Holy smokes. Okay, holy edibles now. I got a hold of the GHS boxset, which has a Blu Ray CD, with Dolby Atmos. I was impressed enough with the new stereo mix Japanese SHM CD version. This is even a step up from that. I remembered the vinyl version in '73 as being thin, and poorly mixed. This new version, when played on a surround sound system, pulls out all the instruments and brings the album to a much higher state in their catalogue.

I always thought of IORR as kind of a comeback album after the lackluster GHS, but the new version dwarfs IORR. It's still a step below Exile, but what wouldn't be? This is a very soulful album that I think got lost in the drugs and being on the run in the early 70s.

Has anyone else had a chance to listen to the Blu Ray version? They should offer it for separate sale. It comes with bonus videos of Angie, Mr. D., and Silver Train originally shown on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert.

I can agree with you. So far it's the best sounding release to my ears. I hope they will give IORR the same treatment.

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frankotero
I can agree with you. So far it's the best sounding release to my ears. I hope they will give IORR the same treatment.

They should give all of them that treatment from Beggars Banquet forward. And Hot Rocks, More Hot Rocks, and stop with maybe Tattoo You.

The Exile, Let It Bleed, and Grrrr Blu Rays are quite good. I wish they would release Goat's Head Soup in that format on its own. I'm sure it's amazing.

is the exile on main st blu-ray available separately? This GHS blu-ray is only with the super deluxe cd set?

jb

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jbwelda

is the exile on main st blu-ray available separately?

Yes, but it's out of print - [www.Discogs.com] .

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jbwelda

This GHS blu-ray is only with the super deluxe cd set?

Yes, it's only in the box-set.

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Irix

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jbwelda

is the exile on main st blu-ray available separately?

Yes, but it's out of print - [www.Discogs.com] .

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jbwelda

This GHS blu-ray is only with the super deluxe cd set?

Yes, it's only in the box-set.

Thank you. The exile blu-ray seems to be available on second hand market. Now does it sound exceptional on normal stereo equipment and a base line blu-ray player or does it require esoteric equipment and surround sound? Might drop the 50 on it if its a major improvement over the original LP and followers on.

jb

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jbwelda
Thank you. The exile blu-ray seems to be available on second hand market. Now does it sound exceptional on normal stereo equipment and a base line blu-ray player or does it require esoteric equipment and surround sound? Might drop the 50 on it if its a major improvement over the original LP and followers on.

jb

As far as I remember
- Let It Bleed blu ray is based on 2002 DSD remaster. Thus, if you have SACD-hybrid CD or Japanese SACD-SHM you will not need that blu ray.
- Exile blu ray is based on 2010 remaster. Well, let's call it 'mixed emotions' Compressed and loud material is presented in HD format. If you have recent Japanese SACD-SHM with 2011 flat transfer you do not need that blu ray.
- Grrr!!! blu ray is based on 2002 DSD remaster for DECCA/London period and on 2009 remaster for 1971 onward. Thus, the early tracks are OK. For post 1971 tracks the fact that material is presented in HD format does not cancel extreme compression and loudness introduced by 2009 remaster. So, you know, 'mixed emotions' again. Part of the disc is OK, the other one - not.

PS. AFAIR there were no surround mix for those.

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ironbelly

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jbwelda
Thank you. The exile blu-ray seems to be available on second hand market. Now does it sound exceptional on normal stereo equipment and a base line blu-ray player or does it require esoteric equipment and surround sound? Might drop the 50 on it if its a major improvement over the original LP and followers on.

jb

As far as I remember
- Let It Bleed blu ray is based on 2002 DSD remaster. Thus, if you have SACD-hybrid CD or Japanese SACD-SHM you will not need that blu ray.
- Exile blu ray is based on 2010 remaster. Well, let's call it 'mixed emotions' Compressed and loud material is presented in HD format. If you have recent Japanese SACD-SHM with 2011 flat transfer you do not need that blu ray.
- Grrr!!! blu ray is based on 2002 DSD remaster for DECCA/London period and on 2009 remaster for 1971 onward. Thus, the early tracks are OK. For post 1971 tracks the fact that material is presented in HD format does not cancel extreme compression and loudness introduced by 2009 remaster. So, you know, 'mixed emotions' again. Part of the disc is OK, the other one - not.

PS. AFAIR there were no surround mix for those.

I can attest to the GRRR Blu Ray early tracks sounding unreal.

LITTLE RED F'ing ROOSTER!

