The Smiths Rough Trade questions

I also have an RT Hatful (also MPO/France), but it looks very nice -- no sign of trouble there.

As far as my TQID, I'm fairly sure the pinholes were not there before -- or they were smaller. (Is that even possible?) I am the kind of person who is always looking at his CDs for trouble, so I think I would have seen it before if it was there -- but who knows. I've owned it a long, long time. One of the holes is very large, about the size of a pinhead as opposed to a pinpoint.

I passed up the chance many times to buy other RT Smiths; I wish I had at least picked up Meat Is Murder, which I still don't own in any form. (I keep telling myself I should buy it, but I guess I'm waiting for another RT to come along!)

 

You should definitely get Meat Is Murder! Probably best to hold out for a RT since some say they are the best mastering. I don't have any other pressings to compare it to since I've just had the originals from the beginning. Overall I like the original UK vinyl over the CDs but find that I listen to the CDs more out of convenience.

 

Back in college I taped MIM from a friend and listened to it over and over. I know it well... but actually it's been a while since I've heard it! Okay, I am officially on a quest for it now...

 

Well, like many of you, I'm trying to track down all the RT versions of the Smiths cds. I just scored a RT "Hatful" from a forum member, but it's not the original English "rough76", but a French RT/Virgin 30257. It also has the enlarged cover pic, not the original one with the large blue border framing the pic. I was wondering if this was still the same mastering as rough 76. It sounds marginally better than my original US Sire version, at least on my modest system. I guess I really want to know if I still need to track down rough 76 or am I set on this title?
So far I've collected:

Meat Is Murder - original rough 81 pressed in the UK.
Strangeways - original rough 106 pressed in France
Louder Than Bombs - original RT pressed in Japan VICP-43
Hatful - RT/Virgin 30257

The rest are common, more recent versions. I will say that "The Very Best" cd mastered by Inglot sounds excellent!

Thanks - John

 

I picked up a copy of Meat Is Murder last week (ROUGH 81, pressed in France, Inserts Printed in UK).

Hands down, the best version I've ever heard of this classic record (though I haven't heard the UK LP yet).

The mastering is nice and smooth. The guitars jangle but don't pierce. Morrissey's voice sounds really natural.

 

Had a Sire of meat is murder and I thought it sounded awful. Much preferred the RT.
To all you RT CD owners make sure you copy them now! They may rot.
Anyone heard the Japanese remasters ?

 

I would sure like to find this one (at a non-stratospheric price). Around these parts, used Smiths in any mastering (the original albums as opposed to the various hits packages) are not so plentiful.

 

Regarding Sire vs. RT Meat is Murder; see this thread.

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showpost.php?p=2793558&postcount=194

 

Today I found used "scuffed" Meat Is Murder and Strangeways RT UK CD's and I have to say it's the best sounding Smiths I have ever heard anywhere!! So detailed and warm - must find them all!

 

ACK! Congratulations!

 

The Smiths RT discs are THE pressings to have IMO..I have them all and they are among my most treasured discs!

 

Yeah, I just got a Meat is Murder Rough Trade and I actually prefer my Sire CD, which sounds more natural to my ears. I probably won't bother getting the other Rough Trade CDs unless there are ones that are much better than the Sire or WEA's.

If there are RT Smiths releases that are heads and shoulders above the Sire, could someone post a few samples for me to check out?

Thanks.

 

That confirms what I am hearing.

 

Luckily, I found my RT copy of MiM for $8 locally. It sounds a little different to me, but not much. It's been a while since I compared the two, and I sold the Sire shortly after.

 

Yeah, I'd like to know if the others have more of a difference to the Sires.

 

Folks, those gorgeous Japanese mini-LP replicas are only $18 each if you order from www.cdjapan.co.jp. They sound great to me!

 

I'll receive my RT's Meat Is Murder (I have the WEA mastering to compare it with) and Strangeways (I have the Sire/WEA) next week. I will get back to you.
Hopefully, I will notice a lot of improvement, because they cost a lot more!

 

I hope you do, too.

I don't the feeling of spending a lot of money, only to prefer the original one.

 

you can sell it quite easily, though.

 

Unfortunately not the copy I bought, which will soon be shipped back to his original owner.

It worked out well, I bought a CD that was not advertised correctly, compared it to my Sire CD, didn't like it as much, emailed the seller and got a full refund, including return shipping.

As far as replacing remasters or seeking out original pressings, I am going to listen carefully to what I have before replacing.

 

Hello, I have been thinking of buying the Smiths Japanese paper sleeve issues (WPCR) that came out in 2006 for a while now... The only questions is, do these have good sound? Or are there definitive versions of the smiths albums that I should get? (money is not a factor). Thanks.

 

Could someone compare the japanese mini-lp's to the rough trades? The Japanese mini-lp's are WEA but i dont know if they were remastered or not.

 

Some say the Japanese are WAY BETTER than the WEA. Many say they are the same, just louder!
I'll receive 3 Rough Trade next week MIM, SHWC & HOH). If somebody wants to share some Japanese mini-LP clips with me, I would be happy to make a montage of the two masterings.

 

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/search.php

 

So, I recently acquired the Rough Trade (CD) pressing of Strangeways, and finally made a quick comparison to my old U.S. Sire CD.

It still amazes me that these two CDs are different (because they must have come out at the same time), but they are. The most obvious difference to me is that the U.S. has more compressed upper-midrange and boosted highs. The Rough Trade has more bass and the treble is more in the background, which gives a pleasant smoothness. There seems to be just a bit more air around everything on the Rough Trade and an overall smoother feel. However, I must say that the U.S. Sire is not unpleasant. The treble is not through the roof or anything, and in some places that touch of brightness on the guitars can be pleasant.

I'm inclined to prefer the Rough Trade because I suspect it has more dynamic range and less futzing.