Rolling Stones post Abkco CDs: 2009 Remasters, Virgin Remasters or Original CBS CDs?

I recommend going back to the original mastering. You can get one cheap from amazon.com just look for a 1990 production date in the ad and email the seller to confirm it's a CBS or Rolling Stones Records CD.

 

I agree with George. His Amazon description with the wrong issue date is spot on. Here is a direct link to the used section of 1987 CBS era copies of Some Girls http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B000K8MQ2M/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&qid=1276783484&sr=1-3&condition=used. Invest seven dollars in a 1987 CBS era original CD and I think you will as surprised as much as I was with the punch it offers. Charlie always looks so cool while playing but boy was he slamming on this album. Personally I'm holding on to my 1994 Mini LP re-issue becaue I find the SQ to be fine, just fine and the package to be superb.

Cheers, Michael

 

+1 You're looking in the wrong direction musicfan76

 

As I said in another thread (or may be earlier in this one), I suspect that if polls were done for all artists' catalogs, the remasters would win in almost every case

George has the right approach: experiment a little and figure out whose preferences jibe with yours.

In the case of the Stones, I feel certain that if someone with a cult-like following around here (like Barry Diament) had his name attached to the originals, you would see an all out civil war on Stones remasters v originals like we see with Zeppelin. Since Vlado Mueller has no particular following here, not many people feel compelled to revisit the originals. A pity since his work on the original Stones discs is exemplary IMHO.

 

I'm in the CBS camp, with the exception of Exile.

Did comparisons between CBS and Virgin with Fingers, Goats, Only Rock & Roll and Some Girls and preferred the CBS in all cases.

 

I hear ya buddy!

 

Though it is not broken down by individual album, there is most definitely a consistency of sound among each of the three issues. The same holds true for 'Some Girls'. If you prefer most of the '94 issues, but not 'Some Girls', you're unlikely to be satisfied by any of the three for that title...

 

Minorities are always more vocal than majorities.

Bit of an over-generalization. Which remasters? Most artists catalogs have been remastered more than once.

Agree.

Disagree...

 

What about 'Black & Blue', 'Emotional Rescue', and 'Tattoo You'?

Or do you not own those 3?

 

IMO the original CBS discs of Black & Blue and Emotional Rescue easily best the Virgins, but you may disagree

 

My picks:

Sticky Fingers - Virgin
Exile - Virgin
GHS - CBS
IORR - CBS
B&B - Virgin
Some Girls - CBS
Tattoo - CBS
Undercover and Emotional Rescue - I only have the LPs.

Ken

 

I have to add - though I have NOT done an A-B to the Virgin - that my 32DP of B&B is fantastic.

 

I bought Exile and Sticky in 1987 and traded them in 1994 for the Virgin remasters. In the past 6 months I re-acquired a CBS copies of Exile, Black & Blue, Some Girls and Emotional Rescue. I still prefer the Virgin Exile but lean towards the CBS issues for B&B, SG and ER. As much as I'm enjoying the CBS editions, I would never say that the 1994 Virgins titles are bad.

This is kind of like splitting the hairs between good Irish whisky. Lets say Green Spot vs Redbreast. Just be grateful that CBS and Virgin CDs are inexpensive, and plentiful and we're not stuck with overprocessed Universal versions akin to the basic Bushmills.

Cheers, Michael

 

I only have CBS discs for B&B and TY so I haven't had a chance to compare. And as of yet, I don't have a copy of ER.

I should mention that I didn't think the Virgin discs sounded bad at all (for Sticky, Goats, IORR, Some Girls)... I just liked the overall tonality of the CBS discs better.

 

Picked up Sticky Fingers in HMV over the weekend....couldn't resist it at £3.00.

However, having now A/B'd it with the 1994 remaster, I can't hear much (if anything) in the way of a difference: I thought at first that the castanet-like percussion on Brown Sugar was a 'new' detail but it's present and correct on the '94.

On the evidence of this, I don't think I'll bother with the 09s for the albums I don't already have.

 

I might be wrong but didn't Steve say a while back that he liked SF cd on CBS?

 

I have all three of the above for Exile. I prefer the earlier edition, thought the Virgin is good too. The 2009 has the additional material and it is cleaner, but way too loud. Some Girls I have the 2009 only, but again, too loud and possibly a little too bright sounding.

 

I've never owned Black and Blue. I wanted to grab the 94 Virgin remaster as I have the others. Purchased what I thought was the 94 Virgin going by the listing on the Amazon marketplace, only to receive the 2009 Universal. It's still sealed, should I bother returning it or just stick with it. It seems to have received a few positive comments in different threads as being one of the Universals that's quite ok, or am I wrong ? I waited almost a month for this disc, I'd rather not have to return it if it's a passable alternative.

 

If you value tonality way ahead of compression, keep it. If the reverse, get rid of it.

 

Your ears will be much happier if you return it and get the original CBS issue. The listings on Amazon claim that the 1990 issue is an import. You might try to send emails to the vendors clarifying what they are selling. A common 1986 American issue CD of this title should retail for less than $10. Discogs list the catalog number as 450203 2. I would put up a Wanted To Buy Listing in the classified section. There is a $9 copy for sale in Germany over at Discogs. http://www.discogs.com/sell/list?release_id=1066985&ev=rb

Happy Listening

 

Hey George,

I'll open it up and give it a spin I guess, thanks. After delving into these Stones threads, I recently took the plunge on Japan 23DP editions of Sticky Fingers & Exile. Very interested to hear how they shape up.

 

The new remasters suck, they really slam the meters. It's a tough call between the Columbia cds and the 1994 Virgin remasters. The Columbia cds are pretty half-assed but the Virgin remasters are a little too bright for my tastes. I guess you can take the latter and tame the top end a bit with some eq, get a good version that way.

 

Listened to the 2009 remaster of Sticky Fingers for the second time since I bought it...
The EQ is OK although too bright in spots; but all the songs are LOUD from the start to the end. I usually don't mind a little compression/limiting if the material needs it and if it's tastefully done, but here it's just a joke. Vintage Stones brought to Neo-Metal volume levels. Silly. The thing doesn't breathe one moment and you will get fatigue in no time (by the end of the second track for me).
To the 'sell' pile.

Avoid these remasters unless you will only listen to them with earbuds in very noisy environments.

 

Full disclosure, I bought a standard Virgin issue of Black And Blue after giving up on finding a Mini LP issue to match the rest of the set. Until 1994 the only CBS/Rolling Stones Records CDs I owned were Exile and Sticky. I was pleased with the the 1994 Virgin remasters sound and thrilled with the mini LP artwork until I took the plunge on the CBS discs after reading another thread. Now the Virgins sit on the shelf because they are some darn pretty but the CBS discs get all of the ear time. Black And Blue, Some Girls, and Emotional and Rescue have amazing drum sounds. Just keep you eyes on you local used bins and enjoy. If you obsess over packaging choose your favorite and keep an eye out for the Virgin Mini LP issues. Visually they are up there with my new Beatles Mono Box.