Good Achtung Baby CD? I got a bad one.


Achtung Baby is probably my favorite US album. When it first came out I had it on cassette tape. Then, years later acquired it via iTunes. Always listened to it on OEM car stereos or low end systems.

Now that I've got my high end system I do not like the SQ of the standard compressed iTunes version. So I did a little research on the dynamic range web site dr. loudness-war and purchased a cheaply priced copy of the Island Records CD (314-510 347-2, cat # D125174) that rated pretty highly on that site in regard to dynamic range anyway.

Well, it does not sound good. Way too bass heavy and bass is a muddy wall of background noise, midrange and vocals seem lost in it all, treble is okay. It seems like the dynamic range is concentrated in the high and low ends. I noticed on the CD that it was "Manufactured for BMG Direct Marketing, Inc." I'm assuming this was a club CD. It was new (old stock). Don't know if that might be part of the problem or not.

I compared it to Tidal's high res version (but just from my laptop to pre-amp via RCA cord, no DAC) and even that sounded better than the CD but still not great in my opinion.

So I'm wondering, who has a CD of this album that they like? I do not have an SACD player or BluRay. Or do all the CD versions sound so-so? That would be surprising for a band like U2 but still possible I guess. Any recommendations much appreciated.

George


n80
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That makes things complicated...in other words, if that is not the problem, then what is?

The implication is that you can consult the dynamic range data base and pick out the fullest dynamic representation but that alone, of course, doesn't say anything else about the whole package, the overall SQ.

And to me that is frustrating. I have a handful of CDs that are so sonically appealing that the actual song itself isn't as critical. In other words, they aren't among my all time favorites but they are so well recorded and presented on the format (CD) that they are a joy to listen to. A few that come to mind: Aja by Steely Dan, The Soul Cages by Sting, Dire Straits by Dire Straits, Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here.

I want that in all of my CDs. So when it comes to an album like Achtung Baby which contains some of my favorite individual songs, it is disappointing when the SQ is not as compelling as I would like it to be. Then what? How many CDs do I have to buy before finding one with that SQ.....assuming it exists. Maybe it doesn't.

And then maybe it is juts a matter of taste in regard to SQ? A certain way I want stuff to sound? Maybe U2 didn't want it to sound the way I want it to. That may be it. It seems ponderously bass heavy and I know that has been a trend over the decades. Maybe I've just fallen out of love with that take on popular music. I certainly hear, and do not like, the loudness pumped into a number of recent CDs....but not this one per se.

Anyway, just thinking out loud. I appreciate the thoughts on the matter.

I'll give this CD another listen or two. Maybe it just needs a little more volume to tighten up....I'll have to wait for my wife to go out and crank it up.
Seems to me what you remember from your original tape is the US release. I would look for an original US release CD or the 2011 remaster. I understand your frustration I have some cd's I rarely listen to  and have tossed some out. 
I’m not saying the quality of the CD in n80’s possession is due to being a BMG release. It most likely is a poor quality pressing or a defect. My point was to find the best pressing possible.

The SQ of a record club release being different than the record label is solely due to my experience with classical CDs. I have more than a few BMG and Columbia House issues that dont measure up.
Club issues for rock and pop probably are relabeled discs. Often with classical CDs and LPs, the record club would have paid to have a series of music pressed separately for their distribution.
Some club issues of a certain composer have been purchased later in their entirety and remastered for release by a record label.


And to me that is frustrating. I have a handful of CDs that are so sonically appealing that the actual song itself isn't as critical.
Same here. The sonics are so good it makes for an enjoyable listening session.
  I'm repeating myself, but in many cases I have taken SQ advice from the Steve Hoffman forum.