Rush MFSL Update

Excellent idea.

 

I am disapointed as I was hoping MFSL would release these as lps (as well as cds) and I would buy them up. Permanent Waves is very good.

 

It's just the bestest ever

 

I'd like to see them do what Abkco did with the pre-1971 Stones catalog in 2002, archive them to 30ips 1" analog and DSD at the same time. Although it would have been nice to see them use the 30ips masters, other than a couple of issues with mid-period tracks, overall the results were stunning in both SACD and vinyl versions.

 

I agree. This way MFSL could do a SACD and vinyl release.

 

Tommy, aren't you're a subscriber? Care to make us all jealous with a few comments about them?

 

"They have deemed that the original masters should not be used for any future re-mastering .."

I wonder, is this for EVERY Rush release, or just the 2112 and Permanent Waves through Signals they were planning on re-doing?

There are good options for many Rush releases. Some where there currently aren't very good sounding options (at least digital) are Presto and Roll The Bones. And the newer ones, of course. But I wonder what MFSL or AF could do for Presto or Roll The Bones. Presto isn't very well regarded, but Roll The Bones was a pretty popular release and might do okay as a premium gold CD.

 

Rush is a band that gets ragged on. I do like them. Disappointed, I guess I will have to use my own e.q. on my cd's

 

What exactly is the Tape Project?

 

http://www.tapeproject.com/

 

Honestly, I think the original Rush CDs all sound great and I don't really think they need a remaster.

 

This is true. Like Pet Sounds for instance. You can't get "The originals" all of the time. As long as it sounds good who cares where the source came from.

 

And the masters have masters of the master tapes.

 

If the Grateful Dead could take ancient, two-track live soundboard tapes from the early 70's, restore them and make them sound decent, Rush could certainly do so with their original master tapes. The super science is certainly there, and it's a crime not to do so, but I guess it's just a case of Rush using their Freewill to ignore the Afterimage of their history and hang on to the Big Money that they've made ignoring the Analog Kid and pretending the Digital Man has taught them all their Lessons.

But man, it would have been sweet to get a freshly remastered MoFi copy of Signals and Grace Under Pressure. Two of my favorites.

 

What do the original CD's for the early Rush titles (in particular, the debut album) sound like?
The reason I ask is because for albums like MP, 2112, and Signals, the originals sound very good, maybe even better than the Mofi with MP, and I still don't own the original CD's for early ones like "Rush" or "Fly By Night".

I realize that this is sad news for people that were hoping for LP reissues.

I know one thing. I sure wish I had a reel-to-reel deck so I could take advantage of some the Tape Project titles.

 

woah

 

Very disappointed here. I wasn't really heavily into buying audiophile CDs back when I was 5 so I never picked up the original MFSLs and was looking forward to having an opportunity to get them for $100 total instead of each. I don't see why they couldn't've dumped them to DSD and mastered that, archiving them to digital is exactly what they SHOULD be doing for masters in bad shape! Still, any ideas who the 'other indie' could be?

 

Tons of threads around here on this topic. Search is your friend. You won't get consensus since you have varying issues (SOny Japan, Mercury, Anthem, Atlantic, Mofi). Some are the same mastering, others not. They were only unified worldwide with the remasters.

For me, the three MoFi titles smoke any other versions of those discs sonically. MP is always my demo disc when I audition new equipment. The original is pretty lifeless.

 

It would be best to use copy tapes for that, since the masters are not usable.

 

You had to use all those Rush titles in that corny way,unh? A corny BUT cool way. Rock on, mate! I wonder since AF is using a dub of Pet Sounds (that Steve Hoffman made from the mono master) that they might consider it again with another title. DCC put out that New Dolls stuff that sounded like they were rehearsal tapes, so anything is possible. Yes, it is sacrilege but quite frankly they could put out Metal Machine Music mastered by Hoffman and Grey and it would sell!

 

I'm happy Mofi can't do Rush... so they can release other stuff, and not reissues from old Mofi Gold CDs.

 

Im only sad because they cant do Farewell to Kings and Hemispheres

But, yeah, unless Moving Pictures could sound like my RL cut.... I dont think Id want them to waste a title that could possibly be something that hasnt already been done.

 

Right... at least Hemispheres would be a good choice.

 

IIRC Hemispheres is probably one of the Rush abums most in need of a good mastering. I was listening to my atomic mercury of Farewell
to Kings and it actully sounds pretty good. Hemispheres sounds thin.


Still, it would be killer to hear Steve's mastering on "Closer to the Heart". I bet he could kill on that song.

 

I think many have missed the point of the original post, tape master tape is not useable therefore it can't be transfered. I've heard that most of the oxide is off the tape, so they can't be baked, etc. It is my understanding that they have been given to a museum for display.

I would have to believe since the albums have been remastered a digital transfer must have already been performed. I think we will hear more and more of these situations as time goes on. Late seventies and eighties tape stock was simply very poor. Although this is related to the stereo mix down master, I would have to believe that the same situation will probably apply to the multi tracks. After all most tape from this time period was manufactured the same regardless of size.