New!!! - The Best Of The Best

[Dave B]

Hi Everyone – One of the most frequently debated topics of this and the old DCC forum is, “what is the best version of this album?” The problem is that a week or two after the topic has died down, it’s hard to find the thread and even harder to determine what was the consensus winner. With this in mind, a few weeks ago I requested and have received permission to start a new weekly thread to debate, select and vote on the best versions of classic albums.

The concept is simple. Each week I’ll post the title, original label and catalog number of a popular recording. Then, for one week everyone is invited to discuss what they feel are the best versions of this recording on both vinyl and CD. At the end of the week, I’ll create a poll of the most popular versions (the number determined by your opinions) and ask you to vote on the best. At the same time, I’ll post the next selection. At the end of the second week, I’ll post the poll winner, start the next week’s debate and a new poll. But here’s the best part, our friendly moderator Holy Zoo has agreed to start an archive thread to maintain the list in a read-only file so that at any time in the future you can simply look up an album and see what everyone feels is the ultimate version. Useful huh? We decided to call this feature The Best Of The Best.

Now a few simple rules: First and most important, this forum concerns the sound quality of these titles not the musical merit. No flaming! If you hate the album or artist, simply sit this one out. I’m sure you’ll like the next one. Second, when posting you favorite version give as much information as you can such as label, catalog number and any other way it can be identified like, “play the third track, if it’s stereo that’s the one”. This is especially important if more than one mix was issued under the same cat. number or the mono version is far better than the stereo. Third, tell us why you feel this release blows the others away.

Ok, that’s about it. Thanks for reading through all that. I promise next week I’ll get to the point. And now this week’s first contender on The Best Of The Best:

Gimme Dat Ding! – The Pipkins - Capitol 483 - Just kidding (man, can’t you guys take a joke?)

Actually, I decided to start with a non-DCC title because I know how much the members of this forum admire Steve’s work, I thought the debate would be too one sided. However in the future I will include DCC and other Steve Hoffman re-mastered titles. So here’s this weeks real title:

The Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys – Traffic - Island 9306

Talk amongst yourselves, I’ll be back next week.

[Metralla]

Good choice. I think I'm going to break a couple of the rules though - sorry; a rebel without a cause.

I've loved Traffic for a long time and have fond memories of the first student share house I lived in - around '73. All poor students except for one guy who worked at a music store, which also sold hifi. He had a very nice system obtained at store discount with a Thorens 'table, big Yammie amp, and killer JBL studio monitors. When he'd leave the house for work we'd drop a record on and crank it up. One LP that got a lot of play time was "Shoot Out at the Fantasy Factory". We all loved that to death.

OK, not the topic I know but I just wanted to add some background. I do have "Low Spark..." on MFSL Ultradisc II UDCD 609 that I picked up 6 months ago used for $10.

I wish I could add some perspective and say I've compared it to the standard CD and the vinyl release, but I haven't. Apologies. Was that rule 2?

I bought the CD mainly for the 12 min title track (of course). I would have to say that I don't prefer this record to "Shoot Out..." and I actually think that "John Barleycorn Must Die" is a better disc than "Low Spark..." all round. In fact, if it weren't for the title track I would not recommend this disc musically - I'd say get "Shootout". Whoops - was that rule 3?

But it is what it is - and it's a classic. The MoFi disc is very clean, and the piano on the title track sounds fantastic. Steve Winwood's voice on "Many a Mile to Freedom" is first class. I'd strongly recommend the MoFi as it's pretty easy to find used and it has to sound better than the bog-standard release.

Regards,
Metralla

[Carl Hoffmann]

Good idea!!...I've got nothing to say about this particular album....but again......good idea!!

[Steve Hoffman]

I have the MoFi CD and it sounds pretty good!

This album reminds me of a girl. But, what else is new?

Patrick M., never one to mince words, had this to say to me in an e-mail this week:

"Steve, with all due respect:

Someone needs to come and knock the nostalga out of you."

-Patrick



Funny guy, eh?

[jligon]

Great idea. How about more than 1 per week!
Would that be too difficult. How about 1 every two days!:)

[Kevin Sypolt]

Originally posted by Steve Hoffman
I have the MoFi CD and it sounds pretty good!

This album reminds me of a girl. But, what else is new?


Sounds perfectly normal to me. I think probably 50% of the music I really like can be traced back to fond memories of that special female. I think most red-blooded American males suffer from this same affliction. Aren't most audiophiles horn-dogs anyways??? :D Angel and Audio Girl, do you have any input on this??? :)

[Sckott]

"Someone needs to come and knock the nostalga out of you."

Ha ha ha ha.

Patrick, put it on a tee shirt. I DARE ya to wear it! Maybe you should hang under a King's X logo? Muhuhahaha.

Ahem, oui, the MFSL CD is highly recommended. Low Spark is definately one of those records that goes under the "proficiantly crafted" category. I'm a minority here, estrogen doesn't come to mind when listening to this record. Lots of colored lights and ti-dye rugs hanging, MAYBE. ;)

[Patrick M]

Originally posted by Sckott
Patrick, put it on a tee shirt. I DARE ya to wear it! Maybe you should hang under a King's X logo? Muhuhahaha.

I'll do it, I've got nothing to lose at this point. Regarding King's X, I can't be held responsible for your poor taste in music. :p

BTW, I own the MoFi "Low Spark." :D

[Rob LoVerde]

Amazing! I just got the MFSL of "Low Spark" this week! I've never owned this album before, so I've nothing to compare.

