bottom line, the catalog needs the Steve Wilson (or Hoffman!) hi-rez treatment. This music is too good and too sparse not to
Rick, I still have the current versions of all these tables here. The latest version of that table also includes the D25Y Japanese pressing which has the same mastering as the D32Y version. Looks like this new version is simply a level-shifted version of the common mastering. Technically a different mastering, but derived from the same analog to digital transfer. Still, worth to add to the table in my opinion. Do you want me to add it?
Quick question! I own the "Message in a Box" box set from 1993. Is it worth picking up the remastered CDs, or would it just be a waste of money?
Are you talking about the 2003 Remasters? Honestly, I would take any of the non-remastered issues (or the MFSL) over the ‘93 or 2003 remasters. But there are also very good specific recommendations on the early discs herein this thread. You could probably start with the last few pages.
How is the SQ on the 1992 UK Greatest Hits cd? Is it the original masters or is it comparable to the remastering on the '93 Message In a Box?
Just picked up an original West German Polygram CD of Ghost in the Machine from a Half Price Books in the Souhwest Chicago Suburb of Orland Park Thursday Night. Listened to it on my new Kenwood car audio system. Nice warm sound,great ambiance & a very slight compression on some tracks. I like the sound on this better than an cro2 cassette copy i've had for 10 years and a US vinyl pressing I heard in 1983. (CD 3730,Audio Master Plus).
This cd sounds really good IMO.It does not use the 93 mastering or anything similar sounding.This cd sounds more like the old AM+ masterings.I`d recommend giving this cd a try to anybody here.
Recently in PM's I've been asked a bunch of Police CD questions. Also I see that there are quite a few forum members who are new to this thread. I've decided to compile my recommendations/opinion and charts into a recap post of sorts. My intention is to share my Police CD+SACD experience and save those who are not collector's of the catalog time and money while still obtaining great sounding discs. Please do not take this post for "hubris" or "ego" as there is none, only hopefully humble altruism as that is all I intend. Please note this post is also intended to supersede all my previous opinions. CD Review/Opinions: 1) Outlandos d'Amour - D32Y/D33Y nice well balanced sounding discs and the only time the album version of CSLY has appeared digitally without being a partial needle-drop. [Details of that appear quoted later in this post]. The Original, inexpensive and easy to find AM+ is close second mostly due to CSLY. Both these masterings have the minor tape drag at beginning of Roxanne which has never bothered me a single bit as I grew up with it that way. The MIAB mastering of this album is not to my liking in any way shape or form. The 1995 remaster is the same awful mastering. The 2003 SACD (both layers) are horrid and the SHM-SACD is the same vile mastering. Avoid them and the mini-LP at all costs in my "warning". 2) Regatta De Blanc - 38XB, Original AM+ (mine is an early DADC pressing), WG for US and Japan for US are all the same exact mastering and sound. Nice smooth low end on these. Get which ever you can find at lowest cost they are all the same. D32Y/D33Y is the runner up but why spend good money on it when you can find the original AM+ for under $5. The MIAB mastering of this album is not to my liking in any way shape or form. The 1995 remaster is the same awful mastering. The 2003 SACD (both layers) are juts not good and the SHM-SACD is the same. Avoid them as there is no reason to spend the money. 3) Zenyatta Mondata - This is a tough one, there are several OK sounding version but nothing is truly good D32Y and SACD [SACD layer only] are my 2 favorites. If push came to shove I'd probably at this point in time give the slightest of edges to the D32Y for it's tonality. My apologies as both those issues are on the expensive side today. Squarely down in second place is the original AM+; 32XB, Japan for US, WG for U, UK For Europe are all the same exact mastering and sound. If it's got AM+ on the discs it's all the same on this album. Don't be fooled by sellers who claim the scarce (which it is) 32XB is somehow better, it is not. Scarcity does not change mastering. Had I not been a Police collector I would have been extremely upset. Let this serve as a "warning". The redbook layer of the SACD and the mini-lp are pretty awful - save your money. 4) Ghost In the Machine - Several great choices on this one. The 38XB, Original Japan for US, and US for US AM+ (mine is an early DADC) are all the same exact mastering and sound. This the lower volume original mastering. Don't be fooled by sellers who claim the scarce (which it is) 38XB is somehow better, it is not. Scarcity does not change mastering. Had I not been a Police collector I would have been extremely upset as the stock discs are exactly the same. Let this serve as a "warning". Anyhow this is a great sounding disc. D32Y/D33Y - a bit louder than the above and slightly different tonality. If low sound bothers you than this also great sounding disc may very well be your fave. WG for Europe AM+, WG for US AM+ - Both are same mastering and sound. Yet another great sounding digital GITM. This is not a level shift of the other AM+'s it is a separate mastering. Loudest of the original discs. Which do I prefer? Well all of the above at one point in time or another. As of this writing I do not have a favorite, but since the 1st listed mastering is the first CD I ever purchased it's the one I keep on my shelf. The MIAB / 1995 remaster of this album is rather nasty sounding. The SACD layer of the SACD while not bad is simply not good either no reason to spend money on it. The Redbook layer of the SACD and mini-lp are crap. You can get Original AM+'s with patience for under $5 no reason to spend more. 5) Synchronicity- see full expanded post below. Synchronicity review/opinions: 1) 38XB 10 track [blue column] - Although I think it's a slight bit better it is not worth the money [sonically speaking] over the 11 track mastering. Especially since "Murder By Numbers" is missing. Please note: the 38XB 10 track contains pre-emphasis. Although most CD transports adhere to the Redbook standard some recent players do not. Computer based playback also is generally unable to decode the pre-emphasis. You will not get great sound from the 10-track if the pre-emph is not decoded, so if you have gear that is unable to do that go with the 38XB 11 track instead. Finally if you are an early CD collector or an Huge Police CD collector [like me], regardless of whether you can decode the pre-emph or not, this rare disc is still a "must have". 