Grace Under Pressure - Best Version on CD?

[Harperspace]

Hello!

 

After rediscovering Rush & attending the Time Machine tour, I have found that I am falling in love with the band's music again.

 

I rebought several CDs to plug the gaps in my collection, which was mainly made up of the '97 remasters, along with the odd Mobile Fidelity edition.

 

One of my favourite albums from my youth was/is Grace Under Pressure, so I have listened to it a lot recently. Now the '97 remaster is all well & good. Punchy & loud, but to my untrained ears something just doesn't feel right about it. It's years since I listened to my old vinyl copy, and I don't currently own a turntable.

 

Having read several threads on this very forum concerning differing CD versions, I was wondering if the forumites had reached a consensus on the preferred CD version of Grace to own.

 

A few days ago I picked up one of the original West German CD pressings off Ebay, and that's currently sounding very nice indeed. The 97' remaster may be LOUDER, but as we know loudness shouldn't necessarily be confused with quality.

 

Thoughts?

[micgtr71]

The only differences that I notice between the versions is the volume. If I were you, I would find a good turntable on ebay and pull out that old vinyl copy.

[Harperspace]

Thanks for the reply.

 

Of course reverting to vinyl is always an option, but the question was really around the varying CD releases.

 

 

[fordgt99]

I'm fine with the remaster. Found a vinyl rip recently but have not taken the time to compare the two. In the end what cd sounds best to you is all that matters.

[reani14]

who cares.

[ak2112]

QUOTE (reani14 @ Aug 24 2011, 05:24 PM)

who cares.

Wow, what a helpful post....not!

 

I dont know about different masterings at GuP forward for the most part, but you can almost never go wrong with the Japanese pressings (either 25.8P or 32.8P catelog numbers) or the original Anthem Canadian CD's. They both usually sound better than their US counterparts, though this is not always true.

[ak2112]

Actually, now that I'm thinking about it, I have a link that lists pretty much every version of Rush's CD's that are out there, so hopefully this will at least help you know whats available. Check it out!

 

http://www.wellers.demon.co.uk/Compact%20D...tm#_Toc49851782

 

 

[Harperspace]

QUOTE (reani14 @ Aug 24 2011, 05:24 PM)

who cares.

Well obviously I care, otherwise I wouldn't have bothered to ask!

 

Anyway, thanks for your incisive reply.

[Harperspace]

QUOTE (ak2112 @ Aug 24 2011, 10:28 PM)

QUOTE (reani14 @ Aug 24 2011, 05:24 PM) who cares. Wow, what a helpful post....not!   I dont know about different masterings at GuP forward for the most part, but you can almost never go wrong with the Japanese pressings (either 25.8P or 32.8P catelog numbers) or the original Anthem Canadian CD's. They both usually sound better than their US counterparts, though this is not always true. Many thanks - I'll bear that in mind.

[Rush Cocky]

QUOTE (Harperspace @ Aug 24 2011, 07:26 AM)

Hello! After rediscovering Rush & attending the Time Machine tour, I have found that I am falling in love with the band's music again. I rebought several CDs to plug the gaps in my collection, which was mainly made up of the '97 remasters, along with the odd Mobile Fidelity edition. One of my favourite albums from my youth was/is Grace Under Pressure, so I have listened to it a lot recently. Now the '97 remaster is all well & good. Punchy & loud, but to my untrained ears something just doesn't feel right about it. It's years since I listened to my old vinyl copy, and I don't currently own a turntable. Having read several threads on this very forum concerning differing CD versions, I was wondering if the forumites had reached a consensus on the preferred CD version of Grace to own. A few days ago I picked up one of the original West German CD pressings off Ebay, and that's currently sounding very nice indeed. The 97' remaster may be LOUDER, but as we know loudness shouldn't necessarily be confused with quality. Thoughts?

I love the 97 Remasters which you seem to questioning, soooooo.......

[fordgt99]

QUOTE (ak2112 @ Aug 24 2011, 10:32 PM)

Actually, now that I'm thinking about it, I have a link that lists pretty much every version of Rush's CD's that are out there, so hopefully this will at least help you know whats available. Check it out! http://www.wellers.demon.co.uk/Compact%20D...tm#_Toc49851782

Thanks for that link. Very interesting.

[micgtr71]

QUOTE (Harperspace @ Aug 24 2011, 10:36 AM)

Thanks for the reply. Of course reverting to vinyl is always an option, but the question was really around the varying CD releases.

Yes, I understand. What I meant is that the only noticeable difference that I can tell (original cd release, 97 remaster, German version) is the volume. The 97 remaster sounds great.

[Jaminbenb]

I still can't believe the people that are STILL pining for vinyl! give it up, it's a tired old medium!!!

 

Please enlighten me to the appeal?

