Journey 180g Vinyl remaster reviews?

[IntelliVolume]

Funny I stumbled on this topic, as I have been contemplating getting Legacy's two-LP release of Journey's Greatest Hits, reissued on 180-gram vinyl and spread over two disks to enhance fidelity (a problem with the original vinyl release of this album, which I own and purchased when it came out circa 1988/1989, as they packed way too many tracks onto each side of the LP, causing horrific inner groove distortion upon playback)...

Does anyone have any information about this Legacy/Sony release of Journey's Greatest Hits on 180-gram vinyl? Does it sound at least as good as the original CD release (which I also own, and which, quite frankly, isn't all that "great" either in terms of dynamics and compression...seems to be a "Journey mastering thing")?

[sa5150]

Hard to say but i have heard lots of reviews that vinyl being called 180gm is a big gimmick . I'm trying to find the perfect Journey albums for SQ and so far I have not had much luck . that last remasters were crap and the 20bit ones are lifeless .

[IntelliVolume]

Originally Posted by sa5150

Hard to say but i have heard lots of reviews that vinyl being called 180gm is a big gimmick . I'm trying to find the perfect Journey albums for SQ and so far I have not had much luck . that last remasters were crap and the 20bit ones are lifeless .

Thanks for the reply to this old topic, sa (funny -- those are my initials). Indeed, the thickness of the vinyl isn't the judging parameter, it comes down to how the tracks were mastered and engineered in the studio...and it seems like there's just no effort anymore, being that most of these "indie house" labels reissuing many of the albums are run by millennials.

With regard to Journey, the Greatest Hits remaster was a major disappointment, as I understand Steve Perry and some other members of the band were personally involved in supervising the transfer of these tracks to vinyl and hi-res; it sure doesn't sound like it, though, as my 180-gram Legacy reissue comes off as harsh, sibilant and downright unlistenable in certain places. What's worse, they spread the album over two LPs for maximum fidelity in the grooves, yet the tracks are still packed tightly on each side and there is still inner groove distortion galore.

I'm tempted to buy the Greatest Hits yet a fourth time (I have Columbia's original vinyl LP plus the original CD, now this remastered vinyl) on the remastered CD, but if you're saying most of them sound like shit, well...

[sa5150]

Originally Posted by IntelliVolume

Thanks for the reply to this old topic, sa (funny -- those are my initials). Indeed, the thickness of the vinyl isn't the judging parameter, it comes down to how the tracks were mastered and engineered in the studio...and it seems like there's just no effort anymore, being that most of these "indie house" labels reissuing many of the albums are run by millennials.

With regard to Journey, the Greatest Hits remaster was a major disappointment, as I understand Steve Perry and some other members of the band were personally involved in supervising the transfer of these tracks to vinyl and hi-res; it sure doesn't sound like it, though, as my 180-gram Legacy reissue comes off as harsh, sibilant and downright unlistenable in certain places. What's worse, they spread the album over two LPs for maximum fidelity in the grooves, yet the tracks are still packed tightly on each side and there is still inner groove distortion galore.

I'm tempted to buy the Greatest Hits yet a fourth time (I have Columbia's original vinyl LP plus the original CD, now this remastered vinyl) on the remastered CD, but if you're saying most of them sound like shit, well...

Wow , I would have thought they should have done a good job on those 2 vinyls . I don't have a record player anymore but I'm thinking about it with cds being made with no dynamics and distorted these days .I'd rather try SACD but as for Journey there are no good ones yet. I guess from a DR point of view the original hits vinyl has the best sound but I can't really get passes the bad quality records were made like back then . Some one need to do these classic albums some justice maybe they can try Blu-ray-pure audio which has potential . What do you think of all the vinyl versions , Is it woth looking into ? Thanks

[IntelliVolume]

Originally Posted by sa5150

Wow , I would have thought they should have done a good job on those 2 vinyls . I don't have a record player anymore but I'm thinking about it with cds being made with no dynamics and distorted these days .I'd rather try SACD but as for Journey there are no good ones yet. I guess from a DR point of view the original hits vinyl has the best sound but I can't really get passes the bad quality records were made like back then . Some one need to do these classic albums some justice maybe they can try Blu-ray-pure audio which has potential . What do you think of all the vinyl versions , Is it woth looking into ? Thanks

The problem with the vinyl back in those late-80's days (when the Greatest Hits was initially released) was that with the popularity of Compact Disc, the labels just weren't putting much quality control into the records -- they were often jam-smashed full of tracks on each side, so the grooves were ridiculously thin and hard to track for a stylus (unless it's a micro-line) and the end songs were riddled with inner groove distortion. This is apparent on the Journey's Greatest Hits original LP release, as well as other albums from this time on vinyl such as Def Leppard's Hysteria and Fleetwood Mac's Tango in the Night...

