Quote Originally Posted by Bksabath View Post
WP_20171126_18_57_00_Pro.jpgWP_20171116_10_51_10_Pro.jpgThe Abbey Road Studios RIP OFF
I have bought a copy of Free Fire and water and compared tothe original Island ILPS9120 that it was going to replace I have found it to beCompressed lifeless dull and distorted
The hi frequencies that the super duper A4 certificate somuch brag about is not there
And the hi quality of that piece of paper whit the nice goldstamp preclude any more practical use for it.
The record run off is about 3 times larger than in theoriginal and this is a clear sign of poor mastering.
This is what Michael Fremerhave to say about the Rolling Stone Issue
https://www.analogplanet.com/content/new-exile-main-street-%C2%A0using-original-analog-master-tape-doubtful
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First, it's obvious that an advertising copy writerhas gotten his hands on a list of audiophile vernacular and he (or she) issprinkling it liberally and thoughtlessly.
The claim made here is that the original master tapes have been used to producethese half speed mastered cuts. Is that true? I very much doubt it. Ithink what's being used are digital files sourced at some point from the tapes.That would be very different from what's being claimed. Different enough in myopinion, that if what I think is happening here is true, it constitutes at bestdeception and at worst outright fraud.
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I bet what's being used hereare 96/24 files made at some point from the master tapes. Which files? And madeby whom? Are these the same files used to cut lacquers for a truly horrible,dynamically squashed Exile On Mainstream box set issued a few years ago?If so, it doesn't matter if the cut is 1/2 speed, full speed, double time, 800xor whatever. It will still suck.
Until we get an Exile on Main Street cutfrom the tapes and without dynamic compression, we should not be supportingthis kind of project—even if it was truthfully, not deceptively marketed. Thatgoes for the entire series in my opinion.
Itis sad to see the great Abbey Road Studios name get muddied.
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I think one has to be very careful and selective with some reissues especially on vinyl. I bought a newly remastered version of E.L.P Brain Salad Surgery a few years back to replace my well travelled original. I encountered all the flaws that you have and more. The original is so much better. It made the twenty quid reissue sound like the tracks had been transferred to vinyl from low grade Mp3's. I am also disappointed with recent box set of Steve Hackett's early albums. Very dull and lifeless though on my initial playing of the albums thought they were really good. Perhaps I was a little overwelmed to hear the albums in such good condition. There is without doubt some corporate racketeering going on. Far too many reissues are not taken from their original source for a host of reasons they should therefore be resigned to analogue history and a good record cleaning machine sort to spruce up original copies. Depending on condition of course.