Because I'm a moron. In the late nineties, I was in a "only one copy of a title" phase and was seduced by the spiffy remixes (which are actually quite good for Tommy and Quad) and neat-o packaging of the re-issues. Plus, I didn't realize just how expensive MoFis were going to be in just a few short years. Plus, I know a lot more now than I did then. Plus, I'm a moron.
That said, MoFi Tommys are now almost cheap on eBay. I don't really feel the need to re-buy it, though. (I have three Tommys on CD, not including the MoFi copy.) I wouldn't mind re-acquiring a copy of Quad (I only have the remix on non-copy CD), but those haven't fallen quite as far as the Tommys yet.
Ryan
Time for another Who's Next thread
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lukpac
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Tommy is quite nice on its own, plus has the alt Eyesight. Quad is a little better than the MCA/Polydor pre-remix CDs I've heard (mine are identical), but the differences are generally pretty minor.
"I know because it is impossible for a tape to hold the compression levels of these treble boosted MFSL's like Something/Anything. The metal particulate on the tape would shatter and all you'd hear is distortion if even that." - VD
Rspaight wrote:I was in a "only one copy of a title" phase...
For many of the Who albums, I didn't have a strong preference for the remix or the original mix...and as I like the "tidiness" of having only one version, I did A/B comparisions of each track, noting which mix I liked better, and then made a CD-R of those tracks. Does anyone else do this?
Dob
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"Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance" -- HL Mencken
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"Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance" -- HL Mencken
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lukpac
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I've thought about doing that at times, but I almost never do. And lately I've been pretty happy with the original mixes, so...
I did the whole "only one copy" thing for a time. Got rid of my pre-remix copies of Tommy, Who's Next, and Leeds. For some reason I started keeping things with Quad. Although I'm not sure if I had any other pre-remix CDs to be replaced...
I did the whole "only one copy" thing for a time. Got rid of my pre-remix copies of Tommy, Who's Next, and Leeds. For some reason I started keeping things with Quad. Although I'm not sure if I had any other pre-remix CDs to be replaced...
"I know because it is impossible for a tape to hold the compression levels of these treble boosted MFSL's like Something/Anything. The metal particulate on the tape would shatter and all you'd hear is distortion if even that." - VD
I'm a packrat, so I kept virtually all the pre-remix CDs I had even as I bought all the remixes. I just threw them all in a box in the basement, where I'm pretty sure my old copies of Tommy (2-CD edition), Who's Next, Odds & Sods, Face Dances, It's Hard etc. remain to this day (except for the old Sell Out CD, which I dug out not long ago and still listen to pretty frequently).
I did sell my MFSL Quadrophenia on eBay a few years back ... I kept a CD-R of it though.
I did sell my MFSL Quadrophenia on eBay a few years back ... I kept a CD-R of it though.
Last edited by J_Partyka on Fri Aug 27, 2004 9:30 am, edited 1 time in total.
Just to clarify, folks, I also keep everything...but why should I keep multiple versions of the same title handy? It's more efficient to keep the best version within reach and put the others into storage. And if there is no single "best" version (which is often the case), I make one. I do this with remasters vs originals, box set versions vs album versions, needle drops vs CDs, etc.
Here's a recent example (which some of you may think is going too far). I (finally) picked up the Bluesbreakers With Eric Clapton remaster that has the whole album in mono and stereo. Since I had the MFSL, the first thing I did was compare the stereo remaster tracks with the MFSL (the remaster was superior for every track IMO). Then, I compared the remaster mono tracks to the stereo tracks and chose the best sounding versions of those. Finally, I burned a "single album version" CD-R that has some tracks in mono and some in stereo.
I guess I'm missing out on the "purity" of experiencing the whole album in either mono or stereo...but when I compared, I found myself having a clear preference for each track. To me, that was more important, and the switching between mono and stereo doesn't bother me.
Here's a recent example (which some of you may think is going too far). I (finally) picked up the Bluesbreakers With Eric Clapton remaster that has the whole album in mono and stereo. Since I had the MFSL, the first thing I did was compare the stereo remaster tracks with the MFSL (the remaster was superior for every track IMO). Then, I compared the remaster mono tracks to the stereo tracks and chose the best sounding versions of those. Finally, I burned a "single album version" CD-R that has some tracks in mono and some in stereo.
