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crapfromthepast
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| Posted: 25 April 2018 at 6:59am | IP Logged
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The Time-Life compilation Superhits Vol. 11 1972 (1991) was later repackaged as AM Gold Vol. 7 1972 (1991). The disc contents are identical in every way, but the packaging and liner notes are different. There was later a reissue of AM Gold Vol. 7 1972 with a "RE-1" in the matrix number. The reissue swapped out one song, and used identical digital clones for the remaining tracks.
Unfortunately, due to a mastering error, the left and right channels are swapped on all 21 tracks on Superhits Vol. 11 1972 and the original (non-RE-1) release of AM Gold Vol. 7 1972. The left/right channel swaps have propagated into downstream masterings, annoying purists like me. The source of all these left/right problems is Superhits Vol. 11 1972 and AM Gold Vol. 7 1972. Avoid Superhits Vol. 11 1972 (1991) and AM Gold Vol. 7 1972 (1991), if you can.
I've listed all the downstream discs that I have; there may be more.
1. BLACK AND WHITE - Three Dog Night- Uses the same analog transfer as Rhino's Billboard Top R&R Hits 1972 (1989) and Time-Life's Sounds Of The Seventies Vol. 3 1972 (1989; digitally identical to BB), which have correct left and right channels
2. YOU DON'T MESS AROUND WITH JIM - Jim Croce- Uses the same analog transfer as Time-Life's Sounds Of The Seventies Vol. 13 1972 Take Two (1991), which has correct left and right channels
3. I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW - Johnny Nash- Uses the same analog transfer as Rhino's Billboard Top R&R Hits 1972 (1989) and Time-Life's Sounds Of The Seventies Vol. 3 1972 (1989; digitally identical to BB), which have correct left and right channels
- EMI Australia's 5-CD Seventies Complete Vol. 1 (1997) uses the same analog transfer as AM Gold and therefore has its left and right channels swapped
- Time-Life's 2-CD Singers And Songwriters Vol. 1 1972-1973 (2000) is digitally identical to AM Gold and therefore has its left and right channels swapped
4. I'M STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU - Al Green- Uses the same analog transfer as Time-Life's 4-CD Great Love Songs Of The 70's And 80's Vol. 4 Endless Love (1991) and Time-Life's Sounds Of The Seventies Vol. 13 1972 Take Two (1991; digitally identical to Great Love Songs), which have correct left and right channels
5. ALONE AGAIN (NATURALLY) - Gilbert O'Sullivan- Uses the same analog transfer as Rhino's Have A Nice Day Vol. 8 (1990), which has correct left and right channels
- Reader's Digest's 4-CD American Pie (1998) uses the same analog transfer as AM Gold and therefore has its left and right channels swapped
- Time-Life's 2-CD Singers And Songwriters Vol. 9 Early '70s (2000) is digitally identical to AM Gold and therefore has its left and right channels swapped
- Time-Life's 2-CD Seventies Music Explosion Vol. 4 Magic (2005) is digitally exactly 1.42 dB louder than AM Gold and therefore has its left and right channels swapped
6. (LAST NIGHT) I DIDN'T GET TO SLEEP AT ALL - Fifth Dimension- Uses the same analog transfer as Arista's 5th Dimension collection Greatest Hits On Earth (copyright 1972), which has correct left and right channels
- Razor & Tie/Warner Special Products' 2-CD Easy '70s (1993) uses the same analog transfer as AM Gold and therefore has its left and right channels swapped
7. NICE TO BE WITH YOU - Gallery (only on Superhits and original pressings of AM Gold)- Uses the same analog transfer as Rhino's Have A Nice Day Vol. 8 (1990), which has correct left and right channels
- Warner Special Products' 2-CD 40 Summer Fun Hits (1993) uses the same analog transfer as AM Gold and therefore has its left and right channels swapped
7. LONG COOL WOMAN (IN A BLACK DRESS) - Hollies (only on RE-1 rerelease of AM Gold)- Has the correct left/right channels; no left/right reversal on this track on the RE-1 rerelease; the other 20 tracks on the RE-1 rerelease do have their left and right channels swapped
- Digitally exactly 0.97 dB quieter than Rhino's Billboard Top R&R Hits 1972 (1989)
