I'll let Linda handle this with the links, and hopefully someone can explain to me how this can happen.

Sony/Legacy gave us the Complete Columbia Albums box set in 2012 with a number of albums remastered for the very first time.

Now in 2013 we have Real Gone giving us a remaster/remix of Imaginos and Culture Factory (awful name by the way) remastering all the albums from 1972-81 (why they didn't do the rest I have no clue) in mini-sleeve replicas. It looks like all the original inserts are included as well-not sure.

They look very nice and much nicer than the Legacy box with those crappy cardboard sleeves. However, why do these exist so soon? And why not all the albums? And, from everything I have read this label is offensive when it comes to compression. Virtually everything I've read trashes their sonics.

So, can anyone explain how these came about and why???

     

     

As someone who's happy with the Columbia box, I'm good.

No need for any more BOC remasters.

Because the group left Sony/Columbia owing the label a lot of money, therefore the label is squeezing as much money out of the turnip as they can.

The full spread of pre-order links are now in the first post. There are actually 10 albums being reissued in this series, not 9, so I've updated the thread title as well.

BOC completists, are you going to get all of these again?

The packaging on these looks really nice. On Your Feet Or On Your Knees seems to have all the inserts and the CDs themselves look awesome with the vinyl look.

I'd be very curious if they can make On Your Feet Or On Your Knees sound any better because Sony couldn't.

I'll say this-if the Legacy box hadn't come out-these would be no-brainers although I'd be very worried about the sound with this label. I would actually still consider these if the rest of the Columbia albums were included from 1982-88.

Maybe they will do them all. I'd say it's about 99% for me I won't get them but I will be curious if anyone does and how they sound and who did the mastering.

I'm perfectly happy the the box .

Looks like they pulled the bonus tracks off the earlier albums.

Would I buy 'em again? Hey, if 'Rama gets the whole set...

I think people are missing the point-who wouldn't be happy with the box? We all are. That's not what I asked.

The question is-why would a label invest time and money and reproduce these things so nicely when we all have the Legacy box from just a few months ago? It sold very well and included bonus discs.

This is just bizarre-plus, it's not all the albums. How could Culture Factory stand to benefit from this investment? If none of us are getting these (Jimbo aside-ha ha)-trust me-not many people elsewhere are. It's just stupid.

Once again, what is the source material for On Your Feet? Did they finally find the master tapes?

The "remastered in 96/24" sticker is a bunch of bs; CD can only do 44/16.

After spending over $100 on the Sony box..... I don't f'ing think so.

My guess is it's to get the people who don't want to buy the box for all the albums because they don't like the early/late/middle/more commercial/less commercial stuff. Folks who want a new copy of Agents w/o having to buy Fire or Mirrors.

Pass pass and more pass.

The Culture Factory titles I bought (and then promptly sold) sounded awful – tinny, compressed, and loud.

On their website, Culture Factory describes their remastering technique here: http://www.culturefactoryusa.com/compon ... emastering

A fellow named Rory from Culture Factory defended their discs' sound quality:
...I am concerned by the comments from readers who were disappointed in the sound of some CDs and I want to say that we take great care to remaster the audio with state of the art equipment. We strive to achieve an authentic sound with highest fidelity to the original studio masters and to do this we use the least amount of compression possible. For best results, we recommend that listeners at first try setting their playback equipment with flat equalization, tone controls at neutral settings. At the same time we recognize that the way music sounds is essentially a matter of personal taste, as can be seen by the varying opinions posted. In fact several of the artists whose work we reissued tell us their albums never sounded better. We are continuing to refine our remastering and are mindful of the benefit of not overamping the loudness of the finished CDs. I hope you’ll enjoy the results on our upcoming releases.

Caveat emptor.

They're bragging that thaey are mastering using Yamaha speakers as a reference (that's frightening!)?

The BOC releases from the box all sound from good to excellent. The only reason to pick these up is for the small amount of missing inner bag/etc artwork from the original LP releases. I'd be SHOCKED if this label delivered ANY upgrade in sound quality.

As to IP's question - I think the answer is that these are intended for people that didn't want to drop 80+ clams on the box set or simply wanted "Fire" or another LP on a new remaster and didn't want the other albums.

But the albums from 1972-78 (aside from OYFOOYK) had already been remastered w/ bonus cuts before on their own and can be had for $4!

Makes no sense. None.

It is purely for the most obsessed collector.

Isn't Culture Factory the co that did the AWFUL Quicksilver "remasters"?

But..but..but..these are newer!

The few issues I bought from Culture Factory were not impressive to me. Actually I saw the "The Romantics" first album (CD) used at my indie and passed on it.

Rick A.

I love the concept of how a band can "owe" a label money when the band ultimately never gets reversion of the masters.