamic compression limits; FREQUENCY range is the difference between low-pitched tones and high-pitched tones, which is unaffected in compression (mostly) but can be modified with an equalizer.

[mgmlion]

There were plans to issue a Deluxe 2 Disc version of The B-52s first record last year(?), or maybe 2005, but I'm guessing it was cancelled, because it's totally fallen off the radar. Why Rhino Handmade isn't doing something with these titles is beyond me, given that they've reissued NW staples like the Code Blue record.

[bruiser]

[quote][i]Originally posted by mgmlion[/i]
<br>There were plans to issue a Deluxe 2 Disc version of The B-52s first record last year(?), or maybe 2005, but I'm guessing it was cancelled, because it's totally fallen off the radar. Why Rhino Handmade isn't doing something with these titles is beyond me, given that they've reissued NW staples like the Code Blue record.
[/quote]

yep, this was the series i was talking about above. the first b-52's, and the first devo album were up for the deluxe remastering. and then.....nothing. DRAT!

[bigwavedave]

Thanks for the sound correction tikibars. I kind of reminded myself of my high school principal, who used to shout "can you guys turn it down a few otctaves" when he actually meant decibels...we always got a kick out of that one.

Regarding the B-52's and Devo, it seems that deluxe versions would have no problem selling,especially since Rhino gave even the most obscure Cure albums the deluxe reissue treatment. Maybe it just depends on whether there is an enthusiastic fan working at the record company who is willing to see the project through...?

[bigwavedave]

...oops, meant "octaves" above.

While I am on the subject of cd remasters and reissues, I wonder if we will a significant drop off as a result of the downloading trend?

[DJ Phoenix]

I dont mind both, sometimes the "re masters" are done well and also we might be able to score something we couldn't before? just my 2 cents.

http://djphenix.proboards55.com/

[obs]

Something that bugs me about remasters booklets ...

- when the originals had lyrics, but the remasters don't (Eurythmics)

- Duran Duran (1st album) had the lyrics printed in the same style as the vinyl, but the remaster did it in just a regular, plain font/layout