From hennemusic.com:

Deep Purple: Machine Head 40th Anniversary box set due this fall

Deep Purple will release The 40th Anniversary Edition of their 1972 album classic, "Machine Head," on October 8.

The new box set features 5 discs and will be accompanied with fully illustrated 60 page hardback booklet, housed in a luxury box.

Contents include:

* CD1: "Machine Head" original album 2012 remaster
* CD2: 1997 remix by Deep Purple bassist Roger Glover
* CD3: Original album Quad SQ stereo (2012 remaster)
* CD4: "In Concert '72" - 2012 Mix (recorded live at Paris Theatre, London on March 9, 1972)
* DVD: 2012 high-resolution remaster and surround mix

The companion booklet features:

•Detailed essays from original bassist Roger Glover and Mojo magazine editor Phil Alexander.

•Quotations from Deep Purple fans Mikael Akerfelt, Luke Morley, Sebastian Vettel, Eddie Jordan, Brian Tatler, Janick Gers and Peter Hook.

• An interview with famed photographer Didi Zill, whose photos of the legendary recording sessions in Switzerland illustrate the booklet.

Released in March of 1972, “Machine Head” was famously recorded through December 1971 in Montreux, Switzerland. The location became the central storyline in “Smoke On The Water,” which outlined the tale of the band watching the Montreux Casino burn down during a performance by Frank Zappa.

Deep Purple are currently recording a new album with producer Bob Ezrin in Nashville.



5-Disc Box Set
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B008S6B41C/?tag=imwan-21

1-CD
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B008S6B48K/?tag=imwan-21

"High-res" DVD is a bit of a misnomer in the headline as I believe that only the stereo remaster will be "high-res" on this upcoming DVD set.

This website here: http://www.esounds.com/esounds/EN/Detai ... 9946326928

It states that the surround mixes will be DTS 96/24 and Dolby Digital only, and while the former does sound very good, it is not high-res, indicating that this will not be a "high-res" DVD-Audio disc, but simply a DVD-Video disc just like all of the other recent EMI surround releases.

Nothing new here. The real DVD-A can still be easily found. There was a Euro Hybrid SACD with the 5.1 mix that is OOP but you can still get a Japanese Warner version.

Was the Paris 1972 concert previously released...?

If it's nothing new, then why are 3 of the discs listed as 2012 masters? Just asking. Are they fibbing? I'm probably not interested anyway, as it seems like nothing I really need-but I'd get a new remaster if it was available seperately.

The Paris 72 concert was a hybrid SACD on the Audio Fidelity label.

I have the deluxe CD on Rhino, the SACD, the Audio Fidelity Gold and the Live show on SACD.
That's enough.

I'll pass on this set.

Though I haven't heard it yet , I got a copy of the HD Tracks 96/24 mix. Hopefully it isn't the usual compressed Warner dvd-a that hdt does often use. If memory serves, the SACD is ok, but nothing to rave about.

I believe the 1972 live show is the same as disc 2 of the "In Concert" set that was released years ago and rereleased a few times since .

I have a CD of demos from the Machine Head sessions where the quality isn't the greatest but the tracks are of high interest.
If they could had a better source this material would have made this set a must have.

With that said I agree with Blair G. I have so many versions already I'll pass. There's too much other stuff to get.

Rick A.

The details:

Purple‘s 1972 Machine Head album gets a 40th anniversary reissue on 8 October which includes a 4CD+DVD box set.

The influential album was the band’s sixth, and would top the chart in the UK. Its most famous song Smoke On The Water described the burning down of Montreux Casino in Switzerland where the band had originally planned to record the album.

This new box set features a new 2012 master of the album, the 1997 Roger Glover remix, a stereo version of the original Quad Mix, a new mix of the ‘In Concert’ 1972 live recording from the original tapes and a hi-res stereo and surround sound Quad Mix on DVD. The reissue will also be available on vinyl along with the live album.

