Kinks sound quality / remasters

Posted by: Sloop John B on 23 December 2010

After watching the recent documentary on Ray Davis I decided to have an evening of the Kinks listening to several albums I got from Amazon at ridiculous prices earlier in the year.

Kontroversy first up. Eva the question am I listening to a very poor remaster or is this how it sounded way back when. It was actually recorded when I was born.

The version I have says p 1998 c 2004 Sanctuary records.

Listening to the village preservation society at the moment and it's sounding much better.

is there a mono stereo thing going on here too?


SJB
Posted on: 26 December 2010 by Nick Lees
The Kinks' sound was pretty archetypal for the time - that is, a pop band produced to sound good on a tiny, tinny AM portable radio. It's always been pretty thin, though at the time Something Else By The Kinks was a step forward (as well as being a wonderful album throughout) and it was the first album produced by Ray Davies rather than Shel Talmy, and again on Village Green.

The Sanctuary remasters are pretty good.
Posted on: 27 December 2010 by Sloop John B
Thanks Gary,

experience has taught me what a horrible job can be made of remasters that I just wanted to check whether I was missing something or was it not there in the first place.


Regards


John

SJB
Posted on: 28 December 2010 by Joe Bibb
John,

Best mastered (i.e. non-futzed with) Kinks Collection I have heard so far. It's from the 80s.



If you get a listen to this set you can soon see where later editions have been 'enhanced'.

This is a great set.

Joe
Posted on: 29 December 2010 by Guido Fawkes
The Kinks CDs and vinyl are of variable quality - the music is really good though.

The 6CD set - Picture Book is superb and there is the SHM version too )at a price).
It covers their career and has an undistorted middle-8 in Shangri-La

I'd also recommend the vinyl reissues on on Earmark.

The SACD of Muswell Hillbillies is very good.

The Kinks classic albums are
Something Else,
Village Green,
Arthur,
Lola vs The Powerman on the Moneygoround
Muswell Hillbillies.