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70sSoundquality 
Forum Senior Member
Joined: January 18 2005
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Points: 137
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 Topic: Best sound quality of a 70s prog album?
Posted: March 30 2005 at 00:40 |
 Yams wrote:
70sSoundquality wrote:
Saying it could be the worst "since it was produced at their newly built Britannia
Row studios" is like saying Relayer is the worst Yes album, since it
was only recorded in Chris Squire's garage. The gear is good,
regardless of how immature the studio is. They had money for the best
equipment, and the best engineers. Animals is clearly a winner...maybe
note as spacey as dark side, but FAR superior in fidelity and noise
floor.
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Maybe so. I'd just like to point out, though, that the studio had inferior recording equipment compared to that of Abbey Road.
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Well, I have yet to see a list of all the equipment at abbey road, but
comparing apples to apples, i highly doubt they were that far off the
mark considering the time (1977).
Abbey road, along with Britania row used the best of the best. In the
70s, no major studio recording an extremely professional band would
settle for less than MCI, Neve, Harrison, SSL, ABE, chilton, etc etc.
When your in that league of professional electronics, comparing them to
each other is pretty moot. Same with the recoder- there is really no
such thing as a "worse" 2 inch machine than another; one might have
more features, and they might all sound different, but this is
preference and how many bells and whistles you want (which typically
have nothing to do with sound).
fairchild comps, u 87 mics, 1176 limiter amp, a good discrete console,
a good discrete recorder....typical and to be found in any professional
studio in the 1970s. It just depends on who uses it. Abbey road had EMI
plates....yet so did Britania! its all the same really
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Posted: March 28 2005 at 17:30 |
Yams wrote:
70sSoundquality wrote:
Saying it could be the worst "since it was produced at their newly built Britannia Row studios" is like saying Relayer is the worst Yes album, since it was only recorded in Chris Squire's garage. The gear is good, regardless of how immature the studio is. They had money for the best equipment, and the best engineers. Animals is clearly a winner...maybe note as spacey as dark side, but FAR superior in fidelity and noise floor.
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Maybe so. I'd just like to point out, though, that the studio had inferior recording equipment compared to that of Abbey Road.
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Abbey road studio's were the most advanced studio in britain & still is.Yes album's sound quality was sh*t..So was early Genesis
Edited by Karnevil9
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The Owl
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Joined: February 19 2004
Location: United States
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Points: 363
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Posted: March 28 2005 at 10:16 |
Just for sheer crisp clarity and good mixing:
Brand X - Moroccan Roll (w/ Dennis McKay at the controls)
Gong - Gazeuse Again, with good 'ol Dennis McKay!
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People are puzzled why I don't dig the Stones, well, I listened to the Stones, I tried, and I tried, and I tried, and--I Can't Get No Satisfaction!
www.myspace.com/theowlsmusic
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Posted: March 28 2005 at 10:13 |
Jethro Fish wrote:
PINK FLOYD - "DARK SIDE OF THE MOON"
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This is a great quality recording.
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Yams
Forum Senior Member
Joined: December 16 2004
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Points: 198
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Posted: March 28 2005 at 09:45 |
70sSoundquality wrote:
Saying it could be the worst "since it was produced at their newly built Britannia
Row studios" is like saying Relayer is the worst Yes album, since it
was only recorded in Chris Squire's garage. The gear is good,
regardless of how immature the studio is. They had money for the best
equipment, and the best engineers. Animals is clearly a winner...maybe
note as spacey as dark side, but FAR superior in fidelity and noise
floor.
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Maybe so. I'd just like to point out, though, that the studio had inferior recording equipment compared to that of Abbey Road.
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akin
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Joined: February 06 2004
Location: Brazil
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Points: 976
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Posted: March 28 2005 at 09:26 |
The best production, in my opinion
Beatles - Abbey Road
The production is fantastic. I´ve heard lots of albums from 69, and I´ve never heard any other album that came close to Abbey Road.
