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When I heard that Friday music was going to reissue Queensryche - Empire on 180g vinyl, I was ecstatic! I couldn't wait to get a copy.
Last month I received my copy and couldn't wait to get it on the turntable and have a listen. I ripped the package open, pulled the record out and lowered the needle. Within the first 10 seconds of the first song, I knew I was going to be disappointed. :'(
I already had an original 1991 EMI release on vinyl, which sounds good except it was a poorly cut DMM release with lots of sibilance problems. The reissue had the very same sibilance problems - how can that be? According to Friday Music, they used the original master tapes to cut the reissue. I find that VERY hard to believe.
First, it sounds compressed and lacks deep bass. The compression sucks the life right out of it making it sound like a poorly made CD, almost like they used a CD on a very low end CD player to cut the lacquer. The violins in 'Silent Lucidity' are a good example of this. On the 1991 release, there's a nice fullness and body to them, with lots of presence and dynamics. In the Friday music reissue, they are flat and two dimensional sounding. No body and no presence. Another example is right before the chorus, there's a really deep bass note which is MIA on the reissue, but present on the 1991 release.
The midrange is smeared and blurry sounding. There is some depth to the music, but it's missing the life and sparkle that the 1991 release has. The midrange sounds like it's built up from very thin, flat layers, most likely due to the compression used in the cutting process. The result is everything blends together making it hard to pick apart each instrument from one another.
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The highs are what upset me the most. The original EMI release is a DMM (Direct Metal Master (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direct_Metal_Mastering)) pressing, which can be tricky to play back on some systems that are fussy about VTA adjustment. My experience with DMM releases has been mixed. Some sound great and others have sibilance issues no matter what cartridge I use or how precise my table's VTA is set up. Both the 1991 and the reissue has the same sibilance problems. Why is that? I have the DCC gold CD release (http://www.amazon.com/Empire-Queensryche/dp/B00004S96B/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1315234815&sr=8-1) of this album and it sounds perfect. I prefer the DCC CD over any other CD release of this album. (I highly recommend getting a copy of the DCC gold CD if you want to hear this album in it's full glory.)
I was hoping the vinyl reissue would meet my expectations and sound at least as good as the DCC gold CD, but it fell way short.
Does anyone here have a copy of this album? What do you think of it?
What is your opinion on reissues in general? I don't have this album, however since here in Italy the prices of used vinyl are absurd (you won't find anything in good conditions under the 10-20 euros mark, that is at least 14 $) I tend to buy new reissues, which are similarly priced and more widely available.
I have mixed feelings on these reissues; some are stellar, some are OK, some are terrible. Even in the same label, there are differences: e.g. the recent Dire Straits reissues by Warner are incredible, while the ZZ Top reissue, again by Warner, sound good, but there is something that leaves me puzzled: they sound too analytical, without great dynamic, as if they used digital masters and not the original analog tapes (to be honest, I don't have the original LPs to compare).
Other reissues are a total waste of money, like the Universal back-to-black 180 gr series: I've got Cosmos Factory, and it's pure cr*p: thin, flat sounding, no dynamic at all, compressed, clearly a bad digital remastering...even the CD version I own sounds much better! :-X On the other hand, I've heard great reviews of the Analogue Productions reissue of this album.
I guess it all depends on the source tapes, and the ability of the mastering technicians...not everybody is skilled as Bob Ludwig. I think a good way not to get disappointed is to stay with labels that have good reputation, like Mobile Fidelity, Classic Records, Sundazed and similar, but again this is not a guarantee: for instance I heard complaints about quality issue of late Classic Record reissues.
I agree 100%. With some new reissues, they are no more then copies of the digital versions with all of the inherit flaws and problems of compression and limited dynamics. I really don't understand it - especially with major labels like Sony and Warner; since they have access to the master tapes in their vaults. They have the capability at least, to sample and archive the tapes in the highest resolutions possible for use in cutting new lacquer discs. The master tapes have all the dynamics and sound quality already there, they just need to transfer that to new vinyl untouched. Why do they have to apply modern compression and limiting to an already perfect master tape before cutting? Just cut it directly from the tape! No compression, no limiting. Stay as far away as possible to any digital editing or 'remastering'.
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Another recent disappointment for me is the Led Zepplin 'Mothership' box set pressed at RTI. Is it me, or does RTI pressings really suck? I know a lot of releases available at Elusivedisc.com mentioned 'pressed at RTI' like it's a pro, although I consider it a con. The Mothership box set is a complete disaster and a waste of money. Typical of RTI pressings, there is very little (or soft and 'polite') bass. The mid-range is a jumbled, flat mess and the highs are crunchy and harsh. Total garbage. Comes in a nice box though. ::)
Even some Classic records pressings have problems. Take the Holly Cole Trio LP I posted a video on - it sounds decent, but actually it was a pain to get the turntable to play through it without sibilance issues. The lead-in track has a fair amount of noise in the right channel and between tracks there is a high noise floor and groove noise. That's a sign of a bad cutting or lack of quality control IMHO. My copy was still sealed when I got it earlier this year, so the problems were not from wear of a previous owner. One of the reasons I used the Dynavector DV-20X for that video was because my Zyx R100H would not play it cleanly enough and couldn't deal with the sibilance problems no matter what adjustments I made to the turntable.
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On a brighter note, I picked up Owl City's new LP - 'All Things Bright and Beautiful' (http://www.amazon.com/All-Things-Bright-Beautiful-City/dp/B004ZQBOKK/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1315399322&sr=8-3), basically on a whim since it was on sale on Amazon.com. Sterling is etched in the deadwax as the mastering and cutting house for the vinyl. For a new LP; and from a band that uses mostly electronic instruments (and most likely digital recording methods) it sounds fantastic! Beautiful layering of the instruments, wide separation and imaging, tons or air and sparkle, and deep clean bass. It really gives me hope that there is still people who care about cutting new vinyl and retaining the life and dynamics of the music.