I don't know about the individual Journey releases on vinyl, if that's what you're asking about, as I have only purchased their Greatest Hits album on vinyl and CD (it collects enough of the tracks I'm a fan of).

[sa5150]

Originally Posted by IntelliVolume

The problem with the vinyl back in those late-80's days (when the Greatest Hits was initially released) was that with the popularity of Compact Disc, the labels just weren't putting much quality control into the records -- they were often jam-smashed full of tracks on each side, so the grooves were ridiculously thin and hard to track for a stylus (unless it's a micro-line) and the end songs were riddled with inner groove distortion. This is apparent on the Journey's Greatest Hits original LP release, as well as other albums from this time on vinyl such as Def Leppard's Hysteria and Fleetwood Mac's Tango in the Night...

I don't know about the individual Journey releases on vinyl, if that's what you're asking about, as I have only purchased their Greatest Hits album on vinyl and CD (it collects enough of the tracks I'm a fan of).

Thats some good info , Do you know what are good labels to be looking for from vinyl ? Trying to find the best Boston Boston and all the remasters are quite poor , Wish they would do a sacd . What do you think of Hd tracks ?

[IntelliVolume]

Originally Posted by sa5150

Thats some good info , Do you know what are good labels to be looking for from vinyl ? Trying to find the best Boston Boston and all the remasters are quite poor , Wish they would do a sacd . What do you think of Hd tracks ?

It really is hit or miss with vinyl today; my Sony/Legacy 180-gram reissue of Kind of Blue by Miles Davis sounds fantastic, yet the Journey's Greatest Hits two-LP release we have been discussing, from the same label, does not.

I'm not really into downloading, so I can't be of much help with the HD tracks question...sorry.

[sa5150]

Originally Posted by IntelliVolume

It really is hit or miss with vinyl today; my Sony/Legacy 180-gram reissue of Kind of Blue by Miles Davis sounds fantastic, yet the Journey's Greatest Hits two-LP release we have been discussing, from the same label, does not.

I'm not really into downloading, so I can't be of much help with the HD tracks question...sorry.

Same here I have never did hd downloads . I copied a few and really do not see any difference in the cd over a hd track . do you like sacd 's ? I starting a collection now that there getting a better selection . The early ones like journey GH were not good at all.

[IntelliVolume]

Originally Posted by sa5150

Same here I have never did hd downloads . I copied a few and really do not see any difference in the cd over a hd track . do you like sacd 's ? I starting a collection now that there getting a better selection . The early ones like journey GH were not good at all.

I want to get into SACD but never get around to it, LOL.

[singhcr]

I ended up getting the remastered Escape album and it's stunning. Unlike many rereleases of classic music, this is not from a digital source. It's a total AAA release. The original 1981 US pressing is already pretty good, but this takes it to a whole new level.

I also got the Infinity album. It is not as good as the Escape album. I personally prefer the original US pressing as the EQ is better and just has a more open, detailed sound.

Unfortunately both of these LPs are long out of print and command very high prices. Thankfully the original pressings are of high quality, and are commonly available and affordable.

I can't comment on the greatest hits albums as I already own all of their LPs.

[sa5150]

Originally Posted by singhcr

I ended up getting the remastered Escape album and it's stunning. Unlike many rereleases of classic music, this is not from a digital source. It's a total AAA release. The original 1981 US pressing is already pretty good, but this takes it to a whole new level.

I also got the Infinity album. It is not as good as the Escape album. I personally prefer the original US pressing as the EQ is better and just has a more open, detailed sound.

Unfortunately both of these LPs are long out of print and command very high prices. Thankfully the original pressings are of high quality, and are commonly available and affordable.

I can't comment on the greatest hits albums as I already own all of their LPs.

Which one of Escape ? The remastered cd from 1996 and 2006 are both not very good . The 96 is flat no life and the 2006 is clipped and brickwalled.

[seangodschild]

Saw them live last year (even got to meet them), and i gotta say, as much as I absolutely place Perry on a pop/rock pedestal, Arnel Pineda is exactly that-- a Godsend. For the band AND for the fans. He's the real deal, and yet he has all the respect (adoration) in the world for Steve, and he stays humble. WIN!

[seangodschild]

You should DEFINITELY go. You'll be glad you did.

[IntelliVolume]

Originally Posted by seangodschild

Saw them live last year (even got to meet them), and i gotta say, as much as I absolutely place Perry on a pop/rock pedestal, Arnel Pineda is exactly that-- a Godsend. For the band AND for the fans. He's the real deal, and yet he has all the respect (adoration) in the world for Steve, and he stays humble. WIN!

[singhcr]

Originally Posted by sa5150

Which one of Escape ? The remastered cd from 1996 and 2006 are both not very good . The 96 is flat no life and the 2006 is clipped and brickwalled.

This is the remastered LP, it came out in 2011 I believe.