Vitamin Z Reissue

[Surly]

Renaissance is selling them on eBay as a Buy It Now for $7.99 + $2.50 shipping, or as an item to bid on starting at $6.00.

"Words like conviction can turn into a sentence"

[Surly]

Amazon lists it now, but only being sold by Renaissance themselves.

Sound is OK but not great, although I've only listened on my iPod so far. I'm pretty sure I heard vinyl noises from one of the bonus tracks.

"Words like conviction can turn into a sentence"

[CounterCircular]

I listened so far through track 12 - the sound is excellent and flawless, I hear nothing sounding of vinyl at all. The fidelity is actually pretty rich sounding in my opinion. I am very pleased with this release. I highly recommend getting this while you can.

[CounterCircular]

Completed listening to all tracks on this CD. In my opinion, the sound is excellent and the disc flawless. Di not hear one hint of anything being from vinyl. The quality is excellent and obviously taken from master tapes. IF vinyl was used at all for any bonus tracks, I think it would be impossible to know.

[Surly]

[quote][i]Originally posted by CounterCircular[/i]
<br>Completed listening to all tracks on this CD. In my opinion, the sound is excellent and the disc flawless. Di not hear one hint of anything being from vinyl. The quality is excellent and obviously taken from master tapes. IF vinyl was used at all for any bonus tracks, I think it would be impossible to know.
[/quote]

It's possible I didn't hear clearly enough since I was only listening on my iPod...

"Words like conviction can turn into a sentence"

[jaybag]

Two complaints: First, the track listing is different than what's shown on the website. I was looking forward to the track Heal The Pain, instead it's nowhere to be found. We get the dub mix of Burning Flame instead. Not a huge deal, but still.

Second, and much more significant: the sound quality on all of the songs is fine ... until the end. The end of EVERY track is messed up (well some of the bonus tracks are okay, but the entire actual album is screwy). And by "messed up", I mean that as every song fades out it sounds like the whole band was suddenly dunked in water or went through a time warp or something. I first heard it on Burning Flame as it faded out, when suddenly you could only hear Geoff singing with no backing band. Strange. I played it back and, again, it sounded like he was underwater. Checked the rest of the tracks and they all had the same problem. Am I the only one hearing this?

I've never asked a record company for a refund but I'm considering it here. I just got a huge shipment from Renaissance and I'm hoping the rest of their discs aren't mastered the same way.

[Sean]

Jaybag, you are totally right on. Oh my, what kind of remastering is this?!?

[jaybag]

Glad you backed me up, Sean - I thought I was hearing things! It's kind of a shame because otherwise the sound quality really is good. Well, except it sounds like there was a small glitch at around the 3:08 mark of "Something We Can Do" (almost like a record skipping but it's REALLY quick - like a half second got snipped out). It seems like maybe Renaissance just failed to fade the songs out properly. The only song on the main album where the ending sounded normal was "Anybody Out There", which is the only one with a cold ending rather than a fade. And a lot of the bonus tracks sound fine - the only one I noticed the time warp on was track 11 Circus Ring (Remix).

I might just burn this disc to my computer and fade the songs out a little early to fix my version. But I shouldn't have to do that, dammit!!

[Sean]

I'm wondering what kind of effect they are using to fade the songs out like this. I've never heard this done before on any cd.

[budaniel]

The song Heal The Pain is on the Sharp Stone Rain CD. Is it a different version than the one that was a b-side on the Every Time That I See You 12"?

Got my copy today, and yeah, that fade issue is a REAL issue. Totally SUX.

To me personally, some of the bonus tracks do sound like they were mastered from vinyl--some of the vocal is very hissy and listening on my itunes through headphones, I can hear vinyl pops.

Also, I don't think they used the remix of Circus Ring, but just repeated the album version. I can't tell any difference between the two versions.

[jaybag]

By God, Budaniel, you're right - that's not the remix of Circus Ring! I was just listening to everything in the background and didn't even notice that.

I wonder if Renaissance would even consider fixing these mistakes. I was REALLY looking forward to finally owning this on CD (see earlier post from June). Now I just want my money back. The version of Winds Of Change is nice and crackle-free (unlike my scratchy vinyl), but the rest is a disappointment.

[CounterCircular]

Not saying you guys are wrong..........but I listened to each track ending and I still would not have noticed even with you having said this.

I guess I am just not that critical a listener, or my ears are just too old to notice this.

[fiftypercent]

I have not yet bought this reissue. To me, the sound quality issues are totally bizarre. I mean, I am a relative newcomer to working with vinyl, but I have been cleaning up my own tracks using Audacity and the DAK De-Popper program with very good results. When some little pops slip through, it's easy to hone in on the blip and remove it in Audacity, and I've never had a problem fading anything out.

Having gone to the trouble of acquiring a license to re-issue an album unavailable for 25 years, you would think there would be some basic quality control, but apparently not. Would this be classified as a money=old rope transaction?

http://mineforlife.blogspot.com

[Surly]

[quote][i]Originally posted by budaniel[/i]
<br>The song Heal The Pain is on the Sharp Stone Rain CD. Is it a different version than the one that was a b-side on the Every Time That I See You 12"?

Got my copy today, and yeah, that fade issue is a REAL issue. Totally SUX.

To me personally, some of the bonus tracks do sound like they were mastered from vinyl--some of the vocal is very hissy and listening on my itunes through headphones, I can hear vinyl pops.

Also, I don't think they used the remix of Circus Ring, but just repeated the album version. I can't tell any difference between the two versions.
[/quote]

Aha! So I wasn't hearing things. I always think that I shouldn't comment much on remastering/sound until I actually listen to a disc through a CD player as opposed to on my iPod, but time restrictions often prevent that for me (I have a 3.5 month-old baby to take care of, and that really takes up time!!!) so iPod is 95% of my listening time, and I know people here like to hear about the sound on these reissues. I also have to factor in that part of my listening time is while riding the noisy NYC subway system. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who heard some vinyl noises on a bonus track. I've only listened to the album once so far. Surly will now cease commenting on sound until "proper" listening has occurred.[8D]

Now I have to go back and check out this "fade" issue. Ugh.



"Words like conviction can turn into a sentence"

[CounterCircular]

I pulled my original old CD out and listened to the endings. Put that original CD on one player, this new reissue on the other, with my stereo. Had a friend listen with me. We agreed they just don't sound any different to us. The endings seem the same even on that original Vitamin Z release.

I must be the only one happy with this release. Maybe I should be thankful my ears are old and apparently missing out on what you are hearing.