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

Although I don't have both versions the AU20 for "Station to Station"--according to some forum members there are TWO masterings for this one definitely superior to the other. I don't know the difference though (although the one I have sounds terrific and doesn't suffer from the shrill sound of the regular Ryko).

Anybody who has tried both want to chime in?

 

Wow, thanks karmaman. That makes three Aladdin Sane RCAs, right? Two Japans and one WG. How rare is this secret master?

 

not rare, it would seem the Denon (i.e. same as JPN for Europe) is the rarer and i was unaware of it until jh901 mentioned it in another thread, so the CSR is more common. so, three discs but only two masters.

 

Wait, what? The Japan for Europe and WG are identical?

 

there is no WG. there is a Japan for Europe and two Japan for US, one of which is the same as the Japan for Europe.

 

I wonder if it still happens today. Anyone? And if not, does anyone have a clue when cds got standarized?

 

It doesn't happen anymore, unless different labels own the rights of the same recording for different parts of the world. And even then, it's rare. People now understand the need for a uniform, global product.

CDs became standardized around the early 90's with the first publicized remastering campaigns, but there's no clear-cut date. For example even the Bowie remasters have different peak levels whether they are from Ryko (US) or EMI (EU).

 

Thanks a lot, Plan9. I live in Brazil, and I've always worried about that. I'll keep buying imported older cds and brazillian "newer" ones.