Steve: Fleetwood Mac - "Rumours": EQ question

I just read this post at the Steve Hoffman (netassoc.net) site:

My question for Steve is, does this EQ you suggest also apply to the DVD-Audio version? I ask this because I also find it somewhat bright.

 

bump

 

bump

 

BTW, I am referring to the stereo version on the DVD-Audio here, not the multichannel one.

 

Bump... last try

 

Why not try it and see what it sounds like?

 

…and please let us all know if it works

 

I dunno about the remastered CD and/or DVD, but I'm listening to my original 1977 Rumours LP I bought when I was 15, and as it happily spins on my 'table, it sounds pretty damn good for a 28 year old album and is definately NOT bright!

 

Thanks for your reply, Steve. After not getting any reply from you I bumped the thread a few times as per your instructions from some time ago.

Just in case it might help, this is what the DVD-Audio says in the credits:

5.1 Surround Mixes and Original Stereo Mixes Mastered @ 96k by Bob Ludwig, Gateway Mastering, Portland, Me.

 

The thing is, I've tried Steve's equalization on the stereo track on the DVD-Audio, and things do seem to sound more balanced - on my headphones, can't rely on my PC speakers for this and I have no way of using the equalizer outside the computer -, but don't know if this sound is closer to the original than that of the straight DVD-Audio output. If it is, I would try to do an analog out backup of my DVD-A and apply the equalization to it.

Does anybody here have both the LP and the DVD-Audio and can say if they notice any difference between the two?

 

There's totally an EQ differnce between the two. But the original CD is much easier to start with.

Rumours has a few inherent problems including built-in EQ, and I think it might have happened when they had to bounce-over the precussion when they found the tape they were using was going downhill fast (This is why the high-hat to "You Make Loving Fun" sounds harsh. Sorry - can't help that!) It will sound a lot like a air-compressor than a high-hat in most everything I've done. They had to bounce things over manually inside the mix too. NOO SMTPE computerized motors in them dayz. Just tirelessly working engineers like Ken Caillat.

That album was crafted with a little bit of tricks and sweat. It's ALMOST a completely clear audiophile recording, but not.

The RE-1 CD would have sounded very close to "tweeked up" but the digital master was really mucked with and skipped when they committed it. In desperation, they "patched" it like a quilt in places. Totally unacceptable!! Most every 90's copy of Rumors is the RE-1 copy and should be avoided! It was like what Capitol did to the Sgt Pepper's 8 Track.....

 

Here's a small mp3 clip of "Second Hand News" from the DVD-Audio stereo version. First, it's the straight recording from the analog outs of my player. Next, is the same clip with the above mentioned EQ suggested by Steve for the CD.

The original is at 96/24, my original clip was recorded at that bit depth and sample frequency. Which of them sounds better to you and why? I'd love to hear your opinions.

Note: This is, evidently, trying the EQ that was meant originally for the CD on a version that Steve has not even heard, just to see if it can improve the DVD-Audio version.

 

I finally was able to upload the files (shorter though, and separated).

Process followed:
recorded a clip of the song at 96/24 > applied EQ to copy of clip > got 2 versions > downsampled to 44.1/16 with dithering > created 2 mp3 files at 128kbps

 

Anybody heard the audio clips?

 

Yes. Very subtle differences only as far as I can tell.

Just for fun, here's the same section from one of my vinyl copies. Shure cartridge, flat controls.

 

The downloaded files come up as invalid or corrupted. The vinyl one is ok though
so maybe my PC likes vinyl??

 

I had to use 7-zip to decode them.. winzip wouldn't. The vinyl one is just stored (compressing a wav generally makes it bigger...)

And all these are more than a little compromised by the 128k mp3 format, which makes them sound 'cold' and 'loud' compared to the unprocessed .wav.

 

I had to recur to the zipping of the files as I did not have any place to post them to. BTW, if any of you have had problems unzipping them it might be because I didn't do it with WinZip, but with Winrar.

 

I've seen yousendit.com used in other threads for large files. They'll keep it on line for a week.

 

Personally, I play the W. German cd of that, it was much less expensive than a $9000 equaliser!
The German cd from '83-84 sounds a lot like the original US vinyl. All the US cd's sound futzed with.

The DVD-A is slightly bright on the 5.1 and wayyyyyy too bright on the stereo.
Steve's eq suggestion should work on the current stereo cd/DVD-A, and half those moves would be needed for the MC (which has altogether different character in the mids owing to the modern equipment it was remixed on.

As for equalisers outside the computer, I bought 4 10-band graphic eq's in the last couple months at yard sales and the most expensive one was $10. None had any crackle when the sliders were used. You could also use the sound out on the pc and go into your stereo using a 1/8" phone jack-to-stereo RCA cables. Since the iPod has reached prominence those cables are commonplace, and of nicer quality these days.

. . . hope this helps.

 

I would tell you what I think of the difference except that they were too bloody compressed!!!!!

 

I take note. Unfortunately I have since erased the original files. Could someone who has unzipped these files upload them to that place and link to them? (I've been trying to do it, but can't seem to get the second page to work properly).

New note: OK, seems I finally got it to work see link below.

 

You mean compressed in the mp3 sense, or are you referring to dynamic range compression? When I listened to the mp3s I thought you could easily tell the differences in the sound of one and the other. If there is any dynamic range compression on these files it is because it was there in the first place on the DVD-A.

If you are referring to the zip compression, then WinRar should help there.

 

Here's the link to the unzipped mp3 files: http://s48.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1VX499332B2A02IU8P8BNGWTXI

I understand it will be up for 7 days or a limited number of downloads.