Complete Masters compared/contrasted with Franklin Mint

[Claus]

If I may inject just a bit more personal opinion, as I'm doing so, I am absolutely baffled as to where a couple of these Lene Reidel transfers stem from. There is clipping on a couple of tracks that I haven't matched up to other versions.

Which tracks are you referring to? And by clipping, do you mean digital overs or clipped intros?

[elvissessions]

This is going to be a recurring problem ...

I'm trying to be careful to use "clipping" only when I mean the waveform distortion of an excessive signal.

I am still trying to find a good alternative term for missing musical openings/closings.

[EDIT: for the moment, I'm not able to confirm my impression from last week that some of the Lene-credited material sounds unlike previous releases (not necessarily for the better), with the exception of I'm a Roustabout. So I'm retracting that statement for the time being.]

[mrbthebarber]

Honky Tonk Angel IS clipped but it sounded the same way on the non-remixed BMG cd. I don't have the album on vinyl.

I seem to rememeber it being so on the vinyl. I get my set tomorrow, I will make a comparison for you.

[minkahed]

I just listened to my copy of the Franklin Mint, "Songs of the Seventies" disc and I was appalled at how bad "Promised Land" sounded.

Not to mention the clip at the beginning is atrocious.

[minkahed]

I just listened to my copy of the Franklin Mint, "Songs of the Seventies" disc and I was appalled at how bad "Promised Land" sounded.

Not to mention the clip at the beginning is atrocious.

[Claus]

This is going to be a recurring problem ...

I'm trying to be careful to use "clipping" only when I mean the waveform distortion of an excessive signal.

I am still trying to find a good alternative term for missing musical openings/closings.

As to your question, lemme do a quick double-check on one track in particular I have in mind ... I'll get back to you as quick as I can.

Thanks!

I did a comparison between the Elvis Today FTD and the same tracks on the FM set and some of the tracks from FM are actually clipped, while the ftd isn't.

[frus75]

Overall, my USA Promised Land vinyl sounds generally worse than the USA Good Times... And about Honky, it's that way on the vinyl.

Today masters sound very good on the FTD. The bad thing was that each group of songs (masters, platinum, sunset, TT&F and New ones) all sounded different from each other, even at different volumes.

Thanks God I use realgain. Indeed I couldn't live without it, as there's nothing more annoying for me than listening to different songs at different volumes. Tom Jones 24 hours was mastered at around 97 db, while some elvis cds from the 80's sound in the low 80's. The difference in sound actually awoke my child in the car one day.

[elvissessions]

for the moment, I'm not able to confirm my impression from last week that some of the Lene-credited material sounds unlike previous releases (not necessarily for the better), with the obvious exception of I'm a Roustabout. So I'm retracting that statement for the time being.

[Good Time Charlie]

Some people get worked up over minor issues.

[elvissessions]

I just listened to my copy of the Franklin Mint, "Songs of the Seventies" disc and I was appalled at how bad "Promised Land" sounded.

I did not find the sound to be unaccetable overall, by any means.

Not to mention the clip at the beginning is atrocious.

Saying that the error is unaccetable to me is a bit different than saying it's atrocious, in my mind.

Certainly I'll be swapping in the Elvis 75 version, no doubt about it, but the track is hardly rendered unlistenable because of this defect:

Elvis 75's intro followed by Franklin Mint's

[Matthew]

Certainly I'll be swapping in the Elvis 75 version, no doubt about it, but the track is hardly rendered unlistenable because of this defect:

Elvis 75's intro followed by Franklin Mint's

Certainly would be a major concern for me as this is one of the best recordings from that decade and a personal favourite overall. I'm with Walken on this one - it needs more cowbell!

[elvissessions]

Some people get worked up over minor issues.

Some people do -- and sometimes I do.

But the point of this thread is to note for posterity, as best we can, those anomalies that exist on this set for those interested in a historical and archival record.

All indications are that taken collectively these are THE Elvis masters for the foreseeable future.

If there are errors or discrepancies, I believe we should keep track of those.

Some are very difficult to discuss objectively, and some things cannot be determined with 100 percent certainty.

But I am trying to maintain a list of observations that may provide a useful reference point for the future.

[elvissessions]

We lack a definitive benchmark right now to judge the opening of "She's Not You," but here are three versions:

Complete Masters

From Nashville to Memphis

Potluck (Follow That Dream)

There's less lead-in, but contrary to an assertion earlier, I hear the aspirate sound of the "h" on the Complete Masters.

