Best Sound for 1969 Memphis Masters

[mmoie]

Hi I am doing this project of redoing all of the Elvis Masters as done on the Complete Masters set but using the best sound of whats available.And when a better sound of a paticular song is released I replace it.I burn all my best sounding songs on to CDRS.
I now am at year 1969 and really this is where it is getting a bit awarkward as there are so many releases of these songs.
I know this sound subjective but wondering what the concenses is to where are the best sounding 69 Memphis Masters.
I do have various versions e.g USA, German,.The Japanese paper sleeve,K2 mastering Japanese. release,
Legacy,The Complete Masters ,The Album Collection The Memphis Record and also Elvissellers remixed versions of these songs.
And just cannot decide which ones to use .
Elvissellers are very good but I find that sometimes certain instruments are removed or back up singers are kept back in the mix also some tracks are extended and I want to keep songs length as originally released.
I Think the K2 Japanese release from 1999 has a great sound on most songs..
Just wondering what is the opinion regarding this subject.
Thanks in advance
Regards MATTTCB

[dougkapp]

I believe the best source for the Memphis masters are the FTD From Elvis In Memphis, Back In Memphis and American Sound. I read an interview with an engineer saying that these recordings had a 6db difference from one channel to the other. This difference was generated by mixing equipment that was not properly calibrated.

[LSP-4445]

My favorite is still the japanese paper sleeve editions of the FEIM and BIM albums.
Some think they are too bright sounding but I dont mind that.
I simply love the stereo mix on them.

[Mikrt17]

My favorite is still the japanese paper sleeve editions of the FEIM and BIM albums.
Some think they are too bright sounding but I dont mind that.
I simply love the stereo mix on them.

The Japanese editions are from copy masters sent from the States and then copied to 24 bit and eq'ed. To my taste they sound harsh, I prefer the FTD masters which are warmer sounding and are from original master mixes.

[emjel]

Hi I am doing this project of redoing all of the Elvis Masters as done on the Complete Masters set but using the best sound of whats available.And when a better sound of a paticular song is released I replace it.I burn all my best sounding songs on to CDRS.
I now am at year 1969 and really this is where it is getting a bit awarkward as there are so many releases of these songs.
I know this sound subjective but wondering what the concenses is to where are the best sounding 69 Memphis Masters.
I do have various versions e.g USA, German,.The Japanese paper sleeve,K2 mastering Japanese. release,
Legacy,The Complete Masters ,The Album Collection The Memphis Record and also Elvissellers remixed versions of these songs.
And just cannot decide which ones to use .
Elvissellers are very good but I find that sometimes certain instruments are removed or back up singers are kept back in the mix also some tracks are extended and I want to keep songs length as originally released.
I Think the K2 Japanese release from 1999 has a great sound on most songs..
Just wondering what is the opinion regarding this subject.
Thanks in advance
Regards MATTTCB

A strange question. As you have identified, this kind of thing is very subjective so if you get 100 replies with 80% favouring the FTD releases, are you going to compile from those even though you may prefer the Jap paper sleeve releases.

[elvis-fan]

Hi I am doing this project of redoing all of the Elvis Masters as done on the Complete Masters set but using the best sound of whats available.And when a better sound of a paticular song is released I replace it.I burn all my best sounding songs on to CDRS.
I now am at year 1969 and really this is where it is getting a bit awarkward as there are so many releases of these songs.
I know this sound subjective but wondering what the concenses is to where are the best sounding 69 Memphis Masters.
I do have various versions e.g USA, German,.The Japanese paper sleeve,K2 mastering Japanese. release,
Legacy,The Complete Masters ,The Album Collection The Memphis Record and also Elvissellers remixed versions of these songs.
And just cannot decide which ones to use .
Elvissellers are very good but I find that sometimes certain instruments are removed or back up singers are kept back in the mix also some tracks are extended and I want to keep songs length as originally released.
I Think the K2 Japanese release from 1999 has a great sound on most songs..
Just wondering what is the opinion regarding this subject.
Thanks in advance
Regards MATTTCB

A strange question. As you have identified, this kind of thing is very subjective so if you get 100 replies with 80% favouring the FTD releases, are you going to compile from those even though you may prefer the Jap paper sleeve releases.

Agreed... there's no right answer to your question... trust your ears!!

[dougkapp]

My favorite is still the japanese paper sleeve editions of the FEIM and BIM albums.
Some think they are too bright sounding but I dont mind that.
I simply love the stereo mix on them.

The Japanese editions are from copy masters sent from the States and then copied to 24 bit and eq'ed. To my taste they sound harsh, I prefer the FTD masters which are warmer sounding and are from original master mixes.

