Holy smokes! AC/DC Back in Black EMI/Albert CD!

I am giving a first listen to the old EMI/Albert AC/DC Back in Black CD. Holy smokes! It is great! I always liked the original Atlantic disc, but I like the EMI/Albert disc better. It sounds natural and has plenty of space. The bass is great. Everything sounds right! Wow!

I'd be curious to hear thoughts from the gallery on this one. How do you rate it against other versions? Is there a better-sounding version? I'm thinking no based on what I've heard with the original Atlantic disc and based on reviews of recent remasters that I've read.

 

The DualDisc is very good to my ears. I've never heard the disc you posted, I'd like to though.

Hmm, off to the used racks again!

 

I have the DualDisc also. My brother has an older version of "Who Made Who" on Atlantic, which features two songs from "Back in Black". These two tracks sound so much better on the old Atlantic CD compared to the DualDisc. The DualDisc has all the features of a modern remaster, heavy compression, EQ'd, etc.

On its own, the DualDisc sounded o.k. (if not listened to it too loud), but all in all it could be a lot better.

I assume the old EMI version from Japan is even better...

Roland

 

I haven't heard the DualDisc. Maybe I'll give it a try.

As for the EMI/Albert disc, I should have stated that it is the original Australian release. I don't expect it to be too easy to find here in the States as a result. I got my copy off of eBay from a seller in Australia. Check eBay, though, as these EMI/Albert discs do come up. I don't know if this mastering was limited to the original Japanese pressing. Perhaps other folks here know if later Australian releases have the same mastering.

 

Just curious Roland, are you discussing the CD side or the DVD side?

 

Like Ric, I am curious whether your comments pertain to the CD or DVD side (or both). I thought I read that the CD side on the DualDisc is identical to the current Sony CD remaster in the digipak. I have not read good things about the current AC/CD remasters.

I don't find the EMI/Albert CD at all fatiguing.

 

I did the direct comparison with the CD side, but also listened to the DVD side and did not notice a big improvement. It sounded like the same mastering to me, but there could be a slight difference between the CD and DVD side.

The difference to the Atlantic CD is so drastic and of much higher magnitude, you'll hear it after listening for two seconds.

Roland

 

Is that an EMI/Albert? It's got a CBS/Albert catalog #.

 

The Back In Black 180 gram vinyl is amazing too!

 

Keith, I'm curious as to whether our Japanese CD's share the same or very similar mastering. I've heard the made in Australia Albert/EMI pressing and it sounded more like the Atco USA and Canadian pressings to me. Here's mine...

 

I thought all the Albert AC/DC CDs were put out by EMI. The catalog number on Back in Black does not look CBS-like.

(Well, maybe it is CBS-like. Later European CBS releases have a six-digit catalog number of the form 4XXXXX. However, they don't have the "CD" prefix. )

 

Dave, I was really excited about the Albert disc yesterday, but admittedly, the difference between it and the Atlantic is not night and day. When comparing them yesterday, I thought the Albert disc had a bit more air and life.

I have not heard the 20P2 disc. So, you like it?

 

I it! Nice and laid back mastering as opposed to the in-yer-face mastering of the N. American pressings which I suspect are from DAT as opposed to analog tape like this pressing.

 

Dave, I'll be on the lookout for the 20P2 disc. However, the original Atlantic and Albert discs are in my face.

 

I'll try and remember to bring in some discs to point out the differences - suffice to say that, of the EMI/Albert discs (original versions), all the I have carry a CDP 7 xxxxx 2 number, and the second edition CBS/Albert discs (probably what you've got, in its Japanese-pressed iteration) have six-digit numbers.

Distribution later went back to EMI for a pre-remastering go-round (according to the web, I've not seen disc proof), then a re-mastering (1995), and distribution of the remasters currently is with Festival/Mushroom.

 

I meant to say that the Atlantic and Albert discs are NOT in my face. I can't go back and edit the original post now.

 

Interesting. So, there is an earlier Albert version of Back in Black with a CDP 7 46XXX 2 catalog number? I have a Japanese pressing of Powerage with that sort of catalog number and wondered why the catalog number for Back in Black differed. Still, given that my copy of Back in Black is a Japanese pressing and has the black coating, I assumed it was the original Albert release. I'll check it again, but I didn't see a reference to CBS or EMI.

 

I had the George Marino remaster, the Dual-Disc, and the Ten Jensen remaster and finally bought the Atlantic CD of Black in Black.

The Atlantic CD definitely beats all of the remasters that I have heard.

In fact all of the old Atlantic CDs of the AC/DC catalog sound great and I believe most of them were mastered by forum favorite Barry Diament. I know he has mastering credits for the Atlantic CDs of "Dirty Deeds" and "If You Want Blood, You Got It".

 

No reference to CBS on the back cover?

I have an Easybeats 2CD anthology on CBS/Albert with the same style CD label as your disc (ie the EMI style!). It has a CBS catalogue number and mentions CBS on the back inlay card.

 

I don't recall it, but I'll check when I am home tonight.

 

That opinion will, or I mean should, change once you get that 20P2 version.

 

Wow I bagged a copy of this cd and although it's in bad shape it sounds fantastic, I totally agree with your thread, I consider my Epic remaster retired. I would just like to know where we can source the rest of the catalogue from!

 

Cool! These early Albert discs are pretty tough to find, but I would like to find more of them.

 

Per the AC/DC Discography site for Back In Black, this release is most definitely an Albert/CBS release. Would this possibly make it the first Aussie CD version of Back In Black released?

I have the Albert/FMR releases for the Oz-only versions of High Voltage, T.N.T., Dirty Deeds..., and Let There Be Rock. These are the Aussie equivalents to the mid-90s remasters*, and I have absolutely no complaint with those remasters.


*except occasionally when it comes to the Oz-only tracks, which sometimes take a sonic step "backwards", d'oh!!!

 

I am very confused on this subject.
a) I had all the first issue's of the AC/DC cat. when released here in Canada.(thought they were very flat and i remember saying to myself, this is cd Quality)
b) replaced them when new versions came out and i believe those to be Acto versions and thought they were much better (night and day i thought)...at the time Fly on The Wall didn't get done or anything after and i still have those (they say Atlantic on them)
c) replaced those with the Epic master's but still have all the others put away in a box including the Atlantic versions.
d) Now as far as Black in Black, for the life of me, who might know that cd better, WHICH IS THE ONE TO HAVE? ( i also have the Dual Disc)
e) Just today, i saw Black in Black in a used store, the one with the very plane bold white letters of the title.......should i go back and get it?