King Crimson Remasters

[Douglas]

Held In the Court of the Crimson King in my hand today and put it back. There are lots of different CD issues of this and wondered which one is the best? Is the current EG one any good, or is there a better import. I just KNEW I would be disappointed by the sound.

[John Buchanan]

The best version on CD is the latest on Virgin, but this is album is unlikely to sound great, although the performance is amazing. Apparently the original 2 track master tape is missing and a copy master had to be used that had been transferred with a slightly misaligned tape head. The resultant phasiness and treble roll off on one channel was "corrected" with equalisation. The multitrack tape no longer exists.
The new booklet notes are excellent. Join the King Crimson Collectors club!!!

[reidc]

Hi,
I had a release ofCrimson King that was at least 6 years old(got rid of it a while back) but don't remember year or who did it. What I ended up getting was the 30th Anniversary version in the mini-lp sleeve. I don't know if the US versions have been re-done, or if they are in the cardboard mini-lp packaging, but ended up getting the first 3 albums in the mini-lp sleeves.

As for sond quality- they did sound a bit "wider" and "crisper", but especially Crimson King- still sounds like it was recorded in a box.

It is rather neat having them in the mini lp sleeves, which is how many remember seeing this- in a gatefold lp!

Oh- mine were from UK, and the Netherlands, and maybe even 1 from France(not sure). :cool: :cool:

[GregM]

It's worth noting that this title is due out soon as an SACD hybrid (plays in all CD players). So I'd hold off and get this one--it could be "the one".

[Unknown]

Originally posted by GregM:
It's worth noting that this title is due out soon as an SACD hybrid (plays in all CD players). So I'd hold off and get this one--it could be "the one".

Greggers->any more KC titles forthcoming in a hybrid format? Like 'Red' or LTIA? :D

[GregM]

Depends on how many people buy In the Court. ;)

No, there's no plans, but rumors of Gaucho floating around (no connection to KC but there's a Universal Music Group connection)

[John Buchanan]

Regarding quality of King Crimson CD issues:
there have been a number of versions of the King Crimson catalogue in the past. Avoid all past versions and go staight for the latest on Virgin. I suspect that most of the differences relate to finding better tapes (in the case of "Islands", that means not having grumbling noises and crackles all through the album in the last attempt or the effects of NoNoising them out in the second-to-last attempt- this album is now on its FOURTH remastering)but what that also means is there has been less NoNoise used this time.
The mini-LP sleeves are cool, but yes they are fragile. You can always go for the jewel box versions and kick yourself later.
Search ebay for any King Crimson Collectors Club discs - "On Broadway" 1995(2CDs) is very good, as is "Live at Summit Studios" 1972.

[christopher]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by John Buchanan:
[QB]Regarding quality of King Crimson CD issues:
there have been a number of versions of the King Crimson catalogue in the past. Avoid all past versions and go staight for the latest on Virgin.

i agree. especially if they're marked HDCD.

later, chris

[John Buchanan]

The first one is the only Virgin release that is not so marked. I presume it's not an HDCD disc (I don't have an HDCD player)

[Gary]

John, ITCOTCK is the only Virgin remaster that is not HDCD. But it's from the same series. I've pretty well confirmed that even the Japanese gold disc version is not HDCD. I don't know why this happened.... and I was very disappointed.

But if it does come out on SACD, I think it'll be amazing!

[Douglas]

Is the Virgin version the 30th Anniversary one?

[John Buchanan]

Yes