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Zero the hero
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Joined: March 18 2005
Location: Bosnia Hercegovina
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Posted: March 28 2005 at 07:02 |
All depend what the listerner defines as best sound quality.Everyone has a different hear & a way they judge whats good & bad...Some may think CD with it'd dreadful bright in yer face quality to be the dogs bollox & others may find that Analogue playback (Record/Tape) to be correct.I personally think you can never beat the sound of record,so called crackles & pops are a thing created by poor mis-use & poor playback equipment which just highlights the problem.However whatever medium you choose to listern to it's your choice,but as a vinyl man i will always choose EMI recording as the best to me ie:Early ish Pink floyd,late beatles,most recording on Harvest records etc.
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JrKASperov
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Joined: July 07 2004
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Points: 904
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Posted: March 28 2005 at 05:18 |
I have a cd copy from the 70's Fragile LP. Aside from the LP crackle, I
don't hear a difference between new cd's and this one in terms of sound
quality.  So this one gets my vote.
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Epic.
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70sSoundquality
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Joined: January 18 2005
Location: United States
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Points: 137
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Posted: March 28 2005 at 05:03 |
Yams wrote:
richardh wrote:
BEST
Pink Floyd - Animals
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Isn't that one of the worst Pink Floyd recordings since it was produced at their newly built Britannia Row Studios? I know it doesn't compare to their Abbey Road recordings.
Anyway, Dark Side was the recording used to measure production value on
many other recordings until the digital revolution. The Wall is also a
perfect recording. I've enjoyed Selling England By The Pound as well.
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Let yer ears decide!
Saying it could be the worst "since it was produced at their newly built Britannia
Row studios" is like saying Relayer is the worst Yes album, since it
was only recorded in Chris Squire's garage. The gear is good,
regardless of how immature the studio is. They had money for the best
equipment, and the best engineers. Animals is clearly a winner...maybe
note as spacey as dark side, but FAR superior in fidelity and noise
floor.
Listen to the quiet parts in Sheep...let your ears decide....but really
listen. Those are real instruments, sometimes sounding like the
equivalent of a cartoon drawing to a photograph. Absolutely mind
blowing stuff
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70sSoundquality
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Joined: January 18 2005
Location: United States
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Points: 137
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Posted: March 28 2005 at 04:56 |
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I agree
with one thing not. The Fenders and Gibson guitars in 70s were in the
worse era and have overall worst reputation. Both brands were owned by
big corporations (CBS and Norlin) and the quality went downhill
from late 60s. The best Fender and Gibson guitars are from 50s and 60s
and now from Custom Shop. I had some 70s Fenders, and overall some were
really far worse than nowadays reissues. (they were heavy, dead
sounding with thick finishes, bad neck pockets etc.) Their only
advantages are the price: for example 1977 Stratocaster is available
for 1200$. 1967 Strat in good condition for 5000$, 1957 for
25000$. With Gibsons it is the same.
Ive heard this argument before, and one thing you cant do is believe
reputation. It comes from many people who have closed minds usually
and, typically, people who associate themselves with modern music arent
necesarrily vouching for the older instruments. The argument that the
quality went down after the late 60s is a complete lie, not to call you
a liar, but the fact is the worse strats were actually built right
after CBS purchased the company (1965).
Speaking from experience much like yourself, I can attest that the older ones are far better for me.
First of all, I've played a 1972 (? not sure on RI date) reissue Jazz
bass, from the custom shop. I have an actual 1978 jazz bass along
with a 1974 jazz bass fitted with a 1972 p bass neck. Comparing
my original 70's basses to that re-issue was pretty much a joke. The
thud, the balls, and guts were clearly missing.
I also keep a 1972 Gibson Les paul deluxe along with a 1973 EB-3 gibson bass, and comparing them to the new ones is just wrong.
to each its own!
best,
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topographic2112
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Joined: March 23 2005
Location: United States
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Points: 99
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Posted: March 26 2005 at 16:32 |
UK - 1978
Alan Parsons Project - Tales Of Mystery And Imagination - 1976 (these first two sound like they came from the 80's instead of the 70's. Way ahead of their times!)
