[Slowhand] Slowhand Digest, Vol 13, Issue 199

[Luke Pacholski]

Nick, re:


> Yes, the 1998 release is louder, but it also sounds closest, in my

> opinion, to the original mono and stereo LPs. In fact, I think that

> well-engineered CDs sound even better than LPs (I hear more on CDs). And

> I think the '98 has pretty good balance throughout. I disagree that "the

> first 3 tracks are overly midrange heavy, while the rest of the album is

> a bit thin and bright." Actually, all the tracks are pretty heavy, which

> is the way the LP was meant to sound.


I beg to differ. Compare the MFSL to the 1998 CD. On the MFSL, the whole 
album has a consistent sound. Not perfect, but a relatively fixed balance 
between bass, midrange and treble. On the 1998 CD, however, the balance of 
those first 3 tracks is noticeably different from the rest of the album. 
If you compare to the MFSL, there isn't as much high end on the first 3 
tracks, but then there is *more* high end on the rest of the album. Try it 
and see for yourself! The sound of the first 3 *is* different.


> I was taught that a good writer, reporter, or reviewer explains the

> important information from out of a complicated forest of cobwebs. So,

> yes, I try to simplify, to make things clear. There are exceptions to

> many situations, and yes, there were good versions, in some cases, in

> the FIRST wave of CD re-releases, and poor ones in the SECOND and THIRD,

> but not with "Blues Breakers." You make a few interesting debating

> points, but in general, I think the history of CD re-releases went the

> way I described in my previous post.


I think if anything, the more I have compared various CDs over the years, 
the more I think there is no general rule, other than perhaps there are 
some labels or engineers that are less likely to screw things up than 
others.


> And I don't care who conducts the remastering, as long as it sounds

> good. Steve Hoffman's got a great reputation, but if I don't like it

> I'll let you know, whether he remastered it or not. And my Audio

> Fidelity CD says (and I quote), "MASTERED FOR THIS CD BY KEVIN GRAY."

> "Blues Breakers" was never released on the DCC label, as far as I can

> tell, so it appears Steve Hoffman has never remastered the album.


Thanks for the clarification. I didn't mean to imply Steve or DCC had done 
a previous version.

Luke