Geez, the STAR WARS soundtrack! Has this EVER sounded good on LP or CD?

Apparently this is just marketing talk...

From the very informative link Jamie posted earlier:

...and the 1997 masters are far from being the best...

 

The best sounding version of Empire remains - for me - the original RSO double-LP. Mint sealed versions pop up on Ebay from time to time - just managed to snag myself one last week for only $8!!! Amazing dynamics and superb example of 'vinyl done correctly'. The tracks are sequenced in a .... creative way however, so for chronological listening I reach for the Arista Anthology box set.

Star Wars isn't tooooo bad on the RCA 2-disc set, but again sounds far too hard edged and 'digital' than it should. The Arista box set is probably the best bet for this soundtrack. Unfortunately the double-LP - while not too bad overall and in glorious analogue from start to finish - sounds quite muffled in places.

The Return of the Jedi score is only available 99.9% complete on the RCA 2-CD sets (or newer Sony re-releases of same). THE most AWFUL mastering of a film score I have ever heard. No-noised TO DEATH. Hardly any top end. Turns one of the most exciting film scores into something lifeless and tiring to listen to. Again, the Arista box set sounds MUCH better, but is missing rather a lot of music alas. The LP is hardly worth mentioning as it was only a single LP release and half the music is concert suites anyway.

The only other place I've heard a decent mastering of some Jedi material is the 'Star Wars - A Musical Journey' DVD which was free with the Revenge of the Sith soundtrack. Great selections of music in 24-bit 48kHz sound. Jedi in particular sounds 'alive' and crisp - definately a different mastering from the 2-CD sets.

If only Mr Lucas would realise the artistic value of these scores and give them justice, and Steve Hoffman's DCC magic. The Lord of the Rings scores were done correctly, and with love - i.e. 3/4 CDs per score, and a high-res DVD-Audio version from the original masters (at 24-bit 48kHz - same as the Abbey Road masters) for good measure.

Those Star Wars analogue masters (I understand the Empire album masters are already history now... or near to it?) are just sitting there in a vault somewhere slowly degrading - it's a crime they haven't received the audiophile treatment they deserve as yet...

 

He won't.

 

Meant to add, if looking for Star Wars on vinyl, don't go for the 20th Century Fox records version. The 'red label' Polydor International RSO pressing (STEREO 2658151) is the one to go for - less muffled and with less surface noise. More dynamic too.

 

Just wondering if anyone has any EAC figures of both the Polydor Japanese 2-CD original soundtrack, and the Polydor 1986 UK CD release? I'm curious if they're both the same masterings, or if the Japanese one is the better of the two? I've heard some saying the Japanese is superior, and others saying they're the same - so far I've yet to see any proof either way. I have the UK set but don't want to shell out for the Japanese set unless it really is a different/superior mastering.

Thanks,

- John

 

Replaying to myself (how sad - haha!). Meant to add the UK PYE edition is also better than the US 20th Century Fox release...

 

Hi John

Here are the EAC levels from my Japanese P33W 20014/15 issue of STAR WARS. At some point in time I did a null test with the regular US CD release (currently in storage) and it passed.

Disc 1

85.6 / 82.0 / 60.7 / 72.2 / 87.2 / 74.7 / 88.2 / 91.1 / 74.0

Disc 2

79.5 / 76.9 / 64.5 / 74.2 / 65.5 / 76.0 / 70.8

I need to get around to transferring my 7.5 IPS 1/4" two-channel four-track tape dating from 1978!

Cheers
Chris

 

Here’s an “out the box” thought for Audio Fidelity -- reissue the original LP configurations for STAR WARS, EMPIRE and JEDI on CD. Remastered by Steve, of course.

Is it possible that licencing would be via the Universal Music Group (UMG) given that RSO folded into PolyGram into UMG? Could be a means of sidestepping Lucasfilm’s licencing department!

If this were possible, I wonder whether John Williams ever made a 2LP assembly for JEDI that was left unissued. The LP misses so many wonderful highlights such as “Brother and Sister”, “Darth Vader’s Death”, “Fight with the Fighters”, etc.

 

I have the 4cd boxed set too....the coolest thing is it has both Cantina Bar songs, the famous one, plus the second one that you only vaguely hear in the background in the film. This latter one is really cool. Makes you wish John Williams did more work in the pop/rock realm.

 

I love the second Cantina theme.
After watching the trilogy on my sound system I started digging around for a good version of the scores. My bargain bin copy of the Fox LP wasn't bad but I'm not really a fan of the mixing or the sequencing.

 

For the original 20th. Century Fox soundtrack, the UK Pye issue of it sounds best of what's available. Maybe it's time to see if an AF LP and Gold CD could be done, Steve? The music deserves it.

 

I'm sure Steve would love to but I doubt George Lucas let the masters out of Skywalker Ranch if this is where they are stored, also, I think Sony Music has a say on that too.

 

Lucas would no doubt add some ridiculous crap onto the masters and call them "restored", then render the originals permanently OOP

 

MANY thanks for that Chris - that'll save me having to splurge out for a Japanese copy which has exactly the same transfer on it then

Agree with your comments about getting Steve/Audio Fidelity to do remasters of the original album releases. That would be a dream come true! Better yet, a 3-LP 100% analogue transfer set for each film. I'm still stunned by how good the DCC Raiders LP sounds (far better than the already good CD with a decent turntable.) - having the Star Wars trilogy with that level of mastering would be amazing. Either that or the complete saga remastered by Steve for SACD or Blu-ray audio

 

John, a soundtrack release coinciding with the upcoming Blu-ray in September could be a sensible strategy.

What is involved in actually making this happen? Does Lucasfilm require a large up-front cash advance? Does Sony currently own the soundtrack rights? Is the return on investment just not there? I’d be interested to learn what the road-blocks actually are.

 

If there was a release it would likely be just another repackaging of the SE releases.
I think John Williams would like the idea of an audiophile release of the scores. The trouble of course with everything Lucas-related is being able to get clearance into the Lucasfilm vault and finding it.

 

I don't know if this has been mentioned yet, but the forthcoming blu-ray releases of Star Wars will be especially good for fans of the John Williams score: lossless audio.

 

Just picked up the 4-CD box today for only $25 !!

It will make a nice addition to the 2-CD "special editions" which I've owned for years and really enjoy.

 

I found one today that seems pretty good but its the Varujan Kojian Utah Symphony version (Japan) on Varese Sarabande VCD-47201.

 

I have the 4-CD box, and while I haven't done any comparisons, it sounds decent enough to me.

 

Back in the day my brother had the DBX version of this record. To me it was the most awesome sounding album I ever heard.

 

You should hear the Zubin Mehta, LA Philharmonic "Star Wars Suite" on Decca (sacd) although, it is only the suite, it is to die for!!!

 

I know this is on the 20th Century label, but I think this sounds pretty good..



Anyone have a RSO drop for comparison?