Rush - A Farewell To Kings - 1977
ELP - Brain Salad Surgery - 1973
King Crimson - Larks' Tongues In Aspic - 1973
Pink Floyd - Dark Side Of The Moon - 1973
Pink Floyd - Animals - 1977
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"Rock is the medium of our generation." - Yes - "Release, Release"
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Yams
Forum Senior Member
Joined: December 16 2004
Status: Offline
Points: 198
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Posted: March 26 2005 at 14:48 |
richardh wrote:
BEST
Pink Floyd - Animals
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Isn't that one of the worst Pink Floyd recordings since it was produced at their newly built Britannia Row Studios? I know it doesn't compare to their Abbey Road recordings.
Anyway, Dark Side was the recording used to measure production value on
many other recordings until the digital revolution. The Wall is also a
perfect recording. I've enjoyed Selling England By The Pound as well.
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Ben2112
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Joined: March 15 2005
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Points: 870
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Posted: March 26 2005 at 13:26 |
Listening to GG's The Power And The Glory right now for the first time and it seems like an excellent sound for 1974, especially the drums. That's usually the biggest thing that drags down the production quality of old albums---when you can barely hear the snare & cymbals, not to mention the bass drum giving a feeble thump. Just imagine how much better some old GG & Genesis albums would sound with clear, dynamic drum sounds (not the 80's gated snare sound; blech I hate that!). Larks' Tongues and Red have remarkable drum sounds for their time too; listen to "One More Red Nightmare" at full volume and bask in air-drum heaven. 
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firth_of_Fifth
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Joined: March 26 2005
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Points: 192
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Posted: March 26 2005 at 13:24 |
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Best sound quality to me is 'In a glass house' By Gentle Giant.
Followed by Hemispheres
Thing is it's hard for me to decide because I can't listen to most
modern music as the production is sickening. As someone previously
mentioned, The thinness/Sparsness of the recordings add alot, It allows
the music to breath.
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plodder
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Posted: March 26 2005 at 13:07 |
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I was never that bothered in the production etc.
What I liked was the witty things scratched into the lead-out space.
I always looked for them.
Edited by plodder
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Hiwatter
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Joined: March 26 2005
Location: Slovakia
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Posted: March 26 2005 at 12:06 |
70sSoundquality wrote:
Karnevil9 wrote:
The great thing about early recording is what the boys used as effects,like what you mentioned Cluster with the cash till effect...All this type of stuff that Floyd were masters at by the way,put no signature on the sound quality at all.Later productions were dosed with effects units & being multi tracked to death,resulting in a very norrow sound stage compared to early recordings..Who gives a stuff about crystal clear CD type sound production...We want natural full width analogue sound as it was intended in those days & sound far superior to me
You listern carefully to say ELP's first album on vinyl..you'll notice more space around instruments,drums are more forward,you can heare every nuance in Gregs voice,it's a big sound...Compare this to 'Brain salad surgery' the recording is no where near as good vastly compressed beyond belief...That advancement in recording & multi tracking for you..
Not!
& that was only '73...after all it was a very advanced album for the time.
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I hate to start flame wars, so dont take this offensively but I sort of disagree with what you say. You are absolutely correct, the less width per track results in less space per track and more noise floor per track. On the other hand, plus 4db is +4, aint no way around it. Sure brain salad surgery might sound thinner for the individual tracks, but that's the price you pay for having so many overdubs. I'll take the overdubs because, its still +four and each instrument still has its own space compared to what they are doing now. I usually prefer late 70's efforts, because the snare usually sounds a lot weirder, and the bass tones by the late 70's seemed almost "modern" due to natural technical progression, but still very primitive sounding , so that I like.
