Ultimate Cat Stevens

[garylkoh]

Doing $400 with still a day to go. So many re-issues did not make the price cheaper.

Wow! I didn't think that it would go for that much. The UHQR will also command at least $200 to $300 for a good copy.

For the fun of it, I just ripped Wild World (Side 1 Trk 3) on the following 5 issues, and posted the 24/96 files. Each file is over 110Mb, so if you just click to play, it might take a long time to download.

1) MFSL Re-issue

http://www.genesisloudspeakers.com/downloads/WildWorld-MFSL.wav

View attachment 2468

2) A&M US pressing Matrix Number SP4459/SP4460

http://www.genesisloudspeakers.com/downloads/WildWorld-SP4459.wav

View attachment 2469

3) UHQR

http://www.genesisloudspeakers.com/downloads/WildWorld-UHQR.wav

View attachment 2470

4) Australian first pressing Matrix Number ILPS 9153-A3U/B3U

http://www.genesisloudspeakers.com/downloads/WildWorld-ILPS9135-3U.wav

View attachment 2471

5) QRP Reissue

http://www.genesisloudspeakers.com/downloads/WildWorld-QRP.wav

View attachment 2472

 

[jadis]

Thanks for posting , Gary.

 

[DaveyF]

I read in the current issue of the Absolute Sound, a review by HP of the QRP reissue. HP pretty much said the same things as I have been saying about this LP....However, at the end he seemed to pull his punches and instead of 'slamming' the reissue as I would have, he simply gave it a 'luke warm' review.
It does make me feel a little better about my opinion, since on the A'gon thread that I started about this Lp, I was pretty badly flamed for not heaping the praises on the reissue as many there wished.

 

[MylesBAstor]

I read in the current issue of the Absolute Sound, a review by HP of the QRP reissue. HP pretty much said the same things as I have been saying about this LP....However, at the end he seemed to pull his punches and instead of 'slamming' the reissue as I would have, he simply gave it a 'luke warm' review.
It does make me feel a little better about my opinion, since on the A'gon thread that I started about this Lp, I was pretty badly flamed for not heaping the praises on the reissue as many there wished.

http://www.theaudiobeat.com/ces2012/ces2012_awards.htm

 

[garylkoh]

Well, I guess it boils down to a matter of taste. If we can't agree about our systems, how can we agree about different masterings? And especially since we can only listen to the LP on our own system.

I spoke to Chad during CES where he said that he had absolutely listened to every available pressing multiple times - including the Island Pink, the Pink Rim, A&M, etc. It was a conscious decision to remaster for the QRP pressing. On his reference system, he said that he finds more things he likes about the QRP than he does the Island Pink.

 

[MylesBAstor]

Well, I guess it boils down to a matter of taste. If we can't agree about our systems, how can we agree about different masterings? And especially since we can only listen to the LP on our own system.

I spoke to Chad during CES where he said that he had absolutely listened to every available pressing multiple times - including the Island Pink, the Pink Rim, A&M, etc. It was a conscious decision to remaster for the QRP pressing. On his reference system, he said that he finds more things he likes about the QRP than he does the Island Pink.

Well you have to like George Marino's mastering I think his transfers, esp. those of the classical persuasion, are very solid-state sounding. Strings are really hard, say on The Power of the Orchestra, esp. when compared to the original pressing, the Chesky reissue (cut by Tim de but unfortunately with a second gen tape) or the MASTER tapes. Personally, I'll take Kevin Gray, Steve Hoffman, Bernie Grundman and Doug Sax any day of the week.

 

[DaveyF]

http://www.theaudiobeat.com/ces2012/ces2012_awards.htm

Wow, so they give MF and Chad an award and they haven't even heard the new Tea LP

Am I missing something here

 

[c1ferrari]

Haha, Davey

Wow, so they give MF and Chad an award and they haven't even heard the new Tea LP

Am I missing something here

Don't be so difficult

 

[garylkoh]

Well, you do have 24/96 copies of 5 different pressings in my post above. Has anyone downloaded to try to hear a difference? What do you think?

 

[bblue]

Well, you do have 24/96 copies of 5 different pressings in my post above. Has anyone downloaded to try to hear a difference? What do you think?

Hi Gary,

I have listened to your 96k uploads. Do you recall the cartridge, tonearm and preamp used when you made those recordings?

I also have 88.2k and 192k digital transfers of the album (both from SACD/HD Tracks). The GRP is probably the closest in sound and character to the digital versions which are allegedly made from the same original analog master. But for sure, that album is no sonic masterpiece. On some tracks the vocal is extremely harsh and edgy (almost irritating), on others it's pretty decent. Guitar and bass tracks are over-compressed and have far too slow of a release time set on the compressor for each. But this sort of stuff is not too unusual for pop recordings made in that era.

If you're not looking for accuracy in disk mastering, but rather just a pleasing sound, any of the others to varying degrees would work.

