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The Warner Archives CD is "stereo" (with a few fake stereo tracks). Mastered by Ted Jensen, it sucks, painfully bright EQ.

So how's the mono/stereo CD from the UK? Does anyone know how that sounds?

The Diablo mono/stereo CD is a real improvement over the WB version. I haven't listened to it in a while, but I was impressed enough that I immediately sold the WB. It's an album that's never going to sound great, but I think they did a nice job on it. In addition to both mixes of the LP, it contains a few bonus tracks. The Keith Relf solo single is an interesting curio--I have no idea why he chose to cover a Bob Lind song, of all things.

Yeah, that WB cd DOES suck.

The Diablo UK version is very nice, and not hard to find. The stereo portion isn't quite as severe sounding as on the WB (or the earlier Charly 'Roger'), and the mono is generally superior. Judging from the hiss and ghosts that were left between the tracks, it's a straight transfer of the analog master, or something close to it.

Is the Diablo CD the only one with 31 tracks?

MK wrote:Is the Diablo CD the only one with 31 tracks?

I believe so. If you want to hear it, let me know.

I just picked up a new copy from Amazon through one of their 'marketplace' merchants. It was $10.50 after shipping, which seems like a fair price. Thanks for the offer, though.

BTW, anyone ever hear those pre-"Roger" compilations from Sony Special Markets? I read about them in the 1992 edition of the Rolling Stone Album Guide. They're out-of-print now, but some sellers at Amazon were hawking them for $9 a pop.

Cheap as hell, they come in these fat, two-disc jewel cases with a cheap looking layout. There's actually liner notes and a mastering credit for Ken Robertson, who also mastered Sony's "Legendary Roy Orbison" box set.

These Sony CD's actually sound all right. Hoffman said the old Rhino Greatest Hits, Vol. 1: 1964-1966 CD sounded fine to him, but these Sony CD's sound like they were mastered from the same sources with one or two exceptions where it sounds like BETTER sources were used for the Sony CD's. Greatest Hits, Vol. 1: 1964-1966 also sounds a tad sharper in the EQ department, but I prefer the EQ on the Sony CD's.

Volume 1: Smokestack Lightning


Volume 2: Blues, Backtracks And Shapes Of Things


These are pretty sloppy: from what I can tell, they sequenced the CD's as if they were the original albums plus bonus tracks (at least for Volume 1), but you don't know this unless you read the liner notes. There's even repeats of a few tracks between both sets. Overall, a really half-assed job, but not so with the mastering. Anyway, if you come across it, it's worth checking out.

Haven't heard the Repertoire or Charly sets...

I like the Repertoire discs. I have Five Live Yardbirds, For Your Love and Having a Rave-Up. Yes, Eroc mastered them so there's probably some NR, but who gives a shit? I've always been happy with them. The bonus tracks are nice, too.