Many questions about the remasters

[Slickone]

I'm about to buy several of the 2006 remasters (and a few of the '96 if I can find them) and am trying to get all this straight and come up with which ones I'm going to buy.

Infinity, Evolution, Escape, Greatest Hits - none of these are remastered again for 2006, and all use the '96 remastered audio? Why did they not re-remaster this first batch?

*Infinity and Evolution: other than the added photos, are exactly the same as the '96 remasters (and Evolution still has the incorrect gap as on the '96 remaster).
*Escape: has 1 bonus studio track, plus tracks added that are already on the Live in Houston CD.
*Greatest Hits: has When You Love A Woman added.


I'm confused about Departure since it was listed in both batches of releases. As reported on MR's main page:
On June 23, 2006 (the first batch):
The albums - Infinity, Evolution, Departure, Escape and Greatest Hits have been given a fresh remaster, overseen by the band's former singer Steve Perry and A&R legend John Kalodner.

Then on August 23, 2006:
In fact, all the October 3 titles coming out are fresh remasters! Only Captured features the already released audio source.
I'm told that Departure, Frontiers, Raised On Radio and Trial By Fire are all remastered as are the three Steve Perry solo releases - Street Talk, For The Love Of Strange Medicine and Greatest Hits.

So Departure was remastered after all?

And does that mean Captured was supposed to be reissued? It wasn't though, was it?

[Slickone]

As far as the 2nd batch:
Departure, Frontiers, Raised On Radio, Trial By Fire, Street Talk, FTLOSM, and SP's Greatest Hits +5 Unreleased (now just called Greatest Hits) - all of these are remastered again for 2006?

*Departure: 2 bonus tracks
*Frontiers: 4 bonus tracks
*Raised On Radio: 2 live video mixes (why? from what?)
*Trial By Fire: 1 bonus track
*Street Talk: 5 bonus tracks
*FTLOSM: 5 bonus tracks, counting "If You Need Me, Call Me", which is different from the Greatest Hits/+5 version (?), and counting "Missing You" live
*SP Greatest Hits: 1 bonus track (now unofficially called +6? )


Is the sound quality on all the 2006 remasters not as good as the '96 remasters? Or with TBF and FTLOSM, not as good as the originals? Are the volumes boosted way too high, like with so many other CDs that come out now (incl remasters)? StyxCollector mentions in several threads that 06 remaster sound is not good (maybe only for Departure?).


Someone in this thread talks like Street Talk had never been remastered. Was the 1996 reissue not remastered? I have that version and am pretty sure it was advertised as remastered when I bought it.

And the original Greatest Hits +5 Unreleased from 1998 probably contained remastered tracks, didn't it?


Do you think they'll start packaging these in jewel cases before long? I really don't like digipaks.


Is there anywhere (online or B&M) I can still buy the 1996 remasters? I'm missing a couple as I was recently in the process of buying the 1996 remasters just before the new ones were announced. LOL.

Thanks!

[Johnny Mohawk]

I think that that earlier release date for Departure was incorrect. It actually came out in October with the 2nd batch of re-masters and has been re-done since the '96 version.

I believe that you are correct about Infinity, Evolution and Captured. Those three include the new booklets, but still have the '96 re-mastered version and not an updated one. Not sure why.

[Classic Rock]

I think that that earlier release date for Departure was incorrect. It actually came out in October with the 2nd batch of re-masters and has been re-done since the '96 version.

I’m not too sure about that. Departure was ready to come out with the first batch because I got a promo copy of it and that promo has the same remaster credits as the ’96 version. I think the only reason they pulled Departure from the first batch was because the bonus tracks were numbered wrong on the back of the digipack. If you have the Departure that came out in October are the remastering credits the same as the rest of the second batch?

EDIT: I forgot that Departure does in fact have the same remastering credits as the second batch. Now that I think about it, that might be another reason why they pulled it from the first batch.

[Red13JoePa]

Despite what may have been reported, I thin the Journey reissues are just that: reissues of the 96 remasters in those awful cardboard cases with good new booklets. I have Escape right now and the "remaster" credits are Ludwig at Gateway Studios same as the 96 ones.

I have the new FTLOSM and that is definately a new remaster, indicated by the credits.

Also, the stickers on the 06 ones, if nothing else, tell the story: "The Steve Perry Remasters" say the SP solos and "The Journey ReIssues" say the Journeys.


I wonder if anyone can put all the confusions straight and explain why what was originally reported seems to have changed to Journey reissues and Perry remasters.

If nothing else, why not remaster TBF?

[Johnny Mohawk]

In Perry's recent Fan Asylum Q&A, he refers specifically to both ROR and TBF as just being re-mastered

Perry says that he prefers the "new" versions of TBF and ROR (I haven't heard those yet), and I've heard many comments on the difference in the "new" version of "Only Solutions" (though no one mentioned any real difference with the re-mastered Frontiers album that it was added to).

I can tell you that I definitely notice the difference in the re-mastered FTLOSM, but not so much so with Street Talk. Strange Medicine simply sounds better to me, but Street Talk to me, sounds the same (except of course for all the bonus tracks).

Bottom line, I will eventually re-buy ALL of these CD's, but being as I already owned each of the Journey "bonus tracks", I wasn't in a huge hurry. The Perry solo albums contained tunes that I didn't have, so acquiring those were first priority.