However, the radically different sound from song-to-song (EQ-wise) leads me to believe that the sound wasn't toyed with. Ahhh...just like I like it!!

[Richard Feirstein]

We now know why Steve is so good at what he does with these old tapes; the music reminds him of "0f female's from his past." This is what music is all about. :D

[DanG]

I finally got this on my turntable last night. I have SW-9306, which the All Music Guide says is the original vinyl pressing from 1971. I have no other versions to compare this to.

Very enjoyable. In fairly good condition, very minor ticks and pops. All the bass you could ask for. Maybe a little something missing on the top end, but just barely noticeable.

In thirty years this is the only LP designed with missing corners (botom left, top right)? The original cutout.

[Humorem]

No surprise from the Record Nazi (me) here.

British Island original. LH at Sterling stampers.

I won't imply that your versions are crap. Many versions of this record sound great! The British just gets it a little better, sweeter, smoother, more open, more breath of life.

So find one on Ebay. Not that hard to do.

TP

[DanG]

Originally posted by Humorem:
British Island original. LH at Sterling stampers.
TP

Tom, I didn't even see the Sterling and LH, they were so small. Sterling looks machine stamped, the plant? LH hand stamped, the engineer?

Oh, wait, I found this off the Mofi Teaser thread: "Mastered by Leo Hulka (LH for those who read their stampers) at Sterling."

Then I have hand stamped:
Side 1: SW-1-9306 z4#2
Side 2: SW-2-9306 z4#5

[Claviusb]

Patrick M slides back in his soft cozy Hoverlounger™ and pops open the small door on his temple and slides the 180 milligram Kings X chip release (put out by HAL --Humorem Analog Libraries) neatly into place. As he waves his arms through the air, caught up in the music he says aloud "damn kids today! The wouldn't know great music if came right up and bit their clones squarely on the rump!"

Outside his window, Steve Hoffman skids up quickly, riding his Flying Moto-cycle®. Steve raises a fist and shouts "Someone out to knock the nostalgia out of you Patrick!" and with that Steve whizzes off. As Patrick watches Steve zoom away he thinks that no matter how many times Steve does that, it always seems to make Patrick laugh. Then it dawns on Partick that the hologram of "The Three Stooges meet the Terminator 4" is on...

[Angel]

LOL!

I forgot about that nostalgia thing. Funny, Clav!

Patrick seems to be MIA these days. :(

[Pat]

"In thirty years this is the only LP designed with missing corners (botom left, top right)? The original cutout."


Oh contraire!!!

The original issue of The Rolling Stones...Through The Past Darkly lp comes to mind. I'm too lazy to think of others right now.

[Humorem]

Then I have hand stamped:
Side 1: SW-1-9306 z4#2
Side 2: SW-2-9306 z4#5 [/B]

2nd stamper side 1, 5th stamper side 2, probably.
Might be the best sounding version for all we know! Disc Doctor it and let us all know.
TP

[Ronflugelguy]

Tom, that domestic version you sold me a few years ago is pretty good, didi you sell out of those? Ron.

[DanG]

Originally posted by Humorem
Disc Doctor it and let us all know.
TP

I use Discwasher. Bad?

[PsychFan]

Originally posted by DanG
I use Discwasher. Bad?

Yes! Get the Disc Doctor products; I hesitated but when I finally got them I couldn't believe the results.

I used a Discwasher for years; now I'm going thru my collection with the Disc Doctor stuff trying to reverse the after-effects ...

[McIntosh]

Originally posted by Rob LoVerde
Amazing! I just got the MFSL of "Low Spark" this week! I've never owned this album before, so I've nothing to compare.

However, the radically different sound from song-to-song (EQ-wise) leads me to believe that the sound wasn't toyed with. Ahhh...just like I like it!!

Got to agree w/that - I played my Mofi LP this weekend and was loving it until the song after the title track came on (can't remember the name), Thought my dog had chewed through an interconnect or something.......

[Humorem]

"Originally posted by Rob LoVerde
Amazing! I just got the MFSL of "Low Spark" this week! I've
never owned this album before, so I've nothing to compare.

However, the radically different sound from song-to-song
(EQ-wise) leads me to believe that the sound wasn't toyed
with. Ahhh...just like I like it!!"

Rob, notice how there are no leading edges to any of the instruments? No starts, so to speak? No transients? They are all shaved off on this version. A musical waveform has a beginning, a middle, and an end, in that order (for all you Godard fans.) There is no beginning to any sound on this record. No front edge.

I give it a zero on a scale of 1 to 10. Listen again for this effect and please let us know if you hear it.
TP

[Rob LoVerde]

Hi'ya Tom!

Hmmm, I see what you mean. It's on the soft side, for sure. Good point. I'll tell ya, I've not heard another version of this particular album...so you might say my opinion is based on nothing. But I just like how it sounds...nice and easy on the ears. Probably better than the reissue coming out in a few weeks!!

[Steve Hoffman]

Note that Tom is speaking of the LP. He has not heard the MoFi CD.

[Rob LoVerde]

Hi there, Steve!

Good point, indeed. Sometimes I forget that MFSL did their Anadisq 200 series. I get the feeling that their vinyl and CD of this album are timbrally similar. Have you heard the vinyl?

:)