HW: Levitation - couple of questions

[Paul Mather]

On Fri, 13 Jun 1997, Allan T. Grohe, Jr. wrote:

> >>I thought that Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon was among the first:
> >>I seem to recall seeing Digital Master recordings of it at record
> shows
> >>some years ago.  That would push the digital threshold back to '72-73.
> >
> >Hmmmmm, you could be right but I would be very surprised if quality
> >digital recording existed in 1972!
>
> Given the sound quality of DSotM, I would not doubt it.  That has always
> been one of the best sounding recordings I've listened to, no matter
> what format, for years.  Maybe they just did a brilliant job with
> analog?  I know that DSotM was used while shopping for new stereo
> systems, as an ideal "test" medium.

Maybe folks are getting a bit confused here.  To my knowledge, the
majority of the Pink Floyd catalogue was only relatively recently (i.e.
within the last couple of years) "digitally remastered," the results of
which went to form the _Shine On_ box set, initially, and, subsequently,
saw individual release.  I bought my copy of the remastered edition of
_Dark Side of the Moon_ in 1993, as a special "20th Anniversary Edition"
mini-box.

Back in my vinyl days, I would occasionally come across "Half-Speed
Mastered" versions of _Dark Side of the Moon_ and _Wish You Were Here_,
which were Japanese imports.  Maybe folks are thinking of those?

I think _Dark Side of the Moon_ is simply a well-engineered analogue
recording.  What's so unusual about that?  A bad microphone can undo even
the best quality digital recording equipment.

Cheers,

Paul.

obCD: Led Zeppelin, _The Song Remains the Same_ soundtrack

e-mail: paul at csgrad.cs.vt.edu                    A stranger in a strange land.