Original AMERICAN CDs by Dick Baxter And pre- 1995 Gems

A few months ago a friend called and one thing he told me that stayed on the back of my mind is how good the original CD releases were. The U.S. releases. Hopefully we can make an interesting thread because it will surprise you that CDs that sounded so so or awful sound pretty good today because our playback equipment and D/A converters are much better and despite older equipment..a lot of old CDs were really mastered with great care. I salute you Mr. Dick Baxter! You did great! Later on I will post some comparisons etc..so take out your older CDs look at the back and give them a spin! You might just have a good quality recording rivaling the 24 bit CD's!! Just remember when comparing you have to either turn up the volume or lower it cause the masterings were much lower then before LOUDNESS war etc.....You will not have to ever worry about CD 's that sound or are clipped.

Last edited by Juan Luis on Thu Jan 18, 2007 8:55 am, edited 8 times in total.

This is an interesting question. One thing is for sure:

Good Times - mastering error on Loving Arms during the final verse that was also evident on the vinyl edition that was in print in the early 90s.

Today - mastering error on Woman Without Love, metallic distortion towards the end, I believe on "...a man without love is only half of a man"

Hopefully we can make an interesting thread because it will surprise you that CDs that sounded so so or awful sound pretty good today because our playback equipment and D/A converters are much better and despite older equipment..a lot of old CDs were really mastered with great care.

This seems like a stretch, JLGB! Slow news day? Seriously, I have eventually acquired most of the Elvis '80s CDs, having opted for LP's back then. off the top of my head, I think original mid-80s"Golden Records Vol. 5" is one of the few that still sounds interesting, as I recall for having mixes available nowhere else...



But I bow to you in your audio expertise if you know what the truth is. It just seems like a hard sell.

Last edited by Gregory Nolan Jr. on Wed Jan 17, 2007 5:14 am, edited 1 time in total.

I will check! Thanks for posting as always Mathew!

I will check! Thanks for posting as always Mathew!

No worries! The only CD I now still own from this era is "Elvis sings the Wonderful World Of Christmas" as this is one album that BMG Japan didn't touch. This edition includes the full undubbed "Merry Christmas Baby" from Reconsider Baby. The sound on the disc overall is pretty good.

Hopefully we can make an interesting thread because it will surprise you that CDs that sounded so so or awful sound pretty good today because our playback equipment and D/A converters are much better and despite older equipment..a lot of old CDs were really mastered with great care.

This seems like a stretch, JLGB! Slow news day? Seriously, I have eventually acquired most of the Elvis '80s CDs, having opted for LP's back then. off the top of my head, I think original mid-80s"Golden Records Vol. 5" is one of the few that still sounds interesting, as I recall for having mixes available nowhere else...



But I bow to you in your audio expertise if you know what the truth is. It just seems like a hard sell.

I do not like that one Greg because of different bad mixing...Dick Baxter Did what we think of now as if we re invented the wheel....!! He just mastered what he (to his satisfaction) mixed years before with great care even if the albums were not great.. Back then it was not just a compilation but a NEW album and much care must have been taken ...we (I) admit have been trigger happy with the old mixes(ask thenexte!) but the truth prevails and a lot of this old stuff will be examined on this thread...we'll see!

Quite a few of the mixes are one of a kind, and know at least Jerry and I enjoy them.

Quite a few of the mixes are one of a kind, and know at least Jerry and I enjoy them.

so do I for only differents sake!! Here is Baxter AYS I raised level and a touch of EQ (5 minutes) http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?a ... EC2DCC9468

This is an interesting question. One thing is for sure:

Good Times - mastering error on Loving Arms during the final verse that was also evident on the vinyl edition that was in print in the early 90s.

Today - mastering error on Woman Without Love, metallic distortion towards the end, I believe on "...a man without love is only half of a man"

I did not notice anything on Loving Arms...what am I supposed hear as an error?

I did not notice anything on Loving Arms...what am I supposed hear as an error?

