New Who Japanese mini-LPs

Just what the name says.
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lukpac
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Postby lukpac » Tue Sep 25, 2007 4:34 pm

Got I'm A Boy in the mail today - all true stereo with the normal exceptions of Circles and See My Way, which are both fake stereo.

Sounds quite good.
"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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Postby lukpac » Tue Sep 25, 2007 4:44 pm

A few other interesting notes:

insert notes wrote:Papersleeve Reissue Staff
Artwork Reserch: Yoichi Maezawa, This Boy, Tadashi Hasebe
Artwork Co-ordinator: Chihiro Nozaki
Yasuaki Zushi (Universal Music K.K.)
Mastering Engineer: Kikuo Niikura (Universal Mastering Studios)
Product Manager: Minoru Harada
(UM3/USM Japan, a division of Universal Music K.K.)

24bit Remaster 2006


The "3" in UM3 should be superscript.

- one plain paper insert has the lyrics in English, very poorly transcribed. Looks like it may be an insert from the original LP, as there's a glossy, folded insert (with the notes above), that has the lyrics in both English and Japanese, transcribed somewhat less poorly.
"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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lukpac
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Postby lukpac » Wed Sep 26, 2007 11:27 am

Anyone?

A little muffled on the high end, but some EQ seems to help.

Slight tape issue at 1:42 during Heatwave, as well as a few random clicks here and there (one at the end of I'm A Boy).

On the whole, though, the source used seems pretty good - not much hiss, and I did a quick check, and other than a *little* flattening on peaks, it doesn't seem to be compressed. Nice to finally have this stuff from a decent tape source.
"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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Xenu
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Postby Xenu » Wed Sep 26, 2007 1:18 pm

I enjoy the way it sounds, in general. The AQO tracks are pretty "meaty" and not very harsh.
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lukpac
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Postby lukpac » Mon Nov 19, 2007 9:50 am

As I mentioned via e-mail, Substitute on Direct Hits sounds quite nice. Maybe not perfect, and I haven't yet compared it to a bunch of other versions, but my immediate reaction was that it was possibly the best I've ever heard the song.

Also, at least on my setup, the Classic vinyl of Sell Out seems kind of thin and distorted compared to the CD.
"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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JWB
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Postby JWB » Mon Nov 19, 2007 12:07 pm

I haven't even begun downloading these yet. Has anybody put together a list of which mixes appear on all the discs?

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Postby lukpac » Mon Nov 19, 2007 12:38 pm

Not that I'm aware of. Off the top of my head:

I'm A Boy - all stereo except See My Way and Circles (fake stereo)
Direct Hits - mono, single mix of ICSFM
Exciting - mono
Sell Out - mono
"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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JWB
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Postby JWB » Mon Nov 19, 2007 1:29 pm

What about Meaty Beaty and Magic Bus?

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lukpac
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Postby lukpac » Mon Nov 19, 2007 2:05 pm

Haven't heard them.
"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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Postby Xenu » Mon Nov 19, 2007 7:11 pm

Nor have I. Those are MIA at present, 'net-wise.

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Postby JWB » Tue Nov 20, 2007 9:38 am

I just compared "Run Run Run" to the German LP and it does sound better! It's fuller and less tinny. It's still distorted as fuck, but we all know that's in the mix.

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Postby lukpac » Tue Nov 20, 2007 9:51 am

JWB wrote:I just compared "Run Run Run" to the German LP and it does sound better! It's fuller and less tinny. It's still distorted as fuck, but we all know that's in the mix.


The I'm A Boy CD is *different* from the German AQO LP, but it still has its problems - the high end is rolled off too much for starters. I think "straight up" I might prefer the German LP.

That said, with some EQ I think it sounds better than anything else, German LP included. I've been listening to that (with the last 3 AQO tracks from other sources) quite a bit lately.
"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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Postby JWB » Tue Nov 20, 2007 11:50 am

lukpac wrote:
JWB wrote:I just compared "Run Run Run" to the German LP and it does sound better! It's fuller and less tinny. It's still distorted as fuck, but we all know that's in the mix.


The I'm A Boy CD is *different* from the German AQO LP, but it still has its problems - the high end is rolled off too much for starters. I think "straight up" I might prefer the German LP.


I forgot to mention that I EQ'd the mini LP and then compared it to my EQ'd German LP. I did not compare them straight. It's hard to determine which source sounds best when you compare them straight. A bad source with good EQ could sound better than a good source with bad EQ, etc...

The mini LP is actually mastered great, it's just lacking in upper treble. Perhaps they rolled it off to mask hiss? We all know what Astley would have done!

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Postby lukpac » Tue Nov 20, 2007 12:29 pm

JWB wrote:The mini LP is actually mastered great, it's just lacking in upper treble. Perhaps they rolled it off to mask hiss?


Years ago I got a cassette dub of (mostly) the Japanese AQO LP, and I remember it being dull like the I'm A Boy CD. So I'm thinking maybe that's the sound of the tapes the Japanese have, for whatever reason.

It is lacking in treble, but also has excessive midrange.
"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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Re:

Postby lukpac » Fri Nov 27, 2009 9:43 pm

lukpac wrote:Slight tape issue at 1:42 during Heatwave


Not sure why I noticed that on this CD in particular, but it looks like the problem is on the mix itself. Every version I've compared - I'm A Boy CD, AQO box, German AQO LP, German "The Who" LP - has the same problem.
"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