[CatEyes]

JDK http://www.johnkalodner.com answered the following question on his site:

Q.
"In bringing the Journey catalog up to the state-of-the-art sound quality (and yes, I agree the older discs need to be remastered and volume leveled), are you planning on remastering to audio levels where digital clipping is readily apparent? I'm well familiar with the 'Loudness Wars' and really would prefer it if, when you bring the volume levels up, that you don't bring them up to the point of digital clipping. I want to hear the music as it was recorded, not clipped as present digital media is being released. It's really frustrating to hear the 'wall of sound' that's so apparent on new releases like Avril Lavigne's CDs.

Please consider this issue before you release the remastered discs. I'll definitely want to hear the releases before I invest cash into repurchasing the entire updated catalog on CD."


JDK:
"We didn't remaster the catalog for volume. We remastered it using the newest analog to digital converters. No EQ or loudness levels were changed. That is only done by people who don't know what they're doing. Thanks for your concern - that's what makes remastering the music so rewarding. I hope when you hear the results you're pleased - they should be coming out over the next few months.
"

Cat

[Red13JoePa]

Still vague.
Kalodner's answers still don't distinguish, EXACTLY without buying the cds and opening the package and looking at the credits (someone above just said TBF and ROR are '06 remasters despite the sticker ad on front saying "reissue") which ones are 2006 remasters.

[StyxCollector]

"We didn't remaster the catalog for volume. We remastered it using the newest analog to digital converters. No EQ or loudness levels were changed. That is only done by people who don't know what they're doing. Thanks for your concern - that's what makes remastering the music so rewarding. I hope when you hear the results you're pleased - they should be coming out over the next few months.
"

100% wrong. On the one remaster that was remastered, it sounds like a tin can now vs. the earlier pressings. So they did re-EQ. He has no clue.

[Slickone]

Red13,
Escape was in the first batch as noted in my OP, which is why it wasn't remastered. The solo CD's, and TBF - which you asked about, were supposedly all remastered for '06.

Cat,
I saw that posted in another thread (maybe you posted it there), which is why I asked about that. Just because that's what he planned doesn't mean that's how it turned out. Not that they're out, I was wondering if someone could answer from personal experience.



So, basically is everything in my first 2 posts correct as far as which are remastered, and the bonus tracks?

Don't many CD's that come out in digipaks, just come that way for a limited time, then end up coming in jewel cases?

Has anyone seen the 1996 releases still for sale anywhere?

[CatEyes]

"We didn't remaster the catalog for volume. We remastered it using the newest analog to digital converters. No EQ or loudness levels were changed. That is only done by people who don't know what they're doing. Thanks for your concern - that's what makes remastering the music so rewarding. I hope when you hear the results you're pleased - they should be coming out over the next few months.
"

100% wrong. On the one remaster that was remastered, it sounds like a tin can now vs. the earlier pressings. So they did re-EQ. He has no clue.

Thank goodness JDK has you to straighten him out!!!!

[Memorex]

Departure has been remastered for 2006. At least that's what the credits say. I have all the reissues and the ones remastered for 2006 sound great. Much better. Especially TBF.

[conversationpc]

Departure has been remastered for 2006. At least that's what the credits say. I have all the reissues and the ones remastered for 2006 sound great. Much better. Especially TBF.

"Trial By Fire" didn't even need to be remastered, in my opinion.

The ones that really need it are the first three albums. Those would sound completely awesome with a good remastering job.

[Slickone]

Do you think they'll always be in digipaks?

[bluejeangirl76]

And does that mean Captured was supposed to be reissued? It wasn't though, was it?

Yes, Captured was reissued as well.

As to the 1996 CDs, I haven't seen them in stores since the reissues came out but I'm quite sure you can still get them on Amazon.com

[StyxCollector]

"We didn't remaster the catalog for volume. We remastered it using the newest analog to digital converters. No EQ or loudness levels were changed. That is only done by people who don't know what they're doing. Thanks for your concern - that's what makes remastering the music so rewarding. I hope when you hear the results you're pleased - they should be coming out over the next few months.
"

100% wrong. On the one remaster that was remastered, it sounds like a tin can now vs. the earlier pressings. So they did re-EQ. He has no clue.

Thank goodness JDK has you to straighten him out!!!!

It'd be like looking at the Mona Lisa and if someone painted a 'stache on it and saying it didn't change. If you listen to them, they clearly sound different.

Any time you remaster (or remix and remaster), you are changing the nature of the sonics. Mastering always involves EQ, and to some degree, it's the taste of who is doing it with artist guidance. The new remasters are also a tad louder.

For my money, if I had to choose between the 1996 ones and the stuff I've heard of the new batch, I'll take the old batch. To each his own. New is not always improved.

I'm picking up the Japanese LP sleeve ones up today from the post office so we'll see how those are.

[Slickone]

And does that mean Captured was supposed to be reissued? It wasn't though, was it?

Yes, Captured was reissued as well.

As to the 1996 CDs, I haven't seen them in stores since the reissues came out but I'm quite sure you can still get them on Amazon.com

Nope. At least not from Amazon.

[Slickone]

"We didn't remaster the catalog for volume. We remastered it using the newest analog to digital converters. No EQ or loudness levels were changed. That is only done by people who don't know what they're doing. Thanks for your concern - that's what makes remastering the music so rewarding. I hope when you hear the results you're pleased - they should be coming out over the next few months.
"

100% wrong. On the one remaster that was remastered, it sounds like a tin can now vs. the earlier pressings. So they did re-EQ. He has no clue.

What do you mean, "On the one remaster that was remastered"?