Jethro Tull-Aqualung VK 41044 DIDX 68 CD

At one point or another, I have owned every single one of the discussed Aqualungs. At present, all I currently have is the DCC CD & the 25th (for the interview), having traded away the others, the DCC making them unnecessary.

 

Larry, agreed. Lucky I got mine when it was still current stock. And the hiss level on the DCC isn't objectionable either. Well worth it. This one should come out again on AF - it would be a guaranteed sales winner! It was the only one that sounded close to the UK Chrysalis. The MoFi vinyl wasn't good at all - unrecognisable.

 

Michael, you seem upset. I hadn't seen the ICE write-ups before, so I appreciate Larry posting them.

 

So if I am understanding this correctly, the tape cited in the 9/87 article led to the second mastering without the 20 seconds in "Wind Up" and with a total time of 42:57. Folks here like this CD.

The tape cited in the 2/88 article led to the third mastering with the 20 seconds in "Wind Up" added and a total time of 43:25. This is claimed to be a better tape than the one cited in the 9/87 article, but people do not like this third mastering as much as the second. If the third mastering indeed was sourced from a better tape, then what did Chrysalis do wrong in the mastering? No-noise?

Maybe a better tape wasn't used for the third mastering. Maybe Chrysalis succumbed to the criticism about the missing 20 seconds in "Wind Up" and actually used an inferior, though complete tape. Just a thought.

 

no worries, I'm not...

I posted that article a few times throughout various AQUALUNG threads...to lazy to do search though.

I will stand firmly on my opinion that the CD with the missing 20secs is second to none, bar SH's DCC...

 

I respect your opinion, though I still need to do the comparison myself. In any case, something seems to have gone wrong with the third mastering despite what was claimed in ICE back in '88 about the source tape.

 

Thank You...

yes, you need to do your own.

I agree, SOMETHING is seriously wrong.

...that ICE article worthless...

IMO, if MFSL's people mastered the Aqualung CD back then they may have used a backup copy of their LP mastering...

 

Maybe that explains why MFSL didn't release a gold CD of Aqualung back in the day. I'm sure they thought of it, especially since they released other Tull albums on gold CD.

 

Steve, could you tell us the process of getting the Dolby A decoding right if there are no setup tones?

 

Okay,I've got an extra two cents in my pocket,so I'll throw it in:IMHO,the Japan for Germany (manufactured by Sanyo Japan,matrix 610016 60410J) is the single best sounding cd version of this classic bar NONE...

 

Thank you to Steve Hoffman for the best CD version of Aqualung. So there!


Other than the DCC - I'll recommend these - all others were a disappointment to me.
Jethro Tull Aqualung:
UK CDP 32 1044-2
WG Sanyo Japan 610 016-222
WG Sonopress Germany 610 016-222

 

Cool post Steve, you can count me in the 00.1% I guess

-s1m0n-

 

I'm with you Michael

 

+1

 

There are a few others around who share your point of view. I have that Japanese pressing but haven't compared it seriously to the DCC gold disc. The DCC disc is my go-to disc, but I should spend some more time with that Japanese pressing.

Here's a theory. If we go back to that 2/88 article in ICE, it was said that a better-sounding tape was found in Germany. I wonder if this tape was used for the Japan-for-Europe 610 Chrysalis disc and also for the third U.S. mastering (with the 20 seconds added to "Wind Up"). Since some folks like the Japan-for-Europe Chrysalis disc and no one seems to like the third U.S. mastering, maybe Chrysalis took two completely different mastering approaches in the U.S. and Europe with the same tape. Again, it's just a theory.

 

I see it as two masterings...

the first mastering was missing the 20...

second 20 secs restored.

 

More Fun

Of note: 1998 Minstrel in the Gallery book by David Rees states:

Aqualung - "In 1974 a quad version was released, accidentally including a different version of Wind Up. First CD version in America missed 30 seconds from the end of Wind Up! Has been reissued, revamped and reinvented many times recently. Special Edition Chrysalis CD in blue case and long box should be avoided. 24 kt gold CD from DCC in USA is remastered from original tapes. 25th Anniversary Edition from Chrysalis in 1996 includes extra tracks...including the quad Wind Up. Lick Your Fingers Clean was recorded during the Aqualung sessions and scheduled for release as a single but did not appear. It was however included in the Jethro Tull 20th Anniversary box set in 1988 as were the three BBC session tracks."

The UK remaster of Aqualung (1996) The Canadian Aqualung remaster (1998) with bonus tracks.

The 1996 and 1998 remastered CDs added six bonus tracks and extensive liner notes:

12. "Lick Your Fingers Clean" – 2:46
13. "Wind Up (Quad Version)" – 5:24
14. "Excerpts From the Ian Anderson Interview" [Mojo Magazine] – 13:59
15. "Songs For Jeffrey" (BBC) – 2:51
16. "Fat Man" (BBC) – 2:57
17. "Bourée" (BBC) – 3:58 (Ian Anderson, Johann Sebastian Bach)


These UK & Canadian Aqualung remasters are supposed to be from the same mastering.

1998 Aqualung Canadian Remaster Tracks not present in AccurateRip database
Track 1
Peak level 70.8 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Track 2
Peak level 70.7 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Track 3
Peak level 45.4 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Track 4
Peak level 60.2 %
Track quality 99.9 %
Track 5
Peak level 53.4 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Track 6
Peak level 70.8 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Track 7
Peak level 63.1 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Track 8
Peak level 63.1 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Track 9
Peak level 46.4 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Track 10
Peak level 66.8 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Track 11
Peak level 70.8 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Track 12
Peak level 65.3 %
Track quality 99.8 %
Track 13
Peak level 60.6 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Track 14
Peak level 44.0 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Track 15
Peak level 51.5 %
Track quality 99.8 %
Track 16
Peak level 63.0 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Track 17
Peak level 63.1 %
Track quality 100.0 %


1996 Aqualung Remaster UK
Track 1
Peak level 89.1 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Track 2
Peak level 89.1 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Track 3
Peak level 57.1 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Track 4
Peak level 75.8 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Track 5
Peak level 67.2 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Track 6
Filename Track06.wav
Peak level 89.1 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Track 7
Peak level 79.4 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Track 8
Peak level 79.4 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Track 9
Peak level 58.5 %
Track quality 99.7 %
Track 10
Peak level 84.1 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Track 11
Peak level 89.1 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Track 12
Peak level 82.2 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Track 13
Peak level 76.3 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Track 14
Peak level 55.3 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Track 15
Peak level 64.8 %
Track quality 99.8 %
Track 16
Peak level 79.4 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Track 17
Peak level 79.4 %
Track quality 100.0 %

 

From the loudly cheering 0.1%, thanks for that information. No wonder there is no hiss!

 

Can you describe the disc and inserts a little more? Std old-style jewel box? Is there a date on it? Is it EMI-Chrysalis? Pic of the disc and rear insert? Thx

 

Oh no! Very glad they didn't do that! That LP didn't sound right at all - too smiley faced. Did it have a single introductory riff for Aqualung or the correct repeated riff?

 

Sure thing Larry,I can't send a picture but here's the info:

Standard old style jewel case
Chrysalis 610016-222 AE880
Matrix 61006 60410J
Manufactured by Sanyo Japan

Hope this helps!

 

I'd be very interested in your opinion Keith,if and when you give it another listen...

 

I think this still had just the one. Like the US Reprise LP.