Buggles - Adventures CD=MP3 and vinyl

[Rubellan]

Well, glad I didn't pitch my Japanese Buggles CD, because I just received the new "remaster" of Adventures in Modern Recording. As I've learned to do with any new remaster, I immediately checked the quality. I was originally relieved to see that it was not brickwall compressed, but as soon as I looked at spectral view, I saw that the CD consists of compressed MP3's. Add to that, the B sides are from vinyl, as they were on the last Japanese pressing as well. Very disappointed, but I'm sure the rest of you are fine with it. I have yet to listen to the unreleased material, and hope that it will at least make me think the purchase was kinda worth it.

Oh, I did find that 4 of the bonus tracks are not compressed, but I'm suspecting the base CD tracks were just compressed from one of the previous CD's, and not a "new" "remaster" from tapes, regardless of any claims to the contrary.

Here's a screen grab of track one. Compression!

<a href="http://s76.photobucket.com/albums/j6/rubellan/?action=view¤t=Untitled-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j6/rubellan/Untitled-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

[moni]

I think it sounds great and i have the Japanese CD as well. I just hope the Deluxe version of Welcome To The Pleasuredome sounds as good.

[Kandinski]

Looks like yet another con!There should some indepenant co who only give a cetain stamp to truly remastered items.

I wish I knew how to check compression,some of the cherry red cds would be very interesting.

[dj-nak]

I have no idea what sound files of MP3's are supposed to look like, but I have to say I'm a bit incredulous about your analysis. I just got my CD, and I have to say it sounds very good. This is an official ZTT release, with involvement from Trevor H. himself, so I really doubt they would cut corners in such a fashion.

[Abacab]

As much as I want Rubellan to be wrong, the liner notes are conspicuously absent of any mention of source material for the album. Tracks 13 through 19 are listed as sourced from the ZTT tape vault. Dion and Riding A Tide are listed as remastered from Ampex tape. Videotheque, On TV and Walking On Glass remastered from sole-remaining TCH personal cassettes.

Edward

[dj-nak]

Well, Edward..how does it sound to you?

[Abacab]

I have not had a chance to listen to it on my actual stereo system. Hopefully will tonight

Edward

[Rubellan]

[quote][i]Originally posted by dj-nak[/i]
<br>This is an official ZTT release, with involvement from Trevor H. himself, so I really doubt they would cut corners in such a fashion.
[/quote]

As I've found from my own experience in the remaster world, sometimes an artists involvement can push forward a substandard CD master. To varying lengths, sometimes the artist doesn't hold the music as precious as the fan so they don't really care how it's mastered previous to release, and really only focuses on (sometimes half-hearted) liner notes. Other times the artists are so anxious to make the music available again they will allow shoddy sound sources to be used just to get it on the shelves. Artists make the music, they are not necessarily tuned in to the technicalities involved in a true "remaster".

[moni]

I actually don't see what the problem is with this release it sounds great whatever source it came from apart from a couple of the demo versions but that's just to be expected.

[Abacab]

[quote][i]Originally posted by Rubellan[/i]
<br>[quote][i]Originally posted by dj-nak[/i]
<br>This is an official ZTT release, with involvement from Trevor H. himself, so I really doubt they would cut corners in such a fashion.
[/quote]

As I've found from my own experience in the remaster world, sometimes an artists involvement can push forward a substandard CD master. To varying lengths, sometimes the artist doesn't hold the music as precious as the fan so they don't really care how it's mastered previous to release, and really only focuses on (sometimes half-hearted) liner notes. Other times the artists are so anxious to make the music available again they will allow shoddy sound sources to be used just to get it on the shelves. Artists make the music, they are not necessarily tuned in to the technicalities involved in a true "remaster".
[/quote]

I wrote ZTT about this earlier this weekend and so far no response......sigh.

Edward

[Abacab]

Nothing still from them. I can only assume it is true they ripped off the earlier Japanese release. Damn shame.

Edward

[weirdo]

if that spectral view is from the new remaster then the source is definatly not the japan release, which i have.

here is a view of track one on the japan release...definatly not mp3 origin

<img src="http://img203.imageshack.us/img203/572/96817483.jpg">

[Rubellan]

I have the Japanese CD as well, and know that it is not MP3. However, what is done at times are full spectrum files are compressed to MP3's in order to be sent online. I'm suspecting they didn't have the original Japanese CD available for the "remaster", and just had someone (who had the CD) provide them the tracks for download, though it appears they compressed them to smaller MP3 files for quicker transfer. I've been involved in remasters where I need to retrieve a track or two from a UK person, so they utilize online services, such as yousendit.com. But I always make sure to instruct them NOT to compress to MP3, regardless of the additional time it would take to upload/download.

[Abacab]

[quote][i]Originally posted by Rubellan[/i]
<br>I have the Japanese CD as well, and know that it is not MP3. However, what is done at times are full spectrum files are compressed to MP3's in order to be sent online. I'm suspecting they didn't have the original Japanese CD available for the "remaster", and just had someone (who had the CD) provide them the tracks for download, though it appears they compressed them to smaller MP3 files for quicker transfer. I've been involved in remasters where I need to retrieve a track or two from a UK person, so they utilize online services, such as yousendit.com. But I always make sure to instruct them NOT to compress to MP3, regardless of the additional time it would take to upload/download.
[/quote]

I am horrified anyone could be that embarrassingly lazy. They can't even send uncompressed tracks ripped from CDs? Christ, are they using dial-up? There's no excuse for that let alone ripping off a prior release!

Edward

[Frank_Chickens]

Sadly Abacab, a lot of reissues work along the line of whatever's easiest and cheapest with a pricepoint that reflects this. I am surprised that they used compressed files, what are they using to transfer files between each other, two tin cans on a string??