Good job on Madman Across the Water

[Ronald]

After seeing the movie "Almost Famous", I decided to give DCC LP "Madman" a listen. I have owned the LP since DCC released it, but have not listened to it much because of two very loud pops on "Tiny Dancer". Just for the record I have #1506 (embossed gold lettering). The DCC LP pressing is the best version I have heard of this recording and Steve's work does a great job of conveying the mood of the music. The drum sound is something else. The DCC work absolutely kills the MFSL UDCD 516. For years I thought the MFSL gold was the best, but the DCC LP is much more open and natural.

Props to Steve for a job well done and to Humorem (TP) for his consultance.

Steve, please consider a re-release of Madman as a good issue is as common as elephant feathers. I would like to hear Tiny Dancer without the "engine backfires". (Sorry about the analogy, but the pops are very loud.)

PS Could you consider a re-master of "Child is Father to Man"? Why is there so much stroking of the BS&T self-titled album and so little acclaim of the much better CIFTM? One has to search far and wide to even find a good original pressing. As for re-issuing, will nobody touch it because of John Clayton-Thomas's ownership of the Blood Sweat & Tears name that makes it difficult for anyone to work out a deal for a BS&T LP that was pre-JCT?:confused:

[Dave]

Ronald,

Have you heard the MFSL BS&T: S/T UD1 or the BS&T: TCIFTTM. They both sound really good? (IMHO)

[Ronald]

Big Oops!! I meant David Clayton-Thomas. I should proof my posts before posting. "Measure the cloth nine times before cutting it once..."

Yes I have heard the MFSL UDCD's of BS&T (559?) and "Child" (742?) and I agree both are very good. I have a Direct Disk Labs LP of BS&T also. The sound is good, but to my ears, the sound is found wanting for the high price. An original six-eye Columbia is good, but the vintage vinyl is rather noisy. I have the MFSL 251 but it is unopened and it may stay that way.

The Sony Legacy MasterSound of "Child" has nice packaging, but as for the sound, I am on the fence.

I have a Columbia half speed of "Child" and I think the sound is great. Not everyone thinks the CBS/Columbia half speeds are worth the effort, but not all are as bad as say the Men at Work remasters. I wish had other vinyl pressings to compare "Child" with. I see BS&T being released on SACD, 180 g vinyl, new vinyl etc, but "Child" is left orphaned. :)

[Todd Fredericks]

Ronald,

I sympathize about getting dodgy pressings of hard to find titles. I got a sealed DCC "Never A Dull Moment" for $15 (I thought "whopee") at a record show last fall and it has some nice big ticks/pops on several tracks. I have a few pressings from RTI that seem to have these problems. The vinyl looks clean yet there are some strange discollorations or "scrapping" smears (not from inner-bag) on the surface. Almost like the defect happened when they remove the vinyl from the stamper. Some of them usually has these an inch towards the run-out groove in the last 40-30 minutes of the last track. It's a bit annoying when I know that I was unlucky enough to get a bum copy. One of my Mosaic Discs (George Shearing) has this problem on a complete sie. I didn't notice until I finally was able to play that record a few months after purchase and the set was already OOP. Maybe some of the DCC's out there now were from the "reject" piles?? I wish there was an easy way to get them replaced. The best thing is to buy early in a release and play the album when there's still time to get a replacement.

Todd

[Sckott]

Todd,


RTI has been known to make big blunders on pressings, as my copy of "Never A Dull Moment" has a very visable scuff on Side 2. Odd looking scuff too, it's not a "sleeve burn" scuff either!

But the LP plays 100% perfect, if that helps at all. Possibly one of the unsung DCC goodies ever done. Pitty that title never sold lots. :(

[Todd Fredericks]

I agree, it's an amazing sounding album. I wonder why there are these stranges discolorations/blemishes? On my copies with these problems, cleaning doesn't help the situation. It's very weird. My DCC Queen album has these markings too (side 2) and I get some slight crackling surface noise on the right channel. I guess it irratates me (a bit) because I know how good these titles can sound with out the distractions of these dodgy pressings and for the price, these LP's should be clean as a whistle.. Several other titles I have are so very quiet even after many, many plays so I know what I'm missing... Anyway, life is too short (and so was Napoleon)!

Todd

[Humorem]

Originally posted by Dave
Ronald,

Have you heard the MFSL BS&T: S/T UD1 or the BS&T: TCIFTTM. They both sound really good? (IMHO)

Yes for the first, an emphatic no for the second CD on MOFI, which has major smile curve problems and should be avoided at all costs.

The current remaster is better, but not perfect either.

[Ronald]

The Columbia pressing of BS&T I have is not a six eye but a "360 Sound" Stereo. I listened to it last night. David Clayton Thomas's voice is stronger than Al Kooper's, but I prefer the music of "Child". My impressions still remain: the sound is good but the vinyl is noisy.

I listened to the MoFi UD of "Child" also. The drum sound is not as strong as I prefer. I still prefer the Columbia half speed LP overall, but then again, I still have yet to hear an original vinyl pressing. Can't find one in decent shape.

[Dave]

Humorem,

Is the sound on the Mastersound cd any better than the MFSL for Child?