Acoustic Sounds to Reissue RCA Living Stereo at 45 rpm

[MylesBAstor]

Now we are talking! Was wondering if or when Chad was going to come out with the RCAs cut at 45 rpm. Price will be $55.00 for the double albums. First two titles shown below and coming May 19th. I'll be awaiting and thought I'd start this thread so people can post their thoughts when these albums become available!

[Rob]

me thinks its a redux of Classic Records' metal work that Chad got from the acquisition, in other words, these are not 'new' remasters. nonetheless its still a boon for those of us that missed it the 1st time 'round.

[rockitman]

Agree...same metal parts...perhaps better quality (quieter) pressings than RTI for Classic. I may try one or two on my favorite titles. I have all the classic records 45's...

[astrotoy]

me thinks its a redux of Classic Records' metal work that Chad got from the acquisition, in other words, these are not 'new' remasters. nonetheless its still a boon for those of us that missed it the 1st time 'round.

Interesting. Could someone find out the situation with Chad. I have all the 45's from the first time around. Don't want to buy them again. Larry

PS. I have both the 33rpm and 45 rpm Classics Royal Ballet (two versions of the latter - sold one to an AN member). Comparing the rip I did of the AP 33 version that arrived last week, I find I prefer my rip of the 45 slightly better. I never did a rip of the original Classics version of the 33 to compare.

[MylesBAstor]

I emailed Chad this morning.

[jeffy]

I don't think so. Chad uses tubes in the manufacture of these reissues where classic used solid state.

[rockitman]

that is interesting...That classic used SS. I suppose back then the main studio decks (Studer A80's, A820's) were SS and probably very few were using outboard "Tube" repro electronics. I may be tempted by buy more of the new reissues that I already have from Classic Records because of this. Something I didn't think of.

[Rob]

Bernie added a tube cutting system later, not sure if it was coincident with the 45 rmp releases or not. I emailed the Chadster, he usually responds within a day.

[MylesBAstor]

I think it depends upon which releases you are referring to. Ryan Smith uses a modded Ampex ATR-102/4 for transferring the RCAs (it's touched upon in the Ultratape and are you vinyl reissued digitally remastered threads). This is from a piece that Jonathan Valin wrote back in 2013 for TAS: "When I asked Kassem if he’d used tube equipment for his remasters, he got his back up a bit. “There is no guarantee that a vintage signal path will lead to superior sonic results,” said he. “Just compare the speed fluctuation on vintage tape decks with what is achievable today. Speed affects pitch stability. In fact, it affects everything.” I gathered that the gear at Sterling Sound—which has done such a fine job with Analogue Productions’ Verve, Elvis, and Patsy Cline reissues—is mostly solid-state. The Mastering Lab tends to be more tube-centric, although neither outfit is purely tube or transistor. Kassem actually made a rather persuasive argument that it is the injudicious use of eq that is responsible for sonically disappointing reissues—and not the preponderance of tubes or transistors. (For the record, though doubtlessly judiciously eq’d, no frequency-range limiting or dynamic compression was applied to these new discs.)

Kevin Gray @ Cohearant Sound lists his tape playback systems: "Studer A-80 ¼” and ½” ”preview” transports w/custom transformerless electronics, and modified to accept 14” reels (very few Studers take 14″) Also available for the ¼” are original Studer C37 all vacuum tube electronics. The ½” Studer is also configurable for 3-track w/preview."

Bernie who also cuts for Chads lists on his site his tape playback system (this was post Classic but before the latest series say of ORG reissues): "We are capable of playing back many kinds of source material. Our maintained ATR and Studer analog tape decks use our own solid-state and vacuum tube playback electronics. We have head stacks for 1/4", 1/2", and 1" in mono, stereo, LCR, and 4-track configurations." I think and maybe Gary can confirm this, that many of Bernie's audiophile masterings are cut using his tube playback setup. But I might be wrong.

I kinda of referred to it in another post but I think some of the factors contributing to the sound of todays reissues from Chad, MMJ, ORG, etc. are related to the smaller gap width of the new playback tape heads, electronics and speed stability. It might seem counter-intuitive but we might be hearing more from these tapes than thought possible because of the new head designs. Interestingly, some believe that the old tapes should be played back with the original headstack and when I posed that question to a panel a year ago at Axpona, they disagreed vigarously.

[Rob]

I just got this from Chad: "they are from the new masters that Ryan Smith mastered from the three track"

[MylesBAstor]

Yes and Chad added, "These will also be in the most deluxe gatefold jackets with nice pictures inside." I will try and keep my mind out of the gutter.

[astrotoy]

I just got this from Chad: "they are from the new masters that Ryan Smith mastered from the three track"

Rob, thanks. Then are these from the same master tapes that Chad issued for the 33RPM RCA produced/engineered versions that he released earlier and will be issuing in the R2R tapes that are coming this year (including Scheherazade)? Ryan Smith created new masters for the first 25 RCA Living Stereo albums, but others did the Decca engineered RCA's of which four albums have so far been released. Correct?

Larry