Bowie's "Ziggy" CD (RCA Japan VS. RCA West Germany)

There's very little consensus, honestly.

I know Andreas prefers the Japanese versions of some titles (Space Oddity), but in general, if you're going to go with one or the other, the German versions don't have the severe audio problems inherent on some iterations of the Japanese discs. E.g. I haven't heard a German "Lodger" with the channel drop-outs...same with Hunky Dory, Heroes, etc.

And for god's sake, don't pay much for them.

-D

 

The previous forum rule of thumb for RCA Bowies, based on several different threads, goes like this:

Space Oddity through Diamond Dogs: Japan for US, with the exception of Hunky Dory where everyone loves the WG (quite right too, it's amazing & is another disc that sounds exactly like my old LP).

Young Americans onwards: WG all the way

BUT I agree with David, if you actually read the threads people have all sorts of differing opinions about them, beyond the fact that several Japan for US discs have drop-outs etc.

 

With the further observation that it looks like all Pin Ups and maybe all Aladdin Sanes are Japanese. That is, even the WG labelled ones with the gray rays and WG catalog numbers are pressed in Japan and so I think identical to the Japan-for-US ones.

Geoff

 

Just to confirm no dropout issues on my WG copy of Lodger. I think I now have a full set (but mixed JPN and WG)!

 

Wow...I'm jealous!

 

Even 'Peter and the Wolf'??

 

Any RCA 'Aladdin Sane' will sound incredible.

 

I too now have nearly a full set, mixed JPN and WG. I have done comparisons of the two masterings for a number of the albums. For Lodger IIRC I preferred the JPN for one original LP side and the WG for the other. For Hunky Dory everybody raves about the WG but apart from the dropouts on "Changes" (which really only affect the first cymbal hit that I could tell, although I haven't checked closely in headphones), I actually prefer the JPN for the rest of the album. Another shootout that stands out in my mind is the WG Low being far superior to the JPN - in fact quite a superb sounding CD IMO.

 

I have all the rest (Japan, Ryko, Ryko Gold, Virgin, 30th anniversary special edition with its reversed stereo), so what the heck... Thanks for the heads up!

 

An RCA Alladin Sane Japan ebayed past $80 recently which is too much. I'll keep an eye out at Amoeba.

And $30 doesn't meet the reserve on the WG Low CD. I just bought a Japanese Low LP that I'm crazy about for $30. Empty your wallets, Bowie CD fans!

 

No dropouts on the WG edition; it's the US ones that were particularly bad (on tracks 6-10) and only on the first pressings (was this the first CD to have a "secret" remastering?) I've never heard a WG 'Lodger' that didn't sound great.

 

I guess I have a secretly remastered Japan for US Lodger, because it sounds phenomenal.

 

If your a Bowie fan, those two discs are worth the price. Many say that the "Aladdin Sane" and "Low" discs are some of the best sounding cds in their collection.

 

I dont know about that, the WG low (while of course better than the virgin/emi/ryko re releases) still sounds very weirdly EQ'd and the eq is inconsistent. It is the most pleasant and natural, oddly enough, but it leaves a ton to be desired and there is no way it could be among "best sounding" cds.

 

I was comparing "Low" to my RCA vinyl copy and they both sound similar.

 

rca vinyl from where?

 

I believe it is an RCA PL 12030...UK?

 

Yep - full set. But I only have the Japanese RCAs.

I haven't heard any of the WG ones. I'm going to have to keep my eye out for some of the recommended WGs and try to do some comparisons.

 

But how much is too much? I keep seeing these rcas up for £25/$50 at BIN prices on ebay. The £10 I picked up Hunky Dory (WG) seemed like a good buy compared to the rest.

 

Easier said than done!

I'd thought it was the GERMAN Hunky Dory that had the dropouts in "Changes" and the Japan Hunky Dory that didn't.

I have a Japan on it's way very soon...

 

No, you have it backwards.

 

Whoo! Thanks for posting the clarification! I was just about to bid again for the made in Japan RCA of Hunky Dory on eBay...

 

Thank you for clearing that up.

 

Absolutely. "Scary Monsters" is quite impressive, too.

I have the WG "Low" and I have ever heard this album sounding better. I have owned every version of it on CD, plus original UK and french pressings on vinyl. To me, there is next to nothing to be desired with it. The sound on this album is heavily processed and it will probably never sound "lifelike". The WG CD is the absolute best, and it is reference quality IMO.

Oddly, I have also compared the two and still the CD sounds better.

 

Wow, I thought the WG Low was a really top sounding disc, but it's nice to have confirmation from somebody who has compared it to some vinyl