Amy Winehouse - Back To Black Deluxe Edition - different mastering......

The links don't work for me, Mal.

Edit....now they do!

 

Okay, I DO hear a difference!!! Maybe I didn't before cuz Rehab is a pretty grungy track. I hear the "glassiness" in the SE, and it's missing in the normalized DE version. Very nice work, Mal. I have to buy this, ASAP!!

 

Yep - although the SE clip is still the loudest so matching the volume carefully would be the only way to compare the tracks properly.

Having done this I still find the DE to be the best - no contest.

You'd better grab a copy quick before Universal "fix" it.........

 

Wow.. this is surprising and good news. I only have a few CDs that barely peak over 6dB... One of them is the Black Triangle master of Dark Side of the Moon...

"Rehab", standard CD on top, deluxe on bottom, both Replay Gained (and zoomed in vertically a little).

 

Same for "Me & Mr. Jones":



(Sorry for double post, couldn't edit).

 

Yes, I'm seeing the same thing as Borbus. Definitely more dynamic range on the DE even when the levels are matched (I increased the DE by 7.5db in my wave editor).

As for the sound - well it seems more relaxed on the DE clip Mal posted. I don't especially care for the EQ on this album; thankfully the music compensates!

I'm just going to have another listen to the vinyl to see whether getting this DE just for the mastering is worth it. I just happen to have an ultra-quiet pressing of Back to Black - there isn't a click or a pop on the whole darn thing.

 

I just compared Mal's clips to the vinyl, and the EQ on the vinyl is far preferable to my ears (although a bit bass heavy), so I dunno. Unless I can EQ the DE to sound like the vinyl I won't be too satisfied

 

The vinyl clip sounds weird to me - something strange going on in the top-end

To me the DE sounds just as dynamic but without the problems in the upper registers........

Edit: oh, hang on - you mean your vinly, right? I am talking about nin's clip from the US vinyl. Can you post a clip from your LP easily?

 

I barely hear a difference. Maybe it's my system, maybe it's my ears, but aside from volume it's still the same bleached-sounding mastering style. The UK vinyl is still the winner.

Glad others like it though! It's just not for me.

 

In a German Hifi-Forum someone posts a

replaygain_album_gain = -9.19 dB
replaygain_album_peak = 1.000000

for the Deluxe-CD.

So I fear the German Universal/EDC pressing contains the standard CD?

Martin

 

Looks like it's not clear yet whether it's a mistake or not, but I'd really like to have a quieter CD version. Does anyone know if the 2CD UK deluxe is the same as the U.S. 'Best Buy only' 2CD exclusive version that came out about a month ago?

 

Don't think so as BB lists a "Canadian" version import, which is the one you want:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage...y+winehouse&lp=5&type=product&cp=1&id=1770602

 

Oh Ok yeah, looks like you're right.....$50.....cough cough. Well if anyone has the BB exclusive version, please post whether the main CD is possibly (wishful thinking) the 'quieter' version.

 

Yes, I hear what you mean about nin's clip. The DE and the vinyl do sound similar in terms of dynamics. The soundstage on the vinyl is a little open

I guess I should post a clip or two from my LP. 'Me and Mr Jones' seems to be a good choice for a clip

 

Don't spend $50 on it - you can get it for about $20 from the UK - unless postage costs you $30 then it's got to be a better deal!

How much is it north of the border?

 

$21.99 at Futureshop....link coming...


Link:

http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/pr...angid=EN&sku_id=0665000FSM2143532&catid=13482

 

Amazon.ca:

http://www.amazon.ca/Back-Black-Dlx...bs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1195840839&sr=8-3

 

Now I have listen to Me and mr jones, both DE and standard CD plus my vinylrip and I prefer the vinyl. I think the phonostage in my NAD 3020i are flat with my OM-40, but I will soon get a new phonostage that are made to work perfect with the OM-40, so I will see if there are any difference.

 

Snare sound on the vinyl so much better. You can actually hear the brush work instead of just one rock hard splat you get on both CD versions.

thanks for all the clips Mal.

 

I'm confused...low peaks is a bad thing because resolution is lost. If in addition to the low peaks it is less compressed and the original clips then it will be an improvement in that area, but is this the case? Could someone amplify a DE waveform in Audacity to 100% (-0dB) and then post comparisons of the DE and SE? Is it actually an improvement compression-wise?

 

It is little better on the tracks I have seen, but the vinyl is even better.
This is how Mr Jones looks like when I use replaygain to get the same average level

Original CD


DE CD


US vinyl

 

Ah OK, so it is a little less compressed. Fair enough.

By the way, do you know how to make two tracks be the same RMS in Audacity or Adobe Audition?

 

Got it last night. The volume is almost cut in half! Gave it a quick listen and yes, it is less compressed and sounds pretty darn good. Will explore more later. Thanks Mal!

 

Yes, edit->group waveform normalize (in cool edit). But it didn't work good on these.

 

I completely overlooked this option when I placed my order at amazon.co.uk. Kind of odd that it is being released in Canada (no offense) but not in the States. Oh well, I probably would have shaved a week to ten days off of shipping time if I had went with the Canadian store, but I did save a dollar (US) based on last night's conversion rates!

I can't wait to get this CD! As I mentioned somewhere above, this is one that was downloaded from iTunes for my wife earlier in the year, and I've been enjoying it on the computer quite often since then. I've been holding out for a physical copy because I wanted to get the song "Addicted", because other forum members had raved about it, and the sample I've heard is nice.

I also ordered her debut Frank from the UK store as a Christmas gift for my wife . I hope I don't find out the US version is better, but I haven't seen too much about this on the forum - any opinions?

Steve In Louisville