OT: Remastering of US Hits abroad

[Uni]

Feel free to correct me, but this superior Japanese (and other
countries) sound quality started with CDs, not vinyl. Recall having a
Japanese LP with US hit songs, but really inferior quality. Anyway, my
theory, since most major US record companies are now foreign owned, the
better, actually remastered, sound quality is offered abroad so these
foreign counties can profit off US music.

Probably how I found a nice quality version of The Main Ingredient's
song. Probably borrowed from a Japanese CD (yes, they were marketed
there), but marketed in US on a budget CD.

Uni

[globular]

Could you define 'remaster' Uni?

[Chris S.]

I seem to recall that Mobile Fidelity was remastering LPs before there
even was a CD format. I no longer have the reference book, but around
1981 they remastered the 12 Beatles UK LPs and the Capitol pressing of
"Magical Mystery Tour" using original master tapes, "virgin" vinyl and
half-speed mastering to help enhance the quality and reduce problems
associated with tape hiss. I also remember seeing Mobile Fidelity
versions of LPs such as "Dark Side of the Moon" and "Aja" -- again,
before I ever saw my first CD.

The only thing...I don't know if Mobile Fidelity was a Japanese
company or an American one...so I may not actually be answering the
question you've asked. However, the movement to provide higher-quality
recordings for hi-fi enthusiasts and audiophiles was certainly in
effect before the advent of the compact disc. I'm willing to bet that
impetus was a big reason for the development of a digital storage
method.

[Paul]

If I remember right, in the late 90's, there were also CD counterparts
that were done by Mobile Fidelity. I remember well seeing the LP's
when we had record stores we could go too... The only one I ever had
was Olivia Newton-John's Totally Hot. What I remember about that LP is
that you could kind of see through the vinyl as it was not totally
black as was the norm with most LP's.

According to this link, they began remastering and releasing LP's in
1977... http://www.bsnpubs.com/la/mofi/mofi.html

[Uni]

Remaster is defined as using multi-track Session tapes to make a new two
track Master tape. As usual, you have to remix the session tracks to
remaster.

Hope that helps!

Uni

[Uni]

Chris S. wrote:
> I seem to recall that Mobile Fidelity was remastering LPs before there
> even was a CD format. I no longer have the reference book, but around
> 1981 they remastered the 12 Beatles UK LPs and the Capitol pressing of
> "Magical Mystery Tour" using original master tapes, "virgin" vinyl and
> half-speed mastering to help enhance the quality and reduce problems
> associated with tape hiss. I also remember seeing Mobile Fidelity
> versions of LPs such as "Dark Side of the Moon" and "Aja" -- again,
> before I ever saw my first CD.
>
> The only thing...I don't know if Mobile Fidelity was a Japanese
> company or an American one.

Mostly all Audiophile pressings were American. Had many.

..so I may not actually be answering the
> question you've asked. However, the movement to provide higher-quality
> recordings for hi-fi enthusiasts and audiophiles was certainly in
> effect before the advent of the compact disc. I'm willing to bet that
> impetus was a big reason for the development of a digital storage
> method.

Oh, I agree about CD not being the first media to be used as a high
quality media, some may even claim CDs and other digital media is
limited with fixed values, unlike analog.

Uni

[Uni]

I forget all the different brand names, but I was seldom impressed with
the audiophile pressings. Just sounded to clean, no bite. Only one I
actually liked was CS&N's Deja Vu

Uni

[globular]

But you keep saying you remaster from CDs.

[Uni]

Well, they didn't use session tapes for the Beatles material, but claim
Remastered along with a large price tag!!

Uni

>

[globular]

They remastered from the 2-track masters, which were the tapes made
during the 1960s mixing sessions, except for Help and Rubber Soul where
they used George Martin's digital masters made in 1987 and which don't
sound as good as the rest. The mono set has the 1965 stereo mixes
remastered.

[globular]

Uni wrote:
> Chris S. wrote:
>> I seem to recall that Mobile Fidelity was remastering LPs before there
>> even was a CD format. I no longer have the reference book, but around
>> 1981 they remastered the 12 Beatles UK LPs and the Capitol pressing of
>> "Magical Mystery Tour" using original master tapes, "virgin" vinyl and
>> half-speed mastering to help enhance the quality and reduce problems
>> associated with tape hiss. I also remember seeing Mobile Fidelity
>> versions of LPs such as "Dark Side of the Moon" and "Aja" -- again,
>> before I ever saw my first CD.
>>
>> The only thing...I don't know if Mobile Fidelity was a Japanese
>> company or an American one.
>
> Mostly all Audiophile pressings were American. Had many.
>

> ...so I may not actually be answering the

>> question you've asked. However, the movement to provide higher-quality
>> recordings for hi-fi enthusiasts and audiophiles was certainly in
>> effect before the advent of the compact disc. I'm willing to bet that
>> impetus was a big reason for the development of a digital storage
>> method.
>
> Oh, I agree about CD not being the first media to be used as a high
> quality media, some may even claim CDs and other digital media is
> limited with fixed values, unlike analog.
>
> Uni
>
>
>

Progress with audio formats seems to have stalled.
I was impressed with SACD from reading a blurb from Sony, not having
ever heard it. They made the point that SACDs were closer to the
quality of analog than previous CDs, meaning that the industry realizes
that analog is superior innately.
But you can't buy these things now, or barely at all, and players are
almost non-existent.

[Uni]

That, sir, is not remastering, but mere enhancing.

which were the tapes made
> during the 1960s mixing sessions, except for Help and Rubber Soul where
> they used George Martin's digital masters made in 1987 and which don't
> sound as good as the rest. The mono set has the 1965 stereo mixes
> remastered.

Wait a second, they bitched before when they used stereo tracks to make
mono tracks on other Beatles box sets. I still say they'll pick pockets
again when they magically discover the session tapes!

Uni

[Uni]

Let's face it, if it were not for personal computers, we'd still be
listening to analog!

> I was impressed with SACD from reading a blurb from Sony, not having
> ever heard it. They made the point that SACDs were closer to the
> quality of analog than previous CDs, meaning that the industry realizes
> that analog is superior innately.
> But you can't buy these things now, or barely at all, and players are
> almost non-existent.

Yep! Just like those mini CDs that never caught on!
But I have to laugh, the big boy record companies could have remastered
on vinyl. It actually sounds nice! But they waited, to make big bucks
off this new Audio CD media, but hung themselves, because it is so easy
to rip HQ songs from CD! Record companies are goofy.

Uni

[globular]

You have to get them from the tape to the CDs, that is remastering.

>
> which were the tapes made
>> during the 1960s mixing sessions, except for Help and Rubber Soul
>> where they used George Martin's digital masters made in 1987 and which
>> don't sound as good as the rest. The mono set has the 1965 stereo
>> mixes remastered.
>
> Wait a second, they bitched before when they used stereo tracks to make
> mono tracks on other Beatles box sets. I still say they'll pick pockets
> again when they magically discover the session tapes!

Some can be remixed from the tapes, some would be more difficult due to
all the work in the mixes. Some people just want The Beatles to sound
contemporary.

>
> Uni
>
>
>

[Uni]

With lopsided vocals? Okay! :-)

Uni

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