Roxy Music "Complete Studio Recordings" 10 CD Box *

I wonder if they managed to resurrect the Avalon master tapes, which I thought fell apart after the last transfer to DAT. I recall reading somewhere - maybe the old ICE magazine? - that Avalon exists now only in slightly better than 16/44.1 -- "slightly better" only because the reel was accidentally played back slower than real-time, which therefore raised the effective sampling rate from 44.1 to something just below 50. And that was what was presented on the SACD. But the takeaway message was that the Avalon master tape is no more. Though I suppose they could remix it from the multis if they really cared.

 

The BBC sessions would have been sweet but I'm in for the DVD's and the bonus tracks.

 

Do the album bonus tracks appear on the hirez dvds?

 

Multitracks only were copied to Sony DASH and this digital copy was used for 5.1 mix. Stereo on SACD is mastered from original tape:
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/aug03/articles/roxymusic.htm
http://tascamforums.com/index.php?showtopic=6539

 

Stereo on the the Avalon SACD was mastered from a 16 bit digital copy, according to the tascamforums article:

"In 1995, after EG Records was sold to Virgin, they decided to make digital safeties of all the Roxy stuff. Unfortunately when they tried to play the analog masters it was found that they wouldn't play...The tapes were baked, which allows them to be played once or twice after which they become useless. They were then immediately copied to a modified Sony PCM 3324 digital 24-track tape recorder with Apogee filters. Subsequently the analog tapes were lost, although we probably wouldn't have been able to play them anyway. It was unfortunate that all we had to work from was the 16-bit safeties... A fortunate accident that occurred during the transfer to 16-bit was that, apparently due to the engineer's apparent unfamiliarity with the Sony Dash machine, the transfers were made with the varispeed control engaged and cranked to its maximum speed of +12%. As the sample rate was set to 48kHz, the increased 12% speed/clock rate gave the transfer an effective sample rate of 53.760kHz"

 

This section is about the transfer of the multitracks. Is there any evidence that the stereo masters are lost as well?

 

Hi-rez content of eight albums is going to fit on four DVDs? It's gotta be stereo-only in that case. Potentially just 48kHz/24bit?

Other than Avalon SACD, a few LPs, and a couple of greatest hits cassettes, I've remained on the sidelines of Roxy Music for all this time.

Unfortunately, it seems like this collection, based on what I know so far, seems both too expensive and not complete enough, for me to bite.

On the other hand, if they modeled their reissue program after the King Crimson or Nick Cave reissue series, issuing each album in a deluxe multi-disc package for a reasonable price over a 2-3 year period, I'd probably inevitably buy them all!

Craig.

 

'...flat transfers from original analogue master tapes at 24/96' according to this link, wonder who's doing it? Sounds an odd claim though given the state of the tapes as mentioned in the earlier post.

http://www.vivaroxymusic.com

 

Indeed. Why can't more bands follow this model?

 

An automatic buy for me... Here's hoping the hi rez is done right, I'm not bothered about 5.1, just give some great sounding stereo. Thanks for posting OP.

 

I think this is great concept-wise, as long as they couple this down the road with a proper live box that throws in a DVD of "The High Road" to boot, which I remember as the best live RM video I ever saw.

 

according to this article: "the SACD stereo was made from the original 30ips masters which were in great shape"

 

Any I idea on the pricing of this box set? I guess we could hope for MVI-DVD and 5.1 Hi-Rez but most likely it will only be 2CH. I think the press release would indicate 5.1 Hi-Rez if it was. Either way I'm very interested in this box set if the price is not too high.

Bill

 

So will this mean my SACD of Avalon goes up or down in value ?

That disc has shown a better return then most of my investments !

 

I have a bad feeling this box is going to cost an arm and a leg but I hope I am wrong.

 

I have the Avalon SACD as well. I doubt this box set will effect its value unless the the Hi-Rez discs in the box set are 5.1. I doubt they will be but one can always hope .

Bill

 

Sounds promising if the pricing is right.

 

Because of the forum, I have acquired most of the Roxy Music and Bryan Ferry catalogs in the form of second edition West German Polydor/Polgram/Targets along with the two 5.1 SACDs of Boys And Girls and Avalon. This box set would have to be a grand slam/hat trick/sporting analogy of your choice for me to buck up. Tape hiss, edits, indexing and whatever errors acknowleded, I still enjoy the listening experience that my early Roxy/Ferry CDs provide.

On the other hand the bar has been raised in the past year with the Pink Floyd Immersion releases. The Pink Floyd remaster series proves that modern re-masters don't all suck.

I will wait patiently for the reviews to roll in.

 

I've been wanting to upgrade my Roxy Music catalogue, so this seems perfect for me.

And, BTW -- we are in the age of good remasters. There were several last year, besides the PF Immersion sets. The SMiLE Sessions, Aqualung, King Crimson, not to mention Steve's many projects -- all have benefitted from sympathetic remastering in recent times.

 

Oh no!! more money to expend........ =(

source??? more info?

 

I agree.

 

The idea of the music in 24/96 LPCM is great.

But it's pretty tough when the hi-rez discs are buried in the middle of an expensive box set full of stuff that is, for me, superfluous.
Many examples: Aqualung, the Bowie set (Station To Station?), Pink Floyd etc.
I'd buy each individual disc in hi-rez in a second but the box set....maybe not.

 

More info from the publicity company:

The high-resolution audio is on DVD 2-channel stereo.

Bonus tracks are not high res.

No plans at this current time for a live box.

No price information at present.

 

If true, it seems kind of strange that "Virginia Plain" is not going to be Hi-Rez.

 

Not interested (I have all their CDs, remasters for 1-5, reprizes for 6-9 + Thrill of It All + Best of Roxy Music 1999, so I think I have enough).

I also have the '77 Greatest Hits. Since that's where I got my 72-75 Roxy education, rather than the albums, I've always preferred it. It has a shorter "The Thrill Of It All," which I have ripped. Call me a philistine, but I like the cross-fade between Mother of Pearl" (1975) and "A Song for Europe," (1974) which I've been trying to re-create for years.

The "Dance Away" original version business has me wondering about my memory. I remember the 3:48 version as being on the album, while the 4:20 version is nowhere in my (admittedly old) memory. Yet, everywhere I see insists that the 4:20 version is the album version. Further, it sounds too dance remix-oriented for me (and the 12" mix is even worse). The 3:48 version sounds right on the album; just danceable enough, and few additional flourishes (which I think make it too busy). It's not too long - the 4:20 version is about 32 seconds too long.

Since I have the vinyl tucked away at home, I should take a listen.