Reissued & Remastered (How about no!)

I apologize in advance if this has been discussed earlier......

I have recently purchased all the Judas Priest and Iron Maiden remasters. I guess maybe I have a bad ear, but does it seem like some of these reissues sound worse than the originals? In particular "Screaming For Vengeance". That album sounds awful in the remastered state. Another one that comes to mind which Ult may be able to respond to is Haven's Your Dying Day. The M8 reissue (renamed Anthology Vol. 1) sounds like TOTAL crap.

Thoughts?

What do you mean by "sounds like crap". What's wrong with them? How do you think they are worse? Is it an issue of preference or are you speaking about something physically, sonically wrong?

With the recent Ultimatum remasters, I know our guitarist Robert prefers the originals. He has said that he thinks the remasters are "unlistenable". He claims that the highs are tweaked and the bass is too boomy. However, most people I talk to seem to think the remasters were an improvement over the originals. In this case, I think it's a matter of opinion/preference.

I have listened to the Screaming for Vengeance remaster several times over. I don't remember hearing a problem.

As for the Haven, I'd have to listen again. I rarely listen to the remaster. I usually pull out the original.

(PS. I'm moving this thread into the main metal room to get more response)

Screaming for Vengeance sounds muffled to me with no high end. It almost sounds like a cassette tape that has gone bad. Almost with an "underwater" sound, if that makes sense.
As for "Your Dying Day", my copy actually sounds scratchy as if the bass is so enhanced that it has distorted the sound, similar to a busted speaker sound.
The Iron Maiden remasters are OK. It seems like they were just made to be louder. But I prefer Number of the Beast in its original form.
As for Ultimatum, I really enjoyed the remasters. But I don't have anything to compare them to. Although Retroactive, or perhaps the original label, made the songs not sound as though they were not demos. A plus. I think you (ult) had said that you didn't like the sound of "Puppet". That album sounds as though there is too much mid to me. Please don't think I'm criticizing, but do I just have sensitive ears or should I lay off the Guinness?

I usually buy originals cause they're cheaper. Then replace them if I see them at the store.

I like Originals,dont care to have the re-masters

I think the KISS, BLACK SABBATH & AEROSMITH remasters are outstanding. I much prefer them to the originals. I also like the IRON MAIDEN remasters. The sound levels are much better than even the Castle Records Reissues from the 90's.

However, with MEGADETH, I prefer the originals because I am not keen on the re-recording and changing of some songs. The addition of keys/horns in "Into the Lungs of Hell" really was a let down. In this case, it's not the mastering, but the re-recording. Same thing with the ZZ TOP remasters. They have re-recorded or remixed stuff which doesn't just enhance the sound, it changes it.

ultmetal wrote:

I think the KISS, BLACK SABBATH & AEROSMITH remasters are outstanding. I much prefer them to the originals. I also like the IRON MAIDEN remasters. The sound levels are much better than even the Castle Records Reissues from the 90's.

However, with MEGADETH, I prefer the originals because I am not keen on the re-recording and changing of some songs. The addition of keys/horns in "Into the Lungs of Hell" really was a let down. In this case, it's not the mastering, but the re-recording. Same thing with the ZZ TOP remasters. They have re-recorded or remixed stuff which doesn't just enhance the sound, it changes it.

I think the keys/horns on that song are pretty cool! But I had the remaster first, so i'm use to hearing it.

ultmetal wrote:

I think the KISS, BLACK SABBATH & AEROSMITH remasters are outstanding.
However, with MEGADETH, I prefer the originals because I am not keen on the re-recording and changing of some songs. The addition of keys/horns in "Into the Lungs of Hell" really was a let down. In this case, it's not the mastering, but the re-recording.

Agreed. Kiss and Aerosmith needed the remaster treatment.

Peace Sells and Killing is my Business have huge noticable changes. It was kinda cool in the beginning to hear certain things that may or may not had been there previously (depends on who you talk to), but now I pine for my old originals.

Chairman_Smith wrote:

I think the keys/horns on that song are pretty cool! But I had the remaster first, so i'm use to hearing it.

The horns sound a little like they were taken from a Super Nintendo game. Which make me believe they were buried in the original mix. Very cheap and synthesized sounding. They really annoy me.

Trog and I compared the original and remaster of Into the Lungs of Hell side by side trying to hear if those corny horns were in the original and we just couldn't hear them. If they are there, they are so burried in the mix they are indistinguishable. They should have stayed that way. The song is heavy without them.

