Are there any GOOD Dylan SACD remasters?


Wow, I've bought a few SACD only and HYBRID Bob Dylan remasters, and unfortunately all but Blood On The Tracks has been a let down? Is it that the engineers doing the remaster think they need to make it clearer, and therefore add top end? To me, it would seem you would just issue the same recording, same mix, same levels, on the new medium WITHOUT SCREWING WITH IT?? Isn't getting it in SACD going to give us better sound anyway?

Am I alone in this? Correct me if I'm wrong, the original master tape offers sonic's obscured by conventional CD technology. So an SACD allows us to hear the original master tape more closely to it's actual sound. Where in this process does it say that some rookie comes in and tries to make it sound better?

Jesus! Bob is in his 60's, and even if he was present on the remaster that wouldn't make me happy. All I want is more of what was originally recorded, offered naturally by SACD. It was a good recording to start with, and Bob can't hear as well as he did 25 years ago!

Yeah, some of my favorite later Dylan needs some help, Time Out Of Mind sounds like Bob is singing through a meggaphone frequently, extremely nasal vocals, and not even well recorded to begin with in my opinion. No remaster is gonna solve this. So how does the SACD HYBRID sound? Tom
trich727
Just a point on the use of the term masters?
That seems to me be a massive point of your stance completely blown away.

Another quote from Springsteen that totally puts his Ludwig quote in context (that's the quote where he thanks him for the mastering without mentioning remixing on the BTR reissue).
This one is from his Tracks box set.

Special Thanks to Jon Landau for his insights.His suggestion to remix these tracks from their original masters greatly enhanced their sound.

There's a clear difference between that and the statement he makes on BTR.

There in that one statement above he states clearly the difference between remastering and remixing and how it is tackled fundamentally differently.
That might be sketchy to you but compared to your arguments it does have some actual back up and real life experience.

Not unless you can state differently?
It seems Pabelson you've been remixing your own arguments so much your master tapes have been erased hence the silence.
:-)

I'll finish off this debate with some quotes including Bob Ludwig-please note how that question is asked.
You'd be surprised the constant references to Master tapes in any search of the remastering technique.

From the Abbey Road Studio website.

REMASTERING. At its simplest, Abbey Road's Remastering Engineers are responsible for removing imperfections on master tapes or other source recordings, anything from a 78 disc to a digital file. Using state of the art technology combined with a wealth of experience they aim to present recordings in the best possible light enabling the recording to speak to future generations.

From Peter Gabriel's website:

We have been working on the sound; the second album, which was the one that sounded the worst for me, we've opened up a bit and Tony's stretched the stereo. It doesn't transform the music obviously, but if you're listening there are some differences. So I think it's more for people who get into the detail of it or have got a good system at home that want to optimise the music."
As Richard Chappell (Peter's Music Engineer, who also worked on the re-masters) explained, due to the increased sampling range of the new digital formats there is an audibly noticeable increase in clarity and definition especially at the bass end of tracks. This is a quality that Richard and Peter agree the listener may be able to hear most noticeably on the re-mastered US and PG 2.

From a Music Tap interview with Bob Ludwig.

MusicTAP: Do you typically get involved with surround or stereo remixing, or do you focus on the mastering?

Bob Ludwig: I have mastered over 100 surround sound projects. The only mixing I do is on special occasions like Patsy Klein or re-balancing stems, I once mixed a Mariah Carey vocal, but all that is rare, I have plenty to do with just mastering!
To really find out what went into the Dylan SACDs you should contact the people involved and ask them:

Producer Steve Berkowitz, mastering engineers Greg Calbi and Darcy Proper, mixers Phil Ramone and Elliot Scheiner, and tape researchers Didier Deutch, Matt Kelly, and Debbie Smith

Here's an interview with Steve Berkowitz on how the Dylan project evolved.
I think the key comment on remastering series comes from this quote.

However, we had a commitment to go back wherever possible to the original ‘finished mix’ tapes, which we have and which we did.

Reading the interview thay had problems with JWH and BIABH but you can see their intent seems similar to everything else I've read about remastering.

Thanks for that Onhwy61
OK, the Dylan remasters weren't remixed? Then explain this one:

We first heard a recent run-of-the-mill LP pressing followed by the original CD. Then, I played for him the new stereo mix.

It's at the bottom of this page.