From: jjmckay@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (Jim McKay)
Subject: Re: EJ MSFL vs PGRAM (was Re: Pink Floyd (MSFL))
Keywords: Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Elton John, Steely Dan
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 22:37:36 GMT

dap@portal.vpharm.com (David A. Pearlman) writes:

>Really??? Sheesh...I would have figured that even if the MSFL disk wasn't
>any better, it would at least have been remastered making it a bit
>different...You've done a critical A-B comparison? 

First let me say, if you haven't guessed, I'm an EJ fanatic as I think D.P.
is.  I've listened to these albums 1,000's of times, wearing out several
vinyl versions of some.

I've not any measurement devices BUT I reapeated key sections over a period of
a week.  GBYBR is one of my favs that I've owned since not too long after
it came out.  I bought my MSFL version as I thought it would be better sounding. 
I listened to it and the PGRAM and MCA versions repeatedly including 
repeated 10 second sections.  I could tell no difference.  I did not,
however, analyze the music bit by bit on a computer.  MCA (post 1989)
has the best lyrics and art--followed closely by MSFL's.  PGRAM's
album art is very "cut & paste" in its look.  If you want the best album art
buy the MCA version, assuming it's not one before 1989 which did not include it.
PGRAM is deceptice in it's packaging which claims original artwork.  
GBYBRD is a hack job and Capt. Fantastic is missing 2/3 of the original art
but then needlessly duplicates or wastes space in the Capt.... CD book.

>Not that I have any trouble believing the MSFL disk is pretty much a
>scam. Gold? Big deal. Better jewel box? OK, nice, but worth a few cents,
>not many dollars. If the sound is the same, then, sheesh...what are you
>getting? I guess it was GBYBR on one CD when MCA was puting it on
>two. But now that Polgram gives it to you one one...

>I'm also a bit dissapointed that Madman is identical. I was lead to 
>believe (by Polygram, of course) that it would sound better in the
>reissue. Not that it sounds bad, of course...Well, I guess I'll stay
>happily with my MCA copy.

I've had six copies of Madman in my life time including  1 MCA CD on the
compact disc/compact price line and not the DIDX series and it sounds 
exactly like the PGRAM version.  I had hoped  that PGRAM would remove some
anomalies (like the pop during the split second of distortion at the 
opening second  of Levon) but it's the same.


>EVERYONE I've ever talked to said the UK masters on the Elton John album
>were far superior to MCA's. So I guess that's not a surprise. It's
>incredible that Tumbleweed would sound worse, however...Hmmm...

Empty Sky and Elton John have a lot less tape hiss on PGRAM (plus the artwork)
but PGRAM's Empty Sky is missing some liner notes that were on the DJM version.
There is also less anomalies.  Like on MCA's "Sails" there is distortion 
at the beginning of the song.  PGRAM's does not and is very clear.

I myself did not do the Tumbleweed comparison.  A Tumbleweed fanatic who
can be reached at bit00@cas.org did.  She has a review.

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