The box will retail for around a very reasonable £35 in the UK

‘MACHINE HEAD’ DELUXE EDITION (Box)

This 4 ‘purple’ CD+DVD deluxe edition will be accompanied with fully illustrated 64 page hardback booklet, housed in a luxury box.

CONTENTS INCLUDE:

• CD1: ‘MACHINE HEAD’ ORIGINAL ALBUM NEW 2012 REMASTER. Featuring non-album b-side, ‘When A Blind Man Cries’.

• CD2: 1997 REMIX BY DEEP PURPLE’S BASSIST ROGER GLOVER. Remixed from the original multi-tracks, this unique version reveals many subtleties and nuances from the original recordings, heard afresh.

• CD3: ORIGINAL ALBUM QUAD SQ STEREO (2012 REMASTER) Includes; the Quad SQ as stereo, in its undecoded form, it often varies considerably from the original stereo mix of the album; ‘Maybe I’m A Leo’ and ‘Lazy’ contain alternate guitar solos to the original album mix. Plus two single edits: ‘Smoke On The Water’ (an edit created to be the fourth single in the US from Machine Head, coupled with a live version from Made In Japan. It went on to be the band’s biggest selling single ever) and ’Lazy’ Japanese b-side.
(Engineered by Martin Birch Aquand SQ Stereo mixed at Abbey Road Studios, March 1972 and remastered at Abbey Road Studios, March 2012 by Peter Mew)

• CD4: IN CONCERT ’72 (2012 MIX) (RECORDED LIVE AT PARIS THEATRE, LONDON 9TH MARCH 1972)
Features new 2012 mix from the original 8 track tapes with the original set list in its correct order for the first time. Recorded at the BBC’s Paris Theatre, London on 9th March 1972, remixed at Abbey Road Studios, and features photographs by Barry Plummer taken at the concert itself.

**All CDs are on purple discs**

• DVD: 2012 HIGH RESOULTION REMASTER & SURROUND MIX
- Audio only DVD, featuring:
- The ORIGINAL ALBUM 2012 REMASTER in 96/24 LPCM stereo
- ‘When A Blind Man Cries’ 2012 REMASTER in 96/24 LPCM stereo
- ORIGINAL ALBUM QUAD MIX (Quad to 4.1: DTS 96/24 & Dolby Digital)
- BONUS 5.1 MIXES (5.1 DTS 96/24 & Dolby Digital) of ‘When A Blind Man Cries’ ‘Maybe I’m A Leo’ and ‘Lazy’.

64page book features:
• Detailed essays from original bassist Roger Glover and Mojo magazine editor Phil Alexander
• Quotations from Deep Purple fans Mikael Akerfelt, Luke Morley, Sebastian Vettel, Eddie Jordan, Brian Tatler, Janick Gers and Peter Hook.
• An interview with famed photographer Didi Zill, whose photos of the legendary recording sessions in Switzerland illustrate the booklet.





• • • • • •

Machine Head 1CD


• Accompanying the 40th Anniversary box is a 1CD 40th Anniversary Special Edition release of: ‘MACHINE HEAD’ ORIGINAL ALBUM NEW 2012 REMASTER. Featuring non-album b-side, ‘When A Blind Man Cries’.
• Packaged in a gatefold digipack with a rollfold lyric sheet booklet.







• • • • • •

VINYL:

Deep Purple “Machine Head” 40th Anniversary LP/7”



• Original album, newly remastered in 2012 by Jon Astley
• On audiophile 180gram heavyweight vinyl in a gatefold sleeve faithfully reproducing the original cover
• Geaturing a 6 panel lyric sheet
• The package also features a special bonus 7″ of the ‘Never Before’ single featuring the newly remastered non-album b-side, ‘When A Blind Man Cries’ house in a Purple Records house bag.

