Quadrophenia Question

Postby **lukpac** » Thu Sep 25, 2003 8:35 am

There's a popular theory that for the *original mix* of Quad, the MCA sucks, the MoFi is only marginally better/different, and that the Polydor is great. Well, I'd tend to agree on the first two counts, but the third is where my findings go astray.

My MCA and Polydor copies are *identical* - digitally, even. (Disclaimer - if memory serves, there's a one sample offset between the channels on one of the discs, like on the US and Canadian copies of Hoffman's Buddy Holly disc).

So what's the deal? Is there more than one pressing of the Polydor? Does anyone who has both notice any (night and day) difference between the MCA and Polydor?

Postby **lukpac** » Thu Sep 25, 2003 8:47 am

Side note - the MoFi does seem to sound marginally "beefier" in places (I've Had Enough is a good example) as compared to my MCA/Polydor copies. Of course, in other places, they sound just about identical.

Rspaight · Postby **Rspaight** » Thu Sep 25, 2003 9:07 am

I have none of them anymore, but owned all three at one time or another. I honestly don't remember a serious difference amongst them. The Polydor has a much nicer booklet, but that's about it. I *definitely* don't remember the Polydor beating up on the MoFi. I remember being underwhelmed with the MoFi, but not because the Polydor was hugely superior.

The friend I sold the Polydor to still has it. If it would help, I could send you a short WAV from it for you to compare with yours. (It was purchased in 1989 or thereabouts, and was in a fat double jewel case, if that matters.)

Ryan

Postby **lukpac** » Thu Sep 25, 2003 9:36 am

Yes, a brief WAV would be helpful. Although, based on your recollection, my guess is it's the same as the one I have.

Rspaight · Postby **Rspaight** » Thu Sep 25, 2003 9:44 am

Probably, but it can't hurt to check. I'm usually down at his place at least once over the weekend, so I'll borrow it then and rip something.

Ryan

Xenu · Postby **Xenu** » Thu Sep 25, 2003 8:49 pm

Luke,

Shall we pool our resources and do a The Who CD vs. CD FAQ?

Seriously. I have most of the older Polydor CDs...and several of the newer ones as well. In fact, the big hole in our collections might be analogous to the one that existed re. the Stones FAQ (I don't own the older MCA discs, for the most part, as Fang always said that the Polydors were better).

Rspaight · Postby **Rspaight** » Thu Sep 25, 2003 9:25 pm

Ooh, can I play, too? I can get some of the old MCAs from said friend (I think he's got Tommy, Numbers, Who Are You), even though I myself don't have them anymore. I've got a bunch of stuff, some bits of vinyl, too.

Ryan

Postby **lukpac** » Thu Sep 25, 2003 9:30 pm

That might work. Although, my pre-remix collection is spotty. I *had* original MCA copies of Tommy and LAL, but gave them both away. Of course, I could probably borrow them if I could pry them from my cousin, but... I have most of the stuff through WAY, although a few are Canadian copies.

For Polydor it's even worse. AQO, LAL, Who's Next (CD-R, with added 1/2 dB @ 10k), and...Rarities, I guess. Oh, what the hell...:

My Generation (Canadian MCA)
My Generation:DE (MCA)
A Quick One (MCA)
A Quick One (Polydor)
A Quick One (MCA remix, original)
Sell Out (MCA)
Sell Out (MCA remix)
Magic Bus (MCA)
Magic Bus (Canadian MCA)
Tommy (MFSL UD CD-R)
Tommy (MFSL UDII)
Tommy (MCA 1993)
Tommy (MCA remix)
LAL (Polydor)
LAL (MCA remix)
LAL:DE (MCA)
MBBB (Canadian MCA)
IOW (Sony)
Who's Next (MCA Japanese pressing)
Who's Next (MCA BMG pressing)
Who's Next (Canadian MCA)
Who's Next (MCA US pressing)
Who's Next (Polydor CD-R)
Who's Next (MCA gold CD-R)
Who's Next (MCA remix)
Who's Next (MFSL CD-R)
Who's Next:DE (MCA)
Quadrophenia (MCA)
Quadrophenia (Polydor)
Quadrophenia (MFSL UD+UDII CD-R)
Quadrophenia (MCA remix)
Odds & Sods (MCA CD-R)
Odds & Sods (MCA remix)
Who By Numbers (Canadian MCA)
Who By Numbers (MCA remix)
Who Are You (Canadian MCA)
Who Are You (MFSL CD-R)
Who Are You (MCA remix)
TKAA (MCA)
TKAA (Japanese Polydor 2 CD)
TKAA (MCA remaster)
Face Dances (MCA remix)
It's Hard (MCA remix)
Rarities (Polydor 80 min version)
Who's Missing (Canadian MCA)
Who's Missing (MCA CD-R)
Two's Missing (MCA CD-R)
Who's Better, Who's Best (MCA short WGFA)
Join Together (MCA)
30 Years (MCA)
My Generation: VBOTW (MCA)
BBC Sessions (MCA)
BBC Sessions (Polydor)
Live At The BBC
Ultimate Collection (MCA)
WGFA EP (Polydor CD-R)

I think that's it. Not counting solo and boots, obviously. That was fun.

