how do the remasters sound?

Re: for your interest

Kewpie said:
Many thanks to The Seeker, I suggest you to read this thread and this
Click to expand...

Let me try to understand this after a stiff drink.

*Gulp gulp gulp*

OK.

Someone asks a straightforward question about the remastering of a specific set of Smiths CDs that came out a few days ago, in relation to whether the remastering job makes them worth paying the amount of money they are being sold for.

You respond by citing a post made nearly five years ago about the basic concept of remastering, as well as linking to a webpage about the Loudness Wars which uses a remastered Depeche Mode song as its example.

I need another drink.
 
Re: for your interest

Skylarker said:
Let me try to understand this after a stiff drink.

*Gulp gulp gulp*

OK.

Someone asks a straightforward question about the remastering of a specific set of Smiths CDs that came out a few days ago, in relation to whether the remastering job makes them worth paying the amount of money they are being sold for.

You respond by citing a post made nearly five years ago about the basic concept of remastering, as well as linking to a webpage about the Loudness Wars which uses a remastered Depeche Mode song as its example.

I need another drink.
Click to expand...
:lbf: but sadly, for me, drinking is no longer an option for me :straightface:
I can see how this site could lead one to it though :o
 
Re: for your interest

Oh my god said:
:lbf: but sadly, for me, drinking is no longer an option for me :straightface:
I can see how this site could lead one to it though :o
Click to expand...

Hey, Robby.

I'm not really a drunk; I just play one on Solo.
 
Leather Elbows said:
??? are they worth the $$$?
Click to expand...

I think that there is some general misunderstanding going on about these remasters. ALL of the Smiths songs were worked on by Johnny Marr and Frank Arkwright sometime around 2007-08 for Rhino records. Then Rhino began releasing them in different ways, finally culminating in this "Complete" edition. So if you own any of the Rhino Smiths recordings such as 'The Sound of the Smiths', etc. then you have already heard what the remastering sounds like. Of course there are some songs from the Smiths catalogue on "Complete" that weren't on any other Rhino compilations so those remastered songs are new to this collection. Personally, regarding sound separation and clarity, I think that this is the best the songs have ever sounded. However, there has been some revisionist tinkering as well. Johnny removed the vari-speed from "You just haven't earned it yet, baby" and I'm certain the mix has been adjusted in other songs, too, so it raises an interesting question as to which versions are the "definitive" ones...the original Rough Trade releases as they were or these cleaned up Marr approved remasters?

Hope this helps you decide whether to spend the dough or not.
 
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Re: for your interest

Skylarker said:
Let me try to understand this after a stiff drink.

*Gulp gulp gulp*

OK.

Someone asks a straightforward question about the remastering of a specific set of Smiths CDs that came out a few days ago, in relation to whether the remastering job makes them worth paying the amount of money they are being sold for.

You respond by citing a post made nearly five years ago about the basic concept of remastering, as well as linking to a webpage about the Loudness Wars which uses a remastered Depeche Mode song as its example.

I need another drink.
Click to expand...

Skylarker, you are one of the reasons I keep coming back to this dreaded forum! You crack me up every time.

Kewpie, you are a piece of dirt shit. I wonder if you are really as worthless as you appear to be in the forums. No - that is humanly impossible...

Anyways, great explanation swift_eclipse. My wallet thanks you as well!
 
Re: for your interest

SparkleBoy said:
Skylarker, you are one of the reasons I keep coming back to this dreaded forum! You crack me up every time.

Kewpie, you are a piece of dirt shit. I wonder if you are really as worthless as you appear to be in the forums. No - that is humanly impossible...

Anyways, great explanation swift_eclipse. My wallet thanks you as well!
Click to expand...


Thank you, SparkleBoy. :)
 
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swift eclipse said:
I think that there is some general misunderstanding going on about these remasters. ALL of the Smiths songs were worked on by Johnny Marr and Frank Arkwright sometime around 2007-08 for Rhino records. Then Rhino began releasing them in different ways, finally culminating in this "Complete" edition. So if you own any of the Rhino Smiths recordings such as 'The Sound of the Smiths', etc. then you have already heard what the remastering sounds like. Of course there are some songs from the Smiths catalogue on "Complete" that weren't on any other Rhino compilations so those remastered songs are new to this collection. Personally, regarding sound separation and clarity, I think that this is the best the songs have ever sounded. However, there has been some revisionist tinkering as well. Johnny removed the vari-speed from "You just haven't earned it yet, baby" and I'm certain the mix has been adjusted in other songs, too, so it raises an interesting question as to which versions are the "definitive" ones...the original Rough Trade releases as they were or these cleaned up Marr approved remasters?

Hope this helps you decide whether to spend the dough or not.
Click to expand...

Cheers for that.

The definitive versions for me are the ones that have a RT catalogue number. Anyone who disagrees is liable to be spanked with a wet plimsole.

It's great The Smiths are getting more recognition than when they were around but all this money making madness somewhat spoils their legacy and what they stood for, back in the day. Still we all get older.

I've got 2 blocked ears and had to pay for 2 new tyres on a rental car in Puglia...
 
It's hard to tell if they sound better, or if they just appear to sound better because you are listening closer, expecting them to sound better.
I listened to The Queen is Dead (song, not album) on the walk to work this morning and noticed a few things were more prominent than I remembered - but maybe I was looking for subtle differences and just imagining them. I have better things to do than studiously compare old/new versions.
 
Bluebirds said:
Cheers for that.

The definitive versions for me are the ones that have a RT catalogue number.
Click to expand...

I fully agree. The RT were plenty loud enough, with very little room for amplification without compression. These new remasters are too loud for my stereo, producing a thumpy quality when I turn it up that simply is not present on the RT or Sire CDs. I had a similar reaction to the Beatles stereo remasters, but many folks love those. So I suggest people listen before buying. The Complete set was leaked yesterday in lossless on a private tracker and should show up soon enough on the public ones.
 
gperkins151 said:
I fully agree. The RT were plenty loud enough, with very little room for amplification without compression.
Click to expand...

I understand the point being made but comparing it to the Rough Trade CD is mute. Digital mastering on CD's used to be shit. I would compare the remaster to the original vinyl and then you may have an argument. The original CD is not the way it was intended to sound.
 
suede_08 said:
I understand the point being made but comparing it to the Rough Trade CD is mute. Digital mastering on CD's used to be shit. I would compare the remaster to the original vinyl and then you may have an argument. The original CD is not the way it was intended to sound.
Click to expand...

All your opinion, which you are surely entitled to. I absolutely do not agree, especially about the argument part. I am not interested in arguing about this, as everyone has their own taste.
 
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Yup. Everyone's ears are different, as well as the systems they listen to it on. Which is why I'm not at all surprised to find that there's many who love the remastering, and many who don't.

I'm willing to bet that the majority of the Amazon reviews are done by people listening on portable devices and computer speakers, so naturally a louder master will sound "better" to them just because the signal is so hot in comparison to the original Rough Trade CDs which were mastered with a home stereo in mind.
 
Ok, these remasters are fantastic. I've listened and compared all day and they really are head and shoulders above other versions on CD including the RT versions. The dynamic balance between high and low end is far more natural and less forced. These are the bee's knees (and so am I).
 
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