Led Zeppelin - new SHM Box from Japan.

This is a joke, or the guy on eBay doesn't know what he is talking about as the "2003/2005 paper-sleeve editions" are digital copies of the 1994 remasters, which some of them have just been maximized or increased in loudness with digital limiting and everything. Blah.

 

I own a few SHM-CD's! If they use a recent remaster the sound quality is very very good! But most of the SHM-Cds around are using old masters as far back as 1991. These old remasters sound better in SHM, but not enought to warrant the high price! The Zep remasters according to CD Japan are using the 1994 remasters. I contemplated purchasing the entire boxset for around $300.00, but decided to buy the first 5 instead. Mostly for my collection and curiosity! The set is limited to 5000 copies worldwide, but knowing the Japanese it will most likely be issued again in a few months as an encore!! Release. Just like they did with The Who/Who's Next. I bought this on SHM-Cd and it's the best sounding Who Cd I have ever heard!!

 

Yes. That is it, for diehard ZEP collectors (there are many )

Beautiful package. If it is on CD Japan it is not a bootleg.

 

Did anyone got it and can comment ?

 

Mine should be here any day. Waiting. Waiting. Impatiently waiting.

 

Thanks! Yeah, I'm one of those.

 

Just Rec'd Led Zeppelin 40th Aniversary Mini Lp Replicas SHM-CD

Just rec'd my order from CD Japan of the first 5 Zep releases in Japanese Mini Lp Replica's, SHM-CD. The sound quality is just AWESOME!!! Never heard Zeppelin like this before. Nowhere in the packaging could I find any credits to whom was responsible for the remastering. CD Japan on their site stated the audio was from 1994? Other rumours sated that they were using the Japanese remasters from 2003/04. They sound way toooooooo good to be from 1994. SHM does improve the sound quality to some degree, but these are remarkably well done. Well worth the $$$

 

Why does SHM improve the sound quality? I thought it was just a different material used to make the disc but not a new mastering technique.

I have the two-disc SHM sampler, where disc one is the SHM disc and disc two is the regular CD. The SHM disc did not overwhelm me soundwise. It is much louder than the CD. It's not loud to the point of being fatiguing, but it is much louder than the CD. The CD wasn't great either. It sounds anemic when compared to the SHM disc, but I attribute that to the SHM disc being a lot louder than to there being an issue with the CD.

Have you compared the Zeppelin SHM discs to the '94 remasters?

 

From past experience I have listened to the 94 remasters over and over again many times. These SHM versions are much better, clearer, brighter and more bottom end. They sound two good to be using 94 remasters!

 

Brighter huh?

That is not what these need....

Ya wanna run these through EAC and give us some peak values so that we can see if they are the same mastering please?

Also please fill out your equipment profile as we have no idea what you are listening to these on so that to make those evaluations...(this isn't meant to grade your equipment...but to hear it through your system so to speak...to hear what you are hearing...)

 

Just for clarification, by "'94 remasters", are you referring to the George Marino/Jimmy Page remasters, AKA The Complete Studio Recordings?

later, chris

 

Enjoy them, my friend... but excuse me if I won't bite

 

Hi Keith,

My apologies to the original poster as this is about the medium and not those particular disks.

Regarding that sampler you mentioned, one disk is louder than the other?!?
That would make me suspicious from the get go.

I often wonder why it is so difficult to find a fair format (or material?) comparison, whether it is SACD vs. PCM, 16/44 vs. 24/96, SHM vs. ordinary CD, etc. Most of the "demos" I hear are so different from each other (i.e. different masterings, different levels!) I have to wonder if the folks putting these on know how to create a fair comparison. (Or I have to wonder if they do, which suggests darker purposes. )

(I had to create my own format comparison for 16/44 vs. 24/96 -- the first I know of where both are from the same mastering session.)

If SHM has something sonically beneficial to offer the listener, I would think having samples with the same exact level will reveal this. I've never heard or seen one so I don't know. It may well offer some benefits but if it does, the sampler you describe isn't going to show them if volume differences swamp everything else.

Best regards,
Barry
www.soundkeeperrecordings.com
www.barrydiamentaudio.com

 

I have both and thought they were the same masterings. If not, which mastering was done first? Thanks.

 

Not sure what remasters from 94 they are? Doesn't say! My system is a Denon AVR 3806 Receiver, Denon 2910 DVD/CD player & Paradigm Reference Studio Monitor 40's in the front and 20's in the rear. A Reference Studio Monitor CC-590 and a Paradigm PS-1000 sub. All bi wired and using gold plated plugs and monster cable speaker wire.

 

Fill that info out in your profile and nobody will ask that question of you again! I assure you!

 

Odd that the packaging wouldn't state the mastering info!

Curious to see how this plays out.

-s1m0n-

 

Yes, please post more info on this one - either more reviews from other takers or post some peak values . I have the complete studio collection box and would love to find something with better sound quality. I know I can pick up the original 94 releases and actually have a couple but am intrigued by this one. With that said, i've bought some expensive Japanese remasters and been very disappointed (Queen catalog).

 

Hey, there's a familiar name in my early Zep CD's. Barry, I never felt the need to replace these CD's. Thanks.

 

Unless the mastering info is in Japanese, I could not find it anywhere and I checked all 5 CD's!?

 

Once more with feeling...

Led Zeppelin CD masterings:

1. Joe Sidore - Led Zeppelin IV c. 1984
2. Barry Diament - all other Led Zeppelin albums c. 1985-86
3. George Marino (often credited with Jimmy Page or entirely by Jimmy Page) - c. 1990-93
4. <unknown or I forget the name> - selected songs for a private release to the movie industry c. 2001
5. John Davis - selected songs for Mothership compilation - 2007
6. Bob Ludwig - remixed The Song Remains The Same - 2007

That's it. That's all. Any and all Led Zeppelin CDs from the early 21st century be they Japanese, European or otherwise are based on the George Marino remasters. They simply took the Marino remasters and in a couple of cases boosted the levels by a couple of dB. From what I've read, these new SHM-CDs did the same. There is currently a rumor that the entire catalog is being remastered for a big 2009 release but it's still only a rumor.

 

I'll be waiting for the forthcoming Jimmy Page remasters. I liked the sound of Mothership very much.

 

My Japanese LZ boxed set AND the Page and Page/Plant remasters have shipped to me from Japan. Should have 'em any day now. I'll report back.

BTW, Isn't it interesting COVERDALE/PAGE didn't get the special SH-M Japanese CD treatment? Or did it?

 

You mean Outrider, Unledded and Walking Into Clarksdale? Are these being advertised as "remasters"? the only one that's been redone to my knowledge is the Unledded CD and DVD a couple of years ago.

Just taking a CD master and pressing SHM-CDs is not really "remastering" per se.

 

The recent "Song Remains The Same"was NOT(!!)remastered by Bob Ludwig,that is only stated on the box,it was reworked by Stan Ricker(and a bloody well job he did)!!