The Pulse collection is more likely correct since that was a subsidiary of Castle. The BMG Heritage, Hip-O, Buddha, etc. collections are correct as well.
Agreed, bad sound on that expanded remaster, but, if you get the right "WRONG" pressing, it's the only place where you can hear three alternate versions of "Take It Easy On Me", "The Night Owls" and "Man On Yor Mind"! The new owners of the name Little River Band, were VERY quick to cease and desist Capitol Records, once they caught wind of them being out there!
The original 1969 stereo mix of Chicago Transit Authority sounds really great on the original two-eye Columbia vinyl and Sony Mastersound Gold CD. The original Mobile Fidelity half-speed mastered vinyl, the original Columbia CD, the Bellman-remastered vinyl, and MoFi SACD are also good. The 50th Anniversary remixed version from 2019 was butchered by someone who knows how to operate Pro Tools and audio hardware but lacks knowledge of what constitutes an audiophile sound. It goes to show that the three remaining original band members and their current band management don't have any clue about the who's who of the respected and notable mastering engineers in the audiophile and music industry.
The first CD pressing of Barry Manilow Live (1977) is dreadful - tinny and metallic. Truly unlistenable. It’s also edited to fit on a single CD, which, given the poor sound quality, is the least of its problems.
Couldn’t agree more. RPM makes a big deal about them being remastered from the original master tapes with input from the band, but what’s the point if they’re going to brick wall them.
I have a CD of Skeeter Davis' End of the World album. The label is Old Days or Oldays or something. Very shrill. Whenever there's a fiddle or pedal steel solo it sounds like Jeff Beck has wandered into the studio.
The early pre Columbia singles are mastered from scratchy 45s which hav never sounded so bad and most of the hits on disc 1 are hideous remixes. The unreleased side of the first Columbia album sounds great just to rub salt into the wound.
Not the worst sounding (about 25% of CDs are very difficult to listen), but seriously, they did a remaster and we go this turd. Avoid. I paid only 4 euros for this album and I can get easily my money back selling it, but I might just throw it to recycle bin. David Bowie – "Heroes" Label: EMI – 7243 521908 0 5, EMI – 521 9080 Series: The David Bowie Series Format: CD, Album, Enhanced, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo Country: Europe Released: Sep 20, 1999
I'm not aware of a 1999 mastering, but if your CD states that release year, it's probably a reissue of the 25th anniversary remaster from 1996. And yes, it's absolutely terrible. Noise reduction sucks the life out of the recording. Which is funny, because there's still lots of hiss in the quietest passages, like the intro to Locomotive Breath.
