Pink Floyd - Dark Side Of the Moon and The Wall On CD

I want to create the definitive poll for the best CD versions of these two albums. In order to do so, I have listed the essential CD versions that I found on the following pages:

http://pinkfloydcdscanz.bizland.com/3DARKSIDEMAINPAGE.html
http://pinkfloydcdscanz.bizland.com/3WALLMAINPAGE.html

I do not want to list identical masterings twice. But I also don't want to forget any mastering. Could you check if I forgot your CD version, or if I have repeated the same CD with only different packaging? Do I have to differentiate between the corresponding Japanese or US version?

DSOTM:
1. Toshiba/Emi/Harvest CP 35-3017 (Japan)
2. Capitol/Harvest CDP 7 46001 2 (US=UK=Japan?)
3. MFSL
4. Shine On Box (US)
5. 20th Anniversary Edition (EMI=Capitol?)
6. Capitol/EMI CDP 0777 7 46001 2 5 (remaster from 1992, US=UK=Japan?)
7. SACD redbook layer

The Wall:
1. Columbia C2K 36183 (Japanese = US version?)
2. Harvest CDS 7 46036 8 (UK)
3. CBS 88485 (Japan)
4. CBS/Sony 48DP 5007~8 (Japan)
5. MFSL
6. Shine On Box (US)
7. Capitol/EMI/Toshiba/Harvest 7243 8 31243 2 (remaster from 1994, US = UK=Japan=Canada?)

 

Regarding The Wall, there is an earlier Japanese CBS/Sony release. The catalog number is 50DP 361-2 (disc one is 50DP 361 and disc two is 50DP 362). This is the first release in Japan. The mastering may be the same as the original US release, but I haven't checked.

The Wall and Dark Side of the Moon were also released in Japan a few years ago in mini-LP sleeves. I don't know how these masterings compare to the current jewel-case versions (the '92 CD remaster in the case of Dark Side of the Moon).

 

The Wall was remastered in 1997 by Columbia (along w/ Animals, WYWH, Fianl Cut, and Dance Songs). Capitol later took over the title in 2000 but the remastering is the same.
So this would count as the 8th issue of this title.

 

Did Sony remaster The Wall in 1997? Or did they not use the EMI U.K. mid 1990s remaster, which I believe is the one available here now through EMI / Capitol.

I have the Sony remaster, with the 20th Anniversary sticker. Label numbers are:
Disc 1 - C2K 68519 - CK 68755
Disc 2 - C2K 68519 - CK 68576

 

Re: DSOTM, CDP 7 46001 2 .

I don't own the Japanese myself, but several folks have posted that the Japanese press hasn't got "Ticket To Ride" bleeding through on the end of it, which my UK definately has. So different sources by the look of it.


As for The Wall, Harvest CDS 7 46036 8 (UK), I've think I've heard two variants that were available in UK domestically: one from EMI Uden (Holland) and Sonopress Germany. The Sonpress Disc 1 sounds a little dull, and runs slightly fast, whereas disc 2 has nothing wrong with it. The Holland discs, if my memory is correct, were both spot on.

 

I thought that only the Toshiba-EMI CP 35-3017 does not have the "Ticket To Ride" bleedthrough. Dave knows for sure.

 

This website has lead me to believe that some Harvest CDs (with no. CDP 7 46001 2) are also CP 35-3017 (!), and it's not just Toshiba-EMI with the latter prefix.

http://pinkfloydcdscanz.bizland.com/DARKside/JapanCDP7460012.html

 

Has there been a project where we take some measurements (start out with peak levels per track, go to bit compares if needed) to see if any of these are really the same master?

(No, in my opinion, you can't just trust your ears, since things like jitter and pre-emphasis can make different pressings of the same master sound different)

 

The same mastering means bitwise identical to me, which is easy to test. You only need a seconds-long-.wav excerpt.

(When Leppo posted his .wav-excerpt of his Katy Lied CD, I was able to verify that his CD is the same mastering as mine.)

 

It was a fresh remaserting in 1997. They did not use the EMI remasters from the mid-90's.

Capitol now has the rights and uses the 1997 remaster.

No clue what EMI UK uses now.

 

How do we know this? There are no mastering credits whatsoever on my 2 disc set.

