U2 remastered

[gman]

I remember reading Edge stating that u2 shunned the opportunity to remaster the greatest hits packages from some years ago in order to keep thje same vibe of the recordings. I think this was a big mistake in my opinion. AS i have just wrote in another thread, I have always found u2s recordings to sound flat and lifeless compared to other releases at the same time. ANyone else agree or do you prefer the original (as they were intended) pishy versions? I also think a fresh sound may have appealed to some of the younger generation who are used to digital quality moosic

 

[Screwtape2]

I think it depends on the decade.
The 80's were the best production the band ever had.
The 90's had the songs range from very well produced to "flat."
The 00's production is at an all-time low.
Overall remixing or changing songs is a mixed blessing. With Bomb alot of the remixes or versions were better than on the album. Some people prefer having songs the way they were released on albums. For me personally, I found the new mix of Staring At The Sun worse than the original because I liked the simplicity and loneliness of the album version.
In the end, U2 writes songs to be done live and so the album versions will often sound flat because of that.

 

[liamcool]

U2's albums until about 93 are some of the worst mixed albums I have ever heard. They're cool, yes, but they are mixed extremely poorly. But as you said, they have a certain "it" to it, you get used to listening to the originals. I wouldn't buy remasters unless it was like The Cure's, with a bonus disc of demos/live versions with each remaster.

 

[ntalwar]

I think they went overboard with the mastering of the last 2 albums - there's absolutlely no headroom in the songs. They feel suffocated, and that's been the industry trend.
I hope they do not remaster the older recordings.

Here's a couple of audio waveforms for Streets and ABOY.
Some people prefer the latter mastering, but I'd much rather have Streets.


Streets:




ABOY(too much compression for me):

 

[CTU2fan]

Oh they definitely mixed HTDAAB too high, when you listen to the songs mixed up it's striking, going from another song to Vertigo or ABOY in particular...

 

[xaviMF22]

I think they went overboard with the mastering of the last 2 albums - there's absolutlely no headroom in the songs. They feel suffocated, and that's been the industry trend.
I hope they do not remaster the older recordings.

Here's a couple of audio waveforms for Streets and ABOY.
Some people prefer the latter mastering, but I'd much rather have Streets.


Streets:




ABOY(too much compression for me):

 

[ponkine]

That's just volume levels. Of course Streets sounds much lower in volume than All Because Of You

U2 MUST release the Remastered catalog with extensive booklet and inner notes and all that

 

[LMP]

I just want them to give The Joshua Tree and/or Achtung Baby the Born to Run treatment.

it'd be great to have remastered tracks, b-sides, and demos in CD form, not just on iTunes.

 

[ponkine]

I just want them to give The Joshua Tree and/or Achtung Baby the Born to Run treatment.

it'd be great to have remastered tracks, b-sides, and demos in CD form, not just on iTunes.

... and don't forget the previously unreleased DVD concert included !!!!

 

[Canadiens1131]

If by 'remastering' their back catalogue they just compress the shit out of it and adjust the levels, I'd rather they just live and let live.

 

[namkcuR]

If by 'remastering' their back catalogue they just compress the shit out of it and adjust the levels, I'd rather they just live and let live.

I wouldn't want a remastering like that - I would just love to see War and UF remeasted in a way that leaves them sounding like they weren't recorded in analog in the early 80s. Along with JT and AB as well.

 

[U2FanPeter]

I find it weird that Edge swore by a PCM uncompressed audio track on the Boston DVD, but still released HTDAAB as it now stands.

I'm still waiting for the fan-made DVDA album mixes sourced from original vinyl. Hendrix and the Beatles have already had this happen to them.

u2fp

 

[The Disciple]

Crumbs got the worst of it on the album. Somebody should b prosecuted 4 that.

 

[U2FanPeter]

Have the band themselves actually heard the HTDAAB final mixes?

They did admit to not listening to the initial cd pressing of JT.

 

[Popmartijn]

That's just volume levels. Of course Streets sounds much lower in volume than All Because Of You

No, it's not just volume levels. Those two wave graphics show the difference between the conservative mastering of The Joshua Tree and squashing the volume levels for HTDAAB. Notice that ABOY doesn't have any peaks at all, the graphic is almost one single block. It has all its dynamics removed just to make it seem louder. and everything is loud in that song.
Streets is just as much a rocking song as ABOY, so there's no reason for the latter one to be mastered so LOUD.

Indeed, if remastering means compressing the hell out of the original masters, then I prefer the original versions. At least that way I can enjoy all the music instead of only the quiet parts.

