13th Floor Elevators' debut album - best version?

I was listening to my Nuggets CD box set on Rhino which has "You're Gonna Miss Me" in Mono on the first disc of the set... and to my ears the mono version of this song on the Rhino collection sounded much better than the mono version of the song on the Sundazed vinyl.

I did listen to the Sundazed vinyl a few more times since my initial feelings about it, and it sounded a bit better than I felt it did the first time I listened. That said, it still isn't an audiophile milestone.

 

I have an IA mono original and I can't say this is in any way 'audiophile', maybe not even very good...what bass there is is a echoey mud fest, though the mids and highs sound alright on this record...those surf-like guitars are pretty trebly though.

Another classic album that's crying out for the SH re-mastering treatment.

Dale

 

Dale do you have the Sundazed as well? I have a 1A mono original as well and was curious about how the Sundazed compares

 

Unfortunately no. Many years ago I had the Radar (?) or Radarscope, whatever it was. I do have Nuggets and You're Gonna Miss Me is a bit more powerful on the Nuggets comp than on the original--maybe the volume was boosted a bit?

The IA original does have kind of a tubey glow in the mids which is nice, but the lead guitar is pretty compressed sounding and sometimes, on some of those high notes kind of makes the hair stand up on the back of your neck and not in a good way. Too trebly...That's why I think Steve could really do some magic on this--he really seems to know how to smooth out troublesome highs and mids without sacrificing much of anything. I'm listening to his Razor and Tie Beach Boys comp at the moment and I really think his work on Beach Boys recordings, which I've been listening to actively for 37 years, is really the best ever. I can't think of any of these tracks sounding better anywhere.

Dale

 

Frist listen, side one of the new mono and my original stereo show they are very different mixes. The new one sounds fine, not as much reverb as the stereo. It's a nice clean pressing too. I don't always expect the best of new vinyl. My original sounds surprisingly good, a maybe a bit diffused compared to the mono. Blame the reverb for that.

 

I compared 5 versions of "Your Gonna Miss Me" from these sources:
1) original IA stereo album
2) bootleg of IA mono album (no markings)
3) Sundazed album
4) Collectables CD (reverbed out aka-Radar/Charly)
5) Shout Factory Roky anthology

I think the best sounding versions are from best to worse are:
5
1
2
3
4

I was excited about this Sundazed version, but I'm not impressed with the sound at all. Why is it lacking the high end and clarity of the original stereo album version. Maybe the whole mono album is flat compared to the stereo mix? I never owned a copy of the original mono, but I prefer the original stereo mix and the same goes with Easter Everywhere! When is somebody going to put out the corrected master recordings? What a shame!

 

I've had the Collectables CD since 1993. Are the dropouts and pops part of the original production, or are they from the source whichever it may be? For example, the loud pop at the beginning of Fire Engine.

Anthony

 

I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for that to happen anytime soon, as Charly owns all the rights to the IA catalog, and their idea of remastering would embarrass even Peter Mew and John Astley.



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James

 

No dropouts on the original stereo album the new Sundazed mono or the Shout Factory Roky CD. I don't remember the Fire Engine pop, but then again I don't remember hearing it on the above mentioned either. The Collectables version is the same as the Radar/Charly versions-crap!

 

No - the Collectable is some kind of flat transfer (unknown source though) whilst the later ones all bear too much tinkering (for the worse). The later the Charly CD, the worse the no-noise, compression, and EQ'ing.

 

Both from the same crappy sounding tape with the same crappy sounding drop-outs. Bring on the original master tapes!

 

See my post #108.

_____
James

 

Does anyone know if Charley plans to release the albums individually after the box set?

 

I read a few negative comments on the new Sundazed Mono LP and I wasn't expecting much when I purchased this release.

My oh My! This is the real deal folks.
Sundazed does it again, another great sounding release from the vaults.

 

I agree with you, joelee. I think the Sundazed LP is excellent!

 

Agreed.

Some here have stated it's too brightly mastered. Not on my system.....its nicely balanced and fairly warm - for a 1966 low-tech mono recording.

 

yes, I think I said the same a few pages back. I did compare the Sundaze with my original stereo. I had no brighness issues at all. It sounds like a real 60's record. A pretty crazy one at that. I haven't compared it to any of the other issues I have. The Radar was a needle drop, done becuse the tapes send over were "unplayable" according to Andrew Lauder.

 

Shindig says Snapper will put out the album from master tapes this fall. Fingers crossed!

 

The Sundazed is made from a 1:1 copy tape (as noted by Irwin on the Sundazed site) and sounds great. The mastering is flat sounding (balanced) and sounds very good. I can't imagine Snapper would leave that alone. It won't help if they have a true master (which I highly doubt b/t/w) then jack it up to sound 'modern.'

 

That's great news because I don't know if I want to spring for the box set. I really just want Psychedelic Sounds and Easter Everywhere.

 

Once again, see post #108.

_____
James

 

Actually, I was mistaken - what Shindig says is that the box set will be out from the masters this fall. Sorry 'bout that, but if so, it'll still be a great thing to have.

Charly, meanwhile, has done an IA compilation:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Never-Ever-Land-International-1965-1970/dp/B000Y9NTVO

 

Go here and find everything that you wanted (and didn't want) to know about Charly and their "quality" IA reissues:

http://groups.google.com/group/Texas-P

Just sit back and do a search for "Charly" - And don't say that you weren't warned beforehand.



_____
James

 

BIG thx to all that directed me too the box.
Much better than the Charly single title release & you get everything.

The Spades version of "YGTMM" doesn't sound as good as I remember the boot 45 I got back in the 70's. Butt hey, we're talking decades here. Always enjoyed its a minute longer tho.

And all the live versions are interesting too!
(too badd the "Live" album is soooooooo fakey...)

 

Why the time differences?

Collectables:
1. You're Gonna Miss Me 2:24
2. Roller Coaster 5:00
3. Splash I 3:50
4. Reverberation (Doubt) 2:46
5. Don't Fall Down 3:00
6. Fire Engine 3:22
7. Thru the Rhythm 3:05
8. You Don't Know 2:38
9. Kingdom of Heaven 3:05
10. Monkey Island 2:38
11. Tried to Hide 2:43

Charly Box:
1. You're Gonna Miss Me 2:31
2. Roller Coaster 5:07
3. Splash I 3:56
4. Reverberation (Doubt) 2:51
5. Don't Fall Down 3:00
6. Fire Engine 3:19
7. Thru the Rhythm 3:11
8. You Don't Know 2:59
9. Kingdom of Heaven 3:12
10. Monkey Island 2:41
11. Tried to Hide 2:48

Some small, some large, weird!

(I made a mistake in my previous post; I had the "Collectables" not the "Charly". Got my "C's" mixed up; my badd!)