Elvis 30#1/2 To None Still Relevant?

[dennyelvis]

These two releases were quite ground breaking back in 2003 Remixed/Remastered (although a bit loud) but does the audio quality still stand up to day when compared to the CM Set etc?Also was CD3 of Hitstory also remixed?

[DayVee Bee]

The US Hitstory Vol.3 "The Story Continues" was "remastered" by Vic A & the errors on 30 #1 Hits were all corrected (Hound Dog, Fool Such as I, Suspicious Minds, Wonder of You etc)
The UK/EU version was not corrected, & Vol.3, although many more tracks than US, was fairly mediocre audio in comparison
Both sets were mastered way too LOUD in my opinion
I prefer CM & FTD versions of all songs

[Juan Luis]

Great mix of "Burning Love" on 30 #1 albeit mastered loud. Great for the car.

[trouble_jw]

I still love these Albums and regularly go back to them. I've never found them too loud. Guess I like that sound.

[The Pirate]

I still love these Albums and regularly go back to them. I've never found them too loud. Guess I like that sound.

I enjoyed them at the time. I believe they were mixed to sound good on the radio and on the average home set up, and they still work in that respect, but the biggest error was replacing a couple of original versions with supposedly superior alternate takes. That and the atrocious flutter on the piano parts during Heartbreak Hotel.

[trouble_jw]

I still love these Albums and regularly go back to them. I've never found them too loud. Guess I like that sound.

I enjoyed them at the time. I believe they were mixed to sound good on the radio and on the average home set up, and they still work in that respect, but the biggest error was replacing a couple of original versions with supposedly superior alternate takes. That and the atrocious flutter on the piano parts during Heartbreak Hotel.

Apart from 'The wonder of you', wasn't the other alternate versions/takes put on in error?

[TINML]

I still enjoy them for the alternate mixes, Burning Love just cooks, definitive version for that song imo.

[elvisalisellers]

The US Hitstory Vol.3 "The Story Continues" was "remastered" by Vic A & the errors on 30 #1 Hits were all corrected (Hound Dog, Fool Such as I, Suspicious Minds, Wonder of You etc)
The UK/EU version was not corrected, & Vol.3, although many more tracks than US, was fairly mediocre audio in comparison
Both sets were mastered way too LOUD in my opinion
I prefer CM & FTD versions of all songs

I have the UK/EU version of Hitstory with the corrected masters on it.

[JamieAKelley]

E1 is certainly still relevant - though the best mix is on the DVD version, since it doesn't have the brickwall compression added to it.

E1 and E2 are still, at the very least, interesting footnotes for the alternate mixes presented, even if a number of them have been bettered (imo) by later releases.

[skatterbrane]

I have both the US and the UK version of Hitstory. The US version corrected all the mistakes made on the 1st pressings of the Elv1s CD.

The original problems are NOT corrected on MY copy of the UK HitStory:
Digital glitch (click) on Hound Dog.
Unspliced version of A Big Hunk Of Love (not the master) this mistake has been used on many releases since it was first used on the 50s box, so this error is very, very common.
Alternate take of A Fool Such As I.
Alternate performance of A Wonder Of You.

I have forgotten what the problem was on Suspicious Minds to tell you the truth.

[bajo]

I've got the US "corrected" ones. And i still think both volumes are great! Then, I'm really more fond of the Golden Records releases. I wish they somehow could have made a Legacy release, like the Japanese, singles collection, thus a more "WW" singles collection to showcase the WW hits of Elvis single records. Still...we've already have it all!

[Eggrert]

Great mix of "Burning Love" on 30 #1 albeit mastered loud. Great for the car.

Agreed. The mixes of Kentucky Rain, Moody Blue, and Way Down also have something to recommend them.

I'm not a big fan of the track selection on 2nd To None, but 30 #1 Hits is the best non-boxed set intro to Elvis, imo.

[Juan Luis]

Great mix of "Burning Love" on 30 #1 albeit mastered loud. Great for the car.

Agreed. The mixes of Kentucky Rain, Moody Blue, and Way Down also have something to recommend them.

I'm not a big fan of the track selection on 2nd To None, but 30 #1 Hits is the best non-boxed set intro to Elvis, imo.