Deep Purple “In Concert ‘72” Double LP & and 7”
Double LP set on purple vinyl:
• Features a new 2012 mix from the original 8 track tapes with the original set list in its correct order for the first time.
• Recorded at the BBC’s Paris Theatre, London on 9th March 1972, it was remixed at Abbey Road Studios, and features new artwork and photographs by Barry Plummer taken at the concert itself.
7″:
• Because of the duration of the concert and issues with sound quality in relation to the length of audio on sides of LPs, the encore “Lucille” is featured on the A-side of a 33 1/3 purple vinyl 7” housed in a Purple Records house bag.
• The B-side features an exclusive and previously unreleased version of the live rarity “Maybe I’m A Leo” recorded at the soundcheck for the Paris Theatre show.

Nice to see a 1 CD version of the new remaster available and that is what I will purchase. Depsite being a DP fanatic, I've never owned Machine Head on CD! Hard to believe, though I still have my vinyl and cassette somewhere.

What does "undecoded form" mean?

I'm afraid to ask, but do we have a price on the edition with the hi res dvd (hopefully an upgrade from the previous Warner edition)?

Amazon UK link is now in the first post. The initial pre-order price is approximately $60 including postage.

Better than I'd hoped, more than I can currently afford............

Here's some info for anyone who cares about sound quality (as almost everything here is previously released).

You may have read some of my previous posts regarding Foobar 2000's Dynamic Range meter. That has pretty much become the defacto standard on the internet for making an educated guess as to how badly a disc has been compressed. I ran a ton of comparisons, which are posted below. I did not do the 2012 version of the 1997 remix, as it appears to be identical to the 1997 edition. Per the creator of the Foobar DR meter, DR 12 is considered the lowest acceptable # for rock. As I've never seen a DR rating higher than 13, he may be a bit pickier than I am though I would prefer that compression on a recording as a whole was never used (it's often necessary for electric bass, kick drum, & vocalists who move around while singing; & is essential for sustain on electric guitar; though as a guitarist I used compression during playing, NOT during mixing). The worst DR rating I have ever seen is 6 (can't remember what cd it was); there are also all too many 7's out there. I would personally say that anything below 10 starts to sound pretty ratty.

Unfortunately, I can't give you the info on the dvd; it is a standard video dvd, which foobar will not read, & I discovered I currently have no software to extract 96/24 audio from dvd-v's.

Here's what I can tell you about the dvd. There are 3 sections. Section #1 is a 96/24 PCM version of the 2012 remaster. It is loud, though not bad sounding. I have NOT audibly compared it with the 2 previous hi rez editions; there is an HD tracks 96/24 which I believe was taken from a USA dvd-a, & there is a 2003 UK SACD; I've also heard of a 2011 Japan SACD which I have not heard. Sections 2 (Quad mixes) & 3 ("bonus 5.1 mixes") of the DVD are lossy DTS 5.1 & lossy Dolby 5.1 only.

Here's the DR's from the new box vs old editions.

CD #1: Main album:

1997 remaster CD DR8
2012 remaster CD DR8
2003 EMI UK SACD DR10
Audio Fidelity CD DR12
HD Tracks 96/24 DR13

CD #2:
1997 Glover Remix CD DR8

CD #3
2012 "Quad Mix" CD DR7

CD #4
1972 Paris concert, originally Disc #2 of "Deep Purple In Concert"

2012 Remaster DR9
1994 EMI UK Remaster DR10
Audio Fidelity SACD DR10

Disc 5
DVD DR? (See above)

Hope this helped somebody. It looks to me like the way to go if you don't already own these is to buy the HD tracks + the EMI in concert (as low as 5.36 new on Amazon at the moment) http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000006Y3S/?tag=imwan-20
+ some version of Blind Man Crying (which sadly is left off of the HD Tracks edition).
Amazon again has the 1997 2 disc for just over $5 new, which does include Blind Man Crying.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000006UD8/?tag=imwan-20

Actually got to play my anniversary box over the weekend. The discs selected were the live disc and then the DVD Quad mix. Totally blew me away! This box will be the go to set when I play "Machine Head".