That's right !! Japanese paper sleeve were taken from the same masters.
And for me the sound quality is the same of others releases.
The only Japanese release that I could observe better sound quality is SHMCD. I have On Stage and From Elvis In Memphis.

[TINML]

FTD's if you want alternate takes but the 2 fer Legacy Edition is a great value if you just want the masters.

https://www.discogs.com/Elvis-Presley-From-Elvis-In-Memphis/release/3102855

I really wished we could've gotten remixed masters on the last FTD release of these sessions, I am NOT a fan of the wonky stereo mixes we've had all these years.

[LSP-4445]

My favorite is still the japanese paper sleeve editions of the FEIM and BIM albums.
Some think they are too bright sounding but I dont mind that.
I simply love the stereo mix on them.

The Japanese editions are from copy masters sent from the States and then copied to 24 bit and eq'ed. To my taste they sound harsh, I prefer the FTD masters which are warmer sounding and are from original master mixes.

That's right !! Japanese paper sleeve were taken from the same masters.
And for me the sound quality is the same of others releases.
The only Japanese release that I could observe better sound quality is SHMCD. I have On Stage and From Elvis In Memphis.

I have heard them all...including SHMCD edition....and my favorites is still the old paper sleeve ones.
Cant explain it but there is something about the stereo image that I like,very wide if that makes any sense :/
On Stage is another favorite in this series...the only poor one is the faulty TTWII release.

[dougkapp]

In the 80's I bought a version of From Elvis In Memphis, which had excellent sound. It was released by Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab in the Original Master Recording series. The sound was fantastic. For many years I waited for the CD release of this version, but it never happened. A pity.

[bajo]

Well, I ran through 32 FTD master tracks of the Memphis sessions yesterday, in the order they were recorded, more or less!
And to me, I am fine with the FTD releases of those masters. The Memphis Record was somehow a different angle to those sessions. I liked some of it, but still return to the "originals", speaking FTD!

[colonel snow]

1969 – Memphis sessions
The draft mix tape is circulating for years. Tracks were partly released on various CD’s.
A few tracks (not on draft mix tape) like Inherit the wind – composite version # 2 is unreleased (acetate version only – with poor sound quality)


colonel snow

[mmoie]

Hi I also have the SHMCD edition and don't rate it compared to other Japanese releases ,I have all the Elvis SHMCD releases and really don't rate them.
I was hoping that Sony Japan would rerelease FEIM and BIM in Blu Ray Spec as the titles that have been released through this series are excellent.
But it looks like Sony Japan have ceased manufacturing Elvis CDS and are importing Elvis cds from USA and the EU.
So the chance of this happening is not good
Its also a pity FTD did not remix the masters and include them in the American Sound 1969 release.
I don't think Sony will spend the money on remixing these masters hope I am wrong but I don't think it will happen.
As has been said by me and confirmed by other people on this post that sound is subjective but was just wondering what other audio heads thought.
Regards MATTTCB

[elvis-fan]

As has been mentioned, for my money, sound quality (for at least the tracks included on From Elvis In Memphis) doesn't get better than this...
.

elvis.jpg

[drghanem]

In my humble opinion, the original US vinylpressing of From Elvis in Memphis has the best sound to date. I am fortunate to own a mint copy and it wins easily over the somewhat muffled MFSL-release from the early 80ś. Just my two cents.

[Rich_TCB]

All I know is . . . you will never, ever hear "Suspicious Minds" any better than the master included on the "Back In Memphis" FTD.

It is absolute perfection.

[dougkapp]

1969 – Memphis sessions
The draft mix tape is circulating for years. Tracks were partly released on various CD’s.
A few tracks (not on draft mix tape) like Inherit the wind – composite version # 2 is unreleased (acetate version only – with poor sound quality)


colonel snow

Is this draft mix tape available on a CD? Or could someone make it available via WeTransfer?
Tks !

[Buddy]

All I know is . . . you will never, ever hear "Suspicious Minds" any better than the master included on the "Back In Memphis" FTD.

It is absolute perfection.

Can't agree. The BEST mix of SM was released on the following Gold 1997 CD (not the later SACD version) remastered by Steve Hoffman

Z.jpg

[LSP-4445]

All I know is . . . you will never, ever hear "Suspicious Minds" any better than the master included on the "Back In Memphis" FTD.

It is absolute perfection.

