U2 Best of 1990-2000 really poor quality? (1 Viewer)

[Seth_L]

I bought the two CD + DVD version of this from DeepDiscountCD and it sounds really bad. There is noticable distortion in some of the songs, pops in others. I've listened to it in my Sony SACD player (SCD-CE775), ripped it from several of my DVD-rom/CD-rom drives and they all sound the same. There is noticable hiss in most of the tracks.

Has anyone else noticed the same thing?

I'm going to analyze the wave files later on my PC and see if I can nail this down.

Seth

 

[Seth_L]

For example:

15 - 4:16 has a pop.
14 - The beginning sounds distorted. It has a pop at 24 seconds
13 - has a pop at 1:06
12 - hiss at beginning

There are lots more. These are just a few I found in a casual quick search of listening to the disc

 

[KeithH]

Seth, there was a thread running here about this set when it came out a couple of weeks ago. I don't recall there being serious complaints about the sound quality, but you may want to do a search. I do recall complaints about the song selection and some debate about the quality of U2's music on the 1990-2000 set versus the 1980-1990 set, but again, not serious complaints about the sound quality. In any event, you have me thinking I should pass on this one.

 

[Seth_L]

Keith,

I'm thinking I got a bad disc. I've honestly never heard a CD this bad before.

Seth

 

[Piers C]

Seth,
I'm pretty sure its your disc. As a owner of this set, I am not familiar with the issues you described. DDCD has a good return policy.

Keith,
You should give it a try, especially as the regular edition is being sold at rock bottom prices.

-regards

 

[KeithH]

Seth and Piers,
Thanks. You have me feeling a bit better about this title.
Seth,
Production faults are rare with CDs these days, so you must have just gotten "lucky". Best of luck in getting your disc replaced.

 

[Ted Lee]

seth -
i did a mini-review when this first came out.
although i don't recall anything really bad, i'll try to double-check my cd in the near future. due to the holidays it may not be until at least this weekend.
throw something at me if i forget...
ted
[edit] btw - are those examples you listed on cd1 or cd2?

 

[Ted Lee]

keith -
i just re-read my original review. i know there's a completist in you somewhere! come to the dark side!

 

[KeithH]

Ted, oh yeah, there is definitely a completist in me. I'll probably get this set eventually.

 

[Ted Lee]

then my work here is done...

 

[KeithH]

Ted, you are evil! :frowning:

 

[Ted Lee]

[laughs hilariously and runs away....]

 

[KeithH]

Ted, I am not talking to you about music anymore. You are a bad influence on me, and there is no question that I don't need any external influences when it comes to buying music. I am quite destructive on my own.

 

[Ted Lee]

wink wink nudge nudge and all that!

ps - have a good turkey day!

 

[Seth_L]

CD1

 

[KeithH]

Ted, you have a good turkey day as well. Eat lots and listen to lots of music!

 

[Ted Lee]

thx keith - that tryptophan kicked my ass!

seth -

i checked out the examples on cd1. i did notice two of the four.

i should mention that i don't consider myself a "critical" listener though.

i heard the hiss at the beginning of track 12, and the pop on track 15. the hiss sounded like source material during a quiet passage and the pop came up right as a new note was being played. so, i'm not sure if the issue is a bad recording or what.

i didn't hear the other pop's on tracks 13 or 14.

if you pick up another copy i'd be curious if you still hear the same pops in the same spot.

 

[KeithH]

Ted, me too. I had a standard Thanksgiving -- ate lots and watched football. What a great day.
I held a copy of the two-disc version of Best of 1990-2000 in my hand today at Best Buy, but I couldn't pull the trigger. It had the bonus DVD and was priced only $19.99, which seems like a good price, but I kept thinking about the issues posted here regarding sound quality. I'll continue to mull this one over.

 

[Ted Lee]

ohhh...i was so close!
luckily, i was able to get it from there for 14.99 (sale). i do remember the retail sticker saying 19.99.
tbh, if i were in your shoes, with plenty of alternate choices, i'd probably mull this one over too.
it's that silly "well, i've already got all their other albums..." mentality that'll be the death of me.
hey...what's that smell? hmm...i think someone is making an open-faced turkey sandwich. ohhh...gotta go!

 

[Piers C]

w/out the "limited" disc you can find this for $8.99

i've seen the "limited" set for $17 or so and I bet you can find a better deal.

did anyone see the special on cbs last night? good stuff...