Exactly. I remember purchasing around a dozen to give as Christmas presents to friends and family that hadn't one Elvis CD. Great introduction, and kudos to David Bendeth who took a beating from some of us audiophiles. BTW David, if you are reading this (he's a member).. still waiting for the unremastered mix CD!

[elvisalisellers]

I have both the US and the UK version of Hitstory. The US version corrected all the mistakes made on the 1st pressings of the Elv1s CD.

The original problems are NOT corrected on MY copy of the UK HitStory:
Digital glitch (click) on Hound Dog.
Unspliced version of A Big Hunk Of Love (not the master) this mistake has been used on many releases since it was first used on the 50s box, so this error is very, very common.
Alternate take of A Fool Such As I.
Alternate performance of A Wonder Of You.

I have forgotten what the problem was on Suspicious Minds to tell you the truth.

There were two versions in circulation.

The one from 2007 [although it still says 2005 on the back cover] includes the corrected disc 1 [last four digits of disc matrix: 2-1 2 1].

Even though it included the correct versions, "The Wonder of You" still had the unrepaired backing vocals present [is that how it appears on the US version?].

Re: "Suspicious Minds" problem: flanging side-effects.

[elvis-fan]

I still enjoy listening to both.
2nd to None has the best mixes and overall sound available for the following tracks:

Memories
Don't Cry Daddy
You Don't Have to Say You Love Me
American Trilogy
Always On My Mind
Moody Blue

[trouble_jw]

Were the replaced songs (hound dog, suspicious minds etc) new mixes/remasters inline with the 30#1s sound or pulled from other releases?

[TINML]

Ahh the Internet

[Eggrert]

When you're not stuck to the limitations of "hits" you can actually offer some coverage of the variety of genres Elvis covered.

Definitely! I'd argue, though, that there has yet to be a mainstream release that really gives one a sense of the true scope of Elvis' career (sets like TCM excluded, of course!). Platinum comes closest - and I think it's still the best non-Complete Masters box out there - but it's not perfect.

[Mike C]

2nd to None has the best stero mix of Kentucky Rain on any BMG release since 1993. It actually sounds like the mono single master.

[Juan Luis]

This is the mix that follows the mono master the closest, IMO. It seems like another vintage stereo mix from 1969.http://www27.zippyshare.com/v/B3dRzatO/file.html

[Eggrert]

IMHO, the best mix of Kentucky Rain is the one on the remixed version of Gold Records Vol. 5. There's a special warmth to it that you don't really get anywhere else (the mono mix is the most disappointing to me; it sounds strangely hollow for some reason).

[rockinrebel]

I probably played "ELV1S" a couple of times, and I haven't been back to it since. It was mastered way too loud and I didn't like the mixes at all. Plus there was no excuse whatsover for using the wrong takes on a compilation of hit singles. The version of "The Wonder Of You" on that album was nowhere near the master. I don't know what they were hearing when the chose that one over the single master.

"Second To None" does have some good mixes though.

[rockinrebel]

In the last decade and a half, to me it feels like there have really been only two releases that still make for the best introductions to Elvis' work to ambivalent listeners: Elvis 30 #1 Hits and The Essential Elvis Presley. Personally, the Essential release seems like the better of the two as it dips into some lesser-known but equally powerful stuff e.g. Polk Salad Annie, Big Boss Man, Reconsider Baby, Mystery Train, Peace in the Valley and so on while still offering a fair chunk of the biggest hits. When you're not stuck to the limitations of "hits" you can actually offer some coverage of the variety of genres Elvis covered.

Agreed. "Artist Of The Century" was the best example of this for me. A great introduction to Elvis' music, with some really good lesser known tracks sequenced between the classic hits. The problem with Elvis compilations though is that they are constantly being created and issued.

Therefore, when we get somewhere near a definitive compilation ("AOTC" for example), it is forgotten about 12 months later when the 'new' compilation (which isn't necessarily better) arrives on the scene. It would make more sense for Sony to repromote a 'definitive' hits collection, as is the case with The Beatles, Bob Marley, The Eagles etc. rather than keep issuing new compilations every year, but unfortunatley that's the way it goes with Elvis.

[Mike C]

This is the mix that follows the mono master the closest, IMO. It seems like another vintage stereo mix from 1969.http://www27.zippyshare.com/v/B3dRzatO/file.html

Juan, from which source did you take this mix?

[skatterbrane]

The Elvis 75 Good Rockin' Tonight box is not too shabby either.