Robert Johnson - Complete Recordings

Was this set remastered at some time? I used to have the original issue but it was over-CEDARed. Did I hear that a cache of better original parts was found at some point? And if there is a remaster that's improved (i.e. less NR) how do I identify it?

 

It was indeed re-done, look for the small CD-sized box. The current issue, if I'm not mistaken, just comes in a double clamshell jewel case.

 

Is the remaster any better?

 

Yes. Much better.

 

Damn!
Oh well, too many other things to buy right now

 

What single disc do you recommend? I have the old gold disc version of "King Of The Delta Blues Singers," but I am not sure if the new issue is better or the single disc with the pic of Robert with the guitar is.

 

Complete confusion here Which has better sound quality?

The small CD-sized box or....

The current issue boxless re-issue?

 

There was a recent thread here about this.

The first pressing of the box set (1990) used an EQ'd tape transfer of the parts made in the early 1970s. As I understand it, the noise reduction they tried on it didn't really work well (due in part to the EQ used on the tape) so they couldn't do much with it. It was what it was.

After the box set came out, better sources were found, and they were used on all RJ releases since then (gold disk too). Then when "King of the Delta Blues Singers" was redone for CD in 1997, they added an alternate version of "Traveling Riverside Blues" found in the Library of Congress.

When the box set was shrunk down, they made a running change of masters, using the new transfers.

Someone correct me if any of this is wrong.

 

"Box" means many things to many people. We ought to develop a way of distinguishing among the (1) original "long-box" issue; (2) the CD-sized set which had a cardboard slipcase; and (3) the set which is just a regular 2cd plastic box.

However I think I gather that anything other than the original long-box is good.

 

I have the SBM remaster of "Complete Recordings" (it has the SBM logo on the back). I'm not really a fan of the sound on it... Dennis Drake got some great sound out of Jimmy Rodgers 78s on the disc he did, but the Robert Johnson discs sound pretty dull in comparison.

To confuse things further, there are two other discs: "King of the Delta Blues" and "King of the Delta Blues Singers." In this thread, someone preferred "Singers," but I didn't know it was taken from the same sources as the SBM "Complete Recordings."

 

Thanks for the info. I guess it is time to buy another Robert Johnson.

 

That is correct. The remastered version is a great improvement over the original 1990 issue. The King Of The Delta Blues Singers CD(both the standard issue and Mastersound Gold CD) that was remastered is ok but has one problem. The master they used for "Terraplane Blues" has some nasty groove damage at one point in the song. The Complete Recordings remaster does not have this problem. More than likely another, cleaner copy of the 78 was located and used for the transfer.

 

I guess what I was hoping to hear was that less NR was used on later issues...

 

I had the original long box...sold it years ago...forgot about it, while hoping for a better source...thanks for the info

 

In my opinion, the best sounding RJ on CD is the Gold Mastersound (by far). I really don't like the Sony complete boxsets, even the 1996 reissue. Sounds dull, low volume and waaaay too much noise reduction. My digital spectrum analyser says NOTHING over 5Khz! The removing the surface noise of a 78rpm could be acceptable only if you leave some life to the recording. It's good to have it only to get all the RJ tracks.

There's another Complete Robert Johnson Recording available made by Definitive Records but I didn't listen to it yet.

 

Charly Records also has a 'Complete Recordings'. Any opinion on that issue?

 

There was much less NR used on the later issues. Quite an improvement over the original CDs.

 

Not only does the reissue of King of the Delta Blues Singers use less NR, the sources(original metal masters and clean '78's)used are for the most part far better(except for "Terraplane Blues" which does have a passage of nasty surface noise). You should try that out, it's usually priced very cheap.

Evan

 

Haven't heard it, but I wouldn't trust it's very good at all.

 

Joel and Jeff aren't actually disagreeing with each other: it's quite possible that the reamstered issues of "Complete Recordings" use much less NR than the earlier set, AND that they use far too much!

I still can't decide how to acquire the complete works, the ones that aren't on "King of the Delta Blues Singers." There was a British CD from a small label that I saw on my last visit to London that seemed to advertise that it used little noise reduction, but I didn't buy it. Why?

 

I would recommend the remastered King of the Delta Blues Singers

There is also a vol 2 for the other songs.

 

I have the Robert Johnson recordings on a bonus CD which came with Peter Green's Splinter Group's - Me And The Devil tribute album to Robert Johnson.

As well as the ex Fleetwood Mac man's terrific takes on the origonals they thoughtfully added all 29 of the origonal recordings too. They sound well mastered to me for their age but then I can't remember hearing any of the others so there may well be better out there. When I get home later in the week I will see if there are any details on the pack.

Details of this recording are at : -

http://fleetwoodmac.net/penguin/albums/meandthedevil.htm

with some Real Player clips for what they are worth.


Regards,
Gordon

 

Volume 2 was released on LP but not on CD.

 

I have "King of the Delta Blues Singers" vol. 1&2 on vinyl that I bought new 8-10 years back (they have pretty generic red Columbia labels). Does anyone know how these were done?