I guess I'm missing out on the "purity" of experiencing the whole album in either mono or stereo...but when I compared, I found myself having a clear preference for each track. To me, that was more important, and the switching between mono and stereo doesn't bother me.
Dob
-------------------
"Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance" -- HL Mencken
-------------------
"Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance" -- HL Mencken
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lukpac
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Dob wrote:Here's a recent example (which some of you may think is going too far). I (finally) picked up the Bluesbreakers With Eric Clapton remaster that has the whole album in mono and stereo. Since I had the MFSL, the first thing I did was compare the stereo remaster tracks with the MFSL (the remaster was superior for every track IMO).
Hmm...for most of the tracks I'll agree they are "different" (I won't state a preference), but for the first 3 (in stereo), the mono/stereo disc kind of blows, IMO. The EQ is really different on those compared to the rest of the songs.
"I know because it is impossible for a tape to hold the compression levels of these treble boosted MFSL's like Something/Anything. The metal particulate on the tape would shatter and all you'd hear is distortion if even that." - VD
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... breath of life ... escaping ... If you love Hi-REZ TAPE HISS, you're REALLY going to love Stereo Central
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Rspaight
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OK, guys. Hold everything. I have found IT. My fingers are trembling too much to type. Hang on.
...
OK. I've calmed down. While browsing my local used record shoppe/thrift store, I came across an odd find. It was a small box with the cover of Who's Next on it:
What was this? I thought at first it might be a MiniDisc, but I didn't remember Who's Next being issued on that format. My heart quickened for a moment. Could this be a DCC, the short lived digital tape format that shared an acronym with the bestest reissue label ever (with a name like DCC, they *had* to sound good)? I had to know. I rushed to the counter.
"What is this?" I asked, breathlessly.
The clerk looked up from his copy of Juggs. "It's the Who. Oldies."
"I know," I said. As if that wasn't obvious. "I mean, is this a DCC?"
"What?"
I realized my error. "Oh," I chuckled. "No, I don't mean Digital, or Dunhill, Compact Classics, Steve Hoffman's label where he put out all those great gold CDs. Which you should really stock more of. I'm sure you know that Steve did a great version of Who's Next that was briefly out on MCA, and currently available in Canada. You can get it really cheap on the Internet, you know. Anyway, I know there was never a version on DCC. Don't I wish! Ha, ha!"
His face was strangely expressionless. Maybe he'd had a bad experience on SH.tv.
"What I meant was, is this one of those Digital Compact Cassettes I remember hearing about 10 years ago?"
"Uh, no. It's just a tape. You want it? It's a buck."
My head spun trying to process this information. I opened the little box and removed the contents.
I looked through the little window and in through the holes in the bottom. Oh. My. GOD. It was tape. Real, analog tape! Could this be an actual tape copy of Who's Next? And only a dollar! Obviously, this rube didn't know what he had.
I didn't want to overplay my hand. If I appeared too excited, the clerk might realize the value of this item and change the price before I had a chance to close the deal.
"Soooooooo...." I said, masterfully feigning calm. "How would one play back this... tape?"
The clerk shrugged. "Any old tape deck. We've got this one cheap. Twenty bucks."
And he pointed to what was obviously a vintage piece of gear, perhaps even tube driven! One look and I knew it was the pinnacle of late 60s/early 70s analog tape playback.
Twenty-one dollars for an actual analog TAPE of the greatest album ever not recorded by the Beatles, AND vintage playback equipment? I thought about seeing what other treasures awaited me in this garden of earthly delights, but greedily bought these items quickly and rushed home.
Upon arriving, I examined the tape more closely. I couldn't find any stamper numbers, but the catalog number (MCAC-37217) was tantalizingly close to the fabled Hoffman CD (MCAD-37127). Could this be the Holy Grail?
What I saw next sent shivers all through my nether regions. This was an ALTERNATE TRACK SEQUENCE! Holy crap! Perhaps this was an early song order rejected by the band! That would explain the plainness of the packaging. (No liner notes at all!) I had to hear it!
