It's hard to be totally objective as I LOVE THIS LP!!!! I pulled out my EMI Cent copy too, and am listening right now.
There is ALSO a Hoffman thread on the "EMI Centenary LPs" According to some members, the second half of the series were NOT digitally sourced.So this would seem to indicate Tin Drum (as one of the later catalog numbers,) is indeed analog sourced. This from EIL -a Japan oriented site: "Mastered from analog tapes, 1997 release.". The sleeve is interesting-super glossy, quite nice variant on the original.
I did a little research and came up with this: MY Japan reissue comes w this catalog number : CENT 41. I just pulled out a Japanese Tin Drum to compare to the EMI. Now.let's talk about that gatefold German Hansa label "Quiet Life".Now that's a sweet record.Ĭlick to expand.You know I am happy to hear hear that ANYONE likes Japan these days.Īnd if you have a good sounding copy that's excellent to hear! UK is entirely good, but surface pops and general noise is definitely more noticeable than what is audible on the Japanese copy. I have these: Original first press UK, also a German copy and prono white label Japanese. Not good, and the LP suffers from that too-so it doesn't seem likely it was sourced from same.Though I DO recall reading somewhere that analog masters were used.But I am inclined to agree with Paul Rymer's pronouncement-the '99 reissue sounds markedly inferior.īuy a used 80s era UK copy-the reissues with the OVED label prefix are also good-I have a decent Polaroids, and Mick Karn's Titles on that series. The remasters (from 99/2000) seem to have a weird amount of bass added, and loss of upper register detail. I have a Japanese cd of Tin Drum, and it's nicer than the remastered cd also. I really disliked the remastered Cd of Tin Drum (which came in a clamshell box) and was also released around that time.
I am interested in the story about the 1999/2000 remaster being digitally sourced. copy maybe a little bright /forward sounding. Sonically speaking- the Japanese press is indeed v. New Zealand, Sweden,UK, (both original and the reissue from around 2000 or so) and Japanese press too. Avoid the Korean unofficial pressing with the blue sleeve (though it's collectible it sounds terrible). The official "Tin Drum" to avoid on vinyl is the one from EMI's Centenery Series (1999) - the original tape was missing so this used the CD master (the 1992 version). The best is the incredibly rare JVC manufactured Hong Kong audiophile press - but that's pretty obscure! "Tin Drum" - the UK original LP pressing is great, no better or worse than the Japanese Victor pressing. Might have been because of rushed manufacture after the album master was delayed due to the band changing their minds about the track "Some Kind Of Fool". The trouble with the UK Polaroids is that there seems to be vinyl noise / crackle - the Polaroids EP has the same problem and I don't know why. The Korean vinyl is also very good though tough to find in mint condition. "Gentlemen Take Polaroids" - go for the Japanese pressing manufactured by Victor, it's lovely. ('Communist China' is one of the tracks not released in Turkey). The ones to avoid are the Turkish Adolescent Sex, although it is interesting as it has an alternate track listing, it sounds pretty poor, and even has the last backwards cymbal from 'Communist China' tacked on to the start of 'Television'. Adolescent Sex, Obscure Alternatives and Quiet Life - UK 1st pressings manufactured by Pye are the best, followed by the Japanese pressings on Victor.