View Full Version : Advice on UDII's for Synchronicity and Dark Side of the Moon
My local record store has UDII releases of Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" and Police's "Synchronicity" for $30. Should I get these? I'm hesitant because I've got the remastered aluminum discs for these (the former mastered by Doug Sax, the latter Andy Collins), and I've heard that the UDII's of these are supposed to be inferior to the UDI's.
Matt,
Avoid the Pink Floyd: DSOTM UD2 as it is absolutely horrid compared to the UD1 (more compression, skinny sound staging, loss of definition)
The Police is not as extreme (just definition loss) but still the UD1 shines better/brighter.
UD1 all the way my friend!;)
Jim Ricketts
01-22-2002, 10:50 AM
I agree 110% on UD2 version of DSOTM - VERY disappointing.
I absolutely disagree! Buy DSOTM and resell it on eBay. Reinvest in a UD1 from eBay. I'll bet it'll be worth your while. A UD1 for $30.00 plus a bit when they usually go for double that?
Sonically, I agree 110%! Don't keep the UD2! :D
Does the UD1 DSOTM usually sell for more than the UD2 version? On ebay most people don't list which one they're selling. I asked on seller and he didn't know what I was talking about.
Andy,
You have to keep in mind that John Q Public doesn't know the information that we on the forum here know to be facts.
They usually go for around $40.00-$60..00 and it doesn't matter to most of the eager beaver buyers as they aren't aware of the differences, unless they already have heard the difference they don't really know/care.
Just keep asking as most, but not all, of the sellers know their product well. If he doesn't know, educate him and ask him nicely to take a look at the cd for you as all UD1s have Japan on their faces at the bottom center.:D
Of the titles that were released as UD1 and UD2 were the UD2 always sonically inferior?
John Carsell
01-26-2002, 07:22 AM
Originally posted by Andy
Of the titles that were released as UD1 and UD2 were the UD2 always sonically inferior?
I've got a UD 2 of Supertramp's Crime of the Century. Sounds pretty good to these ears, and I picked it up in perfect shape for $12.
I don't have a UD 1 to cmpare it to but I'm curious.
Of all the UD1 vs the UD2's I've compared, the UD1's all sound better. Dark Side seems to be the greatest difference, so far.
Yes, the UD2's sound pretty good. Better than any stock CD, IMHO. Unless you hear a UD1 and hear what you are missing (presuming, of course, you have a revealing stereo set up)!
The best way to see which one it is on eBay, is to view the actual CD because right at the bottom, it'll say Made in USA (UD2) or Made in Japan (UD1). Of if it's unreadable, email the seller about where it was manufactured. Don't confuse them with "Is it the UD1 or UD2 version?" question. They are only poor sellers.
Just appear curious in your note - don't tip them off. Like "Was this made in the good old USA or was it made in Japan?" sorta thing. Once, after my inquiry, the seller added "rarer made n Japan version". :mad:
Agreed, as far as what Gary says.
I've personally compared 12 different UD1/UD2 albums and every time the UD1 is sonically superior.;)
Claus
01-26-2002, 08:36 AM
do you think Mofi is the holy grail??? Leave the UD1 in the bins and hear the latest remasters... they are far superior to the Mofi remasters!!! Period! Give a try for the Echoes compilation... everybody who think the Mofi's sound better, should sell his stereo gear at Ebay :rolleyes:
Okay, a good sounding Pink Floyd DSOTM is the UHQR LP... from Mofi!
Claus,
Are you talking vinyl comparisons or what?
Because if you are I have no idea
If you think that a compressed and speeded up "cd" version (check the tempo on Money) is "better" than the MFSL UD1 maybe it is you who should sell his equipment on ebay.:rolleyes:
Like I've stated before this one all comes down to personal preference.;)
Speaking of vinyl, has anyone heard the CBS mastersound 1/2 speed mastered version of The Wall? The other titles in this series were not treated to rave reviews.
btomarra
01-26-2002, 10:59 AM
Ordered a DSOTM from half.com for around $40. I checked it out. It was UD1! Said Made In Japan.
Played it and guess what? Awesome sound! Where did I learn which one to pursue (UD1/UD2)? Here!
Thanks fellow audiophiles for your insightful knowledge.
Brian
:D
The only UD1/UD2 comparison I've made is the Sting "Dream of the Blue Turtles" CD. After about 45 minutes of A/B switching I gave up trying to tell the difference.
In contrast to what I've read elsewhere, the MFSL CDs sound superior to the regular release, IMHO.
It would be nice if posters would describe what type of comparisons they used to determine which CD versions sound better. For example, I start by playing both CDs simultaneously and switch back and forth while listening with headphones. Then I do the same through my speakers. Finally, after having someone else load the CD, I try to see if I can identify the CD every time (blind test). If I can't do that successfully, then I would characterize the difference as "subtle", not "huge".
