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crapfromthepast
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Posted: 22 July 2009 at 8:45pm | IP Logged Quote crapfromthepast
Motown has really cluttered up their back catalog with a ridiculous number of haphazard/substandard compilations, so this thread is an attempt to present the most highly regarded collections.

All of the following have three things going for them:
  • They're mostly mono until the '71 or '72 time frame.
  • They use the best-sounding tapes that have ever been unearthed.
  • They're mastered by some superb engineers who don't add extra compression or noise reduction.
If you're going to collectvintage Motown, start with the Bill Inglot discs:

Hitsville U.S.A.
  • Motown 37463-6312-2, 1992, 4 CDs
  • Mastered by Bill Inglot & Dan Hersch
  • All mono
  • Covers 1959-1971
This collection is basically Motown 101 - truly essential listening.

Hitsville U.S.A. Vol. II
  • Motown 37463-6358-2, 1993, 4 CDs
  • Mastered by Bill Inglot & Dan Hersch
  • All stereo except for "Papa Was A Rolling Stone"
  • Covers 1972-1992
A little less essential, some might say, but put together just as well as the first Hitsville box.

Mary Wells - Looking Back: 1961-1964
  • Motown 37463-6253-2, 1993, 2 CDs
  • Mastered by Bill Inglot & Dan Hersch
  • All tracks that are also on Hitsville Vol. 1 are digitally identical to Hitsville Vol. 1: "The One Who Really Loves You", "You Beat Me To The Punch", "Two Lovers" and "My Guy"
Marvelettes - Deliver: The Singles 1961-1971
  • Motown 37463-6259-2, 1993, 2 CDs
  • Mastered by Bill Inglot & Dan Hersch
  • One track digitally identical to Hitsville Vol. 1: "Don't Mess With Bill"
  • Three tracks sound very close to Hitsville Vol. 1 but aren't digital clones: "Please Mr. Postman", "Beechwood 4-5789" and "The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game"
Martha & The Vandellas - Live Wire! The Singles 1962-1972
  • Motown 37463-6313-2, 1993, 2 CDs
  • Mastered by Bill Inglot & Dan Hersch
  • All tracks that are also on Hitsville Vol. 1 are digitally identical to Hitsville Vol. 1: "Come And Get These Memories", "Heatwave", "Dancing In TheStreet", "Nowhere To Run", "Love (Makes Me Do Foolish Things)" and "Jimmy Mack"
Smokey Robinson and the Miracles - The 35th Anniversary Collection
  • Motown 37463-6334-2, 1994, 4 CDs
  • Mastered by Bill Inglot & Dan Hersch
  • All tracks that are also on Hitsville Vol. 1 are digitally identical to Hitsville Vol. 1: "Shop Around", "You've Really Got A Hold On Me", "Mickey's Monkey", "Ooo Baby Baby", "Tracks Of My Tears", "More Love", "I Second That Emotion", "Baby Baby Don't Cry", "The Tears Of A Clown", "Do It Baby" (onHitsville Vol. 2), "Love Machine" (on Vol. 2), "Quiet Storm" (on Vol. 2), "Cruisin'" (on Vol. 2), "Being With You" (on Vol. 2), "Just To See Her" (on Vol. 2) and "One Heartbeat" (on Vol. 2)
Smokey Robinson and the Miracles - Anthology
  • Motown 31453-0472-2, 1995, 2 CDs
  • Mastered by Bill Inglot & Dan Hersch
  • I don't have this one, but it's better than 50/50 that all of the tracks on here are digitally identical to those on the 4-CD 35 Anniversary box. It's just a matter of how much you like Smokey.
Commodores - Anthology
  • Motown 31453-0358-2, 1995, 2 CDs
  • Mastered by Bill Inglot & Dan Hersch
  • Four tracks digitally identical to Hitsville Vol. 2: "Easy", "Brick House",
    "Three Times A Lady", "Sail On"
    • A few tracks different mastering than Hitsville: "Still" (clips a bit on this CD), "Lady (You Bring Me Up)" (different mastering and about 5 seconds longer than Hitsville), "Nightshift" (different EQ than Hitsville and runs about 45 seconds longer)
Supremes - Anthology
  • Motown 31453-0511-2, 1995, 2 CDs
  • Mastered by Bill Inglot & Dan Hersch
  • All tracks that are also on Hitsville Vol. 1 are digitally identical to Hitsville Vol. 1: "Baby Love", "Come See About Me", "You Can't Hurry Love", "Love Child", "Up The Ladder To The Roof", "Stoned Love", "Nathan Jones"
  • Also on Hitsville Vol. 2 but didn't compare them: "Floy Joy"
Rare Earth - Anthology
  • Motown 31453-0486-2, 1995, 2 CDs
  • Mastered by Bill Inglot & Dan Hersch
  • I don't have this one
  • All or mostly stereo
Michael Jackson - Anthology
  • Motown 31453-0480-2, 1995, 2 CDs
  • Mastered by Bill Inglot & Dan Hersch (?)
  • I don't have this, and can't confirm 100% that's it's a Bill Inglot mastering. And due to recent events, it may be some time before I find one...
That's all I found by Bill Inglot. The next batch is mastered by other people.

