MoFi to release Dire Straits' "On Every Street" on SACD

[Mr. Afternoon]

I was just alluding to the fact that 16/44.1 DDD PCM masters can sound excellent when remastered to a hi res format! Analogue Productions' prooved this with three of their Stereo SACDs remastered from 16/44.1 DDD PCM sources [Cowboy Junkies' TRINTY SESSIONS, Nils Lofgren LIVE and bassist Rob Wasserman's DUETS].

I typically only hear real differences not between remastered versions of 16/44.1 albums, but remixed. The original mixing equipment used was more primitive for a lot of these digital records, and remixing makes the real difference, not remastering. Whether it be stereo or 5.1.

Remastering can certainly have improvements but I don't see the use of buying SACDs of 16/44.1 albums if they aren't going to be remixed. IDK I feel like I can replicate whatever EQ curve they're probably going to use at home.

 

[4-earredwonder]

True, but it's the mastering that's the special sauce, not the hi-res format.

Will always be in agreement with that. And additionally, Dire Straits Brothers In Arms was originally a 16/44.1 DDD PCM recording and remains one of my favs in MLP DVD~A 5.1!

 

[JediJoker]

Will always be in agreement with that. And additionally, Dire Straits Brothers In Arms was originally a 16/44.1 DDD PCM recording and remains one of my favs in MLP DVD~A 5.1!

And for stereo, the MoFi hybrid SACD is my favorite. And it's actually slightly less dynamic than the original WB U.S. CD! Much more engaging and pleasing tonality, though.

 

[4-earredwonder]

And for stereo, the MoFi hybrid SACD is my favorite. And it's actually slightly less dynamic than the original WB U.S. CD! Much more engaging and pleasing tonality, though.

The gent [whose name escapes me] who remixed Brothers In Arms for 5.1 actually preferred the MLP DVD~A 5.1 over the SACD in 5.1 as there was no need to convert the PCM signal to DSD when transferring to the SACD format.

 

[JediJoker]

The gent [whose name escapes me] who remixed Brothers In Arms for 5.1 actually preferred the MLP DVD~A 5.1 over the SACD in 5.1 as there was no need to convert the PCM signal to DSD when transferring to the SACD format.

Different SACD (with awful stereo mastering ). This is my stereo favorite. (Surround mixer was Chuck Ainlay.)

 

[Albert Dagger]

Different SACD (with awful stereo mastering ). This is my stereo favorite. (Surround mixer was Chuck Ainlay.)

Totally agree. The MFSL is the best stereo version of Brothers in Arms.
I would dare to say that all MFSL releases are my favourites for all Dire Straits albums. I haven't heard the last one, but I'll get it soon

 

[Alex Vlach]

The gent [whose name escapes me] who remixed Brothers In Arms for 5.1 actually preferred the MLP DVD~A 5.1 over the SACD in 5.1 as there was no need to convert the PCM signal to DSD when transferring to the SACD format.

Speaking of which, if BIA could be released in multi-channel, why can't it be the case for 'On Every Street'?

 

[JediJoker]

Speaking of which, if BIA could be released in multi-channel, why can't it be the case for 'On Every Street'?

Multitracks may be lost. More likely, though, the powers that be feel there isn't a market for a surround mix.

 

[quicksrt]

Speaking of which, if BIA could be released in multi-channel, why can't it be the case for 'On Every Street'?

Who said that there cannot be a multi-channel mix of "On Every Street" - I can see it happening. MK owns a studio with full on mixing, and maybe he just has not had time yet, or it has been done, and they are waiting for MFSL to finish with their issues of the material. MK does not need the money and does not need to move fast for anyone. They can take their sweet time and they will.

 

[Sal1950]

I can see it happening. MK owns a studio with full on mixing, and maybe he just has not had time yet, or it has been done, and they are waiting for MFSL to finish with their issues of the material.

Me too. Very possible the MFSL has an excluseive contract for a cirtain period of time, who knows.

Different SACD (with awful stereo mastering ). This is my stereo favorite. (Surround mixer was Chuck Ainlay.)

