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justin4950834-2 
Forum Senior Member
Joined: November 08 2013
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 Topic: Larks Tongues In Aspic Sound Quality
Posted: July 03 2015 at 17:04 |
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I don't know if its just the CD I have or its the actual recording of Larks Toungues In Aspic, but the sound quality is really fuzzy sometimes mainly on exiles. Anybody else have this problem? Any help would be much appreciated.
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lostrom
Forum Senior Member
Joined: March 19 2014
Location: Sweden
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Posted: July 03 2015 at 20:53 |
 justin4950834-2 wrote:
I don't know if its just the CD I have or its the actual recording of Larks Toungues In Aspic, but the sound quality is really fuzzy sometimes mainly on exiles. Anybody else have this problem? Any help would be much appreciated.
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What edition do you have? There are several different pressings and masters, taken from different sources, that has been released on CD.
Edited by lostrom - July 03 2015 at 20:54
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lostrom
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Progosopher
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Joined: May 12 2009
Location: Coolwood
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Posted: July 04 2015 at 12:38 |
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I have the album on lp and have found the sound to have good dimension but it seems there is a little distortion to it all, which might be the fuzziness referred to. It also sounds pretty highly compressed to me.
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The world of sound is certainly capable of infinite variety and, were our sense developed, of infinite extensions. -- George Santayana, "The Sense of Beauty"
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lostrom
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Joined: March 19 2014
Location: Sweden
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Posted: July 04 2015 at 13:36 |
Progosopher wrote:
I have the album on lp and have found the sound to have good dimension but it seems there is a little distortion to it all, which might be the fuzziness referred to. It also sounds pretty highly compressed to me. |
It's the same with vinyl - there are lots of differnt pressing taken from differnt sources.
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lostrom
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lostrom
Forum Senior Member
Joined: March 19 2014
Location: Sweden
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Posted: July 04 2015 at 13:38 |
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I'm an expert on KC CD's, but to be able to anwser the question correctly, I must know what exakt CD edition you have - just let me know and I'll help.
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lostrom
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progrockdeepcuts
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Joined: August 14 2013
Location: West Virginia
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Points: 394
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Posted: July 04 2015 at 14:32 |
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I'm not a SW remix fanboy, but his work on Larks' is exemplary. Fixed all my problems with it.
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Listen to older shows here: mixcloud.com/progrockdeepcuts/
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justin4950834-2
Forum Senior Member
Joined: November 08 2013
Location: Cobb
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Points: 329
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Posted: July 05 2015 at 21:45 |
lostrom wrote:
I'm an expert on KC CD's, but to be able to anwser the question correctly, I must know what exakt CD edition you have - just let me know and I'll help. |
30th Anniversary Edition 24 bit remaster by Simon Heyworth and Robert Fripp at Chop-Em-Out, July 25-28 2000.
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justin4950834-2
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Joined: November 08 2013
Location: Cobb
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Posted: July 05 2015 at 21:47 |
Progosopher wrote:
I have the album on lp and have found the sound to have good dimension but it seems there is a little distortion to it all, which might be the fuzziness referred to. It also sounds pretty highly compressed to me. |
Distortion is a good word for it. Exiles would sound so much better without it.
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lostrom
Forum Senior Member
Joined: March 19 2014
Location: Sweden
Status: Offline
Points: 122
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Posted: July 06 2015 at 09:49 |
justin4950834-2 wrote:
lostrom wrote:
I'm an expert on KC CD's, but to be able to anwser the question correctly, I must know what exakt CD edition you have - just let me know and I'll help. |
30th Anniversary Edition 24 bit remaster by Simon Heyworth and Robert Fripp at Chop-Em-Out, July 25-28 2000. |
Ok. That edition is mastered from the original master tapes (as opposed to previous CD editions) but it is brick walled. However, that doesn't effect the sound quality, per say, it just makes it more tiring for the ear, less dynamic and that the sound breathes less.
I own the new vinyl edition and it sounds wonderful (no compression there). I highly recommend it if you have a turntable. If you want CD, I suggest you try out the 40th Anniversary 2-CD edition, where CD 1 is the new Steven Wilson remix of the album and CD 2 is the one that you have.
But the recording is what it is from start, it was recorded like that and I guess it could be heard as somewhat fuzzy/distorted in places - the Steve Wilson remix addresses that as much as possible.
Hope that helped.
Edited by lostrom - July 06 2015 at 10:06
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lostrom
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Catcher10
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Posted: July 06 2015 at 11:35 |
justin4950834-2 wrote:
I don't know if its just the CD I have or its the actual recording of Larks Toungues In Aspic, but the sound quality is really fuzzy sometimes mainly on exiles. Anybody else have this problem? Any help would be much appreciated.
