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So I got a German Polydor "Odds & Sods" today, and I was disgusted to find out that it is IDENTICAL, bit-for-bit, to the MCA CD! It even has the same artwork, with the generic criss-cross MCA pattern on the back!

According to White Fang, there are two MCA versions and they are both inferior to the German Polydor. I'm starting to think that this guy smokes way too much crack.

What do you guys think? Is there a German Polydor pressing that does not mimic the MCA?

Fang is nuts. You should have figured that out by now.

Does he still have his complete Who Collection on eBay?

OK. Anybody here have an MCA TKAA CD (pre-remaster?)

five Who-related threads since February! Awright!

JWB wrote:So I got a German Polydor "Odds & Sods" today, and I was disgusted to find out that it is IDENTICAL, bit-for-bit, to the MCA CD! It even has the same artwork, with the generic criss-cross MCA pattern on the back!

This CD sounds spectacular, in my opinion. (I only have the Polydor variant.)

It sounds good but there's an assload of dropouts. There's a big long one in "Naked Eye", during the "milk & honey" part.

JWB wrote:It sounds good but there's an assload of dropouts. There's a big long one in "Naked Eye", during the "milk & honey" part.

The tape for this must be in bad shape. But that's not the fault of the CD.

Check out Naked Eye on the Odds & Sods remaster for a laugh. It has no hiss. And no, it is not from a better source.

I'd rather take an ice pick to the forehead than listen to the O&S remaster again.

JWB wrote:I'd rather take an ice pick to the forehead than listen to the O&S remaster again.

No kidding. I made the colossal mistake of loading this on my iPod, and I literally wince whenever a track comes blaring out in shuffle mode.

It'll be the original disc next time around, except for the exclusive stuff I can't find another source for.

Ryan

Xenu wrote:OK. Anybody here have an MCA TKAA CD (pre-remaster?)

Yes.

I never thought the original O&S CD sounded very good, really. For all of the problems of the remix/remaster, it still has too much unique material to throw it out, and some of the remixes are nice, IMO.

It would be nice if it were remastered, though.

I'd like to know what the "1st pressing" and "2nd pressing" are for O&S.

Of course, he says the same thing for Quad:

CD (original mix) comments: The Polydor (Germany) sounds great. Warm, rich, wonderful sound. In comparison, the Polydor (Japan) is slightly more detailed (better imaging of the high frequencies and cleaner bass lines). In contrast, the MCA (USA) sound completely lifeless, as if it were recorded on a clock radio. MFSL attempted to improve on the MCA, but literally fell (and sounded) "flat". While many American fans hailed it as an improvement over the MCA, it really sounds bad (but, nicely packaged). The Polydor (Germany & Japan) comes with a miniature version of the book that came with the original LPs.

He's got a mystery CD, then, as my MCA and Polydor copies are bit-identical, sans a single sample offset between the channels on one. And the MFSL is pretty damn close to those. We even went over catalog and matrix numbers once, and I seem to remember everything being identical on our Polydor copies.

This is one great-sounding LP, I have to say; it's really unfortunate that the CD doesn't sound as nice. And don't get me started on that deformity of a "remaster."

lukpac wrote:
Yes.

Mind FLACing, like, 20 seconds of a song? I've always been curious to see whether my Polydor matches up with the MCA (especially given that Fang was *totally* off about the Japanese version).

My guess is it is, but I suppose I could do something.

Right after I send out Ryan's CD, of course.

I've never done a bit comparison, but the 2 CD JPN set never seemed very different from my MCA copy. Lots of distortion in places.

lukpac wrote:I've never done a bit comparison, but the 2 CD JPN set never seemed very different from my MCA copy.

IMO my (original mix, MCA) JPN CD(s) has a better sounding "Love Reign O'er Me" than either the German Polydor or the MFSL UD2. It also sounds slightly better on one other track, which I don't recall. Overall, I like the German Polydor, as it has a bit more treble than the MFSL, and I find that the extra treble suits most of the tracks. I've never compared (IIRC) the Polydor to the original mix MCA US CD, as I dumped my copy after getting the USA remix CD.