Ugh, can we get a handle on re-mastering?

[Pennsylvanian]

Recently, I just moved into an apartment, and with lack of foresight, I forgot that I can't take my father's record player with me, so I had to leave behind a lot of my favorite vinyls. First things first, I had to replace two of my favorite albums, "Energy" by Operation Ivy and The Clash's US s/t album, among others. Unfortunately, I didn't really take mind to the "re-mastered" tags. It wasn't until Tim Armstrong and Joe Strummer nearly re-mastered my brain out with a wall of treble that I realized my mistake.

What happens is that when people think "re-mastered" they think that the sound quality is clearer, then obviously the music must sound better. In the case of high-quality studio recordings that balance out the highs and lows and mix the instruments with high-quality recording equipment, this has a very good chance of working. However, music with low production values (Like most punk), you usually end up with this high-treble assault on the ears. At least I didn't re-buy "Milo Goes to College", that would have been a mess. Anyone want to start a petition with me, or am I just too much of a hipster?

[AxlVanHagar]

Yep agree 110%. So many re-masters are so botched they are almost unlistenable. I've seen many threads in various forums on this topic so you're not alone. Many so called re-masters are just as you describe, all they really did was boost everything to max level. Take a look at some graphs of re-masters vs. the original version and the difference is pretty staggering. No peaks and valleys as there should be anymnore, just a big almost solid bar, a wall of noise. All the subtle nuances are lost.

This isn't always the case mind you, there are some decent re-masters out there but they do seem to be few and far between.

[idiotec]

Unfortunately it isn’t only re-masters; most new originals are produced the same way anymore. Getting a good sounding new rock album is tough to find anymore. I am impressed you list Energy as one of your favorite albums. Great stuff.

BTW, is caring about SQ being a “hipster” now? I would have thought the people who walk around with an ipod 24/7 are the hipsters and the people who sit and listen to real stereos are the odd ones.

Oh well, I think I am too old to be considered a hipster anyway….

[Jordashebasics]

I usually find that remasters are usually worthwhile, even if they aren't the preferred recording. The changes in how tracks get mixed tend to bring out elements that are harder to pick out.

Billy Joel's The Stranger album was re-released this year, remastered and all. Some of the reviews complained that they just made the album louder. I don't hear that. It is a little louder, but there's also a much clearer separation between instruments. I can hear the drum tracks more distinctly than I could before.

Mostly, we'd probably need to know exactly on what medium it is intended to be heard.

[tofubot]

i thought that was just how they mixed punk albums back then, with insane high treble for that cutting sound. in fact, i liked that the most about most old punk guitar sounds, that nasally, raw, badly produced sound that just punches you in the gut.

[Pennsylvanian]

i thought that was just how they mixed punk albums back then, with insane high treble for that cutting sound. in fact, i liked that the most about most old punk guitar sounds, that nasally, raw, badly produced sound that just punches you in the gut.
Most of the time, it was just because they had cheap recording equipment in a room with bad acoustics and cruddy instruments(or at least that's how it started). What helped the listenability (god, I know that's not word) was the scratchiness and warmth of vinyl and cassette. When you try to cut out the fuzz with a lot of those old records, what happens is all you have is a crappy recording, but now it's crystal clear of any fuzz that balanced out the treble. Listen to the first notes of "White Man in Hammersmith Palais" (One of my favorite songs) on vinyl, then on CD. The CD one just sounds like butt.

[Hastyl3]

Megadeth's remastered editions of Peace Sells... But Who's Buying and Rust In Peace were welcome changes for me.


I haven't actually heard a remastering I haven't liked. Maybe i don't nitpick on every single thing different about the editions.