Two different early CD masterings of Fleetwood Mac - Mirage

Much to my surprise I found out today that there are (at least) two different early CD masterings of Fleetwood Mac's Mirage album.

I have the following two versions:

WG Target CD (matrix: 7599 23607-2 2893 024 01), catalog no. 9 23607-2, total time: 43:06

Early German (not WG) CD (matrix: 2 56952 SRC-01), catalog no. 256 952 (no barcode on back inlay), total time: 43:21

These two CD's have a clearly different mastering. The volume level is similar with the (slightly later) German pressing being a tad louder (but not compressed). Also, the German CD sounds a little fuller, while you could say that the Target CD sounds a tad more relaxed/laid back. Both sound good to me, and I haven't finally made up my mind which version I like better, but I am leaning towards the slightly later mastering on the German CD at the moment.

Since I read some comments on the forum about some of the original CD's to be very quiet, I assume there might even be a third mastering, since the WG target CD is not really that quiet in my opinion.

 

Someone sent me the EAC peak levels for what I believe is the common un-remastered U.S. pressing of Mirage and they were very very low:

Track 1 - Peak level 47.4 %

Track 2 - Peak level 44.3 %

Track 3 - Peak level 41.3 %

Track 4 - Peak level 43.7 %

Track 5 - Peak level 49.9 %

Track 6 - Peak level 34.2 %

Track 7 - Peak level 33.8 %

Track 8 - Peak level 34.2 %

Track 9 - Peak level 37.5 %

Track 10 - Peak level 29.9 %

Track 11 - Peak level 22.3 %

Track 12 - Peak level 39.7 %

 

Well, this would certainly be a third mastering, since my WG target CD has levels clearly in a higher range (I haven't checked, but I would guess at least 80-90%).

 

Here are the peak levels of the different versions. Looks like the early US CD has exactly half the levels of the WG Target CD, so they are probably related. Not sure what has happened there...

 

I have the WG target for this title and LOOOOOOVVVEEEE it.

The WG target of 'Rumours' is impressive as well!

 

Roland, this gets even more interesting. The levels from the WG Target I had (since sold on the forum) do not match yours:

Track 1
Peak level 100.0 %
Track 2
Peak level 100.0 %
Track3
Peak level 99.8 %
Track 4
Peak level 100.0 %
Track 5
Peak level 100.0 %
Track 6
Peak level 77.7 %
Track 7
Peak level 85.0 %
Track 8
Peak level 83.6 %
Track 9
Peak level 88.2 %
Track 10
Peak level 68.5 %
Track 11
Peak level 55.7 %
Track 12
Peak level 100.0 %

The details for that disc (like the matrix number) should be in my old ad. I'll look for it. . . I still have the actual EAC report on my computer at home. I'll look for that too to confirm total time.

From my ad:

Warner Bros. 9 23607-2
Silver/Red Target (Made In West | | Germany By Polygram)
Matrix: 7599 23607-2 2893 024 04

 

And now I see those numbers match your other German pressing. Interesting. . .

And by the way, I thought that disc sounded very good.

 

Wow, very interesting.

My target CD does not say "by Polygram", which indicates an earlier version (I think).

So there are two different masterings for the WG target CD's, this is indeed very interesting.

There is probably also a Japan target CD, isn't there?

 

Now comes the inevitable question: Which target CD version (with or without "BY POLYGRAM")?

 

This may open up a big can of worms around here

 

My Japan for US (Manufactured by Sanyo Japan) disc has the same exact peak levels as the regular US. Has 9 23607-2 412114 in the matrix. TT 43:20:02 if that's getting recorded.

 

My WG Target (9 23607-2) has the same peak levels as the German (not W. German) cd in the yellow column on the chart. The matrix is the same as what Roland listed for the WG Target in his first post, but ends with an 04 instead of 01. Did you get those peak levels backwards on the chart? All the info - catalog #, disc design and matrix suggest my disc is the same as your WG Target, but the peak levels and TT (43:21:45) match the other German disc.


And my third copy of this is a Japan Target that has the same peal levels and TT as the US with "Manufactured by Sanyo Japan" in the matrix, and matrix code of 9 23607-2 502231.

Damn. With three seemingly different versions, I was hoping I had all three masterings.

 

I have a Germany copy (256 952) here with a play time of 43:23 on my player. It is "Manufactured in Germany by Record Service GmbH, Alsdorf".

 

No, the chart is correct.

There are (at least) two different WG target CD versions, the one with the matrix ending in 01 and the other one with the matrix ending in 04. The latter should say "MADE IN WEST GERMANY BY POLYGRAM", the earlier one (with 01) only says "MADE IN WEST GERMANY".

The Japanese and some of the regular US versions with the low levels are from the same analog to digital transfer, but the levels were changed at some point on one of the versions.

 

I have the exact same WG Target disc as Roland.

 

My TARGET copy is an -04 (Made in West Germany by Polygram)

Chris C

 

Here are my Mirage targets with matrix information and total times.

1. Japanese Sayno pressing, catalog number 9 23607-2, matrix code is "9 23607-2 502231", total time = 43:22

2. West German pressing, catalog number 9 23607-2, "MADE IN WEST GERMANY" along perimeter, matrix code is "7599 23607-2 2893 024 01", total time = 43:08

3. West German pressing, catalog number 9 23607-2, "MADE IN WEST GERMANY BY POLYGRAM" along perimeter, matrix code is "7599 23607-2 2893 024 04", total time = 43:24

4. West German pressing, catalog number 256 952 (target), "MADE IN WEST GERMANY BY POLYGRAM" along perimeter, matrix code is "7599 23607-2 2893 024 04", total time = 43:24

3 and 4 must be the same. So, I have either two or three masterings. It's possible that 1 is the same as 3 and 4 since the total time difference is only two seconds.

 

Interesting. What relationship (if any) do those masterings have to the current CD version? I hope it's not yet another mastering

 

This is interesting. How do they compare to the vinyl in general?

 

My W German Target cd sounds remarkably like the US vinyl,
the vinyl being only slightly "airier".

 

Which West German target would that be? There is more than one mastering.

 

Edge on the vinyl in general for now then?

 

Not sure if I got everything correct, maybe you guys can check this new table:

 

It's interesting that the Japanese pressings have peak values half of those of the first West German target in Roland's list, yet the total times are quite different.

Is it possible with EAC or a similar program to take the waveform from a song off of one of the Japanese pressings, multiple everything by two (double the peak values), and then subtract the resulting waveform from a waveform off the first West German pressing to see if they indeed cancel out?

 

Keith, you didn't list the peak levels for your Japan target CD, and I just assumed it has the low values going by the total time and also that the other Japan CD has the low values.

Is your Japan target CD indeed much lower in volume compared to the other ones?