A long time ago, like many decades, I got a Japanese Stones record, double record set actually, Japan only issue on either Decca or London, that I am forgetting the title of, and it is the most fantastic pressing of early Decca, mostly blues numbers if I recall correct, that had full round bass, really smooth sound and zero surface noise. I have always treasured that LP and a second one I picked up around the same time with similar material given the audiophile treatment. So I have always used that as a baseline for good sounding Decca mixes. Would be curious to hear how the Grrrrrrr(etc) sounds in comparison.

The covers of these two sets are kind of coming to mind, one was mostly brown with as I recall a photo of the stones posed standing one above the other, and the other had a bunch of colorized what I would think were Exile era photos, I think from the same photoshoot that produced the postcards that came with Exile. If anyone knows these sets, tell me if I am impressed for good reason.

One other thing: re the Exile "recent Japanese SACD-SHM with 2011 flat transfer": any specific markings or catalogue number to look for? I have a dozen or more versions of the album so I don't need more unless they are worthwhile and so I would like some specifics on what to look for. Many thanks again!


jb

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jbwelda
A long time ago, like many decades, I got a Japanese Stones record, double record set actually, Japan only issue on either Decca or London, that I am forgetting the title of, and it is the most fantastic pressing of early Decca, mostly blues numbers if I recall correct, that had full round bass, really smooth sound and zero surface noise. I have always treasured that LP and a second one I picked up around the same time with similar material given the audiophile treatment. So I have always used that as a baseline for good sounding Decca mixes. Would be curious to hear how the Grrrrrrr(etc) sounds in comparison.

The covers of these two sets are kind of coming to mind, one was mostly brown with as I recall a photo of the stones posed standing one above the other, and the other had a bunch of colorized what I would think were Exile era photos, I think from the same photoshoot that produced the postcards that came with Exile. If anyone knows these sets, tell me if I am impressed for good reason.

One other thing: re the Exile "recent Japanese SACD-SHM with 2011 flat transfer": any specific markings or catalogue number to look for? I have a dozen or more versions of the album so I don't need more unless they are worthwhile and so I would like some specifics on what to look for. Many thanks again!
jb

Is there anything that you are looking for in this blog?
[ameblo.jp]

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Toru A

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jbwelda
A long time ago, like many decades, I got a Japanese Stones record, double record set actually, Japan only issue on either Decca or London, that I am forgetting the title of, and it is the most fantastic pressing of early Decca, mostly blues numbers if I recall correct, that had full round bass, really smooth sound and zero surface noise. I have always treasured that LP and a second one I picked up around the same time with similar material given the audiophile treatment. So I have always used that as a baseline for good sounding Decca mixes. Would be curious to hear how the Grrrrrrr(etc) sounds in comparison.

The covers of these two sets are kind of coming to mind, one was mostly brown with as I recall a photo of the stones posed standing one above the other, and the other had a bunch of colorized what I would think were Exile era photos, I think from the same photoshoot that produced the postcards that came with Exile. If anyone knows these sets, tell me if I am impressed for good reason.

One other thing: re the Exile "recent Japanese SACD-SHM with 2011 flat transfer": any specific markings or catalogue number to look for? I have a dozen or more versions of the album so I don't need more unless they are worthwhile and so I would like some specifics on what to look for. Many thanks again!
jb

Is there anything that you are looking for in this blog?
[ameblo.jp]

Kinda hard to tell as I do not read Japanese, but the one they call "Rolling Stones, rolling stones don't have moss!" (actual title "...Gather No Moss" I believe) is the one I was recalling with the brown cover. I don't see the second set I was referring to.

thanks
jb

Exile was the first Blu Ray I bought. I thought it surrounded terrific. Like they were in your front room. You do need at least five speakers to get the full effect. I heard that Let It Bleed was not that great, again I haven't heard it. Mono stuff isn't going to sound fantastic, just like it doesn't on SHM CDs. (I have Through the Past Darkly on SHM). It will be clean and the best you've ever heard it, but not special.

I have Stevie Wonder's Songs in the Key of Life on Blu Ray and it's surprisingly lackluster. Abbey Road, with Dolby Atmos on Blu Ray is really good. The Allman Brothers at Fillmore East is also great on Blu Ray.

The problem is that they're almost all out of print, so they are way too expensive on ebay. So you can't just buy them casually and compare them. SHM CD has for the most part been much cheaper, more readily available. I'm hoping to hear Sergeant Pepper on Blu Ray Dolby Atmos in the near future.