Can't agree. The BEST mix of SM was released on the following Gold 1997 CD (not the later SACD version) remastered by Steve Hoffman

I think I have this one so will give it a listen.
I know many doesnt like the first edition of Elv1S 30 #1 Hits and the SM version there but I actually do

[Buddy]

Hi I am doing this project of redoing all of the Elvis Masters as done on the Complete Masters set but using the best sound of whats available.And when a better sound of a paticular song is released I replace it.I burn all my best sounding songs on to CDRS.
I now am at year 1969 and really this is where it is getting a bit awarkward as there are so many releases of these songs.
I know this sound subjective but wondering what the concenses is to where are the best sounding 69 Memphis Masters.
I do have various versions e.g USA, German,.The Japanese paper sleeve,K2 mastering Japanese. release,
Legacy,The Complete Masters ,The Album Collection The Memphis Record and also Elvissellers remixed versions of these songs.
And just cannot decide which ones to use .
Elvissellers are very good but I find that sometimes certain instruments are removed or back up singers are kept back in the mix also some tracks are extended and I want to keep songs length as originally released.
I Think the K2 Japanese release from 1999 has a great sound on most songs..
Just wondering what is the opinion regarding this subject.
Thanks in advance
Regards MATTTCB

A.

s-l1600.jpg

Elvis Presley ‎From Elvis In Memphis LP Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab ‎– MFSL 1-059, Half Speed Mastering 1981

B.

2Q==.jpg

Japan 24 Bit paper sleeve Edition

[Aura Lee]

All I know is . . . you will never, ever hear "Suspicious Minds" any better than the master included on the "Back In Memphis" FTD.

It is absolute perfection.

Can't agree. The BEST mix of SM was released on the following Gold 1997 CD (not the later SACD version) remastered by Steve Hoffman

I think I have this one so will give it a listen.
I know many doesnt like the first edition of Elv1S 30 #1 Hits and the SM version there but I actually do

It has an awful flanging effect on that version of SM on E1 .

[SuspiciousMinds]

FTD's if you want alternate takes but the 2 fer Legacy Edition is a great value if you just want the masters.

https://www.discogs.com/Elvis-Presley-From-Elvis-In-Memphis/release/3102855

I really wished we could've gotten remixed masters on the last FTD release of these sessions, I am NOT a fan of the wonky stereo mixes we've had all these years.

I don't know about "wonky stereo mixes" but definitely outdated. I don't know what it is about those Memphis session songs, but they have re-mixed every last song out there in Elvis catalogue except those ones. The one thing that I really hate is that the voices are drowned in echo.

[elvis-fan]

Hi I am doing this project of redoing all of the Elvis Masters as done on the Complete Masters set but using the best sound of whats available.And when a better sound of a paticular song is released I replace it.I burn all my best sounding songs on to CDRS.
I now am at year 1969 and really this is where it is getting a bit awarkward as there are so many releases of these songs.
I know this sound subjective but wondering what the concenses is to where are the best sounding 69 Memphis Masters.
I do have various versions e.g USA, German,.The Japanese paper sleeve,K2 mastering Japanese. release,
Legacy,The Complete Masters ,The Album Collection The Memphis Record and also Elvissellers remixed versions of these songs.
And just cannot decide which ones to use .
Elvissellers are very good but I find that sometimes certain instruments are removed or back up singers are kept back in the mix also some tracks are extended and I want to keep songs length as originally released.
I Think the K2 Japanese release from 1999 has a great sound on most songs..
Just wondering what is the opinion regarding this subject.
Thanks in advance
Regards MATTTCB

Well Matt... there you go... based on this thread, the answer is as clear as mud...

[emjel]

Hi I am doing this project of redoing all of the Elvis Masters as done on the Complete Masters set but using the best sound of whats available.And when a better sound of a paticular song is released I replace it.I burn all my best sounding songs on to CDRS.
I now am at year 1969 and really this is where it is getting a bit awarkward as there are so many releases of these songs.
I know this sound subjective but wondering what the concenses is to where are the best sounding 69 Memphis Masters.
I do have various versions e.g USA, German,.The Japanese paper sleeve,K2 mastering Japanese. release,
Legacy,The Complete Masters ,The Album Collection The Memphis Record and also Elvissellers remixed versions of these songs.
And just cannot decide which ones to use .
Elvissellers are very good but I find that sometimes certain instruments are removed or back up singers are kept back in the mix also some tracks are extended and I want to keep songs length as originally released.
I Think the K2 Japanese release from 1999 has a great sound on most songs..
Just wondering what is the opinion regarding this subject.
Thanks in advance
Regards MATTTCB

Well Matt... there you go... based on this thread, the answer is as clear as mud...

And the fact that he already has so many releases already in his possession makes the question posed even more strange. But with so many answers or viewpoints given, I can see the project for 1969 being finished in the next day or so

[LSP-4445]

FTD's if you want alternate takes but the 2 fer Legacy Edition is a great value if you just want the masters.

The legacy release is `worthless` to me…..2 of the best songs from the 1969 sessions in mono sound only