SIDE ONE:
1)Baba O'Riley
2)Bargain
3)Gettin' In Tune
4) Song Is Over
SIDE TWO:
1)Goin' Mobile
2) Behind Blue Eyes
3) Love Ain't For Keepin'
4) My Wife
5) Won't Get Fooled Again
But first, I checked out the deck. It looked like it was very versatile for its time, even including a built-in microphone for home demo recording. I thought about disassembling it to see if was indeed tube-based, but decided against it. I didn't want to damage it before ever hearing it! I did notice a removable panel on the bottom. Perhaps that's where the tubes were, for easy replacement. I opened the panel, and was flabbergasted.
It could run on batteries.
Dear God. This must be high-end gear, designed to slot right into the discerning system of a Tom Port or even Steve Himself. No dirty AC power, just clean, strong batteries!
Unfortunately, I had no "D" cells handy, and couldn't imagine leaving the house again, so I connected the included AC adapter cord. It seemed a bit flimsy, but I'm sure I could make a 4-gauge cable for it easily enough.
I slipped the tape into the clear-plastic-covered bay.
I pressed play on the easy-to-use control panel. It was then that I realized the other great feature of this deck -- an automatic mono downmix! I'll admit I was wondering which channel I'd hear through the single speaker -- imagine my surprise when a perfectly balanced mono mix emerged! So much for having to spend hundreds on old vinyl LPs. (Though I imagine finding original analog tapes of the Beatles albums must be nearly impossible!)
The sound was so warm and smooth I had to change my underwear. No noise reduction, lots of hiss, and no digital processing. When turned up loud, you could really experience the power of the band's performance, as the full-range speaker sounded like it was on the edge of self-destruction! The way this classic album must have sounded in 1971! And the original song order was a revelation. Of course "Won't Get Fooled Again" was supposed to follow "My Wife"! How could it be otherwise? I wonder why the band changed it. Perhaps Yoko was involved?
Anyway, I have to go listen again. I think this should put an end to these speculative Who's Next threads forever. Of course, I'd be more than willing to hold a microphone up to the deck to record a CD-R for anyone interested. I could make a fortune on eBay, I'm sure, but I'd rather share with my fellow fans.
Ryan
...
OK. I've calmed down. While browsing my local used record shoppe/thrift store, I came across an odd find. It was a small box with the cover of Who's Next on it:
What was this? I thought at first it might be a MiniDisc, but I didn't remember Who's Next being issued on that format. My heart quickened for a moment. Could this be a DCC, the short lived digital tape format that shared an acronym with the bestest reissue label ever (with a name like DCC, they *had* to sound good)? I had to know. I rushed to the counter.
"What is this?" I asked, breathlessly.
The clerk looked up from his copy of Juggs. "It's the Who. Oldies."
"I know," I said. As if that wasn't obvious. "I mean, is this a DCC?"
"What?"
I realized my error. "Oh," I chuckled. "No, I don't mean Digital, or Dunhill, Compact Classics, Steve Hoffman's label where he put out all those great gold CDs. Which you should really stock more of. I'm sure you know that Steve did a great version of Who's Next that was briefly out on MCA, and currently available in Canada. You can get it really cheap on the Internet, you know. Anyway, I know there was never a version on DCC. Don't I wish! Ha, ha!"
His face was strangely expressionless. Maybe he'd had a bad experience on SH.tv.
"What I meant was, is this one of those Digital Compact Cassettes I remember hearing about 10 years ago?"
"Uh, no. It's just a tape. You want it? It's a buck."
My head spun trying to process this information. I opened the little box and removed the contents.
I looked through the little window and in through the holes in the bottom. Oh. My. GOD. It was tape. Real, analog tape! Could this be an actual tape copy of Who's Next? And only a dollar! Obviously, this rube didn't know what he had.
I didn't want to overplay my hand. If I appeared too excited, the clerk might realize the value of this item and change the price before I had a chance to close the deal.
"Soooooooo...." I said, masterfully feigning calm. "How would one play back this... tape?"
The clerk shrugged. "Any old tape deck. We've got this one cheap. Twenty bucks."
