Moody Blues "Days of Future Passed" CD question

Just picked up the original (?) CD version of "Days of Future Passed" for $3.88 with the following info:

Made in West Germany
Deram # 820 006-2
aluminum to center hub
white spine with blue and red stripe at top

How does this compare sound-wise to remasters and other pressings of the CD?

 

All of the West German CDs sound fine. In my opinion they are better than any of the remastered versions. The current remaster has bonus tracks that might be interesting, though, and the deluxe remaster is a SACD with the mid 70s quad mix on the multichannel portion of the SACD layer.

What you won't get on any CD is the original mix of the LP. The current official version of the album is a remix done sometime in the late 70s and first issued (I think) by MFSL on LP and cassette. Wish I still had that cassette...

 

Weren't some of the original mixes released on a compliation CD somewhere?

 

The West German Moody Blues CDs (well, for the titles I have) are my go-to copies and I listent to them more often than the MFSLs or SACDs.

 

These are my "go-tos" as well (WG or non-remaster US), except for "Days Of Future Passed". A needledrop (from U.S. LP) of the 1967 mix is my favorite in that case (though the non-remaster CD is quite good for the 70's remix).

 

The same shop had some other early Moody Blues CDs with a gray tray card listing the song titles, and a gray spine. Are they remasters?

 

Sounds like original pressings to me.

 

Both the West German and MFSL sound good to me.

 

My understanding is that the white spine discs are made in WG, and the gray spine discs are made in USA. They all have the same mastering (right?).

 

I also think these are USA first pressings with aluminum hub

 

You got a good one

Aoll of the "Deram Made In West Germany" cd's are:

1. Great sounding
2. Easy to find
3. Cheap

What more could a Moody fan want?

I will add that the MFSL cd's of those first 7 are all goo sounding too. But if you aren't a hardcore fan and/or don't have the money for those, stick with those from West Germany.

 

I personally find the MFSL of Days of Future Passed to have a slightly richer midrange, but that original W. German pressing comes very close. On the other hand, I find the other MSFL "classic 7" Moodies masterings to be way too bright (and in the case of On the Threshold of a Dream, way too bassy), and in those cases the original pressings (either the European ones with the white spine or the Americans with the grey) are the best available.

 

I'll take the W. Germany 1st pressings over any others any day and that includes the MFSL's.

 

I agree with this for all the Moodies releases except Days. But what is it about the W. German pressing that you prefer over the MFSL for this particular title?

 

Does anyone know if the West German CDs are digitally identical to the non-remaster US CDs? I've searched the archives but no one have ever posted EAC peaks comparing two titles directly or otherwise demonstrated that they are identical (pressing plant differences non-withstanding).

 

That's a great-sounding CD. My fave of all the versions extant.

AFAIK, the US original CDs are the same mastering as the WG originals.

 

I was disappointed to hear a loud click at 0'16" into Tuesday Afternoon.

 

Sound quality. Nothing sounds overly up front in the W. German CD that is nicely balanced with better definition.

 

I think this is present on many or most of the "Tuesday Afternoon"s out there. Master tape issue.

 

I have an old W.Ger. copy and it STILL irks me that there's only the falsetto voice during "Time To Get Away"! Are ALL VERSIONS like that?

 

There's no click on the 1997 compilation The Best of the Moody Blues.

 

That's the single version.

The click is also on the MFSL and the original US versions of Days, but corrected on the 2006 DeLuxe Edition.

Which begs the question: what am I doing with so many CDs of Days Of Future Passed?

 

FWIW, our host has said he prefers the original WG pressing for all the "classic 7" MB cds except "Days Of Future Passed" and "In Search Of The Lost Chord", of which he gives the edge to the MFSL versions.

 

Unfortunately, all versions on CD are like that. Yecch.

I made my own edit by replacing those sections with a needledrop of the LP.

 

That's the remix, Shawn is correct, ALL CD versions of DOFP have the remix. I don't think we'll ever get the vintage 1967 album mix on CD....five different CD issues and they're all the remix. Even if the story is true that the album master was worn or damaged in the 70's, a 2nd gen dub would likely exist in UMG's vault and could be used.