It's so hard, often impossible to know the true provenance of any particular releases master.
In the times when the master was known to be the same, I've never heard any differences between a PCM or DSD release, just the SACD oversized files. JMHO

 

[JediJoker]

In the times when the master was known to be the same, I've never heard any differences between a PCM or DSD release, just the SACD oversized files.

Absolutely! It's the mastering that counts in digital end delivery, not the resolution beyond Redbook.

 

[Sal1950]

If only we could get a OES release in Quad, 5.1, and Atmos on a Blu-Ray.

 

[leahypc]

Who said that there cannot be a multi-channel mix of "On Every Street" - I can see it happening. MK owns a studio with full on mixing, and maybe he just has not had time yet, or it has been done, and they are waiting for MFSL to finish with their issues of the material. MK does not need the money and does not need to move fast for anyone. They can take their sweet time and they will.

Now there's a positive outlook. I'll go with that - for a while I guess...

 

[quicksrt]

Me too. Very possible the MFSL has an excluseive contract for a cirtain period of time, who knows.

The reality on these types of situations is that there is no exclusive contract a MFSL is granted. But why would any label attempt to issue a special edition of an album while another label has it currently on offer. They wouldn’t- it would truncate the sales potential.

But with that said, Sony have actually dropped some big fancy packages of music containing titles currently being marketed by none other than MFSL. MFSL kept their heads to the grindstone and said not a peep, because they know what’s good for them.

 

[JoshBasswood]

The reality on these types of situations is that there is no exclusive contract a MFSL is granted. But why would any label attempt to issue a special edition of an album while another label has it currently on offer. They wouldn’t- it would truncate the sales potential.

Well, didn't MFSL do exactly that with Thriller in 2022?
And there were only a couple of years between the Japanese SACD (7") and the MOFI SACD of Billy Joel's the Stranger.
And Analogue Productions seemed to release quite some Pink FLoyd SACD's simulaneously with other versions: SACD for DSOTM in 2021, just before the big 2023 50 years-campaign; SACD for Animals 2018 mix in 2022, simultaneously with all other versions.

Given the popularity of Dire Straits in Europe and the fact that the MFSL SACD's are very much a niche market (and expensive in the EU), I would say that a solid re-issue campaign for Dire Straits' catalogue should not really truncate the sales potential - especially now that the MOFI-SACD's have now all been released.

 

[marpow]

Different SACD (with awful stereo mastering ). This is my stereo favorite. (Surround mixer was Chuck Ainlay.)

I have three Brothers In Arms, I would be interested as how you would rate them scale 1-10?
5.1 SACD released 2005.
Stereo SHM SACD Japanese Box released 2014.
Stereo Hybrid SACD MOFI released 2019.

I had original CD but sold it along time ago. It's like pizza, pretty hard to find a bad one.

 

[JediJoker]

I have three Brothers In Arms, I would be interested as how you would rate them scale 1-10?
5.1 SACD released 2005.
Stereo SHM SACD Japanese Box released 2014.
Stereo Hybrid SACD MOFI released 2019.

The stereo on the 5.1 SACD (and DualDisc) is awful. Crushed to death for reasons unknown. Ignoring the surround mix, and using the QQ rating system, I'd give it a 3 for the mix, 0 for fidelity, 2 for content*, and 1 for overall package, totaling 6.

The SHM-SACD is the only official digital release of the vinyl edit of the album, so it's worth owning for that reason (if you care about such things). I don't own it and haven't heard it, so I can't comment on the sound quality nor rate it.

Of the stereo masterings I've heard—original WB U.S. CD, '90s Bob Ludwig remaster ('00 WB U.S. CD), '05 Bob Ludwig remaster (5.1 SACD), and '15 Shawn Britton remaster (MoFi SACD)—the MoFi is easily my favorite. It's more tonally pleasing than the original WB U.S. CD (which may be different than the European Vertigo mastering), similar to the '90s Ludwig remaster, while retaining nearly all the dynamic range of the original. 3 for mix, 3 for fidelity, 2 for content*, and 1 for overall package, totaling 9.

*Brothers In Arms just isn't my favorite Dire Straits album. It's still very good, but has to lose a point from me.