I didn't even know that they'd been remastered for the Crown Jewels set in 1998, but what kind of remastering did they get?
Saying it's an LP remaster would suggest someone took the original vinyl and just cleaned it up to de-hiss and de-crackle it.... ;)
It REALLY IS about time all the albums were redone PROPERLY from the original tapes and re-released on CD as the final, once and for all, definitive versions.
I just hope they don't piss about and take 3 or 4 years to release them all like they have with the new Vinyl sets.
I also hope these would be considered "extras" to the release schedule, otherwise we'll be getting another few years of nothing new.....
brians wig wrote: I didn't even know that they'd been remastered for the Crown Jewels set in 1998, but what kind of remastering did they get?
Saying it's an LP remaster would suggest someone took the original vinyl and just cleaned it up to de-hiss and de-crackle it.... ;)
It REALLY IS about time all the albums were redone PROPERLY from the original tapes and re-released on CD as the final, once and for all, definitive versions.
I just hope they don't piss about and take 3 or 4 years to release them all like they have with the new Vinyl sets.
I also hope these would be considered "extras" to the release schedule, otherwise we'll be getting another few years of nothing new.....
The Crown Jewels booklet says all tracks were 24-bit remastered by Peter Mew at Abbey Road studios, for the 1998 CJ release. As far as I know, these versions were not utilized again anywhere else.
Now, the VINYL remasters are different - not because they de-clicked and cleaned up the audio from a vinyl source. It still begins with the original master sourced audio, but what is done to the audio (EQing, compression & limiting) is dfferent, taking into consideration it will be copied to vinyl.
There's actually a lot of debate as to whether that's even necessary. I've heard vinyl that sounded much different than the same music on CD (better), and i've heard vinyl that sounded exactly like the cd (playing over some pops & clicks). There's no scientific proof that the dynamic range is better or broader with vinyl. neither one is capable of an EXACT duplication of the master, and vinyl has further limitations because of how the stylus tracks the grooves imperfectly.
for me, the point is - if remasters are done well, the resulting audio should sound great on a CD or a vinyl record, and the Singles Collections are certainly that...
1991 Hollywood Records Remaster Series (US)
Kevin Metcalf, at Town House Studios:
Sheer Heart Attack, A Day At The Races, News Of The World, Hot Space
Stephen Marcussen, at Precision Mastering:
A Night At The Opera, Flash Gordon
Eddy Screyer, at Future Disc Systems:
Queen, Queen II, Jazz, Live Killers, The Game, The Works, A Kind Of Magic, The Miracle
1994 Digital Master Series (UK)
Honestly, I don't much about this Series, other than the following:
- Queen through Innuendo were issued
- These remasters were used on all the Parlophone Made In Heaven B-sides, including the Fat Bottomed Girls "glitch" version. Can anyone tell me if the 1994 DMS Jazz album has this glitch also?
- These Remasters were used for Queen Rocks, which also has this glitch on "FBG".
- According to the Queen Rocks sleeve notes, it's mastering was done by Kevin Metcalf, but it's unclear if he did the entire catalogue or just this collection.
1998 Crown Jewels LP Reproduction CDs (Boxed Set) (US)
- Queen through The Game
- Remastered by Peter Mew, at Abbey Road Studios
- Curiously, "Keep Yourself Alive (Long Lost Re-Take)" was remastered at this point as well, appearing as the first track on the Crown Jewels Promo Sampler CD. It sounds only ever-so-slightly better than the 1991 HR remaster, but not by much.
2001 Queen Digital Remasters Series(Japan)/2004 Japanese LP Reproduction CD (Japan)
Sorry, in my previous posts my brain froze and I sort of melded these releases together, probably because they do use the same Remasters. Also, this is where things get interesting, as we learn:
- Queen through Made In Heaven
- this new batch was also done by Peter Mew at Abbey Road Studios
- These tracks were used for Greatest Hits: 'We Will Rock You" Edition (US)
- Peter Mew also remastered the various Single Versions and Live Versions which appear on that collection.
2008 Absolute Greatest collection
It's not a series, just the collection, but it does feature an exclusive set of remastered tracks, by Bob Ludwig.
2008,2009,2010 Singles Collections (Volumes 1 to 3)
Yeah, I'm grouping them together for ease of posting. You'll see why:
- Peter Mew did these collections as well, seemingly now being Queen Productions "go to" guy at Abbey Road.
great summation of info, Rhye... so could it be that Peter Mew's remasters for the CJ set in 1998 were utilized as-is for the 2001 Japan remasters (obviously only for Queen through The Game)?
also, not to jump the gun, but i've heard many opinions that the best sounding Innuendo tracks are the 1991 HR edition. I have the 2001 Japan remaster, but i got rid of my HR version. Pretty sure I did an A/B comparison test (I usually do before I sell off a previous edition to replace with a remaster) and must have decided the JP was better... opinions, thoughts?
if i have to wait 'til we get there in sequence, i shall (arms crossed, looking around, tapping foot...)
When I was compiling the details of the various remaster series, it was the first time I really examined who the different people were and when they did the job. It crossed my mind that Peter Mew might have re-used the 1998 CJ remasters for the 2001 and 2004 re-issues, but that doesn't appear to be the case, despite the same guy doing it (Peter Mew) at the same location (Abbey Road). From what promotional material I found online, advertising each new release, it was repeated throughout, to paraphrase: "newly remastered by Peter Mew in 2001 at Abbey Road Studio"
It COULD be that this is one piece of wrong information repeated over and over. Or not.
