magiccarpetride;661988 Wrote: > I've been exposed recently to a number of the so-called 'paper sleeve' > Japanese remastered/repackaged CDs (courtesy of a friend). I was > skeptical at first, thinking that it's just an eye candy, but > boy-oh-boy do these CDs sound way superior to their Western > counterparts. > > A case in point: Dire Straits (their first CD). I couldn't believe how > much more spirited the Japanese version sounds. Same goes for many > other ones I've been fortunate to listen to side-by-side. For example > Sade "Diamond Life", Culture Club "Colour By Numbers", Herbie Hancock > "Headhunters", etc. > > I am now extremely curious: what's the secret that those Japanese sound > engineers/producers have over the Western sound guys? How come the > Japanese crew manages to squeeze so much soul, substance, spirit and > sheer music out of the recorded performances? Going back to the CDs > that were remastered recently over here, they sound pale and lifeless > when compared to the CDs remastered and refurbished in Japan. > > Anyone has any insights into what's going on?
Starting in the early '80s, I worked for a Japanese company <in the US.> Staying at a "company house" while I was doing IBM training, the Japanese host had an Accuphase integrated amp hooked to Denon SC-101 "mini monitors." These are very small and very hard-working 2-way speakers. I bought an "armored" pair on a trip to Japan and I highly prize them. Residences in Japan have small rooms compared to elsewhere. The typical question is <translated> "How many tatami's" when asking about room dimensions. Since "living" and "bed" rooms are often the same, a "tatami" is 3" x 6" and provides a useful measure and represents the "daytime" use of the room which has a floor covered in tatami mats made of fiber and having a raised area in the center that includes most of the room. At night, the <real> futon cushions come out of the closet and are used as beds. To make a long story short, Japanese listening areas are small and close-up. Their speakers tend to be small and rich in lower mid-bass and thrive on the mix you describe. If you are in the US, try the Japanese issues <I got from overstock.com> of Doobie Brothers as well. Paul -- pski real stereo doesn't just wake the neighbors, it -enrages- them.. It is truly the Golden Age of Wireless ------------------------------------------------------------------------ pski's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=15574 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=90780 _______________________________________________ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/audiophiles
