Album Remasters?

[TheReal]

I was listening to a lot of ayu's albums today, and was wondering if there are any audio remasters out there. When I play many ayu songs amp'd up with headphones on, the intense parts sound like a flat wall of sound are there any remasters or ways of making them sound better myself, or am I just doing something wrong?

[Delirium-Zer0]

The only remastering any of Ayu's catalog has had have been on A BEST and A BEST 2, sadly... and the high resolution audio version of "July 1st" that they put on the "Step by step" digital single.

You're not doing anything wrong, but different headphones can help... I have a pair of Audio Technica m50x headphones and for the money they're fantastic. Less distortion, MUCH better clarity on the middle ranges.

Ayu's music has always been very saturated which, when you have a good sound system, is AMAZINGLY cool, but in recent years people's sound systems and onboard computer audio seem to have gotten much worse, which I don't think is just me... I don't remember needing to spend multiple hundreds of dollars on headphones or decent speakers for Ayu's music to sound good back in 2001, you know?

But that saturation of sound is a double-edged sword for sure... listening to "SURREAL" on vinyl is one of the most depressing things I've ever experienced. It was SO distorted.

[Aderianu]

wasn't A SUMMER BEST remastered?

[jiarongisme]

If I'm not wrong A COMPLETE was too.

[chocopockymaster]

^ Yes, everything on A COMPLETE was remastered.

But then they cut the epic guitar part in M out, so that "remaster" is dead to me tbh

[NintendoHTF1242]

I actually like that remastered version of M without the electric guitar LOL it gives the song a more somber feeling but it also makes it extremely empty. Both mixes of M are good though lol

[Delirium-Zer0]

Ah yeah, I do forget about the A COMPLETE remastering. It happened so soon after A BEST 2 I often forget about it entirely until & unless I'm thinking about that version of "M" or the "Who..." bonus tracks, or the photobook lol... d'oh!

A SUMMER BEST, however, was NOT remastered. The release was very rushed, they didn't really have time to give it that treatment... And as someone on Jpopsuki discovered, if you compare the FLAC and 320 kbps mp3s' spectrograms, they're the same... which means they actually pressed the CDs with 320 kbps mp3s. I'm not even joking. Sure enough, looking at the waveforms of my itunes rips of A SUMMER BEST, the A SUMMER BEST files are at an ever so slightly lower volume, which lends itself to that theory.

[visionfactory]

Originally Posted by TheReal

I was listening to a lot of ayu's albums today, and was wondering if there are any audio remasters out there. When I play many ayu songs amp'd up with headphones on, the intense parts sound like a flat wall of sound are there any remasters or ways of making them sound better myself, or am I just doing something wrong?

Ayu changes the instrumental mix FOR EVERY RELEASE, so if you don't like how AUDIENCE sounds, you have to download AUDIENCE from every CD it was released (AUDIENCE single, Duty, A COMPLETE and A SUMMER BEST) then pick your favorite one! Just listen to the same 10 seconds part in the different songs so you pick the one that suits you the best

I think AUDIENCE (A COMPLETE ver.) is the best M (A BEST ver.) is the best and so the list goes on

[Aderianu]

I was sure A SUMMER BEST is remastered, but never check it...

[douggn]

I wish ayu would do a remastered best of album type of thing. Like with studio versions of altered songs from tours, like BRILLANTE from a-nation, Duty, Mirrorcle World from AT15. M rock version from Power of music, and some of her interludes from tours. Stuff like that

[visionfactory]

I always wanted her full CM ver. recordings

[Pieces_of_SEVEN]

I always thought that A SUMMER BEST was remastered too. Damn.

Also, I think AUDIENCE is only different on the Duty album, no? The single version is the same as what is on A COMPLETE and A SUMMER BEST, I thought.

[Delirium-Zer0]

Yes, A COMPLETE and A SUMMER BEST both use the Dave Ford Mix from the single (easiest way to ID it wthout listening to it & the album version back-to-back is the distorted echoed vocal phrase at the end of every line in the verses).

I do wonder why they went ahead & used the album versions of Fly high, kanariya, Daybreak on A COMPLETE when the single remixes of those were the songs that were promoted (and if I were a casual fan, that's what I would hope to find on A COMPLETE... especially since the radio edit of the kanariya remix is only in the PV and never got a CD release).

[paper_doll]

I bought A COMPLETE this summer and was definitely disappointed to find the album version of kanariya on there lol

And also echoing the person who wants CM versions of songs. That would be great (especially the still alone one). Demos, unreleased tracks, alternate versions... *_*

[douggn]

Originally Posted by paper_doll

I bought A COMPLETE this summer and was definitely disappointed to find the album version of kanariya on there lol

And also echoing the person who wants CM versions of songs. That would be great (especially the still alone one). Demos, unreleased tracks, alternate versions... *_*

And also M without its guitar solo but I thinks this album is more to support her work and not the remix. The album version of kanariya is still the original version

[Pieces_of_SEVEN]

^I'm totally with you, but it IS titled A COMPLETE ~ALL SINGLES~ after all.

[Delirium-Zer0]

Exactly! I don't want the original versions, I want the single versions XD I think it's kind of doing a disservice to people who just don't really buy singles, or who missed their shot at limited singles like Fly high. Plus this would have been a great opportunity to advertise a "previously unreleased track!" if they put the radio edit of the kanariya remix on there. But oh well, what's done is done I guess

[douggn]

I feel like most single versions usally sound better as the album versions are more touched up for the flow of the album. I feel like the single versions have more power in a way with its sound with the instruments used.

But I think alterna has the most noticeable change to it, from single to album. Mainly the hey part

[douggn]

Originally Posted by Pieces_of_SEVEN

^I'm totally with you, but it IS titled A COMPLETE ~ALL SINGLES~ after all.

Just clicked to that it would make more sense to have its single version
Maybe it was ayu's prefered version

[Delirium-Zer0]

I think the album mixes of "TO BE" and "monochrome" on LOVEppears are much, much better. The sound has so much more depth to it - reverb in the right places, better detail on the middles, the bass has more punch, and the whole thing is more filled-in sounding. "too late" sounds better in its more raw form on the A single though, I like the single version's drum track a bit better... the album version has its merits though.

I think Fly high, AUDIENCE, and alterna are waaaayyyy better on their single versions.

Most of the others, I could go either way.