Queen SHM-SACDs from Universal Japan

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Perusing the origins of the upcoming Queen [reissues] on SHM~SACD: Taken from the 2011 96/24 masters by Bob Ludwig. But no mention taken from the original analogue masters. Do the Queen masters reside in the UK or US? I'm sure they weren't the original analogue masters which always sound so glorious on SHM~SACD.

Yes, AB, too bad DTS didn't continue with their awesome DVD~A 5.1 releases as A Day At The Races, IMO, would've sounded superb. I always fondly remember how glorious the Queen vinyl sounded even on my then not so audiophile TT.

And the only SHM worth bothering with does come in a little green baggy..........and makes everything sound AND taste SO much better!

And SCREW SHM~SACD....release the QUEEN 5.1 remasters on BD~A 5.1. In order to accomplish this do we need an edict from her Majesty, the QUEEN...or her heir apparent, Prince CHUCK?


If one is looking for a 5.1 mix of say Queen's "News of the World", the liner notes for the SHM SACD state "this 2011 version has been meticulously re-created using the finest modern analogue and digital technology from first-generation master mixes". A couple of songs, in particular, 'Get Down, Make Love' and 'It's Late' are notably shrill making for questionable audio results. The audio may be okay on most other tracks but in my opinion this release does not reach the bar for suitable audiophile quality. Still it is a solid album with some superb songs.

I have also compared the SHM SACD to the Mobile Fidelity (MFSL) Gold CD. The same issues are mirrored on the MFSL release although the SHM SACD generally has better clarity and fidelity.

So, the master tapes (first-generation) have issues likely related to damaged masters or recording/engineering decisions. A 5.1 re-mix of the multi-tracks of "News of the World" would be only as good as the source tapes. I would suggest a 5.1 release is not likely.
 
When they released Queen's vinyl box set last year, they used digital masters. They stated that the reason for this was because the original analog tapes were in bad shape. :(

Bet most of the multi's are in good shape... ;)
(even if they're not anymore they were all transferred to digital donkeys years ago, when most of them still were..)
 
Bet most of the multi's are in good shape... ;)
(even if they're not anymore they were all transferred to digital donkeys years ago, when most of them still were..)

I think the one that is reported to be in the worst shape is A Night at the Opera. I haven't read anything else about the other ones.
 
I think the one that is reported to be in the worst shape is A Night at the Opera. I haven't read anything else about the other ones.

Anecdotally the tapes "worn thru" because they kept overdubbing and overdubbing more and more galileo's and ooh's and aah's.. (!)
..sounds like an urban myth to me.. we've all heard the 5.1 on the ANATO DVD-A or DVD-V or HFPA BD.. they didn't sound that bad in surround did they.. the tapes probably are knackered.. but there is such a thing as restoration.. in any case it doesn't make any difference, all the multi's were transferred to digital years ago.. and the stereo masters similarly were archived to digital, those transfers could have been used for the last round of CDs and those SHM-SACDs and here's the key point = without the EQ and compression used on the last batch of remasters.
 
fredblue;302827[B said:
]Bet most of the multi's are in good shape... [/B];)
(even if they're not anymore they were all transferred to digital donkeys years ago, when most of them still were..)

Are they in good shape..OR...is it that you just WISH they were...Adam I think you have Dusty Springfield syndrome..a lot of Wishin' and Hopin':music...I think it's difficult to come to the realization that our music is either missing or the source is compromised....I actually am surprised on the other end of the fulcrum...I marvel at how many of these tapes from various bands actually have survived over these decades...and that a lot of them are still viable is pretty impressive..IMO...I actually get more frustrated with tapes that are in good shape and some bands make the mistake of picking the wrong person to control the destiny of the band's sound quality(can you hear me Jimmy Page)...but I have come to terms with the fact that there are certain titles that I love... that will never sound very good...it hasn't been easy but for the most part I have moved on...too many other things available to us right now in surround to keep looking back at what we don't have...
 
Or if the band prefers the more recent digitally remixed versions, that's going to be what is released.

They're not remixed (except for maybe A Night At The Opera - I think the 30th Anniversary was a remix.) The word is that the two track masters were transferred to digital for the recent vinyl reissues to take care of drop outs and effectively micro manage some of the mastering, rather than applying something for a whole song.
 
Are they in good shape..OR...is it that you just WISH they were...Adam I think you have Dusty Springfield syndrome..a lot of Wishin' and Hopin':music...I think it's difficult to come to the realization that our music is either missing or the source is compromised....I actually am surprised on the other end of the fulcrum...I marvel at how many of these tapes from various bands actually have survived over these decades...and that a lot of them are still viable is pretty impressive..IMO...I actually get more frustrated with tapes that are in good shape and some bands make the mistake of picking the wrong person to control the destiny of the band's sound quality(can you hear me Jimmy Page)...but I have come to terms with the fact that there are certain titles that I love... that will never sound very good...it hasn't been easy but for the most part I have moved on...too many other things available to us right now in surround to keep looking back at what we don't have...