One thing for sure with any of the releases your turntable/tonearm setup needs to be spot on, and SRA/VTA correctly adjusted for each album to get the best from them.

--Bill

 

[fas42]

Woah!! Just listened to the QRP vs. Aussie Pink, only, and understand what all the fuss is about! Even on the Harmon/Kardon PC speakers the topsy turvy mastering on the QRP screams at you ...

The Pink is the old friend, tried and true, has the same impact as when I first heard it on someone else's simple college record player over 35 years ago. The QRP is Mr New Age, very politically correct, all instruments and elements given equal billing, nothing allowed to be too prominent in case someone complains; perhaps call it audiophile muzak ...

So one tells an emotional story; the other is an exercise in how to master a recording "correctly". Hmmm, I see ...

Frank

 

[bblue]

Woah!! Just listened to the QRP vs. Aussie Pink, only, and understand what all the fuss is about! Even on the Harmon/Kardon PC speakers the topsy turvy mastering on the QRP screams at you ...

Topsy turvy mastering??

The Pink is the old friend, tried and true, has the same impact as when I first heard it on someone else's simple college record player over 35 years ago. The QRP is Mr New Age, very politically correct, all instruments and elements given equal billing, nothing allowed to be too prominent in case someone complains; perhaps call it audiophile muzak ...

So one tells an emotional story; the other is an exercise in how to master a recording "correctly". Hmmm, I see ...

Frank

Here, the Aussie version sounds slightly bass heavy and dull compared to most other well recorded material I listen to -- not just the GRP. It's an ok sound, but IMHO not at all accurate to the master.

--Bill

 

[fas42]

Bill, I guess this is what this business of mastering is all about: for me, it's partly the now built-in response to that particular album; the "vibe", the feel: I "know" what it should sound like. What was, is, so "endearing" about the Pink is how the vocals are balanced against the instruments, in the QRP that balance has been lost and the emotional, instinctive pull of the material doesn't work. At least, for me.

I think you indicated in the previous post that the digital is allegedly true to the master: in what sense are you certain that some particular version represents the tape master?

Frank

 

[garylkoh]

Hi Gary,

I have listened to your 96k uploads. Do you recall the cartridge, tonearm and preamp used when you made those recordings?

Bill, the turntable is a Roksan Xerses 20+ optimized by Touraj the designer. Tonearm is the Artemiz again upgraded tonearm leads, etc. Cartridge was a Magic Diamond modified with a ruby cantilever and optimized line contact stylus, preamp is the Burmester Ph100. I used the built-in ADC in the Ph100 to derive the digital source. It's a pretty transparent system - we used in the the Analog-Digital Dialectic. http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showthread.php?2632-The-Digital-Analog-Dialectic

SRA, VTA, VTF, anti-skate were optimized with the Analogue Productions Ultimate Set-Up LP and then reconfirmed with a variety of LPs by ear. I'm not one to change VTA for every LP.

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

I may be blasted for this, but after listening to each of the tracks that Gary so kindly made available for us to review, I came up with a tiebreaker.

Unlike most of you I listened to them from my PC as unfortunately my DVD drive just died and I couldn't make a copy to listen to it in my system. However, since a lot of people get their music from their PC it may be an opinion worth sharing. Had I a chance to listen to it on my 2ch system the results could have been different.

The original U.S. (and likely Canadian) and Australian pressings were my favourite. They sounded particularly more vibrant with the vocals, and this is what I noticed as well in comparing the Canadian vinyl version with the QRP pressing. The UHQR, regular MOFI and QRP sounded very clean, but the voicing seemed to lack in vibracy or youthfullness(?). Did they trim his voice in the mastering process? Something IMO was lost with the other versions.

 

[garylkoh]

I may have to repost the tracks. bblue noticed that the picked guitar leaping forward might be caused by wrong SRA. The albums were difficult to track, and though the arm/cartridge was optimized with the Analogue Productions test LP, Tea might have been even harder to get right. Once I get my equipment back from CES, and can find the time to set everything up again, I'll try re-adjusting and do another set of test tracks.

I'm glad, though, that 24/96 was sufficient resolution to resolve the distortion of vinyl

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

My German copy arrived today. A bit of lead-in and lead-out noise, but the material isn't affected. Initial impression is most favourable. Very open and airy sounding. Nice bass. Not overt, but it's all there. Not going to do a shout-out tonight, but I will over the weekend when I have more time.


NOTE: It appears we're having some issues with the site as I can't upload any pics.

EDIT: Looks like it's been rectified.

 

[BruceD]

I believe Cat monitored his recordings on Magnepans--could explain the slight predominance of Mid Bass energy-- mind you I 'm for the snap and "thwack"-sorry couldn't think of a better word

Classic Discs in their original form.

BruceD

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

A 200gram 45RPM version at $60? Nice try!

http://store.acousticsounds.com/d/100235/Cat_Stevens-Tea_For_The_Tillerman-45_RPM_Vinyl_Record