NEW DOOBIE BROTHER JAPANESE REMASTERS ?

They're a definite improvement over the standard CDs. The "Minute by Minute" remaster isn't as good as the Audio Fidelity gold disc (mastered by Steve Hoffman), but it's still very good in absolute terms. If you're a big Doobies fan, they're worth the investment. The mini-LP configuration is a nice bonus.

I went ahead and ordered "The Captain And Me" and it arrived yesterday. What I got was indeed a mini version of the LP. It opened up like the old LP jacket had the same art work on the inner LP sleeve and the design that graced the LP around the spindle hole covers the entire CD. The overall sound improvement was major compared to the normal CD release and the remastered cuts from the box set "Long Train Running couldn't hold a candle to it either. The volume of all three were very close, so it made comparisons easier. The mini LP version sported a fuller sound throughout. Things that sounded thin on the previous CDs incarnations were fleshed out, bass was more prevelant, tighter and deeper, vocals were more up front and in the room with you and the top end was smooth. I've got the rest of the mini LP CDs coming to round out the set and I'm real curious to see how Hoopers experience with the Audio Fidelity of "Minute By Minute" holds up on my system. I've got that also and I wasn't that impressed with it. I'll see. Anyone that's a Doobie Brothers fan and wanted to hear them like never before would be wise to get these. Now I'm waiting for the early James Taylor Warner Brothers releases, no thanks to WB.

The rest of these showed up today and I compared the Gold Disc Audio Fidelity "Minute By Minute" to the Remastered Mini LP version. To start things off, the normal CD of this title is in my top five worst sounding rock CD's, everything sucks about this recording from top to bottom. The AF version is a lot better but that's not saying a whole lot. On my system there is no comparison between it and the Mini LP version. I played about thirty seconds of the AF versions, first track to get reaquainted with it, swapping it out to the mini LP version and with the first intro drum beats there was a major boost in sound quality throughout the CD. I'd never heard this disc sound this good. So it's my opinion that these Japanese Mini LP versions CD's of the Doobie Brothers are sonically the best versions out there at this time and probably the best you'll ever hear. Go ahead and buy one of your favorite Doobie disc on the mini LP CD and see for yourself how it compares. I think you'll be pleasently surprised at what you hear

I just picked up my own personal copy of "Minute by Minute" on mini-LP. (The one I used for comparison was my neighbor's and done on his system.) Upon re-listening, I have to agree: The mini-LP is overall better than the AF, which surprised me, given Steve Hoffman's sterling reputation as masterer. Though, on my rig, the AF was warmer sounding, the mini-LP pretty much trumped it in every other regard, particularly clarity and dynamics. I'm surprised I didn't hear that on my friend's system, but then again, my rig is more resolving than his.