How do the W.A.S.P. remasters compare to the original CDs?

I had the first 4 W.A.S.P. albums originally on a mix of vinyl and cassette. I never owned a CD copy of any of them, until getting the remasters (Snapper, I think?), with bonus tracks.

Now, after reading some of the threads on this board, I know that my ears are in now way tuned to hear some of the nuances between originals and remasters. I always just looked for "louder". Words like 'compressed', 'tinny', 'bottom end'...I really don't know what all this means, related to album production.

For example, in the past I purchased 2 sets of the most apparently reviled remasters around, and never even realized any issues. The 2002 Ozzy remasters and the 2004 Megadeth remasters. I was very familiar with all those albums on cassette, and then those remasters were the first CD versions I bought. Never heard a difference, and I am amazed at some of the stuff I have read about those reissues.

So, I am just curious, in the spectrum of remasters, how do those W.A.S.P. remasters stack up? (Also, I don't know if they all came like this, but my W.A.S.P. s/t remastered CD came in a really weird, rounded, almost clam-shell like jewel case. Bugs me to no end.)

The W.A.S.P. remasters are sweet. Sound quality is great and they've got loads of bonus tracks and cool geeky liner notes. (The Crimson Idol has so much extra junk that they made it into a 2-CD set!) They're my fave series of remasters/reissues ever.

Fat Freddy wrote:

The W.A.S.P. remasters are sweet. Sound quality is great and they've got loads of bonus tracks and cool geeky liner notes. (The Crimson Idol has so much extra junk that they made it into a 2-CD set!) They're my fave series of remasters/reissues ever.

Okay, excellent. I am happy with them too, which is of course what is important, but I just wasn't sure how they were viewed by people with more knowledge of differences between originals and remasters. Thanks for the reply!

They are fine like Freddy said. Something to remember about those Ozzy and Megadeth remasters you mentioned is those are hated not because of the remastering, but because the songs themselves were altered. The Ozzy albums have re-recorded bass and drum tracks and they remixed the albums. The Megadeth remasters were also remixed with re-recorded song parts and had intros added needlessly to many songs. That's just butchery of albums that does not need to be done.

Also, unless you are an audiophile, don't worry about the loudness wars (compression, blah, blah, blah) and just enjoy the music.

I only have the remasters and they sound really good and plus the extras alone make it worth it.

And yes the Crimson Idol reiusse has a lot of cool extras.

I did notice though that a couple years ago, the first 4 were reiussed as 2 cd sets, but they just put the extras on the second disc, with nothing extra from the first reiusses added. Any one else see these?

I never even knew Wasp were having their catalogue reissued and remastered!!! Now I gotta go find those 1st 4 again!!!

Those 2002 Ozzy remasters SUCK!!! I am glad the original bass and drum tracks were readded not long ago and reissued being remastered!

I have the Snapper reissues and also heard the original albums. Generally not a big difference, except i found both the self titled and the Last Command a bit louder and clearer sounding than the original pressings.

The Crimson Idol i recall the original pressing sounding kinda thin whereas the remaster seem a lot fuller sounding. I guess this was due to the quality digital recording still being in its infancy at the time the album was recorded. I have a fre other late 80s albums that were digitally recorded and they suffer from a similar issue - thin sound.

Only WASP reissue i feel sounds a bit weird is The Headless Children. There is a bit of crackling at times, almost as though the sound is too loud. I haven't heard the original pressing so I cannot say how different it is.