8. GARDEN PARTY - Rick Nelson- Uses the same analog transfer as Time-Life's Rock 'N' Roll Era Vol. 31 Ricky Nelson 1957-1972 (1990), which has correct left and right channels
- Time-Life's 2-CD Singers And Songwriters Vol. 9 Early '70s (2000) is digitally exactly 0.439 dB louder than AM Gold and therefore has its left and right channels swapped
9. SUMMER BREEZE - Seals And Crofts- Uses the same analog transfer as Time-Life's Sounds Of The Seventies Vol. 13 1972 Take Two (1991), which has correct left and right channels
- Time-Life's 2-CD Singers And Songwriters Vol. 1 1972-1973 (2000) is a differently-EQ digital clone of AM Gold and therefore has its left and right channels swapped
10. I'D LOVE YOU TO WANT ME - Lobo- Uses the same analog transfer as Rhino's Have A Nice Day Vol. 9 (1990), which has correct left and right channels
- Warner Special Products' 2-CD Night Songs (1994) uses the same analog transfer as AM Gold and therefore has its left and right channels swapped
- JCI's Only Love 1970-1974 (1995) uses the same analog transfer as AM Gold and therefore has its left and right channels swapped
- Time-Life's 2-CD Singers And Songwriters Vol. 9 Early '70s (2000) is digitally identical to AM Gold and therefore has its left and right channels swapped
- Time-Life's Ultimate Love Songs Collection Love Is You (2004) is digitally exactly 0.58 dB quieter than AM Gold and therefore has its left and right channels swapped
- Time-Life's 2-CD Seventies Music Explosion Vol. 1 Sunshine (2005) is digitally exactly 0.4 dB louder than AM Gold and therefore has its left and right channels swapped
11. PRECIOUS AND FEW - Climax- Uses the same analog transfer as Rhino's Have A Nice Day Vol. 7 (1990), which has correct left and right channels
- Razor & Tie/Warner Special Products' 2-CD Easy '70s (1993) uses the same analog transfer as AM Gold and therefore has its left and right channels swapped
- Time-Life's 2-CD Singers And Songwriters Vol. 16 1969-1972 (2001) is digitally identical to AM Gold and therefore has its left and right channels swapped
12. A HORSE WITH NO NAME - America- Uses the same analog transfer as Rhino's Billboard Top R&R Hits 1972 (1989) and Time-Life's Sounds Of The Seventies Vol. 3 1972 (1989; digitally identical to BB), which have correct left and right channels
- Time-Life's 2-CD Singers And Songwriters Vol. 1 1972-1973 (2000) is digitally identical to AM Gold and therefore has its left and right channels swapped
13. BRANDY (YOU'RE A FINE GIRL) - Looking Glass- Uses the same analog transfer as Sony's Rock Artifacts Vol. 2 (1991), which has correct left and right channels
- Warner Special Products' 2-CD 40 Summer Fun Hits (1993) uses the same analog transfer as AM Gold and therefore has its left and right channels swapped
- Reader's Digest's 4-CD American Pie (1998) uses the same analog transfer as AM Gold and therefore has its left and right channels swapped
- Time-Life's 2-CD Seventies Music Explosion Vol. 3 Miracles (2005) is digitally exactly 0.9 dB louder than AM Gold and therefore has its left and right channels swapped
14. EVERYBODY PLAYS THE FOOL - Main Ingredient- Uses the same analog transfer as RCA's Nipper's Greatest Hits The '70s (1989), which has correct left and right channels
- Time-Life's 2-CD Seventies Music Explosion Vol. 3 Miracles (2005) is digitally exactly 0.4 db louder than AM Gold and therefore has its left and right channels swapped
15. SYLVIA'S MOTHER - Dr. Hook And The Medicine Show- Uses the same analog transfer as Rhino's Have A Nice Day Vol. 8 (1990), which has correct left and right channels
16. OH GIRL - Chi-Lites- Uses the same analog transfer as Rhino's Billboard Top R&B Hits 1972 (1990), which has correct left and right channels
17. GOOD TIME CHARLIE'S GOT THE BLUES - Danny O'Keefe- I don't know the source of the mastering for AM Gold, but the left and right channels are swapped compared to Rhino's Have A Nice Day Vol. 17 (1993)
- Time-Life's 2-CD Singers And Songwriters Vol. 9 Early '70s (2000) is digitally identical to AM Gold and therefore has its left and right channels swapped
18. ME AND MRS. JONES - Billy Paul- Uses the same analog transfer as Rhino's Billboard Top R&B Hits 1972 (1990), which has correct left and right channels