1a) 38XB 11 track [yellow column] based mastering. The Japan for US Sony 3x CSR version sounds exactly the same [because it is] as the Japan for Japan 38XB. The Japan for US 3x CSR with luck can be found for under $10US as most never know it's different from the normal Japan for US "stock CD's" in the black column. In addition if you can not decode pre-emphasis, sonically speaking, this CD becomes 1 instead of 1a. 2) "Original" or "stock CD" [black Column] - great sounding discs many of the pressings of this mastering listed can be found for under $10US, all sound the same to me - easily the best value of any Digital Synchronicity 3) MFSL - a really nice disc but totally not worth the money compared to the black column discs. 4) D32Y/D33Y Japan CD's [red column] - forgot about these before. Nice sounding discs possible as good as the MOFI depending on listeners mood. 5) 2003 SACD layer and 2010 SHM-SACD - same mastering and sound exactly the same level of putrid to me. For Police and SACD collector's only is my feeling, as the sound is bested by at at least 4 other masterings and just not worth $50US or more. 6) 1993 Box Set remaster /1995 remaster- horrid but not the worst ever. YMMV 7) 2003/2004 CD remaster - also appears on the hybrid SACD's redbook layer truly vile sounding disc, even worse than the MIAB / 1995 remaster. Can't Stand Loosing You info [great work by Nobby]: My SACD review/opinions: Original CD Mastering Charts [latest I think] - Synchronicity appears above in this post: As always, as my sig states IMHO. Hope this helps some of you.
Now is a good opportunity to update you Outlandos chart with the new early mastering (i.e. the one that I posted), as up to now it was assumed there were only two early masterings available. By the way, I agree it is probably the common mastering with the volume turned slightly down.
Yeah, I love your detailed write ups, ricks! Lots of great info in there. Curious if anyone feels there is any Police album that sounds significantly better on vinyl than the preferred digital versions ricks has come up with.
Rick, you are truly the "Police" authority, thanks! I would say I more or less agree with your preferences. In some cases, it is really a close call between some of the different masterings. I tend to like the D33Y/D32Y/D25Y masterings for many albums. For Zenyatta, I really like the DSD layer of the SACD, I find it the warmest sounding digital version. All non-remastered CD's are pretty good and should be easy to find. Still, I think the CD's could be improved upon with a proper new mastering. It would be so cool if AF could do some Police albums, but I am not sure if that could ever be possible.
Does anybody know the reason why they had to use a needledrop for CAN´T STAND LOSING YOU on OUTLANDOS? (Pretty bad edit at 0:38 btw) I assume the tape was damaged when they did the mastering, but didn´t they notice the dropout at 1:11?
The D32Y does not have the dropout for the same reason as why it's the only one that does not use the needledrop - as Nobby nicely detailed. The needledrop itself exists to current day on the album version. I'm really curious as to what happened but we'll probably never truly know. At least we have the D32Y.....
Nice summation Rick. I gotta say that for "Zenyatta" my favorite version is the Japan for US AM+ version. It's tracking index is the best. Comes right in on "When the world is running down". You don't get the last bit of "Tears".
I'm so torn... I've had Message In A Box since the nineties but after reading this thread I had to grab a copy of 1986's Every Breath You Take-The Singles mainly for "Can't Stand Losing You" and "Roxanne" since they always sounded 'off' to me on the box. I am blown away not only by the difference in these two tracks but by how much better pretty much everything on the '86 collection sounds compared to the box. Which brings me to my dilemma: I have sealed, original pressings of Outlandos d'Amour and my favorite Police album Ghost In The Machine in the old US longbox/blister packaging (AM+ logos, etc.) Outlandos is made in Japan and even has an untouched smooth-edge jewel case on it and Ghosts is sans barcode and is made in West Germany. Since these are the plastic vs. the late(r) eighties cardboard longboxes I'm not as concerned about preserving the packaging. Still, it's not like I'm going to come across these in this state very often. To open or not to open...
Keep them sealed. It's not that difficult to find the right pressings of these titles. Just check the charts in this thread and hit the used bins (if that's an option in your area) or the classifieds here.
But look at them, just sitting there... taunting me... Really it's just that these are here, now, fresh and unplayed. (j/k) So much information to absorb in this thread. A HUGE THANKS TO ALL WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED!
wow, score! dang, and I just bought the MiaB set. oh well, it was fairly cheap, has some unique tracks and a nice book. Guess I should look into getting these 1990 releases next.
Wow, as a collector, I am impressed. Keep them sealed, as you should be able to find used copies without too much difficulty. On a related note, I have this:
I don't collect music, so I'll go against the grain here and say play those babies! I agree with the authority title bestowed upon Ricks. Nice work - are you versed in any other groups (ha ha!)? Keith, your photo takes me way back to my first ever cd purchase: Synchronicity about 2 mos before I even got my first cd player. Still have the original player (Technics - built like a tank) but sadly traded in the original Synchronicity long ago!
I say sell the sealed blister packs at a premium to someone like me who will appreciate them, use a portion of the money to buy used copies, and use the rest on a nice steak dinner. Those two blister packs that MarilynsPickle has would look nice alongside my Synchronicity blister pack. Unfortunately, I wasn't buying CDs back in those days, so I don't have the memories of these blister packs. Of course, I would have opened them back then, as I wouldn't have seen them as collectables. A unique feature of this Synchronicity blister pack is the embossed A&M logos running across the middle. So, sometimes the packaging can be interesting.
