Bowie: Is RCA vinyl the Best Sound we are going to get?

I think it's the best Bowie SACD released, sans maybe Heathen.

Samples here (apologies for redundancy):

http://www.vomitgod.com/weblog/2008/04/on-david-bowies-scary-monsters-album/

 

Apologies if the server is down - hosting company is performing maintenance this eve!

 

The Virgin remasters are terrible, way too loud and intense. I ripped my Ryko albums to the i-Pod for the bonus tracks, and I play the RCA albums on my entertainment center.

Bowie is my favorite artist, and I would really like to see a dedicated reissue campaign of his material. The special edition albums released for Ziggy, Aladdin, Dogs, Young Americans and the live material was a nice start, but the most important factor (the sound of the music) was very hit and miss, and the Japanese replica vinyl CD imports that came out a few years back were the same terrible Virgin remasters from earlier this decade.

I'd love to see some Prince remasters as well, but I have a strong feeling that we'll see a new batch of Bowie remasters before seeing any new Prince reissues (due to his religion and the sexuality of his prime material, although all of his music has that innuendo, some songs/albums more subtle than others). I wouldn't be surprised to see yet another batch of Elvis Costello reissues before we see either Bowie or Prince remasters, though, because if there is one thing that you can count on, it's the fact that at some point in time, whatever it's one year or five, Elvis Costello will prepare new reissues for the masses. You can stop that, Elvis, enough is enough...

j.

 

It seems the more influential the artist the worse their music sounds on CD...

 

Thanks! I'll give it a listen.

I see you're missing a sample from the RCA CD for your comparisons. I can send you one if you like.

 

I grew up with the US RCA vinyl, have since bought a few of the Rykos and one of the newer versions of Heroes, but sold it as it sounded so bad. I agree that the vinyl is as good as it gets with Bowie's back catalog.

This is too bad, though, as I never loved the sound quality of Bowie's work.

Bowie is kind of the opposite of Elvis Costello, in that Costello's back catalog generally sounds better on cd than the original vinyl, with both the Rykos and Rhinos.

 

What is the best sounding "Scary Monsters" on vinyl. How is the Japan pressing?

 

Hey, I have made new findings, so I thought I'd post them:


Diamond Dogs: the Japan for US RCA CD is truly excellent! almost as good as the Aladdin Sane one. Made me rediscover this album, having only previously heard the '99 remaster and the 30th Anniversary edition. Bowie at his nastiest. This CD lets us hear all the little imperfections and recreates the ambiance wonderfully, even if not *perfectly*. Great bass, but someone's better smoothe that hi-hat in "1984"! ouch!

Young Americans: the German RCA is grainy and fuzzy. Yuck. Must be a low-gen tape. The Japan RCA on the other hand is great. Very dynamic, good tone. The Ryko really isn't bad for this title, I almost like it as much as the RCA -it is cleaner, leaner-. The Ryko Au20 must be really good (I've not heard it, but I find all the Au20s I've heard to be an improvment over the standard Rykos ).

A little precision on Station to Station: the German RCA CD is very good, but the LP has a better funky bass and guitar sound.


I gave the Ziggy Japan RCA a spin to re-evaluate it, but I can't fully recommend it. While being possibly the best digital alternative, I find it grainy and mid-rangy. I also think the Hunky Dory Japan RCA shares these flaws to a lesser extent. The vinyl is really best for these two IMO.

 

I have been listening to Diamond Dogs a bit lately. My conclusion is that the WG RCA is my preferred version on CD. Actually I may prefer it to both my LPs also included an original UK copy. Amazingly big and dark sounding! It gives me this horror movie feeling that I’m sure was intended. I love it. I find the Japan RCA to have some brightness issues. Also there is quite a bit of tape hiss apparent that is not apparent on the WG RCA (try listening to We are the Dead) making me believe it is mastered from a higher generation tape.

 

Interesting! You are quite right about the brightness issues; fortunately the Japan RCA still retains that big, horror movie sound. It is probably the darker Bowie album...
I must find a WG Diamond Dogs now...

 

I took some time to get there but suddenly it just snapped regarding the WG RCA. I got fooled by the dark presentation thinking it was muddy. Between the copies I have the WG RCA is maybe the darkest of them all (together with the original LP) but still you can hear all these small details down in the mix. The WG CD also has this first far distant howl at the very beginning of the album that is missing on both the original LP and the Japan RCA CD (I believe this far distant howl was intended?).

 

The only RCA Bowie I've got on CD, is Scary Monsters. I'm listening to it right now and it has a great, very dynamic sound...to my ears anyway.

 

FYI - comparative samples of "1984" from all CD releases of Diamond Dogs:

http://www.vomitgod.com/weblog/2009/05/on-david-bowies-diamond-dogs-album/

Forthcoming will be my favorite dB LP, Station to Station!

 

Until I can find a uk RCA ziggy stardust, to me the sacd is pretty darn dynamic with good instrument separation. It is a tad bright but really big soundstage and musical

 

Really wish they did an SACD for Aladdin Sane-it's my favorite Bowie album

 

I've said it before, but my US Dynaflex Ziggy rocks. If the UK is even better, I'd love to hear it.

 

Second that, my original Ziggy dynaflex kills. It was one of the originals I kept. I have played it to death. It still sounds incredible. It not as thin as other dynaflex I have owned.

 

I started a thread a couple of years ago about how surprisingly good Dynaflex records can sound. I've found that just because they're thin doesn't necessarily mean that they sound awful.

 

I would like to hear this- I would love it if we could hear the 45s for comparisons sake, I happen to like the feel of the 45 golden years.

 

In my hunt for 'good sounding' pressings I discovered Dynaflex (with early stamper #'s) is the way to go on many US RCA artists: The Youngbloods, Jefferson Airplane, Guess Who... usually it is pretty quiet vinyl too. I think the Bowie Dynaflexes sound great as well. Yes his early albums can be topped by an original UK, but you also have to pay the appropriate bucks - or luck out. And its not like there's a huge difference.

 

After snubbing my nose at that US RCA vinyl, I picked up for $3.00 a US promo (gold stamp on back cover) of Changesonebowie. "STERLING" in the dead wax. Some of the best Bowie I have ever heard and I have orig. UK RCA vinyl of Hunky thru Scary.

 

Ah yes, Changes One...I also have a US Sterling and was surprised how good it was compared to my 1st UK pressing of the same LP. Really close. So much so - I kept both copies!

 

I have a nice Dynaflex copy of Lou Reed's Berlin.

 

While my favorite copy of Ziggy Stardust is the UK original, my second favorite is a very nice sounding gold label Canadian Dynaflex copy.

 

The only copy of Ziggy that I have is the UK 1E/1E (RCA orange label). Now I'm curious about the 6E/4E and would like to pick one up... my fav' Bowie album!!

Is this one on the orange RCA Victor label as well? What is the cat#? Cheers