Scott Dolan

Ok, cool. Back on topic, some of my favorite Eno is the sonic landscaping he did for Paul Simon and David Byrne in recent years.

I would assume it doesn't since it still has to be mixed down to 16/44.1 But, I don't know...

Leeway, check this out. http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2012/02/24/147379760/what-mastered-for-itunes-really-means Most important passage: [["In Apple's calculation, mastering a song or album "for iTunes" means that it'll sound better while remaining just as portable as the encoded files we're accustomed to packing by the thousands onto our phones and mobile devices. For Bob Ludwig, a mastering engineer who remastered Coldplay's latest album, Mylo Xyloto, for the new "Mastered for iTunes" store, this makes sense. "From a technical viewpoint, there are cases where the lossy 24-bit AAC file would be superior to the lossless CD," Ludwig wrote in an email. "I did an early demonstration for some engineer friends of mine and the difference between the 'Mastered for iTunes' file I created and the one that was ripped from a 16-bit CD was easily heard on the little speakers on my MacBook Pro." I listened to the two versions of Coldplay's single, "Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall," to test the difference. (I can't post audio samples of the two versions of the track here because the encoding process a file goes through in any audio editor obscures those subtle differences, but if you have a CD version of any of the albums in the "Mastered for iTunes" section of the store, you can compare easily by ripping the tracks at "iTunes Plus" quality.) Played overdecent headphones, I could hear subtle differences, especially where the mix was denser and more complicated. Ludwig's "Mastered for iTunes" version sounds slightly less crowded, with clearer distinctions between similar tones in acoustic guitar and piano and sharper, less distorted drums.]]

I've always wondered about that one myself. You see it all the time, though.

If they had pared The Beatles down to a single album it could have easily been their best. The problem with it is that there is simply too much filler, IMO.

Well, that's not very nice.

Ah, OK. Your previous statement left a lot open to interpretation. I actually never thought much of Ringo's playing until I got the remastered box and sat and listened to it all very carefully. I don't know if it's because Martin made him more prominent in the mix, or what. But I found a whole new appreciation for his playing while going through those discs. Far more subtle than say, Charlie Watts, but just as rock solid, IMO.

I think Paul is one of the most talented bass players in the Rock world. This might be the very first time I've ever heard anyone say that he "isn't special in any way". His bass line on Something is one of the finest in the genre, IMO.

Yeah, and I'm not trying to convince you otherwise. I'm not sure how this has turned into a competition.

Yeah, I could see that argument. It's not quite the hot mess that Exile On Main Street is, but still a very curious collection. It was nice to hear them reinvent themselves after the heavy psychedelic stuff from Sgt. Pepper's and Magical Mystery Tour. Oh, and Lon, don't sell me short on how much I've heard The Beatles. From the ages of 7-12, I had their albums in almost constant rotation. Aside from a couple of KISS albums, my collection of records and cassette tapes were made up of the entire Beatles catalog. And that was by design because I didn't want to waste any of my time listening to anything else.

7/4, I had never heard your sounds before today. Are you on the Erstwhile label, or just independent?

It's very interesting to see how many here like the earlier material better. I'm certainly not in that camp, but with my new found appreciation for the earlier stuff, I can see it. So, a question for everyone. If you could only listen to one Beatles album, which would it be? Mine would be Abbey Road. That's one of the greatest side 2's in recorded history, IMO.

They've been letting the defenses play this entire post season. I would be surprised if they suddenly changed it up.

Cute, yeah. But there was also some really raw stuff mixed in with it. Unfortunately, those raw tunes never made the radio. Trust me, there is some good stuff in there. Wheat/chaff Hard to separate, but worth it if one is interested. And again, keep in mind I completely agreed with you on the earlier stuff not so long ago...

Fair enough, brother. YMMV, but I was just passing along how much I appreciated the earlier stuff. It certainly isn't for everyone, no matter how much they love The Beatles. It's certainly hard to "get", but I'm glad I lucked into "getting" it. And I'd never fault anyone for not "getting" it. To be perfectly honest, even though I do "get" it, it's not like I'm going to try to convince anyone that they are missing out. It's pretty marginal, truth be told.

Regardless, they were the same songs. That was my point. As for pre-Rubber Soul, I used to be in the same boat as you. But sitting down and listening to the box set from disc one, I actually found myself enjoying the earlier material immensely. I think it may have to do with the fact that in recent years I have gotten into Alt. Country and more stripped down Rock. And those albums are indeed stripped down, and at times amazingly raw. The very earliest stuff is somewhat forgettable at times, but starting with Beatles For Sale they really started taking off. Actually, it may have even started on A Hard Day's Night. Either way, having grown up listening to The Beatles, it was not only nice to revisit the earlier material that I didn't care for all that much, but to also find out how good it really was.

Not to mention the simple fact that the '09 box was all of their official albums to begin with. The U.S. releases were just resequenced from those. Mrs. Claus got me the remastered box set for Christmas that year, which officially brought my Beatles buying days to a close.

In other words, trying to squeeze blood from a turnip.

Fair enough, my friend. I suppose I'm as guilty as anyone. With that said, I do completely respect, and envy, the incredible Decware system you have assembled. Perhaps we'll all find a common ground of appreciation one of these days. Hey, they ain't illuminated tubes, but my Emotiva rig does have lots of purdy blue lights.

Wow. Lon, I meant that in the most sincere way. I apologize for not conveying my message properly. I really dug the pic you posted of your amp, and the link you posted for your speakers. Just thought it'd be cool to see pics of your system as a whole. If you'd like to delete your previous post, I'll certainly delete mine so that this thresd can remain buried. Sorry, brother... I meant no ill will.

Bumped for those who still haven't gotten a load of Lon's system. A work of art visually, and one I can't imagine being any less than a work of art audibly. Even if he does spend WAY too much on cables! Lon, is there any chance you'd post some pics here of your entire system? The amp itself is astonishing, but I'd like to see your entire setup. BTW, yeah this is a cheap Chinese integrated amp, but one I'm considering for my next purchase.

Well then, that can be said of a LOT of players in the NFL. And pretty much every QB from what we know.

Except throwing INT's on final drives in the Super Bowl...

Luckily we don't have to find out. BTW, Manning has feasted on very weak defensive teams this season. He hasn't faced anything even close to what Seattle has. I'm torn. I would love to see Champ retire with a ring, but I'm an old school defensive guy. I want to see Seattle win it.

That was my first, and still most cherished Coltrane title. Essential.