When one considers how long it's taking for PF's The Wall in 5.1 to reach fruition after extensive baking of those 'troubled' multitracks, I'd be VERY curious to hear the results.

When one considers the age of some of the AF QUADs, miraculous that some of them sound so damn fine (Laura Nyro comes to mind).

Yes, ADAM is a dreamer and like all GREAT SURROUNDOPHILES, we don't want to believe that our beloved music has been compromised in any way, shape or form.

But Clint is also correct that Jimmy Page whose ears I'm sure are compromised after years of touring, et alia, should hand over the reins of remixing/remastering LED ZEP's ourve to someone who can HEAR....and remix the whole damn catalogue into 5.1 or whatever and release them in a boxset in the BD~A format. Tired of those ENDLESS RBCD and VINYL STEREO reincarnations. Vinyl may be 'cool' to the touch but it AIN'T HI RES!
 
...News has some problems to my ears too, though they may be inherent in the original recordings?...

I don't know the album inside out, but I thought some of it sounded particularly good on early vinyl (All Dead, All Dead, for example).
 
Are they in good shape..OR...is it that you just WISH they were...Adam I think you have Dusty Springfield syndrome..a lot of Wishin' and Hopin':music...I think it's difficult to come to the realization that our music is either missing or the source is compromised....I actually am surprised on the other end of the fulcrum...I marvel at how many of these tapes from various bands actually have survived over these decades...and that a lot of them are still viable is pretty impressive..IMO...I actually get more frustrated with tapes that are in good shape and some bands make the mistake of picking the wrong person to control the destiny of the band's sound quality(can you hear me Jimmy Page)...but I have come to terms with the fact that there are certain titles that I love... that will never sound very good...it hasn't been easy but for the most part I have moved on...too many other things available to us right now in surround to keep looking back at what we don't have...

Yep the multi's are fine, preserved to digital for some time. (no further questions please or I will be garrotted)
 
When one considers how long it's taking for PF's The Wall in 5.1 to reach fruition after extensive baking of those 'troubled' multitracks, I'd be VERY curious to hear the results.

When one considers the age of some of the AF QUADs, miraculous that some of them sound so damn fine (Laura Nyro comes to mind).

Yes, ADAM is a dreamer and like all GREAT SURROUNDOPHILES, we don't want to believe that our beloved music has been compromised in any way, shape or form.

But Clint is also correct that Jimmy Page whose ears I'm sure are compromised after years of touring, et alia, should hand over the reins of remixing/remastering LED ZEP's ourve to someone who can HEAR....and remix the whole damn catalogue into 5.1 or whatever and release them in a boxset in the BD~A format. Tired of those ENDLESS RBCD and VINYL STEREO reincarnations. Vinyl may be 'cool' to the touch but it AIN'T HI RES!

"You may say I'm a dreamer".. but not on this one.. the multitracks were transferred to digital years ago and no matter what the state of the tapes is (or was, or forever more shall be) the transfers are quite safe and sound.. no dreaming, that's the reality of the situation.
 
I don't know the album inside out, but I thought some of it sounded particularly good on early vinyl (All Dead, All Dead, for example).

ah well if you don't know it inside out, "you gotta fight from the inside"..! (wocka :ugham: ) I love them for the most part but there's saturation, dropout, hiss, you can hear stuff overdriven to the point of overloading a lot on those 70s Queen records.. and all sorts of those nasties translated to the EMI CDPs (SH forum favourites and I have to say for many of the 70's albums I can see why, they are EQ'd much nicer than any other version I've heard... and once you pick up on these things, as we all know, its quite hard to unhear them). II, SHA, ANATO, ADATR, NOTW, Jazz.. all have issues.. (the debut album I can't even remember the last time I played it, so I can't comment about how that sounds now my ears are more attuned to this kinda stuff than they were when I was listening to these records wall to wall)... anyway, I love the albums so much "nothing really matters.. to me.." :music
 
Yep the multi's are fine, preserved to digital for some time. (no further questions please or I will be garrotted)

No questions for you...I wouldn't want you to go under the knife:)...but I guess we all owe you thanks for physically checking on this over the years iinstead of just taking what one reads on the internet or a magazine as reality...we all know everything you read in print or the internet is true and nothing could have possibly changed over the last 40 years...things never change..thanks Adam for your devotion to our hobby:spot
 