 

I just saw a used copy of the Capitol CD of 'The Wall', and, with this thread in mind, checked for a remastering credit. It clearly stated that the remaster was 'Copyright 1994'.

The Japanese mini-lp from 2001 includes this credit as well.

I think that the only thing that changed in '97 was that the recording switched labels.
(However, the stickers plastered on the front of this CD and 'Animals' tried there best to make someone believe that they were 'new'. I think this was discussed in Ice magazine at the time, but then again that was a while back...)

- joe s

 

This and the SACD are my favorite version of the DSOTM album. I have but do not like the MoFi version.

 

So does everybody agree about this definitive list? Or could it be simplified by combining two "same masterings"?

DSOTM:
1. Toshiba/Emi/Harvest CP 35-3017 (Japan, with black triangle)
2. Capitol/Harvest CDP 7 46001 2
3. MFSL
4. Shine On Box (US)
5. 20th Anniversary Edition
6. Capitol/EMI CDP 0777 7 46001 2 5 (remaster from 1992)
7. SACD redbook layer

The Wall:
1. CBS/Sony 50DP 361-2 (first Japanese pressing)
2. Columbia C2K 36183 (Japan, Canada, USA)
3. Harvest CDS 7 46036 8 (UK, Holland)
4. Harvest CDS 7 46036 8 (UK, Sonopress Germany)
5. CBS 88485 (Japan)
6. CBS/Sony 48DP 5007~8 (Japan)
7. MFSL
8. Shine On Box (US)
9. Capitol/EMI/Toshiba/Harvest 7243 8 31243 2 (remaster from 1994)
10. Columbia/Sony remaster from 1997

 

In looking at the scans of the Toshiba/EMI DSOTM CP 35-3017 and the Capitol/ Harvest discs, it appears that a Japanese Harvest disc >is< a CP 35-3017.

 

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I don't think that there is a 1997 Columbia/Sony 'The Wall' remaster. As far as I can tell every post-1994 pressing uses the same mastering - they all have 'Digital Remaster Copyright 1994' printed somewhere on them. (Is this version truly distinct from the 'Shine On' box? The box was released just 2 years earlier with identical mastering credits.)

Also, I have a Harvest 'Made in Japan CDP 7 46001 2' DSOTM without the black triangle. Etched into the inner ring of the cd is the matrix# CP35-3017. This seems to indicate that it is the same master as the 'black triangle' version. I think that sometime in the 80's they started using a different mastering, but to complicate things further there may have then been separate masterings used in the US and Europe. (Back in the 80's, a lot of Floydiophiles prefered the EU masterings to their American counterparts..)

One more thing: Isn't is possible that the 20th Anniversary, 'Shine On', and '94 DSOTM all feature the same mastering? The '94 disc has 'Digital Remaster Copyright 1992' on it.


- joe s

 

Based on my experience, I'm tempted to say that *every* (Japanese mini-LP versions included) disc released after '92 is based on the Shine On remaster.

 

I would have to agree with Javier.

The lone exception would be the newly-released/remastered (and maximized!) The Final Cut.

 

Well, there should be someone owning both the Shine On box and one of the 1992/1994/1997 "remasters". It is easy to examine if they are the same (bitwise) mastering.

 

I have the DSOTM Mini-LP and it says (P) 1992 (C) 1994.

Joe

 

I think they started the remastering program in '92 with the 'Shine On' box and finished 2 years later when the entire catalog was released individually in Europe. These James Guthrie-Doug Sax versions have probably been used ever since, with the exception of the DSOTM sacd and the 2004 Final Cut.

Then again, I haven't actually done a level-matched comparison between all of these, since I only have the '94 remasters from Europe and the mini-LPs. But why would a record company go to all of the trouble and expense to remaster these titles over and over, and at the same time continue to credit the Guthrie-Sax version? It just doesn't make sense.

- joe s

 

I'm almost certain that the first and third use the same master, and I do suspect the second does as well.

 

So, is the US 1997 (Cat. # C2K68519) Columbia big jewel box CD of "The Wall" worth getting? All I have is the JPN paper sleeve?

Help!

 

I'm very happy w/ my 1997 Sony remaster. The only other version I heard was the orginal US pressing w./ the annoying click before Comfortably Numb.

 

Dammit! Knew I should've snagged it!!!!