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jbwelda

One other thing: re the Exile "recent Japanese SACD-SHM with 2011 flat transfer": any specific markings or catalogue number to look for?

EOMS SHM-SACD: UIGY-9580 (2014 re-pressing from 2011) - [Store.AcousticSounds.com] , [www.jpc.de] , [www.CDJapan.co.jp] . 2011 Cat.-# is UIGY-9081 - [www.Discogs.com] .

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24FPS
Exile was the first Blu Ray I bought. I thought it surrounded terrific. Like they were in your front room. You do need at least five speakers to get the full effect. I heard that Let It Bleed was not that great, again I haven't heard it. Mono stuff isn't going to sound fantastic, just like it doesn't on SHM CDs. (I have Through the Past Darkly on SHM). It will be clean and the best you've ever heard it, but not special.

You don't need "five speakers" for the Exile BluRay, it's straight stereo. GHS is the first Stones album to be released with discrete surround channels, previously SFTD had been made available like that back in 2002 when the SACDs were released.

--------------
IORR Links : Essential Studio Outtakes CDs : Audio - History of Rarest Outtakes : Audio

for music like EOMS, I kinda prefer mono. Thanks for the cat numbers though, will pick one up when I can. Meanwhile if one of the GHS blu-rays show up as a single item I will grab that too.

jb

... jb if ya find a mono Exile
grab one for me will ya ... no matter
what da $$$ price please just grab me one ....



ROCKMAN

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jbwelda
for music like EOMS, I kinda prefer mono. Thanks for the cat numbers though, will pick one up when I can. Meanwhile if one of the GHS blu-rays show up as a single item I will grab that too.

jb

I would suggest to keep an eye on GHS Superdeluxe. A week or so ago there was really good sale for the US Amazon Prime customers. It is highly probable there will be another one on Black Friday or something. Anyway, you'll need to shell off at least $40 for single bluray from stripped box. You can get whole box for $50 (with a bit of luck, of course).

Exile in mono is just bs. Having the vocals so quiet like on that album only works if you have the guitars and other instruments in the same frequency range on the sides. The whole album is just made to be stereo. The two guitars in rocks off and how they play against each other make no sense if the are mixed together in the middle

Yep ... thats right



ROCKMAN

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24FPS
Holy smokes. Okay, holy edibles now. I got a hold of the GHS boxset, which has a Blu Ray CD, with Dolby Atmos. I was impressed enough with the new stereo mix Japanese SHM CD version. This is even a step up from that. I remembered the vinyl version in '73 as being thin, and poorly mixed. This new version, when played on a surround sound system, pulls out all the instruments and brings the album to a much higher state in their catalogue.

I always thought of IORR as kind of a comeback album after the lackluster GHS, but the new version dwarfs IORR. It's still a step below Exile, but what wouldn't be? This is a very soulful album that I think got lost in the drugs and being on the run in the early 70s.

Has anyone else had a chance to listen to the Blu Ray version? They should offer it for separate sale. It comes with bonus videos of Angie, Mr. D., and Silver Train originally shown on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert.

What an interesting take on IORR. I've always found this album to be the weakest in their catalogue, and indeed, I got the cassette very cheaply back in early 1990, after having gotten SW and The London Years boxset, and just having started getting into them a lot. I remember being thoroughly disappointed by it then, and I still am. I was thinking what the hell is this rubbish??! It sounds horrible, the songs are crap. To this day, it is the LEAST played album for me. GHS is not one of the Big 4, I get it, but it's always had a warm quality to me, and I've never understood how it's so easily dismissed. I don't find it to be that far behind the Big 4, and I would go so far as to say it should really be the Big 4.5. It's a solid album - melodic, and musically perhaps even better than some of the Big 4. If people were disappointed by the lack of Rockers, well I can see that, but it was a different approach and should not be dismissed for that. It's a fantastic album for a cold, snowy day, or just a quiet night lounging in front of a fire with a bottle of wine.

OK its pretty obvious someone missed my point on "mono" EOMS. I am pretty well aware it was not released in mono, and am also pretty well aware of how to mix music. My point was, with music this dense, I would prefer a one point source to a surround sound multi point source. In fact with most music these days I prefer one point source even though I have ten sets of speakers in my main listening room. Note by "source" I do not mean how many speakers it is coming out of necessarily, I mean phony "separation" of sound into separate channels. I kind of prefer for everything to be the same out of all speakers, again, for this sort of dense soundscapes. Probably got that from listening to "primitive" reggae for forty years.

