Who's Next! (1 Viewer)

[Jack Gilvey]

Quite simply, if you're a Who fan, you must order the cheap Canadian cd version of Who's next. This is apparently the only version that still uses Steve Hoffman's (of DCC fame) 1985 MCA mastering (not even the MCA Heavy Vinyl release does), and the difference is staggering. The details (catalog# etc.) are here:
http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/mus...ages/8355.html
I ordered mine from HMV.com for $8.99. Honestly, CDs just don't sound like this. Not vinyl, but real fun. Best rock cd I have by far,one of the best I've ever heard.

 

[Philip Hamm]

Thanks for the heads up, my order will be in momentarily as I love this album.

I feel it in my bones that soon this Canadian version will be, er, "upgraded" to the newly no-noised, treble enhanced, compressed version that is for sale in the USA. Get your "old" version while you can!

I tell you I have concerns about many of the current "remasters" that are so popular. I wonder how many are significantly modified from the master tape? I have an LP of "Who's Next" from the early 80s and it sounds pretty good. The noise floor is very high however. Cheap vinyl? Who knows. The sound other than the noise floor is quite good.
I wonder how many other really good masters are out there like this?
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Philip Hamm
Pat's the best!™
AIM: PhilBiker
click on the little green house to see the evolution of my home theater!

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

The Who re-releases were not simply "remasters". They were also re-mixed, in most cases unnecessarily. I've said it before and I'll say it again: If you want it, you will have to pry my MFSL gold disc Quadrophenia set from my cold, dead hands. On the other hand, I like having the expanded Odds & Sods & Live at Leeds.
Regards,
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Ken McAlinden
Livonia, MI USA

 

[Andrew 'Ange Hamm' Hamm]

Ditto on Quadrophenia. One of the best-sounding CDs in my collection.
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Andrew Hamm's new album Link Removed is available now!

 

[Jack Gilvey]

Let me know what you think, Phil, I find the drums particularly captivating.

 

[Greg_Y]

...I find the drums particularly captivating.

Yeah, that Moon guy wasn't too shabby, was he?

 

[Mike Pinkerton]

So what is the best remaster of quadrophenia? I still have the original cd release and it sounds a tad on the muddy side. Do any of the later remasters resolve this?
--Mike, world's biggest who fan

 

[Samuel Des]

Caught Isle of Wight concert on Trio the other night. Not bad. I never got a chance to see them live, but boy, they must have been something in their prime.
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SAM

 

[Polo Chavez]

Hmmm, that is interesting, since I own the MCA gold disc of Who's Next, and it sounds great. I wonder how it sounds compared to the MFSL version. I also have the remaster, and their is a world of difference.
And in comparing the MFSL Live at Leeds with the expanded remaster, their is a complete difference. Most of it is mainly heard in the drums and in the vocals. Something about the MFSL version makes it sound very raw and spontaneous.
I got to get the Canadian one then!

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

So what is the best remaster of Quadrophenia?

If you had not guessed it from my previous post, my personal pick for the best mastering of Quadrophenia is the Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs gold disc. Unfortunately, it is no longer being produced. It presents the original mix, but is free of the muddy "LP eq" sound of the original MCA CDs. The most recent release is remixed with substantial changes that could justifiably be described as new arrangements due to the addition and deletion of musical parts.
To be fair, Townshend claims that he was rushed to finish Quadrophenia's mix and it would have sounded more like the new release if he had had the time at the time, but the original version was the one that I was captivated by, so I see no reason to mess with perfection.
Regards,
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Ken McAlinden
Livonia, MI USA

 

[KrisM]

I know I'm a little late on this one, but my Who's Next disc was stolen out of my truck a while back and I finally replaced it today. I had the remastered version but I recalled reading this thread so I bought the cheap Canadian version(for $6CDN!). Are any of the other Canadian Who discs worth picking up? I already have the remastered versions of A Quick One, Live At Leeds, Tommy, and The Who Sell Out. I also bought the MFSL Quadrophenia used in mint condition a few years ago for 20.00CDN.

Regards

KrisM

 

[Jagan Seshadri]

"Who's Next" - Demastered.

Who'd've thunk it?

But you know what, sometimes compression works well. While it's overused on releases today (such as Coldplay's "Yellow" single which is choked of any life), the compression and no-noising on the most recent Who's Next MCA remasters sound fine.

It's not about high fidelity in this instance, it's about rock and roll, played by the world's loudest band.

-JNS

 

[Dan Lassiter]

You know, I've heard a lot of talk about this Canadian Who's Next, and also a lot of people putting down the re-mixed and remastered MCA domestic version. Being my favorite band and favorite album of all time, I have had probably 6 or 7 different versions on CD. I currently own both the MCA Gold version and the MCA expanded remixed and remastered version. And I must say I like them both very much and can really hear nothing wrong with them at all.

I know many fans are unhappy with the input of Astley on the remixing of the albums, but for the most part I have to say he has done a great job (no flames please).

I still own the Mobile Fidelity versions of Tommy, Quadrophenia and Who Are You, but I'm very pleased with the remixed versions as well. There is a missing sound effect on The Dirty Jobs from Quadrophenia, but other than that I see no great alterations in what I know from many years of listening to this great band.

Long live the greatest band in Rock and Roll!

 

[Grant B]

I bought the orginial cd of who's Next that came out, and that stunk! It sounded like they they took it from an lp that someone spilled a beer on. I gave that away when I got the remastered cd. One day I noticed in the car the distinct tones of the 2 bass drums, Keith plays on won't get fooled again...and i don't even have a great system in the car!