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ABBA Gold

S

spengenuk

pfm Member
Wonderful music on this CD but the sound quality is terrible, very harsh and badly mastered.
Is there a better quality version for sound quality ?
 
I'm not an Abba fan by any stretch, so no expert, but to me many of the earlier recordings sound pretty ropey to start with, i.e. did so off vinyl too. I know the early CD pressings are *very* collectable, blue Polar or red-face Polydors etc. Whether there is a good copy of Gold or not I've no idea, though compilations tend not to be great as the mastering engineer obviously can't make the bad recordings better so often tends to make the good ones worse to balance the disc as a whole! I'd be more inclined to hunt nice masterings of the original albums, and with Abba I'm pretty sure that is the early-80s pressings.
 
My favourites on cd for sq are the 'target' releases of Greatest Hits (Atlantic 19114) + Greatest Hits vol 2 (Atlantic 16009).
 
I think you are simply experiencing the effects of 1970's studio technology.
 
The Japanese Discomate releases are very good ... or the Blue Polar or Red Polydor like Tony says.

If you want a greatest hits package I would go for the earlier 'Greatest Hits' from 83 or 'The Singles - The First Ten Years' from 1992.
 
It was never 'cool' to like ABBA, but I always thought they produced some superb pop. And was more than happy to say I liked them, even at the time!
I also liked The Carpenters, and saw them live twice, but that's another story...

Mick
 
Julf said:
Heavy multitracking, compressors, early opamp technology...
Click to expand...

...'Flat as a witches t*t' drum sound...

[edit]

'Gold' is a flawed compilation IMHO - it's missing "Summer Night City", which is one of their best songs.
 
I got this when it was about £18 (sadly almost double that now):

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001F9Y2CM/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21

When you have the whole damn lot you can make your own compilation.

Each era has its own sonic fashions, but sound quality sounds OK to me - better than the a lot of later recordings actually.

One of the best pop groups ever. If others don't like them, each to their own, but it suggests to me they don't actually like pop music.

Kind regards

- Garry
 
This site contains affiliate links for which pink fish media may be compensated.
Abba had a state of the art studio in the 70s. Genesis went to record there I believe.
 
I used to stare slack-jawed at Agnetha. (And Connie Booth in Fawlty Towers.)
Brilliant pop group.
My parents had most of their albums and I have picked most of them up on vinyl for peanuts from Charity Shops over the years.
My favourite is Name of the Game.

A-HA!
 
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