Rspaight · Postby **Rspaight** » Thu Sep 25, 2003 10:28 pm

Here's what I've got on hand:

Sings My Generation MCA US (pink label)
My Generation DE MCA
My Generation SACD MCA
A Quick One remix MCA (mono)
Happy Jack MCA vinyl two-pack with Sell Out
Sell Out remix MCA
Sell Out MCA vinyl two-pack with Happy Jack
Tommy 2-disc MCA (can get from friend)
Tommy remix MCA
LAL 1995 (12" box)
LAL DE
Isle Of Wight Sony
Who's Next Canadian MCA
Who's Next MoFi
Who's Next DE
Ancient Who's Next Cassette

MBBB MCA (1985 issue)
Quad Polydor (can get from friend)
Quad remix MCA
Quad remix Polydor Japan
Quad vinyl MCA w/booklet
Odds And Sods vinyl first issue
Odds And Sods MCA remix
Who By Numbers MCA (pink back card) (can get from friend)
Who By Numbers remix MCA
Who Are You MCA (can get from friend)
Who Are You MoFi
Who Are You remix MCA
Who Are You red vinyl MCA
Kids Are Alright vinyl MCA
Kids Are Alright Polydor Japan 2-CD mini-LP
Quadrophenia Soundtrack Polydor LP
Quadrophenia Soundtrack Polydor Japan 2-CD
Hooligans MCA vinyl
Face Dances remix MCA (w/ glitch)
It's Hard vinyl MCA
It's Hard vinyl Polydor
It's Hard MCA
It's Hard remix MCA
Who's Last MCA vinyl
Who's Missing MCA
Who's Missing MCA vinyl
Two's Missing MCA
Two's Missing MCA vinyl
Rarities Polydor UK (rotting)
Rarities Polydor Japan
Join Together MCA
30 Years Box MCA
My Generation: Best Of MCA
BBC Sessions MCA
Live At The BBC
Blues To The Bush (Musicmaker.com)
Ultimate Collection MCA (w/ bonus disc)
Live in Columbus 2002 ("official bootleg")

Good Lord. That's all original, not CD-R. I've got a CD-R of the import "Singles" comp around here somewhere, though.

Please don't ask why I own four copies of It's Hard. I'm not sure myself.

So are we getting somewhere?

Ryan

Postby **lukpac** » Thu Sep 25, 2003 10:35 pm

I should note that my Face Dances is the one without the glitch...

Ok, send me CD-Rs of:

Rspaight wrote:Sings My Generation MCA US (pink label)
Tommy 2-disc MCA (can get from friend)
MBBB MCA (1985 issue)
Quad Polydor (can get from friend)
Quad remix Polydor Japan
Who By Numbers MCA (pink back card) (can get from friend)
Who Are You MCA (can get from friend)
Quadrophenia Soundtrack Polydor Japan 2-CD
It's Hard MCA
I've got a CD-R of the import "Singles" comp around here somewhere, though.

All ripped with EAC or equivalent, of course...

Patrick M · Postby **Patrick M** » Thu Sep 25, 2003 10:44 pm

Question: Should Ryan edit the .wavs to remove a 1/2 dB @ 10k before burning the CDRs?

Xenu · Postby **Xenu** » Fri Sep 26, 2003 12:30 am

I have a smaller collection than most of you, I think. I have:

Old MCA CDs (catalog): Meaty, Happy Jack, O&S, Face Dances, Sings My Generation, Tommy 1 CD, Who's Next (Canadian Hoffman, USA non-Hoffman, Japanese Hoffman from Luke), Face Dances, It's Hard, Who's/Two's Missing, Magic Bus
Old Polydor (catalog): By Numbers, WAY, Leeds, Odds and Sods, A Quick One, Kids Are Alright, Quadrophenia (JP)
Old CDs (misc): The Who Collection Vol. 2, The Singles (Japanese), The Singles (UK), Rarities 1 and 2.
Remix (MCA): Everything 'cept Quad, I think.
Remix (Polydor): Quadrophenia (JP), The Who By Numbers, Tommy (JP).
Misc: Kids Are Alright mini LP
MoFi: Tommy, Who Are You, Live At Leeds

So yeah. I'd *especially* be interested in a comparison between the old MCA and Polydor discs, as I always took Fang's assertion that the Polydors were usually superior as gospel (it always made sense, as I thought the real masters would be stored in the UK, and the Polydors do LOOK nicer, but...), but Fang has been shown to be wrong in quite a few cases. Heck, the Polydor TKAA looks *exactly* like the MCA in many ways...

We should, then, ideally do a FAQ...hopefully (LUKE) after the next revision of the Stones FAQ...hehe. Everyone here should help out!

...

Of course, it'll be interesting to see how a few miscellaneous discs (i.e. that awful The Who's Greatest Hits comp that nobody ever wanted, the Ultimate Collection, My Generation The Very Best) stack up.

-D

PS: Luke, what was your preferred version of Substitute again? Was it the one on WBWB? (which I *still* don't own?)

Postby **lukpac** » Fri Sep 26, 2003 8:00 am

I think that sounds about right. Then again, I don't have some discs like "The Singles", so...

Rspaight · Postby **Rspaight** » Fri Sep 26, 2003 9:02 am

- So we've all got the Japan mini-LP of TKAA. I don't know why I think that's funny.

- I forgot I've got the "Live At The Isle Of Wight" Sony CD. Of course, there's not much to compare that to, is there?

- Does this mean one of us is going to have break down and buy that "Millenium Collection" disc?

- Luke, you might be better off getting the "Singles" comp from the mighty Xenu, since I can't speak to the quality of the copy I've got.

- Luke again, pardon my technical ignorance, but would a straight disc-to-disc dupe be OK, or would you prefer an EAC rip to WAV then back down to CD-R?

Ryan

Postby **lukpac** » Fri Sep 26, 2003 10:13 am

I honestly care less about method than results. If you can get disc-to-disc to work fine, ok, although I think an EAC rip might give me better peace of mind.