Are remastered Cd's worth the extra expenditure?

[beli]

I'm in the process of replacing some of my old vinyls with CDs. Many of these old albums are available in two different CD formats. The standard version and the remastered version.

Does remastering alter the "feel" of the album?
or just make the CD sound better?
Which version would/do you choose?
Are remastered Cd's worth the extra expenditure?

Help me. Pretend I know nothing about this subject.

Thanks.

 

[Aardvark747]

Hey Beli! I'd buy both if I was you.

Have you tried Aardvark Music in England....

 

[beli]

Hey Beli! I'd buy both if I was you.

Have you tried Aardvark Music in England....

lol. Thats a bit far from my house. And the exchange rate is horrendous. For example I can purchase a Roxy Music Euro Import for the same price as the Australian release of the remastered Cd. All of which is more expense than the standard Cd. Are you confused yet? I am.

Why would you buy both?

 

[Aardvark747]

sorry Beli - that was no help to you at all! So I apologise in advance.

I'll get my coat....

 

[beli]

You can't leave yet, you haven't answered any questions.

 

[Aardvark747]

Well, if i'm being honest, I really can't tell much difference between a re-mastered album and a standard issue. Maybe it's just my ears or something!

 

[beli]

Is that opinion for pop albums or all albums?

What about Jean Michel Jarre, Phillip Glass, film soundtracks, classical albums, etc?

 

[Aardvark747]

Hmmm...well, I'd say that Jean Michel Jarre's remastered albums would probably have some obvious sound differences, given the style of music.

Oh Beli - i'm really not being any help to you am I?!

 

[u2popmofo]

I can tell they've remastered a few different albums, because they play with sound levels on some of them.

Personally, if you already have the CD, I'd only worry about getting the remaster if they've added bonus material. The Cure and Pavement have entire bonus CDs of unreleased material to some of their early albums. Pretty cool stuff.

 

[greenlight7-11]

If you like Echo & The Bunnymen at all, their 80s reissues are wonderful. They sound amazing and they have great bonus tracks. They're very cost effective, too. And yeah, The Cure reissues are gonna be great once they're all released.

 

[isabelle_guns]

No just a waste of money in my opinion.

 

[melon]

Remastered albums sound better if they were originally recorded with analog sources. "Remastered" versions of albums made over the last 15 years are generally marketing hype.

Melon

 

[indra]

I only get remasters if there are extra songs or videos, or if the sound on the original is so horrendous and it's supposed to be fixed on the remaster. Otherwise I just go with whatever has the best price.

OK, sometimes I'll buy the remaster if the artist has just gotten back the rights to a long deleted issue and is in dire need of cash, but that's mostly because I'm a sucker.

 

[UnforgettableLemon]

Elvis Costello is a definite argument for remastered CDs.

 

[beli]

I can tell they've remastered a few different albums, because they play with sound levels on some of them.

Personally, if you already have the CD, I'd only worry about getting the remaster if they've added bonus material.

Nah, I have a tonne of old vinyl and my record player has died. I have decided I will try to loose my Inner Luddite and replace my favourite vinyls with CDs. So these are albums I don't already own on CD.

I'm one of the old farts that thinks vinyl sounds better and warmer than CDs.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[beli]

Remastered albums sound better if they were originally recorded with analog sources. "Remastered" versions of albums made over the last 15 years are generally marketing hype.

Melon

Thanks for the tip. Most of the albums I'm after are from the late 70's and early 80's and were quite likely recorded with analog sources.

Thanks again.

 

[beli]

*double post was 'ere*

 

[beli]

Thanks to everybody who responded. What I will do is purchase remastered albums of albums older than 15 years (which is the case for most of the albums I am wanting to purchase) or if theres extra bits eg The Cure. (I did notice the Cures Three Imaginary Boys remastered with bonus disk and have added that to my list)

Thanks again. I appreciate you taking the time and effort to address my questions.

 

[jick]

War and The Joshua Tree remastered by Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs blow away the original albums.

Cheers,

J

 

[Angela Harlem]

last night we were discussing how we miss the sound of putting the needle on, and the nifty square brush you'd gently wipe your vinyl with. that crackle as it settled.
we were at a 40th bday party and while i love nothing more than watching middle aged bob dylanites smoke dope and discuss their vb stubby holder collections, i had to get the shits when some tart told me i couldn't possibly remember any of the 80's music that was playing at the time, when it originally came out. want to bet, pork chop?????
kiss my arse hippy.

beli i expect you'll be offering profuse thanks for my contribution to this thread. and i offer my no worries in return.

 

[Popmartijn]

Elvis Costello is a definite argument for remastered CDs.

Indeed. And his editions with the standard (remastered) album on one CD (without any bonus tracks!) and a separate CD with bonus tracks should be the standard when doing expanded edition.

 

[beli]

What is the difference between super audio Cds and remastered CDs please? Which is "better" in your opinon?

 

[UnforgettableLemon]

Haven't heard any SACDs myself... but I was just thinking...


Bruce Springsteen's catalog needs remastering, and badly.

 

[beli]

There are some Bruce remastered CDs available. I just saw some in an online shop over here. Have a look at your "local" online shop.

 

[indra]

ooohh, speaking of remasters/reissues I just ordered the reissue/remaster of a couple of older Steve Kilbey albums (y'all just knew it was gonna be Steve, didn't ya? ) and one of them is gonna have SK doing a reading of his poetry. Hot damn! I've been waiting for this for ages!!!



(I know, I know I'm pitiful...and my post really didn't have much to do with the topic... )

 

[beli]

You are hopeless Indra. The only way to redeem yourself is to listen to your new remastered cds and compare them with your old ones and post here your findings.

 

[indra]

You are hopeless Indra. The only way to redeem yourself is to listen to your new remastered cds and compare them with your old ones and post here your findings.

Now that I have a command performance I might just do that! You know the really pitiful thing is that I bought the remasters of Heyday and Seance (both Church releases of course ) several months ago (and both have a bonus disc too), but I haven't listened to either one yet! I'm not even sure where they are anymore....

 

[beli]

I had the Heyday remastered with bonus disk thingie in my basket, and ditched it in favour of something else. Next time.....

 

[greenlight7-11]

What is the difference between super audio Cds and remastered CDs please? Which is "better" in your opinon?

Super Audio is a high resolution format akin to DVD-Audio. You have to have special stereo equipment for those formats. Remastered CDs are standard CDs, it's just that the original source audio is polished up in various ways so as to sound better than the original release (i.e. volume levels increased, individual instrument or vocal sounds made more punchy, etc.). As someone mentioned, albums made in the age of digital recording are not improved much at all with remastering. It makes a difference on analog recordings (most of those would be pre 1990s).

 

[indra]

I had the Heyday remastered with bonus disk thingie in my basket, and ditched it in favour of something else. Next time.....

If you see poor deaf Steve out busking, you'll know it is all because you ditched Heyday in favour of something else.

I hope it was worth it.