There is a background noise, like a scraping distortion during the last verse behind Elvis' vocal just before and maybe during the vocal 'high', not having this CD anymore I can't be more exact. Its on the CD edition that came out along with Raised On Rock and Elvis (the Fool album) back in 1994 I think it was. They have yellow spines. I actually returned the CD originally when I got it back then because I thought it was a fault on that CD only. The CD store person played it to confirm and it was there. They ordered me in another copy and low and behold it was there also. I kept it as at the time most of the masters were only available on that release. It was only later when listening to a copy of the vinyl from the same period did I notice the error there too.

I did not notice anything on Loving Arms...what am I supposed hear as an error?

There is a background noise, like a scraping distortion during the last verse behind Elvis' vocal just before and maybe during the vocal 'high', not having this CD anymore I can't be more exact. Its on the CD edition that came out along with Raised On Rock and Elvis (the Fool album) back in 1994 I think it was. They have yellow spines. I actually returned the CD originally when I got it back then because I thought it was a fault on that CD only. The CD store person played it to confirm and it was there. They ordered me in another copy and low and behold it was there also. I kept it as at the time most of the masters were only available on that release. It was only later when listening to a copy of the vinyl from the same period did I notice the error there too.

Ok thanks. I will listen and if I cannot hear anything I will post that last segment so you can point it out..

Greg: If you have the original Gold Vol 5 give a listen to "If I Can Dream"
what a mix. Great stereo seperation. Hasn't been bettered in any succeeding release (imo). I also enjoy "Suspicious Minds" (it's debut in stereo) and "Kentucky Rain". Don't care for that alternate mix they use these days. Just some things I remember off the top of my head. Heven't listened to the original vinyl in a long time.

Suspicious Minds Jerry Stereo debut think was on Greatest Hits Volume 1.....ok CD debut...

You're correct. It was on Greatest Hits Vol 1. So many albums. So much to remember.

On the subject of errors, the opening of Danny Boy (Oh.....) chopped (upcut) on the Moody Blue/EP Blvd reissue.

Original MB Cd has She Thinks skipping I think.. Lets get back to sound of Dick Baxter...I will post something tonight.

Original MB Cd has She Thinks skipping I think.. Lets get back to sound of Dick Baxter...I will post something tonight.

JLGB,

Your signature is a freakin' mess... I can't even find your post in all of that!!!
Clean it up man!!!

Last edited by elvis-fan on Wed Jan 17, 2007 8:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I've tried to tell him before...

LOL I was thinking that too but I didnt want to tell him, it is really hard to read the messages and they are really interesting.

OK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! be nice though!!!!

Much better ! and we were nice ..at least me ...

Francesc

Much better ! and we were nice ..at least me ...

Francesc

Man, I thought you all loved Nipper and his stories..Had no idea you wanted that pooch dead!!!

.....having opted for LP's back then. off the top of my head, I think original mid-80s"Golden Records Vol. 5" is one of the few that still sounds interesting, as I recall for having mixes available nowhere else...

Hello!

The original LP and the american CD version of this album have excellent mixes of songs like 'Way Down', 'Moody Blue' and 'If You Talk In Your Sleep'. They are miles better than the original mixes in my point of view! I was very disappointet when the europen bonus version of this CD came out, using the original mixes!

http://home.online.no/~ov-egela/golden5.html

Regards

Good to see you here, again, Oven, and agreeing with me, to boot. You said it like I wanted to....

I happened to quote your "Let It Roll" review today, in case you missed it.

.....having opted for LP's back then. off the top of my head, I think original mid-80s"Golden Records Vol. 5" is one of the few that still sounds interesting, as I recall for having mixes available nowhere else...

Hello!

The original LP and the american CD version of this album have excellent mixes of songs like 'Way Down', 'Moody Blue' and 'If You Talk In Your Sleep'. They are miles better than the original mixes in my point of view! I was very disappointet when the europen bonus version of this CD came out, using the original mixes!

http://home.online.no/~ov-egela/golden5.html

Regards

Thanks for posting! I will check them out...