- JCI's Only Soul 1970-1974 (1996) uses the same analog transfer as AM Gold and therefore has its left and right channels swapped
19. BABY DON'T GET HOOKED ON ME - Mac Davis- Uses the same analog transfer as Time-Life's 2-CD Echoes Of Love (1991), which has correct left and right channels
- Time-Life's 2-CD Singers And Songwriters Vol. 16 1969-1972 (2001) is digitally identical to AM Gold and therefore has its left and right channels swapped
- Time-Life's 2-CD Seventies Music Explosion Vol. 3 Miracles (2005) is digitally exactly 1.9 dB louder than AM Gold and therefore has its left and right channels swapped
20. WITHOUT YOU - Nilsson- Uses the same analog transfer as Time-Life's Sounds Of The Seventies Vol. 3 1972 (1989), which has correct left and right channels
- Waner Special Products' 2-CD Seventies Party Mix (1996) uses the same analog transfer as AM Gold and therefore has its left and right channels swapped
- Time-Life's 2-CD Singers And Songwriters Vol. 1 1972-1973 (2000) is digitally identical to AM Gold and therefore has its left and right channels swapped
- Time-Life's 2-CD Classic Soft Rock Vol. 4 More Than A Feeling (2006) uses the same analog transfer as AM Gold and therefore has its left and right channels swapped
21. NIGHTS IN WHITE SATIN - Moody Blues- Uses the same analog transfer as the Moody Blues collection Voices In The Sky (1984)
- Reader's Digest's 4-CD American Pie (1998) uses the same analog transfer as AM Gold and therefore has its left and right channels swapped
- Reader's Digest's 4-CD Time In A Bottle (2006) uses the same analog transfer as AM Gold and therefore has its left and right channels swapped
Edited by crapfromthepast on 10 August 2020 at 2:17pm
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eriejwg
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| Posted: 25 April 2018 at 10:23am | IP Logged
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I've always wondered, how does an entire series of discs,
in this case AM Gold, have the channels switched
throughout the entire series? Was it an in studio
masdtering error or did they receive the masters
elsewhere?
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crapfromthepast
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| Posted: 25 April 2018 at 10:57am | IP Logged
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I'd bet that the problem could probably be traced back to one particular mixing room, where a left channel output of a tape deck was mistakenly plugged into a right channel input on a mixing board, and vice versa.
The Superhits/AM Gold discs with the left/right problem were released in the 1990-1992 time frame, so it's possible that no one touched the equipment wiring in that time, and no one noticed.
For the batch of AM Gold discs released from 1996 onward, the left and right channels are correct. Those 1996-and-later discs seem to be all digital clones of earlier CDs, usually with a level change but no EQ adjustment. They sound great.
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AdvprosD
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| Posted: 09 August 2020 at 7:36pm | IP Logged
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This sounds like fun! I'm going to have to check this out.
Back in the DJ crates is a set of Superhits from a time when I wasn't able to order a whole collection at once. I'm glad Time-Life fixed that marketing strategy.
Or, maybe they were still laying down masters for the issues at that time and getting a whole set wasn't actually possible?
I did find a seller on ebay a few years back that sold me the whole set AM Gold discs, (At least the ones that were originally Superhits.) I think when they changed
the name over they started expanding the series to about double the size of the original set.
All the more reason for me to get this stuff out of the crates and onto shelves proper! My wife actually made the point to me one day by saying something to the effect of:
"What's the point in having all these CDs if you can't display them" It was pretty much the same statement for my Star Trek memorabilia which got priority for "Display."
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Top 40 Music on Compact Disc : Chat Board
Topic: Time-Life’s Superhits and AM Gold 1972