So spectrefate,
what don't you like about the Priest and Haven remasters?

spectrefate wrote:

Screaming for Vengeance sounds muffled to me with no high end. It almost sounds like a cassette tape that has gone bad. Almost with an "underwater" sound, if that makes sense.
As for "Your Dying Day", my copy actually sounds scratchy as if the bass is so enhanced that it has distorted the sound, similar to a busted speaker sound.
The Iron Maiden remasters are OK. It seems like they were just made to be louder. But I prefer Number of the Beast in its original form.
As for Ultimatum, I really enjoyed the remasters. But I don't have anything to compare them to. Although Retroactive, or perhaps the original label, made the songs not sound as though they were not demos. A plus. I think you (ult) had said that you didn't like the sound of "Puppet". That album sounds as though there is too much mid to me. Please don't think I'm criticizing, but do I just have sensitive ears or should I lay off the Guinness?

I posted this on up the thread.

I own the remastered Screaming for Vengeance, and I like it just fine. Very good album.

spectrefate wrote:

spectrefate wrote:

Screaming for Vengeance sounds muffled to me with no high end. It almost sounds like a cassette tape that has gone bad. Almost with an "underwater" sound, if that makes sense.
As for "Your Dying Day", my copy actually sounds scratchy as if the bass is so enhanced that it has distorted the sound, similar to a busted speaker sound.
The Iron Maiden remasters are OK. It seems like they were just made to be louder. But I prefer Number of the Beast in its original form.
As for Ultimatum, I really enjoyed the remasters. But I don't have anything to compare them to. Although Retroactive, or perhaps the original label, made the songs not sound as though they were not demos. A plus. I think you (ult) had said that you didn't like the sound of "Puppet". That album sounds as though there is too much mid to me. Please don't think I'm criticizing, but do I just have sensitive ears or should I lay off the Guinness?

I posted this on up the thread.

Oops. Missed that post. Sorry.

Priest - Screaming for Vengeance. Well, I'll have to listen to that one closer and see if I can hear what you are talking about.

Ultimatum.
Puppets mastering sucks! We hated it. We recorded that album, mixed it and were happy with it. We send the masters to Australia and they mastered them there. You are exactly correct. They are all mid-rangy and lost the bottom end. I heard what can be done with that album if mastered properly. Our current studio took the CD and in a matter of minutes with some EQ made the album sound fantastic. I'm hoping that will happen one of these days.

I like the remastering on Symphonic.

I think the "Rainbow" remasters are definitely an improvement over the originals.Had those albums been recorded with todays tech you'd be absolutely blown away !The biggest problem i do have with reissues and remasters has nothing to do with the sound,but rather the decision on which albums actually get the digital treatment or which deleted discs get another shelf life.

sabbat dreamweaver is horrible sounding remaster. compare that to the original, no comparison. the org blows it away

One of the best remasters I've ever heard was helloween walls of jericho expanded. amazing, i prefer the remaster over the remixes, even

Tourniquet's recent remasters were extremely well done and sound much better I thought.

IronAge wrote:

I think the "Rainbow" remasters are definitely an improvement over the originals.Had those albums been recorded with todays tech you'd be absolutely blown away !The biggest problem i do have with reissues and remasters has nothing to do with the sound,but rather the decision on which albums actually get the digital treatment or which deleted discs get another shelf life.

I know it's all money with record companies, but I wish Island Records would realize that they would sell more of Anthrax's back catalogue if they remastered it. The originals (especially Spreading The Disease) sound pretty bad.

ensiferum2k wrote:

One of the best remasters I've ever heard was helloween walls of jericho expanded. amazing, i prefer the remaster over the remixes, even

I totally agree with you. They made one of the best metal albums ever truly shine.

Because some albums are hard to find, I have no problem with remastered albums as they allow me to hear music that I'd have to otherwise do extensive searching for.

The majority of re-masters in my collection fall into 2 categories: 1st time purchases or upgrades from cassette. If they're a 1st time purchase, then obviously, I've got nothing to base the sound on and I'm usually pretty pleased. If it's an upgrade from cassette, then yea, I think it's gonna sound way better. If I already own something on cd, I rarely pick up re-mastered releases (like Megadeth). There's always exceptions to that rule, of course.

I listened to the Screaming for Vengeance remaster this morning. Sounded ok to me, at least on my work stereo. I didn't hear the "wishy/underwater/muffled" sound. I wonder if you have a defective disc?

ult

ultmetal wrote:

I listened to the Screaming for Vengeance remaster this morning. Sounded ok to me, at least on my work stereo. I didn't hear the "wishy/underwater/muffled" sound. I wonder if you have a defective disc?

ult

It's possible. Its a BMG edition. I may be a little overly sensitive.

All the Priest remasters sound fantastic just like the Queensryche and Ozzy one's do. I think you definately have a defective disc.

troublezone wrote:

All the Priest remasters sound fantastic just like the Queensryche and Ozzy one's do. I think you definately have a defective disc.

They really did clean up the Queensryche albums on the remasters. All the Ozzy remasters do sound good, except for the singing. But I may have a bad SFV disc. I may have to re-purchase.