Corey Hart - Boy In The Box

Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic

   Yep, I agree that John Parr's "Naughty Naughty" is definitely the worst offender I've ever heard regarding severe audio quality deterioration occurring midway through a CD track's playback (it's documented here in this message board thread).  The first time I ever heard it, I actually thought something had gone dreadfully wrong with my headphones!  Fortunately, there are CDs that contain a much better mastering of the song.

I tend to believe that the situation with "Boy in the Box" is also likely the result of some tape damage.  It just seems so odd to me that a professional audio engineer would deliberately choose to master the song in such a manner where the volume and high frequency range just gradually drops off.  Thus, I suspect the audio problem is either in the original master tape or perhaps just the LP master if that's what was actually used to master the album's CD release.   It's my understanding that record labels were known to use LP mixdown tapes to master a number of CD releases during in the mid-'80s in a hasty attempt to rush out CD product to keep up with the format's soaring consumer demand.  Unless Universal or some other label ever attempts to reissue and remaster Boy in the Box on CD, my "homemade" remastering job is probably as good as we're going to hear the title track sound.

Edited by Todd Ireland

Author	Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic
Todd Ireland Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MusicFan Joined: 16 October 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote Todd Ireland Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 28 March 2025 at 12:42am
	Yep, I agree that John Parr's "Naughty Naughty" is definitely the worst offender I've ever heard regarding severe audio quality deterioration occurring midway through a CD track's playback (it's documented here in this message board thread). The first time I ever heard it, I actually thought something had gone dreadfully wrong with my headphones! Fortunately, there are CDs that contain a much better mastering of the song. I tend to believe that the situation with "Boy in the Box" is also likely the result of some tape damage. It just seems so odd to me that a professional audio engineer would deliberately choose to master the song in such a manner where the volume and high frequency range just gradually drops off. Thus, I suspect the audio problem is either in the original master tape or perhaps just the LP master if that's what was actually used to master the album's CD release. It's my understanding that record labels were known to use LP mixdown tapes to master a number of CD releases during in the mid-'80s in a hasty attempt to rush out CD product to keep up with the format's soaring consumer demand. Unless Universal or some other label ever attempts to reissue and remaster Boy in the Box on CD, my "homemade" remastering job is probably as good as we're going to hear the title track sound. Edited by Todd Ireland