Who CDs comparison

Postby **lukpac** » Wed Oct 15, 2003 7:54 pm

Continued from here

First random thing to get things going: I just compared Magic Bus from 3 different copies of MBBB. One being the Canadian Cinram copy (#980713EE MCBBD-37001 L382 CINRAM), one being an original US Japanese pressed copy (MCAD-37001-M3E 2), and one being of unknown origin. The Japanese and unknown copies are identical. The Canadian copy obviously comes from the same digital tape, BUT, the level is different. .2 dB lower, to be exact. Yes, a null test only works if you adjust one or the other by .2 dB. Strange.

I think this is the first time I've ever done a null test when things haven't come out to be 100% the same (or totally different). Maybe I should check out the MoFi Who's Next at some point.

Rspaight · Postby **Rspaight** » Wed Oct 15, 2003 8:26 pm

Wasn't the Japanese Who's Next (original) louder than the US or Canadian versions?

The MoFi Who's Next ought to be interesting. Some waveforms were posted over at the Other Forum of the Capitol remix vs. the new MFSL of Imagine, and the mastering on the MFSL was noticeably different (less limiting).

Ryan

Postby **lukpac** » Wed Oct 15, 2003 8:31 pm

Rspaight wrote:Wasn't the Japanese Who's Next (original) louder than the US or Canadian versions?

I've got 4 different copies (of presumably the same mastering), and at least 3 of those are different (Japanese, BMG, Canadian). Steve sent me a CD-R of another, but I honestly don't remember what I found.

More on that later.

Next up, Out In The Street from My Generation. I compared a US pressed copy (MCAD-31330-3-1T) to the Canadian Cinram copy (#981130KK MCABD-31330 L382 CINRAM). Same deal as with MBBB, only this time the Canadian copy is .4 dB lower in level. Strange, strange, strange.

Postby **lukpac** » Wed Oct 15, 2003 8:46 pm

Rspaight wrote:The MoFi Who's Next ought to be interesting.

Just compared Love Ain't For Keeping (MCA remix and MoFi). Pretty much as I suspected - they stay in perfect sync, with slightly different levels and EQ.

I'll do more critical listening at some point, but at this point, the two don't sound all that different to me.

Xenu · Postby **Xenu** » Wed Oct 15, 2003 8:56 pm

That's what I figured.

Does the MoFi of Who's Next have that odd "clicking" quality to the guitar intro of Behind Blue Eyes?

I've always wondered whether MoFi editions of some of the *other* Who reissues might've been a good idea. For example, if the compression wasn't on the mixdown tape used to make the AQO stereo reissue, a MoFi CD might improve that one substantially, even if they were using the digital sub-master tape.

Postby **lukpac** » Wed Oct 15, 2003 9:00 pm

I'd say if any reissue needed a MoFi issue, it would be AQO.

Of course, I'd be much happier if they were to use the original mixes, but...

Xenu · Postby **Xenu** » Thu Oct 16, 2003 1:47 am

Yeah, AQO was the one I was specifically thinking of. Thing is, though, if everything was done digitally, I wouldn't be surprised if the mixdown master itself of the newly-mixed songs had all of that compression innately on it. You can never tell, though.

Postby **lukpac** » Thu Oct 16, 2003 4:21 pm

I'm pretty sure the mixdown tapes themselves are fine - Fang has claimed as much, and Astley doesn't have anything to do with the mixing. Then again, I guess there's no reason to believe MoFi would get those tapes if they were to actually do a CD.

Xenu · Postby **Xenu** » Thu Oct 16, 2003 5:16 pm

Does Fang have them/is this one of those things he doesn't feel like sharing?

Postby **lukpac** » Thu Oct 16, 2003 5:27 pm

Of course. Most of that stuff came from JAE, I believe.

Rspaight · Postby **Rspaight** » Thu Oct 16, 2003 6:34 pm

Maybe he's willing to share, but embarrassed to admit he misfiled it somewhere in his massive Soupy Sales collection.

Ryan

Xenu · Postby **Xenu** » Fri Oct 17, 2003 3:38 am

Gah. He really has such a goldmine...I wish he were more open about *leaking* stuff.