The last time I heard this album this well, I would have to go back way back, when in the 70's I had this album in CD4-Quad. Listening to this release brought me right back in time.

Also the new mix of the Live album also is unbelieveable. What power this band had during their peak, especially Ian Gilliam.

If you can find this set on a good discount, which I did you will not be disappointed. Far from it. It will make any previous incarnations you have be pale in comparison.

Rick A.

I agree

After I've had the time to play all the above, I'll comment on how they sound to me. Based on the compresion #'s, it would sure seem that either the HD Tracks or AF is the way to go for the main album. I did play the quad mix on my pc last night, it sounded WAY better than I would have expected from a DR7, which is usually wretched sounding.

OK, here's a sound quality comparison. This is going to be a large project, so I'm going to post it in pieces.

First, all cd versions I have access to of the main album & remixes.

I used 2 songs: Smoke On The Water & Lazy for the comparisons

I rank them in this order:

1. 2012 Remaster (surprise; I really do use my ears, not wave forms!)
2. AF CD
3. 2012 fake quad remix
4 & 5 (tie) the 1997 remaster & remix

A couple comments: the 2012 is loud (as the Dr rating shows), but it still sounds the best. They put much of the extra volume into the treble, NOT the upper midrange, so it's not an unpleasant listen. Plenty of detail, a reasonable soundstage & tape hiss is audibly removed. 1 weakness is the bass is a bit lower than the others.

The AF is by far the lowest volume of the bunch. It's also enjoyable. I rank it #2 due to tape hiss, a lack of energy in the treble (I grew up with Audio Techinica cartridges) & on Lazy the distortion on Jon Lord's Keyboard is a bit exaggerated compred with all of the others. (BTW, that reminds me: somewhere on this board I posted last week about the AF In Rock & made a comment that I was unsure if I had gotten too used to high res or if the AF cd sucked. The answer is: the AF cd sucked. While I do tend to prefer hi-res, the 2012 cd was really enjoyable.

The 2012 semi-quad remix was ok. It was done similarly to the main cd, but it felt that the mastering was a bit rushed; kind of like they didn't take as much care in making it sound good.

The 1997 is weakest of the bunch, though I have heard much worse. The 1997 remaster comes in 4th on SOTW & 5th in Lazy. The 1997 Glover remix is the opposite. On both of these the compression is clearly audible, though again not screechy, but I really didn't want to sit through them to the end, unlike the other 3. SOTW was "modernized" on the 1997 & IT SUCKED. The Glover remix of Lazy was interesting so I give it the nod. My understanding is the Glover 1997 in the box is 100% identical to the same on the "Anniversary Edition" so I didn't bother playing it.

My 1997 set is now officially up for sale.

Next: the 3 (possibly 4) versions of the 1972 BBC concert on cd available to me (It's disc 4 in the mega box).

That will be followed by a shootout between the 3 hi rez editions I have of the main album (I don't have last year's Japan SACD as of this writing) & finally between the winner of the hi-rez sets vs the 2012 cd. I'll likely also comment on the Hoffman hirez SACD vs the winner of the 1972 live cd's

I don't currently have the energy for the full blown comparisons I like to do, but wanted to get back to this so here's a quicky.

I listened to the entire 96/24 2.0 part of the dvd, & small portions of the SACD & HD Tracks.

The HD tracks was the worst. It's not compressed, but to my ears sounds like a 3rd geb or lower safety mater. Lots of tapoes hiss, not much definition.

Both the DVD & SACD are quite good. The dvd sounds a little compressed. Both the DVD & SACD are subjectively the same volume in the loud passages, but the SACD is definitely quieter in quieter sections. The dvd probably has a little more definition (higher gen master tape?).

You can't go wrong with either. I would suggest considering the AF cd over the HD tracks 96/24, though.

One other comment: When A Blind Man Cries (only on the new dvd) appears to be a separate master then the rest of the 2.0 dvd. It's the only somng with tape hiss, & though a balad is a bit louder than the rest of the albym! Though, it's not overly bright.