Out of curiousity, I did an A/B test, comparing the 1998 Killer Queen (from Sheer Heart Attack CJ remaster) to the 2001 Killer Queen (from the Japan Digital Remaster Series "Greatest Hits 1"). Funny enough, I could hear no difference.
Then I did an A/B (B/C?) test with the 2004 Killer Queen (from the Greatest Hits: WWRY Ed.).
All three sound pretty much the same.
This could tell us something...or it could tell us nothing. Just because the track was remastered a second time doesn't mean he'd achieve a different result.
However, I also compared the 2008 Singles Collection remaster to the rest and found a warmer, but just as clear, sound, which to my ear is the best remaster of the song so far.
What did I learn from this? Not much. As I said, he could have achieved the same result repeatedly before something in his technique, metaphoric ear, or the technology changed, allowing for a better result.
Also, comparing one track does not a valid sample pool make.
joesilvey wrote:
Also, not to jump the gun, but i've heard many opinions that the best sounding Innuendo tracks are the 1991 HR edition. I have the 2001 Japan remaster, but i got rid of my HR version. Pretty sure I did an A/B comparison test (I usually do before I sell off a previous edition to replace with a remaster) and must have decided the JP was better... opinions, thoughts?
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Innuendo is a funny old monster.
Naturally i never bought the HR version of this - surely it would have been the same release as the UK version.
I did get the Japanese remaster though and I do think that some of the songs sound better than the UK release, but not all of them.
Again, it's one for people who are audiophile enough to listen to all the versions and tell us which tracks to use to make up a definative version...
rhyeking wrote: Speaking of Queen II, here's my look at it..
I do have the 2001 Japanese remasters from the LP reproduction and it's what mostly gets used.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Really?
Queen II is my favorite album and has been since I discovered it over 20 years ago.
I have both the HR version and the Jap version and while the Jap version seems a bit more punchier and has more bass, it loses out on the little intricacies that I can hear on the HR version - you know, the cowbells and other delicate instruments.
One other thing to look out for is actually comparing the wav forms. You'll find that the HR aren't whacked up full and compressed like the Jap ones are, which is why I can still hear the delicate stuff.
When i'm driving, I tend to listen to the Jap remasters but when the mood takes me and I want to listen via my Alessandro headphones, i listen to the HR remasters (cock-ups and all).
FAO Joe Silvey
Joseph, Sinc e I can't PM you due to current faults with QZ, is there any chance you could post a screengrab comparison of wav files of any Queen song taken from the Crown Jewels set and it's counterpart from, say, the japanese remaster please?
Then we can all see if the CJ sets have been whacked up full and compressed!
Thanks
brians wig wrote: FAO Joe Silvey
Joseph, Sinc e I can't PM you due to current faults with QZ, is there any chance you could post a screengrab comparison of wav files of any Queen song taken from the Crown Jewels set and it's counterpart from, say, the japanese remaster please?
Then we can all see if the CJ sets have been whacked up full and compressed!
Thanks
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Okay - as it turns out, I don't have JP remasters for any of the albums included in the Crown Jewels set. So, instead, since you're a big fan of Queen II, here are screenshots of the waveforms for (3) versions I have of Seven Seas of Rhye: Crown Jewels, Absolute Greatest, and Singles Collection 1. They are definitely three different remasters, but the amount of dynamic compression on AG is the most obvious point. SC maintained a good dynamic range, but seems to have added a little compression over the CJ version. Getting ready to go out for a bit, but perhaps later I can do an A/B/C listening test. Anyone with the JP remaster of Queen II, would love to see a screenshot of that wavefile as well...
Crown Jewels version
Absolute Greatest version
Singles Collection version
That's exactly what I was hoping to see. Thanks Joseph.
If only I could open them though without getting error messages (Bloody Queenzone problems)
This Queen II discussion is EXACTLY why I started this thread, to get a comparative opinions on the best remasters.
I've always respected the Hollywood Records remasters, they're among the best. And the name of this thread is: The Best Remasters, track by track...it's not about my personal favourites. I just list mine as a point where we can start discussions.
I'm willing to agree that Hollywood Records' 1991 re-issues rival the later remasters.
Is there a concensus that the HR versions are better? Any views to the contrary?
Okay - since the 91 Hollywood remasters were missing from my prior example (and sorry, but the JP 2001 remasters will be missing from this one as well)... let's look at the wav forms from (4) versions of Under Pressure...
again, clearly four different remasters, different levels of dynamic compression for each. But i still haven't done an A-B-C-(D) listening test to see which version my EARS preferred. I think in some cases, it's context. In my car, on the highway, where there is regular present road-noise, i'd prefer the Bob Ludwig masters from Absolute Greatest: balanced loudness, highs are punchy, subtleties brought up to audible levels. Then ideally, in my quiet living room with my audiophile stereo setup, i like the Singles Collection masters... but that's because I can have the quiet parts turned up to be heard, and the loud(er) parts envelop you like a hurricane. It's experiential.
I understand Innuendo is a funny beast of its own... almost makes me want to re-buy a copy of the HR 91 version to comare with what i have and the eventual Singles Collection 4...
anyway, for your review - here's Under Pressure - first, HR 1991 cd edition...
HR 2002 Platinum Collection Greatest Hits 2 version - Under Pressure