Temptations - Anthology
  • Motown 31453-0524-2, 1995, 2 CDs
  • Mastered by Danny Caccavo
  • CD 1 is mono, CD 2 is stereo
  • No digital clones
Marvin Gaye - Anthology
  • Motown 31453-0524-2, 1995, 2 CDs
  • Mastered by Gavin Lurssen
  • CD 1 is mono, CD 2 is stereo and is mostly 45 versions
  • No digital clones from Hitsville
  • CD 1 has digital clones of The Master 1961-1984: Tracks 1-10, 12-13, 15-17 and 19-27
  • CD 1 has one different mix/version than The Master: Track 11
  • CD 1 has two tracks not on The Master: Tracks 14 and 18
  • CD 2 has the same version but different mastering on tracks 6, 10-12, 16-18; sound is extremely close to The Master on all of these
  • CD 2 has different mix/version than The Master: Tracks 1, 3-4, 8-9, 13-15
  • CD 2 has five tracks not on The Master: Tracks 2, 5, 7 and 19-20
Marvin Gaye - The Master 1961-1984
  • Motown 31453-0492-2, 1995, 4 CDs
  • Mastered by Gavin Lurssen
  • CDs 1 and 2 are mono, CDs 3 and 4 are stereo and are mostly LP versions
Gladys Knight and the Pips - Anthology
  • Motown 31453-0483-2, 1995, 2 CDs
  • Mastered by Erick Labson
  • Some stereo, some rerecordings
  • This is part of the widely praised 2-CD Anthology set, but I really wasn't too happy with this one. Too much stereo.
Grover Washington, Jr. - Anthology
  • Motown 31453-0620-2, 1996, 2 CDs
  • He was on Motown from 1971-1979! Who knew? I don't have this one.
Temptations - One By One: Best Of Their Solo Years - Anthology
  • Motown 31453-0615-2, 1996, 2 CDs
  • Very pricey. I don't have this one. Lots of LP versions.
Finally, a terrific little set of 5 CDs, each with 12 mono tracks from 1960-1964. Very uncommon track selection, excellent sound throughout. A lot of duplication with just CD 1 of The Hitsville Vol. 1 box, and about half of the duplicated tracks are digital clones of Hitsville. These were a great find for me.

Motown Classic Hits Vol. 1
  • Motown 31453-0403-2, 1994, 1 CD, 12 mono tracks
  • Mastered by Lee Herschberg
  • A few tracks are differently-EQ'd digital clones of Hitsville Vol. 1: "Come And Get These Memories", "The One Who Really Loves You", "Jamie", "Do You Love Me", "Shop Around", "Money (That's What I Want)" and "Please Mr. Postman"
Motown Classic Hits Vol. 2
  • Motown 31453-0419-2, 1995, 1 CD, 12 mono tracks
  • Mastered by Lee Herschberg
  • One track is differently-EQ'ddigital clones of Hitsville Vol. 1: "Fingertips (Pt. 2)"
Motown Classic Hits Vol. 3
  • Motown 31453-0420-2, 1995, 1 CD, 12 mono tracks
  • Mastered by Lee Herschberg
  • No digital clones of Hitsville Vol. 1
Motown Classic Hits Vol. 4
  • Motown 31453-0421-2, 1995, 1 CD, 12 mono tracks
  • Mastered by Lee Herschberg
  • No digital clones of Hitsville Vol. 1
Motown Classic Hits Vol. 5
  • Motown 31453-0422, 1995, 1 CD, 12 mono tracks
  • Mastered by Lee Herschberg
  • No digital clones of Hitsville Vol. 1
And there are others that get honorable mention, but I can't speak to the sound quality or the mastering engineers:
  • Temptations - Emperors Of Soul (Motown 31453-0338-2, 1994, 5 CD, seems to be mono through about 1969)
  • Jr. Walker & The All Stars - Nothing But Soul: The Singles 1962-1983 (Motown 37463-6270-2, 1994, 2 CD, mostly mono)
  • Four Tops - Fourever (Hip-O Select 31455-6225-2, 2001, 4 CD, mastered by Kevin Reeves?)
Thoughts? Corrections? Omission? Have at it...

[Edited 5/14/2013 to update Rare Earth mastering info, thanks to Dillydipper.]

Edited by crapfromthepast on 14 May 2013 at 3:16pm

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PopArchivist
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Posted: 03 September 2020 at 7:23pm | IP Logged Quote PopArchivist
Thank you 11 years later. Never knew this thread existed until you linked it in the other thread.

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C J Brown
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Posted: 04 September 2020 at 4:19pm | IP Logged Quote C J Brown
Likewise - awesome thread
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Paul C
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Posted: 05 September 2020 at 7:47am | IP Logged Quote Paul C
When it comes to collecting Motown in mono on CD, the
discs to avoid are the The Ultimate Collection
releases. I am by no means an audiophile, but these
discs tend to have a compressed, harsh sound. The Four
Tops disc is perhaps the worst.
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C J Brown
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Posted: 05 September 2020 at 4:14pm | IP Logged Quote C J Brown
OK thanks for that tip. I do not own any Ultimate
Collections at this time. Thanks to you I will not in the
future.
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LunarLaugh
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Posted: 08 September 2020 at 8:46am | IP Logged Quote LunarLaugh
Paul C wrote:
When it comes to collecting Motown in
mono on CD, the
discs to avoid are the The Ultimate Collection
releases. I am by no means an audiophile, but these
discs tend to have a compressed, harsh sound. The Four
Tops disc is perhaps the worst.

I agree. I own both The Four Tops and The Temptations
and a big issue with these discs is that they
transferred mono mixes using a stereo playback head.
That's not a huge deal but instead of isolating only
the left of right channel and centering it (which is
the better way to go about this), they summed both
channels to mono which causes some swirly sound on a
number of tracks due to alignment issues and phase.
Also they used noise reduction which really wrecked the
sound quality.

The Hitsville USA box contains transfers that utilized
an authentic full-track mono playback machine similar
to the one the tapes were originally recorded with. No
telling why Motown felt the need to go back to some of
those tapes again and totally botch it up. There was a
lot of internal shakeups going on at the label around
that time so it's possibly they had an "out with the
old, in with the new" mentality that didn't serve the
music well.

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