Rush MFSL Update

I probably have 20 or so DCC discs and they all say "From The Original Master Tapes". I believe that they are all from the master tape, but the ones that aren't from the master tape must sound like they are from the master tape because all my old DCC discs have the breath of life that Steve always talks about.

 

You shouldn't always assume.

 

More correctly the statement would have been more accurate had it read - Except for some noted exceptions, "Steve will only use the master tape...."

That nonsense aside I was hoping we'd get a Hemispheres or AFTK, although I am more than happy (something I almost never say when it comes to audio quality) with both the 25 8P and Atomic masterings.

 

I know of what you speak, and yeah, that'll get gorted if we go there.

But a good safety copy of the master should arguably be as good as the master. If you're going third and fourth gen down you may have some issues.

 

That came and went when the first set of Rush SACDs (with 2112 in 5.1) was announced and then rescinded.

 

Yeah, Steve has made copies sound very good! The Rock the Vote series is a good example among others.

 

Those were the two I was hoping for the most myself out of the rest of 'em. Although I would have loved a new GUP and PoW, too.

 

I wonder what Rush would say if AF approached Rush to do the whole catalog.

AF could even do a subscription for the entire catalog. I'd be first in line to sign up.

 

I'd buy 'em, but if people thought I was brutal on the Cars threads and I had no real vested interest there, if AF somehow did something wrong with the Rush albums ... well, it'd make those posts look like a picnic. I know them all backwards and forwards and the Rush fans would be all over 'em.

 

I recently re-discovered Rush. Most of those early CDs sound really nice. MoFi beat the old Permanent Waves CD... but not by much simply because there wasn't too much room for improvement.

 

It all goes back to the original recording - if it was done well, it shouldn't be hard to work with. If the original was recorded poorly, you've got to coax something out of it.

 

I wonder if the band knows the tapes need to be baked. Aren't the tapes unplayable until they are?

 

That's what I was trying to say, only you said it more succintly. I've yet to hear a bad sounding disc done by our host.

 

Considering Rush's tapes have been touched numerous times over the years, I would tend to think they're not dumb. They haven't been around this long by being naive.

 

I really hope MFSL knows about it.

 

A copy of the master as long as it's close should really yield no discernable difference to the end listener. If you want to be a purist, you could say it's not the actual mixed master tape, but who really cares? If it sounds good, it sounds good.

I appreciate MoFi's attention to detail but I wouldn't mind a well done version of certain Rush albums from a good copy.

 

I'm sure you were kidding with that comment.

 

I was hoping for those two as well. I love the 2112 MFSL.

 

So do I. Not universally loved (some don't like the EQ on it). The original MoFi discs were all great IMO

 

I have a hard time believing that all these masters are shot. Even if so, I agree that if copies are available and sound practically the same someone should look into it. Give it a try on an album see what it sounds like compared to all the other versions and if its great sounding put it out!

 

My buddy had a copy of the MOFI moving pictures and it sounded pretty good to me, better than the domestic "Atomic" CD. The currently available Moving Pictures remaster is too bright.

 

I don't ... depending on how some of the LP and CD masters were made, some may have been used more than others (good examples: MP and Signals). At this point, they may look to preserve whatever oxide is left on 'em.

 

well, maybe I shoud rephrase that, I just dont want to believe it

 

As has been said, I would think that the original releases of 2112, MP and Signals could be put out again by MFSL by making new cds from masters created by MFSL originally.

I also agree that I would rather MFSL NOT redo titles, but focus on other great albums in the Rush catalog.