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As stated that version you have is brick walled, the volume levels are pushed which makes you lose dynamics. You lose the sense of depth and sound stage, everything seems to come from the middle. The fuzziness you hear might be the distortion of Fripp's guitar that was the sound he wanted, but when the mastering is done so poorly and the volume is pushed, you get sibilance..sounds screechy, especially on the Ssss sounds.
This is where the words "remaster" and "remix" come into play. Remaster can simply be taking the master recordings and pushing the volumes here and there and releasing as a remaster. A remix is more complex, where the engineer takes each track and readjusts the volume, corrects any errors. For example maybe the keys or sax or flute are not present enough, so a remix will bring those sounds more forward and give some presence and better dynamics. This is one area where digital editing/recording has really played a vital role in correcting some very bad original mastering jobs.
This is why Steven Wilson is so sought after because he remixes and has a very good ear for this as well as taking into consideration what the original artist would like. Not only he but also engineers like Bob Ludwig, Doug Sax, Nick Davis, Greg Calbi, George Marino (RIP).
It's difficult to know what issue sounds best, there are some websites you can check into that might offer some insight.
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justin4950834-2
Forum Senior Member
Joined: November 08 2013
Location: Cobb
Status: Offline
Points: 329
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Posted: July 06 2015 at 19:42 |
Thanks for the help. 
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Slartibartfast
Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator / In Memoriam
Joined: April 29 2006
Location: Atlantais
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Points: 29625
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Posted: July 08 2015 at 06:10 |
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Have you tried to shave it off, shave it off, it off?
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Tom Ozric
Prog Reviewer
Joined: September 03 2005
Location: Olympus Mons
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Points: 15916
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Posted: July 08 2015 at 06:15 |
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I have the old Polydor vinyl for years - still sounds FANTASTIC !! I always thought that this album sports some of the best production from the 70's. Much 'thicker' in sound than Starless And Bible Black, and even Red. I rarely buy CD's, so I don't know how much improvement (if there could be any.....?) there is on the overall sound, but I'd never upgrade my copy with anything........
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Tom Ozric
Prog Reviewer
Joined: September 03 2005
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Posted: July 08 2015 at 06:18 |
Slartibartfast wrote:
Have you tried to shave it off, shave it off, it off?
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....off ?
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Friday13th
Forum Senior Member
Joined: April 30 2013
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Points: 284
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Posted: July 08 2015 at 17:12 |
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I had the same problem. I got an old '87 CD of Larks and it sounded "grainy" especially on Exiles and Talking Drum.
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PrognosticMind
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Joined: August 02 2014
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Posted: July 09 2015 at 04:56 |
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My copy is definitely tinny/grainy sounding as well. Wasn't aware of such information until this thread popped up. Thank you!
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"A squid eating dough in a polyethylene bag is fast and bulbous. Got me?"
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JediJoker7169
Forum Senior Member
Joined: May 05 2009
Location: West Coast, NA
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Posted: July 09 2015 at 17:44 |
Slartibartfast wrote:
Have you tried to shave it off, shave it off, it off? |
I think you meant, "tried to shave, shave it off? It off?"
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Jeffro
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Joined: March 29 2014
Location: USA
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Points: 2028
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Posted: August 13 2015 at 09:02 |
Lark's Tongues??Don't know about that but I once had a chocolate from the Whizzo Quality Assortment that had lark's vomit in it. Had to have my stomach pumped
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Catcher10
Forum Senior Member
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Joined: December 23 2009
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Posted: August 13 2015 at 09:29 |
PrognosticMind wrote:
My copy is definitely tinny/grainy sounding as well. Wasn't aware of such information until this thread popped up. Thank you! |
There are several websites that discuss different issues of albums by members, whether on vinyl, digital or CD, they discuss the quality of the sound, mastering and all that stuff. It truly helps to do some research and try to find those better sounding issues on certain labels or by certain mastering engineers.....You would be surprised at the difference in your listening experience between one and another.
This is where the idea of listener fatigue comes into play....Screechy, tinny, loud, grainy will make your ears sore and your brain shut off after 2-3 songs.
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SteveG
Forum Senior Member
Joined: April 11 2014
Location: Kyiv In Spirit
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Posted: August 13 2015 at 09:35 |
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^I'm with you Jose, but I wonder how many have the 'ear' to distinguish what you and I hear as defects.
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Larks Tongues In Aspic Sound Quality
