Bad Recordings and Big Regrets

Jerome W

Jerome W

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Joined
Apr 5, 2013
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1,289
Location
Near Paris, France
In vinyl two of my worst recordings are Diana Krall : Glad Rag Doll and Eric Bibb : Jericho Road.

Technically the mastering is horrible for both. Voices are completely unopened and muddy. Bass is fat and invasive. Musically they are also somewhat very disappointing.
I did not dare to buy the digital version.

"Réchauffé" as we say in french. Reheated meal. Please share the recordings that you regret you bought, and why.


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Not to make excuses, but what are the alternatives? Is no mastering better than a bad mastering? I hate it as much as anyone, but look at the plus side. It validates your choice of stereo gear.
 
Jerome W said:
Mike,
You did not like the mastering or the music ?


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Mastering. Music is great.

If anyone owns Bob Dylan's Chimes of Freedom album, on there is a track of Adele recorded live in a radio station. Now THAT's how her albums should sound!
 
U2 - Joshua Tree on vinyl.
Really bad mastering or perhaps pressing. Sounded like a bad bootleg and I tried 3 different copies. Vocals severely clipped as well as the guitars. Some spots the vocals sounded way in the back too. Drums were washed out. The CD is far better. I don't know why that is. maybe the pressing plant that was used? I wouldn't think there was a different mastering for CD as for vinyl, but I could be wrong.
 
MusicDirector said:
U2 - Joshua Tree on vinyl.
Really bad mastering or perhaps pressing. Sounded like a bad bootleg and I tried 3 different copies. Vocals severely clipped as well as the guitars. Some spots the vocals sounded way in the back too. Drums were washed out. The CD is far better. I don't know why that is. maybe the pressing plant that was used? I wouldn't think there was a different mastering for CD as for vinyl, but I could be wrong.
Click to expand...


Not picking on you MD, but some detail is essential in these type of threads.

Original UK or US pressing, or 2007 US or Euro pressing or......?

I have an original Aussie pressing and your description does not translate to your description - the bass is a bit bloated but certainly nothing clipping.

edit, just played the LP. better sounding than I remember - no compression, The Edges guitar is great and Bono's vocal's nice and clear and out front of the band. Nice chunky analog sound
 
Jerome W said:
In vinyl two of my worst recordings are Diana Krall : Glad Rag Doll and Eric Bibb : Jericho Road.

Technically the mastering is horrible for both. Voices are completely unopened and muddy. Bass is fat and invasive. Musically they are also somewhat very disappointing.
I did not dare to buy the digital version.

"Réchauffé" as we say in french. Reheated meal. Please share the recordings that you regret you bought, and why.


Envoyé de mon iPhone à l'aide de Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Hi Jerome

I totally agree, I would have big regrets buying any Diana Krall recording :crackedout::hide::roflmao:
 
XV-1 said:
Hi Jerome

I totally agree, I would have big regrets buying any Diana Krall recording :crackedout::hide::roflmao:
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Shane,

To me she has great talent but as often, we heard her too much. She became "ordinary".
The influence of Costello on her music picks is not to my taste.
But I wish that I could have only 5% of her talent in my job :D !


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Steely Dan - Aja

Adele - 21

Arcade Fire - Neon Bible

Arctic Monkeys - Suck it and See.

Almost anything that's been 'Remastered'
 
MusicDirector said:
U2 - Joshua Tree on vinyl.
Really bad mastering or perhaps pressing. Sounded like a bad bootleg and I tried 3 different copies. Vocals severely clipped as well as the guitars. Some spots the vocals sounded way in the back too. Drums were washed out. The CD is far better. I don't know why that is. maybe the pressing plant that was used? I wouldn't think there was a different mastering for CD as for vinyl, but I could be wrong.
Click to expand...

I haven't heard a good U2 recordings or mastering. :(
 
Myles,

Oh boy... You just HAD to go and ask me that question...

Now if I had any sense of self-preservation, I'd respond to your question by carefully doling out my grievances in the softest manner possible. Thing is though, I've never had much of a filter. So here's my take on the coveted recording: The music is alright, but it sounds as though it was recorded via: tin cans and a string. Sure, it's dynamic - but dynamic range does not a good recording make.
 
I recently bought Niel Yonge's A Letter Home or whatever its called, that was a big surprise. Trying to create an effect, it sounds like its recorded with a handheld dictation recorder.
 
Zero said:
Myles,

Oh boy... You just HAD to go and ask me that question...

Now if I had any sense of self-preservation, I'd respond to your question by carefully doling out my grievances in the softest manner possible. Thing is though, I've never had much of a filter. So here's my take on the coveted recording: The music is alright, but it sounds as though it was recorded via: tin cans and a string. Sure, it's dynamic - but dynamic range does not a good recording make.
Click to expand...

No just curious. What pressing are you listening to?

Also I have Aja on 15 ips tape and while it's not the best sounding rock recording on tape, it's far from the worst either. Now IIRC, it was one of the first (the first?) 64-track rock LPs. If I had to ascribe a fault to the LP, it's that the recording sounds a bit murky.

FYI, Aja and Gaucho were recorded by and won Bill Schnee Grammys for each recording. If that name sounds familiar, it should. He was involved with some of the early Sheffield D2D recordings. ;)
 
Myles B. Astor said:
No just curious. What pressing are you listening to?

Also I have Aja on 15 ips tape and while it's not the best sounding rock recording on tape, it's far from the worst either. Now IIRC, it was one of the first (the first?) 64-track rock LPs. If I had to ascribe a fault to the LP, it's that the recording sounds a bit murky.

FYI, Aja and Gaucho were recorded by and won Bill Schnee Grammys for each recording. If that name sounds familiar, it should. He was involved with some of the early Sheffield D2D recordings. ;)
Click to expand...

Myles to me the AB 1006 pressing is the best of the lot.
 
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