The Pink Floyd CP35-3017 comparison

As promised I have listened to Dark Side Of The Moon Toshiba/EMI catalog #CP35-3017 matrix numbers CP35-3017 1A1 (mine) and CP35-3017 1A1 TO (Moby Deek's).

They are definitely not the exact same mastering. Sadly, the breath of life is gone in the 1A1 TO. This is not the same as the black-faced Harvest edition either as there is no NR used. This is an easy distinguishable difference and no where near as difficult as the MFSL UD1 and UD2 differences. (usually that is ). The 1A1 TO is louder and has no where near the beautiful definition the 1A1 has. Sorry guys if you own the 1A1 TO version. It sounds, for lack of a better descriptor, like it's crunched together and pushed too hard to gain that added volume where the 1A1 sounds open and relaxed.

The physical differences are as follows...

The 1A1 TO has slightly bolder text that's a hair larger both for the black and silver text.

The last 1/2" to the spindle hole (the majority of the clear center portion) om the 1A1 TO is slightly frosted where on the 1A1 is completely clear.

I was honestly hoping they were identicle to make the aquisition of this particular album a little easier.

 

Interesting comparision Dave. In a recent discussion with Mike (taxman150), he has a pressing of CP35-3017 with a matrix code of 51A2 +++++. I wonder how this pressing relates to your findings.

BTW, my pressing of DSOTM is 1A1 TO.

 

Thanks for sharing your comparisons, Dave.

How can this be? There was NR back in 1983-84? My black faced MIJ sounds plenty hissy.

 

Sorry to hear this Jorge. I really hated to post this one because I know a lot of members here own this one and honestly I didn't want to be the bearer of bad news, but felt I owed to you all to know the truth. Such is my lot.

Interesting regarding Mike's version as I haven't heard that one yet, but he knows my address if he would like to know. My ears are open 24 hours a day for you guys here.

 

Sam, it's very hard for me to put into words what I hear sometimes. Yes the hiss is definitely on your Harvest, but there's also subtle NR which can very easily be heard when you compare against the good black triangle version. As to when this started I've heard after the very first year of CD production is when NR came on board, but not on everything until around '87-'88. Heck, I even hear hiss on some of the "modern masterings", but that doesn't mean they are good masterings IMO.

 

Dave, do you think the NR you hear is really just a different tape source or a gating of the high end? I'm just throwing that out here since I don't have the discs to compare. I do have the black face Harvest disc which seems ok to me. I still prefer the MoFi UD-1 of the versions I have heard.

 

NR? On a black triangle? I guess it's not out of the question, but I'd bet a few dollars that there's another explaination for the differing hiss levels.

 

Thanks for the info, Steve...can't really blame you on being worn on this album.

 

Hi Dave,

I posted some comments about my 2 DSOTM black triangles here on Saturday:

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showpost.php?p=968927&postcount=98

Like you, I can confirm that the difference between the 2 masterings I have is night and day. I think the timing of my 51A2 version matches yours if I remember correctly (42:56 compared to 42:54 for the TO version) and what you have described is similar to what I have heard in doing some casual listening comparisons.

That being said, I still personally prefer the TO version to the Japanese Black Harvest version I have due to the NR, but that is just my opinion.

I am also convinced that my 51A2 version is a relatively early pressing given the lack of a barcode on the OBI and the fact that it has the "CSR Compact Disc" markings in the inner ring. I'd be happy to send you a copy for verification purposes.

Mike

 

No, definitely not Michael. I was referring to the black-faced Harvest CD. No differing "hiss levels".

 

Mike, no it's ok. I'm fairly sure that you have the good version with that 42:56 version. The differences between all 3 versions we've discussed is enlightening.

 

Does this mean that we have utterly exhausted all topics pertaining to DSOTM, finally?

 

Dave: My black triangle with the non-frosted hub is exactly 42:56 but my inner ring has "CP35-3017-U 1A2 TO." Which version do I have? Mike was saying the 42:54 version was the inferior "TO" mastering but mine has the other timing.

 

Hi Douglas,

I didn't mean to say that all TO versions are the same as mine as I have no idea if they are or not. My guess would be that the timing may be a tip off, but who knows for sure?

 

So, this this kind of thing true for all black triangles??

 

So the mastering on the 1A1 TO and the 1A2 TO are different it seems, since different timings.

 

Could be, but some cd players will show a 2 second timing difference so it is hard to say. There could be different masterings on both the Toshiba and CSR pressings. I wouldn't have known myself if I hadn't found a 2nd one.

I'm sure Dave would be willing to verify it for you.

 

Which versions have nine tracks, and which have ten?

 

Hi Bob,

Sure it could be true, but I would assume that the DSOTM black triangle was probably one of their biggest sellers and had a lot more repressings as compared to other triangles that didn't sell quite as well. The Abbey Road Beatles black triangle could an example of another title that had a lot of repressings, but I haven't heard any discussion of different masterings on this title. Who can afford 2 of them anyway!

 

Does yours fold over to mono at the end? I believe that Dave's does. The BT I have (U1A1TO) is the inferior version and does not fold over to block out TTR at the end. It has a timing of 42:54, but adds up to a total of 42:55 in EAC.

 

Both of my black triangles have 9 tracks so I don't think that will help you differentiate them.

 

My 1A1 has 9 tracks

 

so I just wasted $50 on a U1A3 TO, correct???

 

I'm not sure we know that.
I put mine in tonight and almost stomped on it. I was playing it on the computer and after track 1 finished it jumped to track 7. I clicked on track two after it was done it jumped to track 9. Turns out my wife was using the shuffle on the Media Player. I didn't want to fight you guys for another copy of this.