Relayer is the same exact way.My mother bought me the re-released one, that has an original 1974 studio run through. You will instantly notice that the drums are louder, and the bass is clearer and guitar is easier to hear compared to the actual mastered version. My mom said the same thing, that she preferred the "run through" version because things sound more "full and garage-like" in her own words, and true it does, but there are less instruments in the mix. The stereo buss wouldn't allow Yes to keep that same volume on drums with all those reverb sends and synth overdubs, along with mellotrons/orchestrons and all sorts of other crazy stuff going on. So when you hear the mastered version, the drums are lower and so is the bass, but this is how it has to be. Its absolutely worth it.
these days they are cutting CD's so much louder than vinyl, so much more that the lathe probably wouldnt even cut the record/vinyl and if it did, the record would probably start to catch fire or melt because 0 db fullscale is just absolutely silly. With these new advantages you'd think that things would sound better, but they don't. Its all about the tubes man.
EVERYTHING was build better in the 60s and 70s. They couldnt help it. It doesnt matter how sophisticated your medium is, running your bass directly into a console is going to yield marginal results. These days, for some reason, even if people do use 1176 tube compressors and all those exotic pre- amps, it still comes across as "bland" sounding. Not everything in the signal chain is 70s these days, which is a BIG problem for me. Unfortunately, I never got to see the 70s  (and I really do mean that crying face)
If you buy a fener jazz bass from 1975, it will sound better than a fender jazz bass from 2005. There is a very real reason why, and it has to do with the wood being of higher quality, and that was before all the good 1000+ year old trees were taken (ever notice that maple on those 70s basses is much more yellow than now??). Everything was just flat out higher in quality, and people wanted to move on for whatever silly ass reason. Digital is STILL an immature technology in my eyes, and just recently learning about the only Tape manufacturer Quantegy being shut down made me want to kill someone. Im not a violent person, but I will smash a computer loaded with "PRO" tools if I have to. Recordings these days just flat out suck, and its so sad to know that new yes albums sound worse than OLD yes albums. Whats going on here folks? nobody cares anymore.
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I agree with one thing not. The Fenders and Gibson guitars in 70s were in the worse era and have overall worst reputation. Both brands were owned by big corporations (CBS and Norlin) and the quality went downhill from late 60s. The best Fender and Gibson guitars are from 50s and 60s and now from Custom Shop. I had some 70s Fenders, and overall some were really far worse than nowadays reissues. (they were heavy, dead sounding with thick finishes, bad neck pockets etc.) Their only advantages are the price: for example 1977 Stratocaster is available for 1200$. 1967 Strat in good condition for 5000$, 1957 for 25000$. With Gibsons it is the same.
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Hiwatter
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Joined: March 26 2005
Location: Slovakia
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Posted: March 26 2005 at 11:58 |
Pulsar - "Halloween" -- great 3D sound
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Ivan_Melgar_M
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Posted: February 26 2005 at 00:25 |
Not the only one but the sound of Tales of Mystery and Imagination is absolutely perfect. The mixture of sound effects with Orchestra in The fall of the House of Usher is absolutely beyond their time and the technical advances available in the mid 70's.
I listened a lot of sound effects that interfere with the music creating a chaotic effect, but Parsons graduates the volume so carefully that helps to enhance the atmosphere and blends with the orchestra arrangements by Andrew Powell.
Iván
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James Lee
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Posted: February 25 2005 at 23:59 |
My picks are from the Italian prog arena:
Metamorfosi's Inferno is about the most poorly-recorded 70s album I've ever heard. Everything is distorted and compressed to hell, and poorly mixed on top of that. I do love listening to it, though...the rich nasty bassy mess really kicks you nicely in the balls sometimes.
On the other hand, PFM's "Per Un Amico" may be the best-sounding 70s album I've heard. Plenty of warmth, detail, clarity and punch; not as satisfyingly groin-smashing in the saturation department, but that's not what PFM was about, anyway.
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greenback
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Posted: February 25 2005 at 13:39 |
happy the man - crafty hands and the first one!
camel - i can see your house from here
a special mention to Gentle Giant - Interview!
the all-time best recorded prog album:
Saga - Heads or tales
Honorable mentions:
1 Rush - Power windows
2 Marillion - Fugazi
3 Yes - 90125
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Best sound quality of a 70s prog album?