 

[ponkine]

so really WHAT'S THE POINT in being against remasting? are you deaf or what?

Have you ever heard for example the first Peter Gabriel CD's and then the remastered catalog?. I don't think so. The difference is shocking

Do yourselves a favor: Please listen to any classic album on CD (Pink Floyd The Wall for example) and then the remastered version ...

You have a big confusion between remastering and REMIXING. You can make an astounding and pristine remastering work without remixing anything. The mixing of ABOY is as crappy as the song itself, but it isn't fault of WTSHNN. Since Where The Streets do have dynamics, a remastering could be nothing but sublime !.

Led Zeppelin remastered catalog made justice to their awesome music. I've listened to Stairway To Heaven from the first CD version of Led Zep IV and I compared to the remastered one ...
exquisite details, uplifting musical directions, fantastic sound mixing, balance, etc, things I couldn't notice on the first CD version

That will be pretty the same with their 80s and 90s albums, I bet you

 

[shart1780]

I'd love their albums to be remastered. First of all, almost all pre-98 albums are recorded analog, which means the volume is pretty low. Kinda hard to rock out to God Pt. 2 when it's not very loud. Peter Gabriel is a good example. His remastered CDs sond incredible, while his original prints sound less than spectacular.

I'd love to see some b-sides and other rarities on the remasters, but I doubt U2 would go for that. They're pretty picky about that kind of stuff.

 

[BigMacPhisto]

I remember reading Edge stating that u2 shunned the opportunity to remaster the greatest hits packages from some years ago in order to keep thje same vibe of the recordings.

I don't think that's true. Listen to "I Will Follow" on Best Of..........sounds way better than the Boy counterpart. Also, I believe the original master for "Gloria" was in shreds, so they didn't put the song on the compilation. If they didn't care about remastering, they could've just ripped the October version from the CD and put it on The Best Of with exactly the same quality level.

 

[ntalwar]

so really WHAT'S THE POINT in being against remasting? are you deaf or what?

It depends on how much compression and clipping is applied.
I'd rather them not make the back catalog sound like HTDAAB - so fatiguing to listen to.

 

[ponkine]

It depends on how much compression and clipping is applied.

surely U2 won't use cooledit for the job

 

[AndrewCowley]

surely U2 won't use cooledit for the job

Who knows... it looks like they did use it for HTDAAB.

 

[ntalwar]

surely U2 won't use cooledit for the job

Probably not, but Audition can do the job. If I want a remastered album, I'd rather do it myself than pay for it. And the remastered copy will still distort more easily, no matter what is used.

 

[ntalwar]

Re: Re: U2 remastered

I don't think that's true. Listen to "I Will Follow" on Best Of..........sounds way better than the Boy counterpart.

I analyzed Boy's "I Will Follow" compared to the Best Of "I Will Follow", and the only difference I saw was that the Best Of was around 3dB louder . If I want that I can do it myself.

I Will Follow (Boy)


I Will Follow (Best Of)

 

[ponkine]

Who knows... it looks like they did use it for HTDAAB.

 

[ponkine]

Probably not, but Audition can do the job. If I want a remastered album, I'd rather do it myself than pay for it. And the remastered copy will still distort more easily, no matter what is used.

Have you ever compared Peter Gabriel first CD releases with the remastered catalog? Obviously not

Why on earth some of you believe that remastering is equal to compression, distorsion, etc?

Do you believe if what you say would be truth the artists will risk their reputation in remastering their catalog?. That would be stupid !.

Finally one more question, if remastered albums "Sucks big time" according to you, why on earth are they praised and so requested by fans? Damn it, give a listen to Miles Davis first CD issues and then the remastered !. I'm talking about those 40-50 years old classic jazz albums that sound like if they were recorded yesterday thanks to the remastering work

 

[U2FanPeter]

I thought that boy/october have had 2 seperate masterings?

They were re-issued in the very late 90's/early 00's in the "twofer" packs. It has not been advertised/does not say so on the reissue.

u2fp

 

[ntalwar]

Why on earth some of you believe that remastering is equal to compression, distorsion, etc?

Do you believe if what you say would be truth the artists will risk their reputation in remastering their catalog?. That would be stupid !.

Finally one more question, if remastered albums "Sucks big time" according to you, why on earth are they praised and so requested by fans?

Please don't make up quotes that I did not say - i.e. "Sucks big time".
And I'm not talking about remixing here. It's remastering, which involves increasing
the loudness of the signal through dynamic compression among some other processes such as noise reduction and EQ adjustments.
Remastering can be good if done properly - i.e. mild compression.
The distortion occurs when the compression is overdone like on HTDAAB.
I'd rather not have Boy sound like HTDAAB - but people differ on that preference.