No questions for you...I wouldn't want you to go under the knife:)...but I guess we all owe you thanks for physically checking on this over the years iinstead of just taking what one reads on the internet or a magazine as reality...we all know everything you read in print or the internet is true and nothing could have possibly changed over the last 40 years...things never change..thanks Adam for your devotion to our hobby:spot

ah well, I don't know the current state of play wrt this stuff right now (i.e. Today!) but certainly those recordings were transferred, preserved, restored ("the works" :D ) and I imagine (now I'm supposing rather than any factual info) that they would still be as pristine and scrubbed up as they were (they're digital masters now, after all.. ;) ) and (more supposition!) maybe available for licensing, if the right deal came along (they're always seeking to monetise.. "big time money money".. the catalogue and who can blame them when you've got Queen's crown jewels in the vault! :D
 
The first album sounds like it was recorded in a cardboard box. I'm not sure but I think that it may have sounded a bit better on The Complete Works (a mixed bag for sound) than the early vinyl. The Ludwig remaster managed to make the box sound nicer, IMHO. That album could do with a remix.
 
The first album sounds like it was recorded in a cardboard box. I'm not sure but I think that it may have sounded a bit better on The Complete Works (a mixed bag for sound) than the early vinyl. The Ludwig remaster managed to make the box sound nicer, IMHO. That album could do with a remix.

The band was able to get a deal with the owners of Trident Studio, which was being built. They were basically used to test the new gear and facilities but in return did not have to pay for their sessions. It's less than ideal sonically, but for a band on a budget, it must have seemed like quite an opportunity. I agree that this one is the most likely candidate in need of a remix. I love that album.
 
The first album sounds like it was recorded in a cardboard box. I'm not sure but I think that it may have sounded a bit better on The Complete Works (a mixed bag for sound) than the early vinyl. The Ludwig remaster managed to make the box sound nicer, IMHO. That album could do with a remix.

ah maybe that's why I've not played it in yonks.. iirc it was one of the Hollywood remasters I kinda liked the CD of I think but don't quote me on that its been a long time! :eek:
 
Th band was able to get a deal with the owners of Trident Studio, which was being built. They were basically used to test the new gear and facilities but in return did not have to pay for their sessions. It's less than ideal sonically, but for a band on a budget, it must have seemed like quite an opportunity. I agree that this one is the most likely candidate in need of a remix. I love that album.

Its an interesting album, just one I don't feel compelled to listen to for pleasure these days.. Freddie's materials the strongest by far though I do have a soft spot for KYA.. one thing I felt pretty much from word go Queen were closer to the sound/feel that kinda shaped some of their more well-known 70s work, more so than many of their chums (Elton, Bowie, Rod) with their first albums.. it was only with The Game that Queen truly started to go off on a major musical trajectory (I love it but I know it's one of their "marmite" albums that really divides fandom)... for me, their run from II to Jazz is one of the most spectacular rolls in 'Classic Rock', forget the shedload of hits on those records, not dismissing them out of hand but you know there's sooooo many incredible album tracks on all those records, its just astonishing.. what a band. There can only be one = Queen :worthy
 
Its an interesting album, just one I don't feel compelled to listen to for pleasure these days.. Freddie's materials the strongest by far though I do have a soft spot for KYA.. one thing I felt pretty much from word go Queen were closer to the sound/feel that kinda shaped some of their more well-known 70s work, more so than many of their chums (Elton, Bowie, Rod) with their first albums.. it was only with The Game that Queen truly started to go off on a major musical trajectory (I love it but I know it's one of their "marmite" albums that really divides fandom)... for me, their run from II to Jazz is one of the most spectacular rolls in 'Classic Rock', forget the shedload of hits on those records, not dismissing them out of hand but you know there's sooooo many incredible album tracks on all those records, its just astonishing.. what a band. There can only be one = Queen :worthy

They were one of my first "favorite bands" growing up. Still can't get enough of them. Wish I could hear the A Night At The Opera 5.1 mix that was pulled. I have the newer one and the game which are both excellent...
 
They were one of my first "favorite bands" growing up. Still can't get enough of them. Wish I could hear the A Night At The Opera 5.1 mix that was pulled. I have the newer one and the game which are both excellent...

Its not vastly different tbh.. the "shark" bit in Death On Two Legs pans differently in Scheiner's rejected Vn., Prophet's Song is a bit different in a couple of places.. but its not a night (at the opera) and day (at the races) stark contrast! :eek:
(even by my standards that was a lousy joke i know! :ugham: )

Edit: oh yeah and I just remembered there's some piano in Bo Rhap panned to the rears on one of the 5.1 mixes and not the other (can't remember which one does which now.. ha! I'll check it out later, I need an excuse to play ANATO :eek: )
 
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