its amazing that two different people can master the same album almost the same. anyway, to add...... I compared the CSR/Japan to a US disc I got and they both had the same levels but total time was off by 1second. I prefered the CSR disc as it had more pronounced highs. the snare drum, backing vocals...everything had a hgigher , c.earer sound as where my US disc sounded just about the same but it was missing those highs. I knew it was there but still I had to listen a few times and knew there was something missing on the US disc. pretty amazing how much the same they both sounded. very very close.
I also wrote this some time ago. They are too close to have been different masterings. And they sound exactly the same.
Well, no they don't. At least not to the guy who mastered the one that everyone's looking for. I am not exaggerating when I say that Steve played two tracks of the "Made in Japan CSR" version of the disc for about 10 seconds each, and knew that it wasn't his mastering. And since he was kind enough at that time to dial up an approximation of what changes were made, and then punched them in and out a couple of times as the disc played, I can state that there **is** a difference, but it's subtle, indeed. Play the discs back to back and it's possible you can pick it out, but it's just not the sort of difference that smacks you in the face. Unless you do this for a living, I suppose... -Kevin
No flames here brother. Thanks for posting this Kevin and I agree 100% and knew the moment I hit play that it was Steve's. The snare drum is that obvious plus I already listened to you previously when you mentioned this last year.
I just fail to see how any 2 humans and 2 sets of playback/mastering equipment could produce two different masterings from an analog tape which are identical time-wise and have nearly identical waveforms. Nor has anyone yet provided an explanation (or even a theory) as to how that could have happened. Are you 100% certain that what you played for Steve is what Andreas and I have compared to the UK pressing?
after my comment above I would have to say the CSR/Japan & US discs I have are different masterings from eachother,Steves or not. the highs/midrange are way better on the japan and the US is lacking. but both have the same levels.
I also find this rather implausible... unless the masterings were not done independently (for example, if one was a simply a subtle tweak of the other).
Not only implausable - it would be downright impossible. If the samples on two different CDs are in synch musically then they were identical at some point in time. If they are now different despite remaining in synch musically then someone has altered them in the digital domain. So, the CSR and Nimbus pressings that Kevin tested were definitely derived from the same digital transfer.
I'm listening to a non-CSR Japan release, matrix of MCAD 37214, with what looks like 0721 beside it. The peak levels are Track #1: 90.8 #2: 91.7 #3: 90.6 #4: 88.7 #5: 96.3 #6: 86.2 #7: 97.6 The snare sounds nice, but I've nothing to compare it to except for the Citizen Dan version... so I've no idea what version I have. Have audio clips been posted of Steve's version yet? If one was posted, we could compare ours to the one that's known, and that might settle this debate faster than anything.
I think I got the Hoffman disc yesterday via Ebay. I also have what SOUNDS and looks like a Nicholls version off a guy on the street last week. Here are the pics: First what I think are the Nicholls: This has stronger bass and the vocals have more presence. The instruments are closer together. Check the next post for what I believe is the Hoffman.
Here is what I believe to be the Hoffman: This one has better instrument seperation and placement, tighter bass and to me, recessed vocals. There is a keyboard part on Black Cow that shimmers on this one. The snares sound more realistic as well. So am I right?
I don't think so. Steve's disc (if it exists!) would have been manufactured in Japan, not the U.S.A., since it would've been the first pressing. Also, here's a post from Steve about the disc: http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showpost.php?p=1459717&postcount=60 And here's the info from the SH Dscography page: http://www.stevehoffman.tv/discography/MCA/4285
I have that exact disc and it's a very good sounding disc. It has the 39:56 timing and silence between the tracks. I thought it might be THE ONE as well when I first got it. I don't think it is though. The other day I bought another copy of AJA as a backup thinking it was the same one because the artwork is 100% the same. It has the DIDX-55 artwork. The disc is different! It's a U.S. disc with a very plain, old MCA face no real distinguising marks. The running time is 39:58, it has hiss between the tracks, and the matrix is: MCAD-37214 22T (then it looks like a smaller engraved 23 after that) and then MFD BY JVC.
So how many masterings of this disc are there? These 2 discs sound markedly different as I pointed out in my listening comments.
bundee1, can you post some samples (uncompressed, 30 seconds would suffice) from the first song of both of your CDs? I would like to compare them against Mal's Uk disc (approved as Steve's mastering).
How do I post samples? Second the DIDX has a running time of 39:58, while the DIDY has a running time of 40:00.
Use yousendit.com to send the files to your own email address, and post the link here. (This assumes that you already have uncompressed samples on your harddisk.)
Andreas I have EAC ripped wav files and Apple lossless files. How do I edit the files to 30 sec? I can also email the file directly to you. Let me know as the file is done below.
I am listening to the original Japanese release with catalog number VDP-27, and I have to say that it sounds great. This disc seems to have a unique mastering. I started a thread about it last year. Details about this disc, including running time and EAC levels are included in this thread: http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?p=1805059 I will need to compare this disc to other early Japanese pressings. Maybe the VDP disc is "the one"? It sounds balanced with good bass and hiss. I like.
Gort please delete the previous post. Here is the edited version of 1 minute for the comparison: http://download.yousendit.com/C232BB0417C379D1
bundee1, the sample 1 you posted is extremely close to Mal's UK disc (confirmed to be Steve's mastering). Both are derived from the same digital transfer and mastering, they are in perfect synch and cancel out almost completely. The difference file, i.e. the remainder after OOPS cancellation, is lower than -40 db in volume (0.7% peak level in EAC). Sample 2 is exactly the same as sample 1, down to the last bit.
So does that mean that this is Steve's mastering? Ill post 2 samples again as I think I posted the same one twice.
