Re-Make Re-Model Re-Rip

 

Roxy Music - Roxy Music (Steven Wilson Stereo Mix)[00602508553660 UK/EU RSD 2020 24-Bit FLAC]

As blog follower 'popontoast' commented when I last attempted a rip of this album, there's an excellent mix in there somewhere.... so let's have another go... in 176.4kHz.

Universal Music gave Wilson's remasters of this album to Frank Arkwright at Abbey Road who cut a new lacquer for this release - probably at great expense. They then shipped it to the GZ Media plant in the Czech Republic, who literally made a pig's ear of the pressing. Even after a surfactant treatment and a couple of decent rinses you will still hear some fuzz in the left channel and the occasional thump on the right but this rip is substantially better than my first back in October 2020. 

I've cranked up the levels to allow Wilson's tinkering to glisten ..and wow, it really does. Everything is exactly in perfect place, the mids have plenty of body, highs really shine but are not too sharply, the bass has punch and the soundstage is wide and deep. The noise floor is lower and feels a little more controlled - the Shibata handled the cheap Czech clear vinyl really well

We knew it was in there somewhere.

A1 Remake / Re-Model

A2 Ladytron

A3 If There Is Something

A4 Virginia Plain

A5 2 H.B.

B1 The Bob (Medley)

B2 Chance Meeting

B3 Would You Believe?

B4 Sea Breezes

B5 Bitters End