[D3strukt]

QUOTE (Jaminbenb @ Aug 25 2011, 03:13 PM)

I still can't believe the people that are STILL pining for vinyl! give it up, it's a tired old medium!!! Please enlighten me to the appeal?

Warm sound in the lows. Bright sound in the highs.

Can hear everything.

[Bastille Dave]

Edited August 25, 2011 by Bastille Dave

[Tommy Sawyer]

QUOTE (Harperspace @ Aug 25 2011, 07:46 AM)

QUOTE (reani14 @ Aug 24 2011, 05:24 PM) who cares. Well obviously I care, otherwise I wouldn't have bothered to ask!   Anyway, thanks for your incisive reply. Don't worry about reani. He's pretty much a Neil-bashin' troll.

[ak2112]

QUOTE (micgtr71 @ Aug 25 2011, 01:24 PM)

QUOTE (Harperspace @ Aug 24 2011, 10:36 AM) Thanks for the reply. Of course reverting to vinyl is always an option, but the question was really around the varying CD releases. Yes, I understand. What I meant is that the only noticeable difference that I can tell (original cd release, 97 remaster, German version) is the volume. The 97 remaster sounds great. The 97 remasters sound loud! Thats about all you can say about them. They're brickwalled to shit and have zero dynamic range. If all you car about is ear bleeding loudness than go for the remasters by all means. However, if you have a decent stereo system, care about dynamic range and recording, mixing and mastering quality, than go for anything OTHER than the 97 remasters. I have done a lot of comparing between different masterings (I have 7 different masterings of Moving Pictures for instance....a little much, I know) and the difference is night and day.

[TheSnowdog]

Edited August 26, 2011 by TheSnowdog

[fordgt99]

QUOTE (ak2112 @ Aug 25 2011, 11:54 PM)

QUOTE (micgtr71 @ Aug 25 2011, 01:24 PM) QUOTE (Harperspace @ Aug 24 2011, 10:36 AM) Thanks for the reply. Of course reverting to vinyl is always an option, but the question was really around the varying CD releases. Yes, I understand. What I meant is that the only noticeable difference that I can tell (original cd release, 97 remaster, German version) is the volume. The 97 remaster sounds great. The 97 remasters sound loud! Thats about all you can say about them. They're brickwalled to shit and have zero dynamic range. If all you car about is ear bleeding loudness than go for the remasters by all means. However, if you have a decent stereo system, care about dynamic range and recording, mixing and mastering quality, than go for anything OTHER than the 97 remasters. I have done a lot of comparing between different masterings (I have 7 different masterings of Moving Pictures for instance....a little much, I know) and the difference is night and day. Just add "I think" to half of this reply.   I DO have a decent system and I THINK the remasters sound fine. To each his own but I'm not putting any time into hunting down the older cds, especially when there are some great vinyl rips out there.

[Jaminbenb]

Edited August 27, 2011 by Jaminbenb

[Majestyk]

Anyone who likes the remaster needs to get their ears checked. The original Canadian Anthem CD is 3x better but I haven't heard the original Japan, which I hear is the best.

 

The only Rush remasters that sound good are Fly By Night and Caress of Steel. (Haven't heard "RUSH"). All the others suck and I can't crank them, otherwise they make my ears feel like they're going to bleed.

 

 

[ytserush]

I prefer the US vinyl and original atomic CD over the '97 remaster by far.

 

I've also got a vinyl pressing from the Netherlands, but I've not checked that out yet.

 

The lows can be heard very well and the highs aren't as overly bright in my opinion.

[ak2112]

QUOTE (fordgt99 @ Aug 26 2011, 06:42 PM)

QUOTE (ak2112 @ Aug 25 2011, 11:54 PM) QUOTE (micgtr71 @ Aug 25 2011, 01:24 PM) QUOTE (Harperspace @ Aug 24 2011, 10:36 AM) Thanks for the reply. Of course reverting to vinyl is always an option, but the question was really around the varying CD releases. Yes, I understand. What I meant is that the only noticeable difference that I can tell (original cd release, 97 remaster, German version) is the volume. The 97 remaster sounds great. The 97 remasters sound loud! Thats about all you can say about them. They're brickwalled to shit and have zero dynamic range. If all you car about is ear bleeding loudness than go for the remasters by all means. However, if you have a decent stereo system, care about dynamic range and recording, mixing and mastering quality, than go for anything OTHER than the 97 remasters. I have done a lot of comparing between different masterings (I have 7 different masterings of Moving Pictures for instance....a little much, I know) and the difference is night and day. Just add "I think" to half of this reply.   I DO have a decent system and I THINK the remasters sound fine. To each his own but I'm not putting any time into hunting down the older cds, especially when there are some great vinyl rips out there. No "think" about it. The 97 remasters ARE louder. Thats not an opinion, its a fact. Every one of the 97 remasters is between 3 to 5dB louder than the original CD's.