CCR Gold Disc??

[Andy]

I found a gold cd of Chronicle released by Fantasy Records. It says it was remastered by George Horn. Is that good or bad? Has anyone had a chance to listen to this one?

[Ronflugelguy]

I've been waiting for someone else to check it out first. I've been eyeing one at best buy.

[Matt]

George Horn? Well, if you listen to the way CCR has always been mastered by Fantasy and even by JVC (which are better than the Fantasy CD's but still have this particular characteristic), John Fogerty sounds pretty shrill. It has to do with the way the album was originally mixed or engineered. You take away some top, Fogerty starts sounding pretty good, but the band, particularly the cymbals, begin to sound dull. Reverse this, the band begins to sound great, but you're back to the same problem with Fogerty.

The way the DCC discs were mastered, a good compromise had to be found. What you have is the breath-of-life in Fogerty's voice and a band that sounds a tiny bit dull compared to the Fantasy CD's.

To the best of my knowledge, Steve's been the only person who's taken this approach to mastering Creedence. It's doubtful George Horn did the same on the Chronicle CD (listen to the other Creedence CD's he mastered in 1994 and you'll see), but I wouldn't blame him considering what he has to work with.

Personally, if you want something outside of the DCC discs, I think you're better off with the K2's, which need some of the "air" filtered out of them, as well as a bit of the top.

BMG just got a bunch of new Creedence CD's in it's catalog that they say are remastered. I'm not sure if these are the K2's or just ones that George Horn did in 1994 (Joe Farantino did the first batch in 1987), but if they are, then it's definitely a cheap way of getting them. In fact, for today only, they're having a promotion for 50% off with free shipping. Just use this code: A2P5

In all honesty, though, I'd stick with Steve's stuff.

[lukpac]

Let's take Cosmo's Factory...

I've heard a "Full Radial Sound" LP, the K2 CD, the DCC CD, and some tracks on the gold Chronicle. The gold disc doesn't really sound good on any account - kind of small, dull and lifeless all around. The LP is a fair amount brighter than Steve's CD. However, I didn't recall having a problem with John's voice being shrill. I think the K2s are probably actually closer to the original LP than the DCC. I'd say all the other stuff sounds better than the Fantasy gold CD...

[Kevin Sypolt]

Yep, I agree with Luke. I have the Gold Chronicles, and it is all Luke said: small, dull and lifeless. And I too would add the adjective of shrill. Even on my Dynaco 70, that bad boy sounds shrill to me to. I have all of the DCC CCR Golds, and they are worlds better.

Having said that, maybe it's not ALL that bad. ;) Anyone wanna buy my Gold Chronicles...? Ha! Just kidding! I wouldn't want to stick any of my fellow Hoffmanites with this dog! I couldn't sleep at night. I'll pawn it off to some poor schmuck on eBay. I'll describe it as "clear" or "revealing". Yeah, that outta do it. Oh, and I'll be sure to add the line: "No refunds!"

So in summary, don't buy the Gold Chronicles CD. I wish I had kept on "eyeing it" when I saw it at Best Buy... :(

[Ronflugelguy]

Thanks!!!!!

[indy mike]

Chronicles on gold is ok - compared to the K2 Willy and the Poor Boys I bought it doesn't sizzle your ears. The K2 issues I've heard are hard for me to listen to in entirety; they make me wanna put in something else quickly. The gold disc leaves me with the feeling that something is missing - Fortunate Son just doesn't have the wallop I know must exist on the DCC issue (anybody got a spare copy of that one???)

[Matt]

I've got Willy & the Poor Boys on DCC, but I don't want to sell it. Are you looking for a CD for yourself, or to trade for a copy? You can send me a private message.

[Claus]

Yes, the JVC's xrcd remaster sound very good, and in some points better (sorry Steve!) than the DCC's. I also have the Chronicles Vol.1 & 2 on Gold... they are no challenger for the DCC's or JVC's.

I can't wait to hear the vinyl's on my Well Tempered turntable...

[Edge_88]

Where did you get your Dcc of willy and the poor boys

[Matt]

I got it from half.com for about $30. I think amusicdirect.com is selling them for $40 (though shipping will be quite a bit because they seem to only use priority shipping and IL residents have to pay about 8 or 9% in tax).

[Andrew]

Originally posted by indy mike
Chronicles on gold is ok - compared to the K2 Willy and the Poor Boys I bought it doesn't sizzle your ears. The K2 issues I've heard are hard for me to listen to in entirety; they make me wanna put in something else quickly. The gold disc leaves me with the feeling that something is missing - Fortunate Son just doesn't have the wallop I know must exist on the DCC issue (anybody got a spare copy of that one???)

That's why I voted to have Steve do "Chronicle Vol. 1" in addition to the regular albums.

[indy mike]

Amen, brother!!! SACD would be super swell (gotta feed the Sony something that actually was mastered with extra care - jeez, who picks out what gets reissued from the Sony/CBS catalog anyway???) Gold cd would work ok by me, too! Gotta remember that CCR was one hell of a singles band, and I'll be crucified for this but for the most part I enjoy hits sets more than "classic" albums! Let the flogging begin... :o

[Dave]

indy mike,

Take that, and that and a little bit of this too!

Consider yourself bin' flogged.

Sorry couldn't resist.:D

[indy mike]

Beat me daddy, eight to the bar!!! :D Gotta take my lumps as needed - keeps me honest!

[Dave]

Yeah but not too often 'cause ya might start likin' it too much and then (sigh) I'd have to answer to your wife.:D

[indy mike]

Ahhh, the missus would probably supervise - around here, the cat tends to be the one to keep an eye on...

[indy mike]

Hey Matt, check your private mail - thanks for the post!

[Dave]

indy mike,

Yeah I can relate as my cat's in charge around here to (the wife just likes to think that she is);)

[indy mike]

My cat's an audiophile's dream - deaf white kitty - no, I didn't cause it by playing DCC's take on Van Halen's Ice Cream Man too loud, although MY hearing hasn't been quite the same since I snagged it, shows zero interest in the equipment, never taken more than a quick sniff at the lp racks, and doesn't care what I play - the missus isn't quite so forgiving concerning my musical taste! :D

[Dave]

I hear ya man. My black and white HUGE Burmese (17lbs. and not overweight) seems to like Robert Cray and Eric Clapton. Other than the very occassional sniff, shows absolutely no interest in my equipment or cd's. The WAF (wife acceptance factor) is a little less than desireable than I'd personally prefer but dems da brakes.:D

[indy mike]

Ah, no JBL Paragon or a quad of Klipschorns in your pad either, huh??? :rolleyes:

[Dave]

Nope, just my 50w Castle Acoustics Conway 2's on stands of course. I wanted to get Martin Logan electrostatics and suddenly the WAF went down to zero.

[lbangs]

Alright, folks, I just *have* to have a copy of Chronicle to ease me into Creedence while I wait for the new SACDs. Will this one ever get the Steve touch? If not, which is better, the original Fantasy CD or the gold CD? I know there are not too many kind things here said about the gold, but does it beat the original, or no?

I am going to buy a Chronicle, and I have no record player (sniff), so only recommendations on a CD version of this album will really help me.

Thanks all, in advance!

Shalom, y'all!

L. Bangs

[Matt]

If you have to get it on CD, then get the standard version, which you can get cheap through BMG, used, etc. The gold CD isn't worth the money.