Rockman I have a "mono" switch on my main preamp, it does a pretty good job of blending stereo to mono. Yes, I know, its fake and blended, but still sounds pretty good to me.

Ironbelly, thanks for the tip on the GHS box, maybe if it were fifty bucks I would grab one, but haven't seen it anywhere near that price. I already have two originals of the LP, plus I bought at least two versions of the reissue including the SD vinyl, so buying any further versions of an album I rate as a top of the middlin' category from their catalogue is pretty much way overkill, even for overkill.

jb

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VoodooLounge13

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24FPS
Holy smokes. Okay, holy edibles now. I got a hold of the GHS boxset, which has a Blu Ray CD, with Dolby Atmos. I was impressed enough with the new stereo mix Japanese SHM CD version. This is even a step up from that. I remembered the vinyl version in '73 as being thin, and poorly mixed. This new version, when played on a surround sound system, pulls out all the instruments and brings the album to a much higher state in their catalogue.

I always thought of IORR as kind of a comeback album after the lackluster GHS, but the new version dwarfs IORR. It's still a step below Exile, but what wouldn't be? This is a very soulful album that I think got lost in the drugs and being on the run in the early 70s.

Has anyone else had a chance to listen to the Blu Ray version? They should offer it for separate sale. It comes with bonus videos of Angie, Mr. D., and Silver Train originally shown on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert.

What an interesting take on IORR. I've always found this album to be the weakest in their catalogue, and indeed, I got the cassette very cheaply back in early 1990, after having gotten SW and The London Years boxset, and just having started getting into them a lot. I remember being thoroughly disappointed by it then, and I still am. I was thinking what the hell is this rubbish??! It sounds horrible, the songs are crap. To this day, it is the LEAST played album for me. GHS is not one of the Big 4, I get it, but it's always had a warm quality to me, and I've never understood how it's so easily dismissed. I don't find it to be that far behind the Big 4, and I would go so far as to say it should really be the Big 4.5. It's a solid album - melodic, and musically perhaps even better than some of the Big 4. If people were disappointed by the lack of Rockers, well I can see that, but it was a different approach and should not be dismissed for that. It's a fantastic album for a cold, snowy day, or just a quiet night lounging in front of a fire with a bottle of wine.

IORR was more accessible at the time. I don't play it a lot either, but it rocks more than GHS. Plus there's some nice songs on it, If You Really Want to Be My Friend, etc. GHS by comparison was a bit of downer.

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gotdablouse

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24FPS
Exile was the first Blu Ray I bought. I thought it surrounded terrific. Like they were in your front room. You do need at least five speakers to get the full effect. I heard that Let It Bleed was not that great, again I haven't heard it. Mono stuff isn't going to sound fantastic, just like it doesn't on SHM CDs. (I have Through the Past Darkly on SHM). It will be clean and the best you've ever heard it, but not special.

You don't need "five speakers" for the Exile BluRay, it's straight stereo. GHS is the first Stones album to be released with discrete surround channels, previously SFTD had been made available like that back in 2002 when the SACDs were released.

And why wouldn't you need five speakers for surround sound? Why wouldn't you want the sound coming out of the other three or sometimes four speakers? When you sit in the right spot you get the auditory illusion of hearing music in a ring around your ears. The sound is there. It's coming out of all the speakers. So why wouldn't you want to hear that?

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24FPS
And why wouldn't you need five speakers for surround sound? Why wouldn't you want the sound coming out of the other three or sometimes four speakers? When you sit in the right spot you get the auditory illusion of hearing music in a ring around your ears. The sound is there. It's coming out of all the speakers. So why wouldn't you want to hear that?

Maybe because it’s unnatural. I have never been in the center of a stage with the Stones surrounding me and playing. Your own experience may differ (but I doubt it).

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misterfrias

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24FPS
And why wouldn't you need five speakers for surround sound? Why wouldn't you want the sound coming out of the other three or sometimes four speakers? When you sit in the right spot you get the auditory illusion of hearing music in a ring around your ears. The sound is there. It's coming out of all the speakers. So why wouldn't you want to hear that?

Maybe because it’s unnatural. I have never been in the center of a stage with the Stones surrounding me and playing. Your own experience may differ (but I doubt it).

But it sounds great. That's all that matters.

I got the GHS 2020 Box and the Blu-ray surround sound is an excellent experience. I love it.

