Opinions on Boz Scaggs: Silk Degrees

[Dave]

Guys and Ladies,

I need your opinions on this album.

Which should I go for, the MFSL UD1 or the Sony Mastersound version for the best sound possible?

TIA

[pigmode]

I may go for the Sony. I have the UD2, and while it has a good sound, the overwhelming bass gets tiresome.

[Dave]

Hmmmm I woder if the UD1 is any better?

[Kevin Sypolt]

Hmmm, I'm a basshead and love my UD1 MFSL. The highs are very pleasing and natural. I picked my MINT copy up for 7.99 in a used CD rack. Right place at the right time I suppose. I have not heard the SBM, but sometimes they can tend to be a bit bright for my tastes.

[Steve Hoffman]

I know that the MFSL version sounds exactly like the master tape. A little bass heavy, but so was the tape. For me, I'll do a little EQ trimming and live with it. Every other version of this album I've ever heard tries to jack up the treble which (as you know), drives me batty...

[pigmode]

I have the Boston SBM and that particular one is not bright at all.

[Dave]

Steve,

Do you know if this album on the MFSL has the smiley eq. problem or like you say just a bit heavy in the bottom?

God I've become spoiled after buying and listening to your work.;)

[Steve Hoffman]

Well, the MFSL CD was transferred with little or no EQ. That much I know. So, I guess they held off smiling in this case...

[feinstein]

If you're going for the LP format, the Simply Vinyl is the best I've heard. I've compared it with the original Columbia and the MSFL.

[Sckott]

Steve's right.. I own the UD1. It's really bass heavy, and I thought it was really wacky sounding compared to the Columbia vinyl. Still, on the Mastersound (sounds "OK"), stock copy (Ugh, BAD!) and the Boz 2-CD Anthology,-- it's really messed with as far as high-end EQ and overdriven gain. It's not poor, but it does give you a migrane after a while.

[Doug Hess Jr.]

I have the SONY Gold, MFSL UDI, Anthology and the HITS!.

Read this carefully: I prefer the sound of the SONY because my personal taste on my headphones where I listen most is to have things a little brighter and not so bassy.

Overall, the sound is nice an balanced on the MFSL (with a little heavy bass) but I agree with Steve that you should have the choice to brighten it or not brighten yourself rather than having it put there for you.

The anthology sounds really overly EQ'd, but NOTHING sounds as bad as the HITS! disc that Columbia put out. I have never heard a duller, more lifeless recording...with very low levels. The low level complaint can be made about other Columbia releases too.
I would say the same thing about TOTO IV. The regular is EQ'd, the SONY sounds nice and sizzly bright and on myheadphones and my friend's $10,000 system with tube pre-amp, the MFSL simply sounds "right".

I said all that to say-- Get the MFSL if you aren't being raped on the price.
(and hold on to it until Steve gets around to mastering it in about 10 years after he's done with all of our other requests.)

I guess MFSL is like a blind squirrel, but instead of finding an acorn once in awhile-- they don't "smile" on a mastering!

[mikenyc]

I think you should just go with your own "ear" , and just buy the CD you feel is good for you, and sit down and enjoy the music on it.

[John Carsell]

Originally posted by Dave
Hmmmm I woder if the UD1 is any better?


Don't have a UDII of this one since I've had the UD I since it came out.
To me the sound on the UD I is so good I never needed to look for a different copy.