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Early 90s digital: whatz up?

With all these dicussions about the quantum leap digital sound has made since the early 90s I had to post a recent purchase...I picked up a CD import form one of my favorite Brit indie bands from the early 90s(Pale Saints)that has never been remasterd and was flabbergasted at how good the sound was...huge open soundstage and very 3-d instrument detail...and this is a fuzzy guitar band(which usually dont transfer to digital well)...at any rate...this is one of the best sounding rock cds i have heard...which leads to believe...its all in the initial recording...which as we all know...varies considerably...any thoughts...granted digital has improved...but to what extent?
128x128phasecorrect
6 responses Add your response
chams_uk
159 posts
 
A Badly recorded album on 4AD? Hmmmm, I thought a fair amount of them were pretty limited. Xmal Deutschland, Cocteau Twins (especially earlier ones), some Lush, soem Throwing Muses, etc etc.

Ivo and his tech crew were very good, but I often thought their recordings were too dry for my taste.

But musically there was some FINE stuff, and I have very fond memories of my "youth" with so much 4AD sound coming from my system. Now I need to pull out the Pale Saints I have!
aball
2,016 posts
 
What this "In ribbons?" I agree 4AD is a killer label.
synthfreek's avatar
synthfreek
627 posts
 
Name a badly recorded album on 4AD.
sogood51
2,157 posts
 
Agree, but would add that todays technology can make what was a (very good master) sound much better than the best technology could from years ago.

Some of the cd's that I used as (show cd's) back a few years ago...while still sounding very good, somehow don't seem as good as I had thought they were.

Dave
esoxhntr
196 posts
 
I think that you are absolutely correct - all the re-mastering in the world will not help an originally poorly recorded work. Check out some of the Early Ry Cooder recordings; good on vinyl, good on disk. I have never heard a poorly recorded piece of vinyl sound better on CD, though I suppose it is possible.

Onhwy61 - I think you are correct, and you and Phasecorrect are in the same camp. Gear alone does not "do it" in the recording studio.
onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61
5,218 posts
 
I wouldn't draw any conclusions based upon a single CD. The technology is a factor in sound quality, but the skill of the recording engineer trumps everything. A great engineer can make a good sounding recording with a single Shure 57 and a cassette recorder while $10 million in SOTA equipment won't help an inept engineer.
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