I love Goats Head Soup. The songs that were recorded in Jamaica have a special sound/feel/mood. It was a special period of the Rolling Stones. It's like a famous artist who paints, they go through periods with a special style. GHS is special! Why people put one Stones album up against another I never understood. Is it a contest? GHS is very special. Exile is very special. I could go on and on.. They are all different and special.

I always thought IORR is a great album and the Stones most underrated. Every song and the collections as a whole. My favorite Stones solo is Dance Little Sister!

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ironbelly

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jbwelda
Thank you. The exile blu-ray seems to be available on second hand market. Now does it sound exceptional on normal stereo equipment and a base line blu-ray player or does it require esoteric equipment and surround sound? Might drop the 50 on it if its a major improvement over the original LP and followers on.

jb

As far as I remember
- Let It Bleed blu ray is based on 2002 DSD remaster. Thus, if you have SACD-hybrid CD or Japanese SACD-SHM you will not need that blu ray.
- Exile blu ray is based on 2010 remaster. Well, let's call it 'mixed emotions' Compressed and loud material is presented in HD format. If you have recent Japanese SACD-SHM with 2011 flat transfer you do not need that blu ray.
- Grrr!!! blu ray is based on 2002 DSD remaster for DECCA/London period and on 2009 remaster for 1971 onward. Thus, the early tracks are OK. For post 1971 tracks the fact that material is presented in HD format does not cancel extreme compression and loudness introduced by 2009 remaster. So, you know, 'mixed emotions' again. Part of the disc is OK, the other one - not.

PS. AFAIR there were no surround mix for those.

Thanks for the insight.

I'd love to have a list of which releases cam from which master.

The 2009 releases all came from 2009 remasters. Some of them were great and some really sucked like GHS 2009. Black and Blue was great!

The 2011 releases came from the 2011 masters with IORR having the extended Luxury, Time Waits for No One and the speed-corrected Fingerprint File.

Am I correct?

Every release from 2002 to before 2011 releases were the 2002 DSD remasters?

Any release from Abkco from the mid 1980s until before 2002 were from 'Old Abkco' 1986 masters. Many of the 'Old Abkco' sound like shit but a lot of those masters sounded great when re-released in Japan in the POCD series?

Hot Rocks is always fun since we never know which version of each song will appear on each reincarnation of Hot Rocks. Will Paint It Black be short, long, stereo, mono and from which remaster? And how does Paint It Black from Hot Rocks compare to the Singles Collections?

Ironbelly, remember when I was trying to nail down every version of Paint It Black? I remember reading that the Japan TOP mid-sixties release of Paint It Black was a whole different mix. Thanks for your help!

Did the TOP mixes ever appear on CD or LP?

It goes on and on.

Exile Stones

Thank you,
Exile Stones

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jbwelda
A long time ago, like many decades, I got a Japanese Stones record, double record set actually, Japan only issue on either Decca or London, that I am forgetting the title of, and it is the most fantastic pressing of early Decca, mostly blues numbers if I recall correct, that had full round bass, really smooth sound and zero surface noise. I have always treasured that LP and a second one I picked up around the same time with similar material given the audiophile treatment. So I have always used that as a baseline for good sounding Decca mixes. Would be curious to hear how the Grrrrrrr(etc) sounds in comparison.

The covers of these two sets are kind of coming to mind, one was mostly brown with as I recall a photo of the stones posed standing one above the other, and the other had a bunch of colorized what I would think were Exile era photos, I think from the same photoshoot that produced the postcards that came with Exile. If anyone knows these sets, tell me if I am impressed for good reason.



jb

J B, you're killing me! What albums are you talking about exactly? We'd love to know. I've been trying to find the best versions of the Stones Blues songs.

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jbwelda
OK its pretty obvious someone missed my point on "mono" EOMS. I am pretty well aware it was not released in mono, and am also pretty well aware of how to mix music. My point was, with music this dense, I would prefer a one point source to a surround sound multi point source. In fact with most music these days I prefer one point source even though I have ten sets of speakers in my main listening room. Note by "source" I do not mean how many speakers it is coming out of necessarily, I mean phony "separation" of sound into separate channels. I kind of prefer for everything to be the same out of all speakers, again, for this sort of dense soundscapes.

You want all your speakers to play the same thing, that’s mono. Personally, with dense music, I want stereo at the least. I think two or three songs on Exile are mono or nearly mono. All Down the Line, for instance. Rip This Joint is basically mono by virtue of not panning the instruments. You can barely hear Taylor’s rhythm guitar under Richards’. It’s clear on the Hopkins Tapes.