Thoughts?

[Matthew]

We lack a definitive benchmark to judge the opening of She's Not You, but here are three versions:

Complete Masters

From Nashville to Memphis

Potluck (Follow That Dream)

There's less lead-in, but contrary to an assertion earlier, I hear the aspirate sound of the "h" on the Complete Masters.

Thoughts?

Sounds fine to me.

[luckyjackson1]

They probably wanted to get rid of the drop-out right at the beginning and therefore edited it. That would explain the lesser lead-in.
Somebody said it's complete on the Elvis75 Box.
I'll stick to that then, as it's the same mastering.
Have to compare it though.

[elvissessions]

Here is confirmation that "Spring Fever" has consistently been released with a clipped opening.

Complete Masters
Original FTD pressing
Double Features
CMG budget release

Right now, I do not have an original vinyl reference, but the consistency with which this has been released suggests it will match.

Similar to "Scratch Your Back," it is inappropriate at this time to list this as an error, as it appears this does match the original master. I will, however, add it to the notes section of the original post.

[Poste edited to amend clip from the Double Features disc.]

[Claus]

ES: Has the correct version of Black Star finally been released officially on cd?

The acetate of Black Star, as released on the 'Black Star' EP by Bilko, is the original Composite Master with repaired ending (Spliced from Take 13 & Insert #1 Take 5). The "Master" of Black Star on 'Double Features - Flaming Star / Wild In The Country / Follow That Dream' and 'Collectors Gold' is just Take 13 without the repaired ending (Insert #1 Take 5).

[Claus]

These credits suggest that Doncha Think It's Time (LP master), I'm Yours, Lover Doll (LP master) and Tomorrow Night (overdubbed version) on the Franklin Mint set are drawn from Lene Reidel's mastering.

No official information has been released that contradicts these credits as of Nov. 14, 2010.

Then I can conclude that My Happiness from the Elvis 75 box is also mastered by Reidel because the waveform looks identical to the one that Licky posted from the Complete set.

[Mike C]

Here is confirmation that "Spring Fever" has consistently been released with a clipped opening.

Complete Masters
Original FTD pressing
Double Features
CMG budget release

Right now, I do not have an original vinyl reference, but the consistency with which this has been released suggests it will match.

Similar to "Scratch Your Back," it is inappropriate at this time to list this as an error, as it appears this does match the original master. I will, however, add it to the notes section of the original post.

IIRC, the intro to "Spring Fever" on the 1993 Double Features release actually starts on the 1 second countdown mark to the track. I think it was a CD mastering error and meant you couldn't easily skip to this track to hear it in full.

[elvissessions]

Good catch ... However, in fact, even if you roll it back to the start of the track, it is still clipped. ... I will repost a sample ASAP.

[Mike C]

Good catch ... However, in fact, even if you roll it back to the start of the track, it is still clipped. ... I will repost a sample ASAP.

Thanks! Yeah, it is an error that had always stood out in my mind.

[Matthew]

Then I can conclude that My Happiness from the Elvis 75 box is also mastered by Reidel because the waveform looks identical to the one that Licky posted from the Complete set.

That might be a bit of a jump. I have to wonder if it derives from any restorative work Kevan has done for the Sun project.

One thing I've learned over the years is that mixing and mastering credits are inconsistent. If anything it wouldn't surprise me if "My Happiness" comes from the same late 80s digital transfer of the acetate - which I understand is not physically owned by or in the possession of Sony. So digital similarities can be expected.

[elvissessions]

Here is the replacement segment from the Double Features version of "Spring Fever," which is miscued on the end of the track "Girl Happy." As I say, the "S" is still missing.

http://www.da-ol-pu.com/uploads/df2_12-Girl_Happy-Spring_Fever_intro.mp3

I will revise my earlier posts to include this clip.

[elvissessions]

[EDIT: Speculation on "There's a Honky Tonk Angel (Who Will Take Me Back In)" deleted for now.]

We'll need an original vinyl pressing of this to be sure, and I do not have one.

[Claus]

I can confirm that the opening of "There's a Honky Tonk Angel (Who Will Take Me Back In)" is missing a moment of sound at the start, compared with the remastered Promised Land disc.

When was that remastered disc released?