 

[ponkine]

Please don't make up quotes that I did not say - i.e. "Sucks big time".
And I'm not talking about remixing here. It's remastering, which involves increasing
the loudness of the signal through dynamic compression among some other processes such as noise reduction and EQ adjustments.
Remastering can be good if done properly - i.e. mild compression.
The distortion occurs when the compression is overdone like on HTDAAB.
I'd rather not have Boy sound like HTDAAB - but people differ on that preference.

I understand your worry my friend, but all remastered albums I've heard from my favorite bands and artists have the common factor that the work done enhance the sound and details, but without loosing the individual feel of each album. For example, Peter Gabriel III DOES NOT sound as So, and both were remastered at the same time and released in a row with the remastered catalog. Same as Genesis albums. Despite all of them were rematered, The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway DOES NOT sound as Foxtrot, or Selling England By The Pound, etc. each album keeps its original own sound, different from the others

With a proper professional work, we have nothing to worry about, just enjoy

Of course, I'm the first in the line against any attempt at sounding as HTDAAB, you know that ! With a careful remastering work, War shouldn't sound as HTDAAB at all, Pop shouldn't sound as Unforgettable Fire, etc

 

[Reggie Thee Dog]

I wouldn't mind remastered CD's with liner notes and bonus songs....not at all!

 

[Popmartijn]

so really WHAT'S THE POINT in being against remasting? are you deaf or what?

Have you ever heard for example the first Peter Gabriel CD's and then the remastered catalog?. I don't think so. The difference is shocking

Do yourselves a favor: Please listen to any classic album on CD (Pink Floyd The Wall for example) and then the remastered version ...

NO, I'M NOT DEAF. I CAN DISTINGUISH BETWEEN A GOOD (RE)MASTERED CD AND ONE WHERE THE DYNAMICS HAVE BEEN SQUASHED OUT BECAUSE OF BAD MASTERING.
AND FOR YOUR INFORMATION, THE ORIGINAL PINK FLOYD CD'S (NOTICEABLE THE ORIGINAL US, UK AND JAPAN RELEASES OF THE WALL) DO SOUND A LOT BETTER THAN THE REMASTERED VERSIONS (EVEN THOUGH THE REMASTERED VERSIONS AREN'T BAD AT ALL, IT'S JUST THAT THE ORIGINALS ARE BETTER).

SOME REMASTERS ARE BETTER THAN THE ORIGINALS, SOME ARE NOT. IT'S NOT JUST REMASTERED = BETTER.

You have a big confusion between remastering and REMIXING. You can make an astounding and pristine remastering work without remixing anything. The mixing of ABOY is as crappy as the song itself, but it isn't fault of WTSHNN. Since Where The Streets do have dynamics, a remastering could be nothing but sublime !.

ACTUALLY, ABOY MIGHT HAVE DYNAMICS TOO! ONLY, YOU CAN'T HEAR IT BECAUSE OF THE CRAPPY MASTERING. I CAN'T REALLY JUDGE THE MIX OF THAT SONG, I FIRST NEED TO HEAR A GOOD MASTERED VERSION OF THAT TRACK. AND SINCE WHERE THE STREETS HAVE NO NAME HAS LOTS OF DYNAMICS NOW, A BAD REMASTERING JOB COULD GIVE NOTHING BUT HORRIBLE RESULTS.

Led Zeppelin remastered catalog made justice to their awesome music. I've listened to Stairway To Heaven from the first CD version of Led Zep IV and I compared to the remastered one ...
exquisite details, uplifting musical directions, fantastic sound mixing, balance, etc, things I couldn't notice on the first CD version

That will be pretty the same with their 80s and 90s albums, I bet you

I'M NOT INTO LED ZEPPELIN, SO I CAN'T GIVE ANY OPINION ON THAT. BUT I DO KNOW THAT FOR AC/DC, ELTON JOHN, STEVIE WONDER AND MARVIN GAYE -TO NAME JUST A FEW ARTISTS- THE ORIGINALS ARE THE BETTER SOUNDING VERSIONS, NOT THE REMASTERS. JUST BECAUSE IT'S LOUDER DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN IT'S BETTER. IT'S LIKE WRITING EVERYTHING IN CAPS. AFTER A WHILE YOUR BRAIN ZONES OUT BECAUSE OF LACK OF DYNAMICS.