Village Green Preservation Society Deluxe Edition

MK · Postby MK » Fri Aug 13, 2004 2:59 pm

I compared this with the 1998 Essential remaster. First of all, it was implied by Andrew Sandoval, credited as a producer for the 3 CD reissue and thanked in the 1998 remaster, that the new issue probably had compression. He basically said it was mastered loud so there was no need to look at waveforms. Comparing the 3 CD set to the 1998 remaster it sounds like the same amount of compression or close to the same amount was used in both cases because the volume is pretty much the same.

Having said that, the mono mix doesn't sound like the massive improvement I'd hope it would be on the 3 CD deluxe edition. It's still preferable as it sounds maybe a tiny bit smoother with less distortion and artifacts, but it's really tough to tell because they sound so close. Hiss is hard to make out because the mono mix has been mastered loud in all cases, but the artifacts and distortion on the 1998 remaster give away what was done on that. EQ wise, pretty close. This album doesn't sound nearly as tinny as Something Else by the Kinks, but I wish they took out some more of the upper frequencies to improve the tonality.

The STEREO mix is the REAL improvement. Good lord, it's night and day. The 1998 Essential remaster must have used a really crappy source and possibly some really bad mastering, or maybe one of the two but at a really, really, really bad level because the 3 CD set sounds like it was done right from the right tapes. There is NO comparison, if you listen to all of your music on a transistor speaker from 1925, I'm sure you will still be able to hear the difference because it is that great.

That and the great bonus material makes the 3 CD set the easy choice. Get it through amazon.co.uk, cost me $19 U.S. after air mail shipping. Sweet deal!

Xenu · Postby **Xenu** » Fri Aug 13, 2004 6:06 pm

Firstly, I think the mono mix is a noticable improvement at points. Not *every* track is compressed...Phenomenal Cat is nice and dynamic. Compare its intro to the '98 disc's intro. The new one wins by a mile. Interestingly, this is NOT the same mastering as the one on Psychedelic Pstones, although it is close.

For the *stereo*, the old '98 disc is taken from the 12-track acetate, so it isn't a fair comparison. A comparison with the PRT/Castle stereo CD shows that...well, this one isn't all that different.

Patrick M · Postby **Patrick M** » Fri Aug 13, 2004 6:53 pm

If one were to buy one copy of VGPS, would this be a safe bet?

And will it ever be available in the US?

Xenu · Postby **Xenu** » Sat Aug 14, 2004 12:16 am

Sure...it'd be satisfying. And I don't know. I don't think the Small Faces set ever was.

MK · Postby MK » Sat Aug 14, 2004 10:56 am

Oh yeah, I know the old PRT CD used a better source than the '98 remaster. I'm making the comparison based on mastering AND the source, so for me it is a fair comparison. The '98 CD is at a disadvantage for having a bad source, but picking that source instead of finding the original tapes used for the previous CD release is a big no-no, too.

I only did a side-by-side comparison for the first few tracks on the mono mix, and there didn't seem to a growing difference so I stopped. It's good to know there are bigger differences. I don't have a great, hi-fi system, but if I had a better one, maybe those tiny differences I heard would seem better, maybe a whole lot better.

I don't think this set will get a U.S. release in the next few years, there seems to be some legal mumbo-jumbo going on with distribution rights. It's such a cheap import, I'm certain if it did get a U.S. release, it would retail for more than $19 after taxes so might as well get it as an import.

Xenu · Postby **Xenu** » Sat Aug 14, 2004 6:26 pm

MK, they used that source on the '98 remaster because their intention was to present the entire 12-track stereo version of the album. What was sloppy was not realizing that *most* of the mixes on the twelve-track edition were, in fact, identical. I think the presentation on the new edition makes a lot more sense, but remember that the '98 VGPS was supposed to be a multi-disc set.

MK · Postby MK » Sat Aug 14, 2004 8:28 pm

Ah, I see. Well, I guess I can see why they'd use the acetate, especially if they're limited to one disc, then they'd only be able to use the 12-track version instead of the 15-track version of the stereo Lp, and of course if they'd then have to make sure the correct mixes were used for the 12-track, etc.

I'm just glad we got the three-CD set. I can see why so many Kinks fans were hankering for it now that I've heard it. Too bad they had to go through a number of delays and rumors of cancellation, but we've got it now.

J_Partyka · Postby **J_Partyka** » Fri Aug 20, 2004 10:25 am

It's hard for me to believe, given how much I enjoy this album, but the '98 mono/stereo two-fer was the only copy of this album I'd owned or heard before the 3-CD "deluxe" edition.

Given that fact, you'll understand why the stereo mix on the new collection came as something of a revelation to me. As MK said, between these two discs ... there's no comparison.

I haven't even found time yet to get into the bonus tracks in any depth; I just keep listening to the stereo album over and over again.

Rspaight · Postby **Rspaight** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 9:01 pm

I'm just delving into the Kinks more thoroughly (I was only familiar with the 60s hits and the Arista-era stuff until now), and picked this up since it was such a bargain through amazon.co.uk.

Wow, this is a great album. When I heard this was the Kinks' "quietest album," combined with the subject matter, I was expecting pastoral balladry or something, when in reality it's a rollicking good time, just not "heavy". I've only listened to the stereo disc thus far, but it sounds pretty good to me (not having a standard of comparison). Can't wait to get into the mono and bonus stuff.

On a related note, I picked up two of the new SACDs (Misfits and Muswell Hillbillies) and am very pleased with Misfits (haven't gotten to MH yet) -- nice, full dynamic sound. (Consumer note: Though the correct credits appear on the digipack, the booklet is identical to the '98 Velvel reissues, including the Ludwig mastering credit -- Bob had nothing to do with these.) I'll be getting more of these (though probably not the Preservation twins or Soap Opera because those records don't do much for me...).

Ryan

Xenu · Postby **Xenu** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 11:59 pm

Isn't "Percy" quiter, in general?

czeskleba · Postby **czeskleba** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 10:44 pm

Rspaight wrote:On a related note, I picked up two of the new SACDs (Misfits and Muswell Hillbillies) and am very pleased with Misfits (haven't gotten to MH yet) -- nice, full dynamic sound.

Hmm. You like these better than the Ludwig/Velvel versions? I picked up the Muswell Hillbillies hybrid, and while I don't hear a really dramatic difference, I'm thinking I prefer the Ludwig version upon initial comparison.

BTW, where did the Bush quote in your sig come from? I'm really curious what the context for that was...

Rspaight · Postby **Rspaight** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 8:18 am

I haven't heard the Ludwig of anything but Give The People What They Want and Low Budget, so I can't say. However, Give will be here shortly and I'll be able to do a head-to-head.

As far as the Bush quote, see my thread in the Politics area "Bush advocates creepy doctor-patient relationships."

Ryan

Rspaight · Postby **Rspaight** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 5:56 pm

Update on the SACDs: I got GTPWTY today and did a quick compare to the Ludwig. The Ludwig is definitely louder than the SACD -- when I level-matched 'em as best I could (this was quick, remember), they sounded pretty similar. The Ludwig might have had better definition, especially in the upper mids (guitar, cymbals), but it wasn't huge.

So if you've got the Velvels, I wouldn't bother if GTPWTY is representative. If you've got the horrid old Aristas, though, run don't walk.

Ryan