The title is the question. There's lots of Rush fanatics out there. Please advise ....
Best version of Rush: Clockwork Angels?
- Thread starter LuvMyQuad
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So, should I assume all releases of this are the same? Should I just pick up a CD?
I only have the CD so I have nothing else to compare it to. I am guessing the only other option might be a hi-rez download if one exists. When I saw your question I was as interested as you as to what other options besides the CD might be out there.
I think they wanted a noisy, dense, assault your senses, rock album. That's why they picked Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters) to produce. I think they felt it might make them sound more contemporary. I do love the album but if I listen to it too loud for too long, it starts to get on my nerves (and I could say the same thing about the Foo's albums). It would be interesting if they did the same remix deal with CA that they did with Vapor Trails.
And what the hell, mix it in 5.1 while they are at it.
Well, I'm not going for the vinyl. And there is no one recommending the HDtracks version. So it's looking like the CD for me.
fcormier
Senior Member
Rush albums have been brickwalled since Counterparts. As for a 5.1 mix, they tried with Snakes & Arrows and failed miserably.I think they wanted a noisy, dense, assault your senses, rock album. That's why they picked Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters) to produce. I think they felt it might make them sound more contemporary. I do love the album but if I listen to it too loud for too long, it starts to get on my nerves (and I could say the same thing about the Foo's albums). It would be interesting if they did the same remix deal with CA that they did with Vapor Trails.
And what the hell, mix it in 5.1 while they are at it.
I have both the CD and the hdtracks version. They sound the same. Both lack dynamic range. They measure identically on the DR meter.
https://dr.loudness-war.info/album/list?artist=Rush&album=Angels
I haven't heard the vinyl but it has much better dynamic range. Perhaps try to get your hands on a needle drop.
Plan9
800 Club - QQ All-Star
It's the only Rush album that has only one (brickwalled) mastering, sadly.
Plan9
800 Club - QQ All-Star
All albums up to and including Snakes and Arrows exist in a dynamic mastering since 2015. (Vapor Trails was remixed but it is not exactly dynamic)
As for 5.1, there are many other Rush albums that have been remixed in 5.1 as you (should) know.
doity
400 Club - QQ All-Star
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The latter day Rush did absolutely nothing for me. I am talking Test For Echo through to the end. Sure, there were a few songs here and there that were decent, and some decent instrumentals, but by and large the material sounded forced and there was a sameness to a lot of it. You would think that a band like them, with as much talent as they had, would had not felt the need to try to appear relevant and to try to keep up with current musical trends.
I kept going to the shows though, just as I had through their “keyboard” phase. But at least that era produced a lot of memorable moments, even if they aren’t considered classics. At least they still delivered live constantly so I give them that. I think I saw pretty much every tour from 1977 right through to the end.
I have both the vinyl and CD versions of Clockwork Angels. The vinyl sounds better to me and doesn't cause the 'everything loud all the time' ear fatigue. I haven't measured the DR, so I can't speak to that.
The vinyl is obviously out of print, I tried to locate a used one and the cheapest one on discogs is like $199
fcormier
Senior Member
It's the only studio album that had a 5.1 mix on release. All others are either live albums (I have several of them) or remixes of older studio albums (I have two of those).
I have the HDTracks version. It’s sounds okay to me if I don’t play it too loud.
JediJoker
2K Club - QQ Super Nova
I can't disagree more on that second point. A weak note to end on for one of the strongest bands in history. I wish they hadn't released this.
The TT/MAAT DRMeter is not designed for vinyl. It will read artificially high even when the mix/master is exactly the same and sounds the same as a digital release. All the vinyl entries should be removed from that database.
Even the 2013 Van Dette remaster of the original mix of Vapor Trails isn't really "dynamic." It's a real shame Sean Magee wasn't let loose on that one.
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Plan9
800 Club - QQ All-Star
I thought the exact opposite regarding the strength of CA album overall. I rank it above some of the albums that came out post Grace Under Pressure.
There were only two of their albums that I have a hard time ever wanting to listen to, Presto and Roll The Bones. I also thought Vapor Trails was a bit weak but given that it was their first album back from the abyss, I was just glad to have the band back.
Over the years, Presto has grown to be one of my favorite albums in their catalog along with Clockwork Angels.
Okay! Who’s going to start a “Favorite Rush Albums Ranked” Thread?
Okay! Who’s going to start a “Favorite Rush Albums Ranked” Thread?
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