Listening now to this stereo/mono CD.

[Uncle Obscure]

Pound per pound, there was no better value in artist collections or reissues than one of these classic compilations from RHINO. Has it really been going on 30 years since they unleashed this beauty? Great track list and spectacular (non-brickwalled) sound...the premature death of the CD and other physical media for the "convenience" of streaming is an absolute shame. I pulled this one off the shelf the other day to give it a spin and it completely blew me away! Oh yeah, and check out the promise!

 

[somethingcleveridunno]

A good friend finally turned me on to Starcastle. Loaned me his Rock Candy CDs. Loved the music, but it sounded compressed... Threw "Lady of the Lake" into Audacity and it's brickwalled to death.
Grabbed the 1992 Epic US CD (EK 33914) to compare, and it's a night-and-day difference in dynamic range.

CANDY089 above, EK 33914 below:

AIRAC-1637, SICP 31460, and the current downloadable versions all seem to use the same brickwalled version.

Unforgivably bad since from all I can find out, Rock Candy didn't even go back to the original tapes for their "remaster," they just EQ'd and compressed the heck out of the Epic CD for the Rock Candy.

 

[Mr. Afternoon]

SICP 31460, and the current downloadable versions all seem to use the same brickwalled version.

On a related note, I've been noticing that Sony, even in the modern day, really does not like putting uncompressed masters on anything that isn't an SACD...I have numerous SACDs now where the CD layer and streaming service versions are all bricked to death but the SACD layer is completely devoid of any compression!

 

[The Rang]

A good friend finally turned me on to Starcastle. Loaned me his Rock Candy CDs. Loved the music, but it sounded compressed... Threw "Lady of the Lake" into Audacity and it's brickwalled to death.
Grabbed the 1992 Epic US CD (EK 33914) to compare, and it's a night-and-day difference in dynamic range.

CANDY089 above, EK 33914 below:
View attachment 111600

AIRAC-1637, SICP 31460, and the current downloadable versions all seem to use the same brickwalled version.

Unforgivably bad since from all I can find out, Rock Candy didn't even go back to the original tapes for their "remaster," they just EQ'd and compressed the heck out of the Epic CD for the Rock Candy.

I love this album, luckily on vinyl and Epic CD, really proves you can’t trust Rock Candy

 

[4-earredwonder]

A VERY SPECIAL CHRISTMAS ... VARIOUS ARTISTS [A&M RECORDS] YEP, IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN. STILL A GREAT ALBUM FOR ROCKERS OF ALL AGES

 

[4-earredwonder]

Frank SINATRA Count BASIE The Complete Reprise Studio Recordings [Concord Music] Gorgeous uncompressed remaster of two incomparable titans!

 

[somethingcleveridunno]

I love this album, luckily on vinyl and Epic CD, really proves you can’t trust Rock Candy

You definitely can't. "Fountains of Light" with CANDY090 above, RMED00128 below.