BTW, the MFSL vs the regular Sting DOTBT didn't pass the blind test.
Dob,
First I listen to a selected song, most likely the one I know the best, then compare back and forth through the speakers. Then I listen to the whole album via speakers. Then after that I do the same with headphones.
I agree some of them ie. Supertramp: BIA, Santana :Abraxis, The Police: Syncronicity are not that extreme, but still noticeable, at least by a picky S.O.B. like myself, and some are really extreme ie. Pink Floyd: Dark Side Of The Moon and Meddle. Then I get my wife to choose at random, to see if I can tell the difference.
Maybe it's just my system (very revealing and very unforgiving). (shrug) :D
I see I see. Well well well. I 'll have try this. I fear that my system (posted elsewhere) will not be able to show the differences. Maybe one of these days I'll be able to afford a super system.
Dave,
Speaking of Meddle, my copy has UD1 paperwork, and the CD says Ultradisc, but at the bottom it says "Made in USA".
Another one of those "USA" UD1s. I wonder how many different ones there are? Until I got this Meddle CD, I thought the John Lee Hooker CD was the only one.
Originally posted by Dave
Dob,
Maybe it's just my system (very revealing and very unforgiving). (shrug) :D
I think it has more to do with our ability to "remember" differences. For example, the longer the time between comparing "A" and "B", the more difficult it will be to remember what "A" sounded like when listening to "B". Of course, the bigger the differences, the more they will stick in your memory.
My college roommate used to listen to music, with headphones, in his bedroom, and the stereo was in the living room (long headphone cord). I don't remember why, but once I adjusted the bass and treble controls down, very gradually, until by the end of the album they were all the way down. When he came out to flip the album, I asked him how the sound was, and he gave me a puzzled look. When I showed him what I had done, he got very upset! I was amazed that he didn't notice. Of course, he never trusted me after that (with good reason), and occasionally he would rush out of his room in the middle of an album, only to find that the bass and treble were untouched.
Here's a good one - I will play a CD that needs bass and treble adjustment. Later, I play another CD that needs no adjustment (based on my notes on the jewel case), but I will forget that the bass and treble were adjusted. I almost never notice until I go to switch CDs and see where the controls were set for the whole time the CD was playing.
Dob,
And it says UD2 on the face as well?
Sure sounds like one of those end of MFSLs existance wrapping jobs.;)
FYI: I don't have any bass or treble contrpl of any kind (the purist in me).:)
Originally posted by Dave
Dob,
And it says UD2 on the face as well?
Sure sounds like one of those end of MFSLs existance wrapping jobs.;)
FYI: I don't have any bass or treble contrpl of any kind (the purist in me).:)
The Meddle CD states "Ultradisc" on the CD itself. There is no reference anywhere to UD2.
For a long time I ran my variable output CD player straight into an amplifier (no preamp), in search of that "purist" sound. However, many CDs sound better with some bass and treble adjustment, even some DCC CDs. This is OK - I would rather that a CD be mastered flat/nearly flat - let me decide about the EQ.
Patrick M
01-26-2002, 02:54 PM
Originally posted by Dob
Here's a good one - I will play a CD that needs bass and treble adjustment. Later, I play another CD that needs no adjustment (based on my notes on the jewel case), but I will forget that the bass and treble were adjusted. I almost never notice until I go to switch CDs and see where the controls were set for the whole time the CD was playing.
Recently, I was playing the Mew-mastered Deep Purple "Live in Japan" 3 CD set (thanks, SS). Because of the biting high-end, I had turned the tone controls on (Adcom preamp) and rolled the treble back to 9 o'clock or so.
The next day, I started playing the same CD and couldn't figure out where that treble boost had gone. I began to doubt myself, and figured I was imagining the boost before.
Then I realized I had left the tone controls on.
Douglas
01-26-2002, 02:57 PM
Originally posted by Matt
My local record store has UDII releases of Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" and Police's "Synchronicity" for $30. Should I get these?
I think the Police CD is worth that. I'd love to get it for $30.
Originally posted by Patrick M
Recently, I was playing the Mew-mastered Deep Purple "Live in Japan" 3 CD set
I know that Peter Mew gets slammed on this board, but the remix on this set sounds very good to me. The booklet isn't clear if he did the remix or just the mastering. I haven't compared this to the DCC gold version (has anyone out there?), but I have compared it to the special edition Japan gold CD (original mix) and I prefer the remix. Setting my treble at 11 oclock seems to do it for me...but I have found that the louder I play music, the less tolerance I have for treble...9 oclock may be needed for earbleed levels (and this music begs to be played loud)!
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