And he pointed to what was obviously a vintage piece of gear, perhaps even tube driven! One look and I knew it was the pinnacle of late 60s/early 70s analog tape playback.
Twenty-one dollars for an actual analog TAPE of the greatest album ever not recorded by the Beatles, AND vintage playback equipment? I thought about seeing what other treasures awaited me in this garden of earthly delights, but greedily bought these items quickly and rushed home.
Upon arriving, I examined the tape more closely. I couldn't find any stamper numbers, but the catalog number (MCAC-37217) was tantalizingly close to the fabled Hoffman CD (MCAD-37127). Could this be the Holy Grail?
What I saw next sent shivers all through my nether regions. This was an ALTERNATE TRACK SEQUENCE! Holy crap! Perhaps this was an early song order rejected by the band! That would explain the plainness of the packaging. (No liner notes at all!) I had to hear it!
SIDE ONE:
1)Baba O'Riley
2)Bargain
3)Gettin' In Tune
4) Song Is Over
SIDE TWO:
1)Goin' Mobile
2) Behind Blue Eyes
3) Love Ain't For Keepin'
4) My Wife
5) Won't Get Fooled Again
But first, I checked out the deck. It looked like it was very versatile for its time, even including a built-in microphone for home demo recording. I thought about disassembling it to see if was indeed tube-based, but decided against it. I didn't want to damage it before ever hearing it! I did notice a removable panel on the bottom. Perhaps that's where the tubes were, for easy replacement. I opened the panel, and was flabbergasted.
It could run on batteries.
Dear God. This must be high-end gear, designed to slot right into the discerning system of a Tom Port or even Steve Himself. No dirty AC power, just clean, strong batteries!
Unfortunately, I had no "D" cells handy, and couldn't imagine leaving the house again, so I connected the included AC adapter cord. It seemed a bit flimsy, but I'm sure I could make a 4-gauge cable for it easily enough.
I slipped the tape into the clear-plastic-covered bay.
I pressed play on the easy-to-use control panel. It was then that I realized the other great feature of this deck -- an automatic mono downmix! I'll admit I was wondering which channel I'd hear through the single speaker -- imagine my surprise when a perfectly balanced mono mix emerged! So much for having to spend hundreds on old vinyl LPs. (Though I imagine finding original analog tapes of the Beatles albums must be nearly impossible!)
The sound was so warm and smooth I had to change my underwear. No noise reduction, lots of hiss, and no digital processing. When turned up loud, you could really experience the power of the band's performance, as the full-range speaker sounded like it was on the edge of self-destruction! The way this classic album must have sounded in 1971! And the original song order was a revelation. Of course "Won't Get Fooled Again" was supposed to follow "My Wife"! How could it be otherwise? I wonder why the band changed it. Perhaps Yoko was involved?
Anyway, I have to go listen again. I think this should put an end to these speculative Who's Next threads forever. Of course, I'd be more than willing to hold a microphone up to the deck to record a CD-R for anyone interested. I could make a fortune on eBay, I'm sure, but I'd rather share with my fellow fans.
Ryan
Last edited by Rspaight on Fri Sep 10, 2004 8:05 am, edited 2 times in total.
RQOTW: "I'll make sure that our future is defined not by the letters ACLU, but by the letters USA." -- Mitt Romney
Great post, Ryan...almost as good as your SHtv good/bad list.
And, like that post, it's kind of a shame that it won't be posted at SHtv...but I'm thinking a lot of those members will come over here to read it!
And, like that post, it's kind of a shame that it won't be posted at SHtv...but I'm thinking a lot of those members will come over here to read it!
Dob
-------------------
"Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance" -- HL Mencken
-------------------
"Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance" -- HL Mencken
Simply great. I am sure that sound of moving tape was responsible for the impressive breath of life reaching your ears. And that the tape did not show any signs of the loudness war...it was probably much quiter than the maximized Astley remaster. But didn't the tape hiss from this tape obscure the original wonderful tape hiss from the master tape?
The last five or so Who's Next threads at sh.tv were not exactly relevatory....I think you should post it over there....Steve has more sense of humour than you think.
The last five or so Who's Next threads at sh.tv were not exactly relevatory....I think you should post it over there....Steve has more sense of humour than you think.