Lexicon of Love

[MajorFubar]

First of all apologies because this is music-related not HiFi, but the site doesn't have an area where you can ask questions about different albums, pressings and general SQ. I was wondering if anyone could tell me which of the many-and-varied CD versions of this album by ABC is the best in terms of SQ, ie a decent transfer from analogue but without being flatlined-mastered to hell, and what label/serial number I should be looking for. (If this is not your type of music, please no sarcastic comments, nothing to see here, move on, ta.)

 

[iQ Speakers]

First of all apologies because this is music-related not HiFi, but the site doesn't have an area where you can ask questions about different albums, pressings and general SQ. I was wondering if anyone could tell me which of the many-and-varied CD versions of this album by ABC is the best in terms of SQ, ie a decent transfer from analogue but without being flatlined-mastered to hell, and what label/serial number I should be looking for. (If this is not your type of music, please no sarcastic comments, nothing to see here, move on, ta.)

A classic and beautiful album Major, I'm going to stream it now. alas my vinyl copy went along time ago, sorry can not help you.

 

[MajorFubar]

A classic and beautiful album Major, I'm going to stream it now. alas my vinyl copy went along time ago, sorry can not help you.

No worries mate, my copy ended up with an ex many years ago. Probably I'm going through a middle-aged crisis but I fancy a decent digital copy of it, but when I saw there were quite a few to go at, I thought I'd better ask if anyone knew which to go for.

 

[Covenanter]

No sarcastic comments? That's not fair!

Isn't it a 1980s album?

Chris

 

[stevebrock]

i have original press, nice condtion and sounds like most of my 80s vinyl - bloody superb

 

[MajorFubar]

Isn't it a 1980s album?

Chris

Yep, '82, so still recorded on analogue tape, so getting a decent digital master of it can be a bit hit n mss. Just spied a Mercury pressing of one on eBay, no date given, but the CD clearly reads 'Made in W Germany' which is promising because that dates it as pre 1990 obviously. This could be the one to go for...

 

[Covenanter]

Isn't it a 1980s album?

Chris

Yep, '82, so still recorded on analogue tape, so getting a decent digital master of it can be a bit hit n mss. Just spied a Mercury pressing of one on eBay, no date given, but the CD clearly reads 'Made in W Germany' which is promising because that dates it as pre 1990 obviously. This could be the one to go for...

I'm old enough to be able to say this - I've never been able to take anything from the 1980s seriously.

Chris

 

[The_Lhc]

Isn't it a 1980s album?

Chris

Yep, '82, so still recorded on analogue tape,

You sure about that?

 

[MajorFubar]

You sure about that?

Fair comment as none of the CDs I've seen have a SPARS code, but by 1982 many mainsteam studios were still to move over to digital tape, so just an educated guess. It could be either; though I'd hazard a guess that it was tracked in analogue at least, if not mixed and mastered. Either way, there's still a fair few different masters of it.

 

[iMark]

The Lexicon of Love was not recorded digitally, simply because no studios had digital mixing consoles. Obviously digital recordings were being made in 1981 and 1982, but they were mainly classical recordings that didn't need a lot of production. I don't think many studios switched to digital consoles before 1990. Analogue recording and mixing were great in those days and most albums were produced in the analogue domain and only the final stereo mix would be converted to digital. In hindsight this probably ended up in being the best sounding albums because the analogue to digital conversion was only made once.

I mainly know the album in an AAA form: an analogue cassette recording. A friend of mine had the album so I taped it. Great album.

 

[record_spot]

I'd go with the West German copy to start with Major. That's the route I go with for early CD releases.

As for digital recordings, both Peter Gabriel and Ry Cooder had all digital albums (DDD across the whole recording, mastering and transfer process) out by 1982.

 

[MajorFubar]

I'd go with the West German copy to start with Major. That's the route I go with for early CD releases.

Went with gut instinct and bought it Will be interesting to hear what it sounds like. £2.50+£1.70 postage, which I think is a steal. Another topic for another thread probably but the cheap price you can get used CDs for these days is almost embarrasing, and unlike records it's virtually risk free. Cheaper still at charity shops.

 

[pauln]

Too late now but this might interest you:

http://www.forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/abc-lexicon-of-love-which-one.44639/

For anyone who hasn't come across it, it's the go to place for information about different CD versions/masterings.

 

[record_spot]

I'd go with the West German copy to start with Major. That's the route I go with for early CD releases.

Went with gut instinct and bought it Will be interesting to hear what it sounds like. £2.50+£1.70 postage, which I think is a steal. Another topic for another thread probably but the cheap price you can get used CDs for these days is almost embarrasing, and unlike records it's virtually risk free. Cheaper still at charity shops.

Good shout I think. It's a Mercury "Atomic" thanks to the swirl at the centre. I picked up a WG copy of Barclay James Harvest's Concert for the People in town today. 99p in, yip, a charity shop. Lose count how many I buy like this these days. Rarely spend more than £3 a pop.