Phil Spector - Back to Mono: $12.99 on Amazon

Well, originally it was available as a vinyl LP set too - same box dimensions.

 

Got mine and love it. Such great music!

 

You're absolutely not wrong. I USED to have the vinyl version, and while it's great to have such a comprehensive selection of tracks, this is all negated by one of the most godawful butchered remastering jobs I've ever heard, rivaled only perhaps by the Eric Clapton "Crossroads" box set.

Okay, time for "Collecting Phil Spector" 101:

Best option - all the original 45 rpm singles. Expensive and difficult to find in good shape, but this is where the full impact of this revolutionary music is best felt.

Next best option - the original Crystals and Ronettes LP's on Philles, filled in with selected 45's, particularly the Righteous Brothers ("Lovin Feelin"), Darlene Love ("Today I Met the Boy I'm Gonna Marry"), and Sonny Charles ("Black Pearl"). A bit less expensive, somewhat less comprehensive, but with little compromise in sound quality. For "River Deep", get the Ike and Tina LP on A&M in mono.

Next best option - the 1977 double LP "Phil Spector's Greatest Hits" on Warner Brothers. Great selection of tracks mostly in original mono and with decent sound, though a little darker sounding than the originally released versions on Philles. With the Ronettes represented by only three tracks though, you'll still probably want their Philles LP.

 

I have come to the conclusion that Da Do Ron Ron might be the greatest rock and roll song ever recorded!

 

Maybe, but this box set ain't exactly the best place to hear it in all its glory....

 

I think for $12.99 it suffices just fine.... The mastering is not THAT bad. Ron
PS It's rather pointless comparing this set to the original Philles 45's, there was something magic about that whole process... I can't imagine ANY CD mastering ever equalling or surpassing them.

 

I agree - don't let mastering get in the way of great music - especially for $12.99.

 

At this point I'd settle for someone getting hold of the tapes and matching the 45's, or the PSI reissues Lp's, for that matter. It's a crime when better sonics can be found on boots rather than an official collection, doncha think?

 

The funny thing is, it really sounds pretty good. No, it will NEVER sound like the original 45's.... but they are true mono, it's certainly not mastered too hot or limited-to-death. My guess is that many of the songs weren't taken from the first generation masters, but it's an amazing collection of music nonetheless. Once people realize that most remastered CDs will never sound exactly like their vinyl counterparts, the more they will enjoy sets like this.

Even Hoffman's best-sounding archival releases (i.e 24 Karat Elvis, Badfinger's Straight Up, the Buddy Holly and Bill Haley hits collections) don't sound like the original 45 or LP mixes... hell, in some cases they far exceed the original analogue sound... but they rarely sound 'the same' as the original vinyl. I'm sure his desire is to stay true to the master tapes and we all know vinyl, especially pressed in the 50's and 60's quite often was NOT true to the sounds of the master.

This is something to remember when the Beatles remasters come out... if done successfully, they will sound close to what's on the masters, not what the original vinyl sounded like. Comparing the two will almost be pointless. If you find the Spector boxset in your local retail store, grab it, you won't be sorry. Ron

 

Ed, obviously you're a big vinyl fan, as am I... but the aim of a good engineer is not to match the sonics of a 45, original LP or re-issue. It's to properly transfer the sounds of the best-available master tapes and do so without adding compression, changing EQ or adding processing. Ron

 

Hm, it's 16.99 now (at least for me)!

 

I think the mastering on the Christmas Gift album is pretty good, actually. Phil and Larry Levine remastered that one. Some of the other tracks on the other discs (esp. the ones ABKCO had to license from other labels) are probably not taken from the best possible tapes.

I have to admit that Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) does not sound that great, and Santa Claus Is Coming to Town and Winter Wonderland sound like needle drops (you can surface noise in places).

However, listen to Sleigh Ride and most of the other tracks. They sound GOOD except for a few little tape faults!

'Tis the season!

 

Gee, is it that obvious?

Agreed, but I'm not sure that was done in this instance. Something isn't right about it, never has been. I've always thought of it as exceptional in content, but lacking in the spark that the best Spector vinyl has. Hard to explain, but the more I've compared this box to the vinyl I own, the more dissatisfied I've been with it. Could be source tapes, could be engineering choices, who knows. We've discussed this at length in the past, and while I can live with it, it's obvious the potential of the Wall of Sound wasn't reached with this collection. That many here prefer the Rhino Xmas mastering over the Abkco edition says plenty(and even then, still prefer the old Philles vinyl, a tad noisy as it is).

 

I agree too! Just turn up your Bass control a bit, and also your Treble to your taste. Then turn up your volume!

The sound on these 'remasters' is anemic. Can't understand why, considering that they were remastered in 91 by PS himself. At least that is what was being said back then.

cj

 

I have this on the way to the UK for just over £10 shipped, then I picked up this new release which is even getting TV advertising in the UK (all mono except for 'River Deep')....

http://www.play.com/Music/CD/4-/3271842/Phil_Spector_Definitive_Collection/Product.html

Johnny H

 

I'm not. This stuff is such great music, and I don't really know any better (except that I used to play the original single of Da Do Ron Ron as a wee child back in 67 or so!)....so to me it sounds fine. For $4 a disc....WHO CARES!

 

Gotta agree here. Back in 1991 I wasn't much of an audiophile, and I still noticed that the sound was unusally wrong and un-magic in the record store. I chalked it up to the limitations of CDs so I bought the vinyl of this one.

Then it turned out that the vinyl had the center holes off a wide margin. I actually drilled new holes in the vinyl to play the thing...and it still didn't sound great.

(That said...I still bought the box set on CD when the price dropped!)

 

If you missed it at Amazon, CD Universe has it for $16,49 which is still a terrific price.

Mine arrived yesterday, I'll leave it sealed until the 25th.

JohnnyH

 

You know, playing those CDs on my little CD/alarm clock radio, they sound just right! Maybe that the secret.

 

I just finished a 4 hour drive through Arkansas into Louisiana and only listened to this set. We loved it, including the Christmas album. Sure the sound could have been better, but I don't think it is bad and if you loved these songs 45 years ago as I did, this is the greatest bargain this Christmas season. I wish I had bought 4 of these sets from Buy.com for $40 total delivered and given them out as Christmas Gifts to friends and family members my age.

Chris

 

Can you imagine someone purchasing this a few months ago at the higher, regular price only to see it marked down so low now?

I snatched a copy up a couple of weeks ago and I still can't believe I got all this great music so cheap.

 

I paid $19.99 today at Best Buy. I guess I got ripped off.

 

Still not a bad price for a set that went for what.. $65?

 

Was it the same LP-sized box, with a book the same size?

 

Yep, it's LP sized. Haven't opened it.