I really love the Stones' performance on SF Live but I am kind of disappointed about the mix.
Actually I really love Bobs work, the From The Vault mixes, the Leeds recording from the SF Superdeluxe, Brussels... It all sounds great.

I listend to the SF Live album on several speakers and headphones.
On headphones it actually sounds quite good because you can locate things better, but on speakers it sounds muddy compared to other records.
Bob has his own approach on using slap delays to simulate the environment the band played in.
But those slap delay are way too loud on the SF Live release, it just doesn't sound natural anymore.
On You Got To Move and Moonlight Mile it's extreme. It puts everything too much in the background.
Also the snare sounds very different than what it sounded like on the tour. Not enough punch, too much ratteling of the bottom mic.

The raw audio of the recent YouTube snippets (for example [www.youtube.com]) sounds already very good.
A bit of compression on the seperate tracks and we would have a fantastic mix.

What's your opinion?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-07-16 22:23 by StonedRambler.

Buy a lousy cd-player like me and it sounds GREAT!

Keep in mind the SF live release is only available in iTunes AAC lossy format. Lossy compressed audio really alter the music. It makes everything sounds even and less focused. Maybe it would be better to wait for a proper release (as on CD or vinyl) to judge Bob Clearmountain mix.

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kowalski
Keep in mind the SF live release is only available in iTunes AAC lossy format. Lossy compressed audio really alter the music. It makes everything sounds even and less focused. Maybe it would be better to wait for a proper release (as on CD or vinyl) to judge Bob Clearmountain mix.

It has nothing to do with the format. The AAC format sounds very good these days, it's just the way it's mixed,

Who knows what the tracks he had to work with sounded like, maybe their playing was muddy that night? Who knows what was done in the mastering phase? I'm not one to condemn Bob C's mix quite yet, especially since I haven't heard the whole thing.

There are people who were at the show that say it sounds a lot better than it did live and there are people here, who's ears I tend to trust, who say it is unlistenable.

I do know that compressing individual tracks isn't the solution to fixing a muddy mix and that over compression without proper EQ can add to the muddiness of a mix because all the instruments are sharing the same harmonic space and relative loudness. Strictly, looking at the DR values for this release I think that may be part of the problem you are hearing.

I'm just hoping we get a proper DVD/CD release of this soon because I'm just getting too spoiled to subject my ears to bad sounding audio, no matter what the content is or the quality of the performance. SF is one of my all time favorite records and this is difficult to resist.

I

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Naturalust
I'm just hoping we get a proper DVD/CD release of this soon because I'm just getting too spoiled to subject my ears to bad sounding audio, no matter what the content is or the quality of the performance. SF is one of my all time favorite records and this is difficult to resist.

I don't think you can go wrong for $10, no matter how brickwalled and muddy the mix. 10-15 years ago I would have paid multiples of this for some sh#%#y bootleg recording done from the bathroom on a cassette tape (10th generation source), and I don't think I'm alone there. This particular gig is that big in terms of Stones shows. I think we're all getting spoiled these days.

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StonedRambler

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kowalski
Keep in mind the SF live release is only available in iTunes AAC lossy format. Lossy compressed audio really alter the music. It makes everything sounds even and less focused. Maybe it would be better to wait for a proper release (as on CD or vinyl) to judge Bob Clearmountain mix.

It has nothing to do with the format. The AAC format sounds very good these days, it's just the way it's mixed,

Maybe AAC sounds very good but not as good as CD and is very far from vinyl or HD digital audio. I regularly rediscover albums I first listened to in AAC format when I listen to them in lossless format (lossless download or CD).

I'm not a great fan of recent Clearmountain mixes (sound quality wise, the whole archive bootleg series is a waste of time to me) but I'd rather have a lossless release to judge this one. So far I find the mix sounding very shallow and thin with the highs lacking of focus. I think this is because of the lossy format. But maybe the CD will sound the same...

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SharksWillCry
I

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Naturalust
I'm just hoping we get a proper DVD/CD release of this soon because I'm just getting too spoiled to subject my ears to bad sounding audio, no matter what the content is or the quality of the performance. SF is one of my all time favorite records and this is difficult to resist.

I don't think you can go wrong for $10, no matter how brickwalled and muddy the mix. 10-15 years ago I would have paid multiples of this for some sh#%#y bootleg recording done from the bathroom on a cassette tape (10th generation source), and I don't think I'm alone there. This particular gig is that big in terms of Stones shows. I think we're all getting spoiled these days.

Spoiled is good! Cost definitely not an issue and I'm patient. The AAC isn't going anywhere and if we don't get a better format I'm sure I will get this one. People saying it is so compelling that the sound doesn't matter is definitely a good thing and I couldn't be more happy that they have released it.

While I very much appreciate the first two long lost songs from the Leeds show, I have added these to my "Leeds Lungs" bootleg as it sonically blows the official mix and release out of the water...

scottkeef, which Leeds Lungs release do you consider the best? They're all mono, aren't they?

I think the Sticky Fingers Live sounds pretty darn good. Ok, I am a vinyl guy, and love to collect. However, I do have a very nice DAC player that wonderfully converts to analog. And sounds pretty darn good. Especially Ronnie's slide work. Great stuff.

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whitem8
I think the Sticky Fingers Live sounds pretty darn good. Ok, I am a vinyl guy, and love to collect. However, I do have a very nice DAC player that wonderfully converts to analog. And sounds pretty darn good. Especially Ronnie's slide work. Great stuff.

+1

Ronnie is fantastic here.

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scottkeef
While I very much appreciate the first two long lost songs from the Leeds show, I have added these to my "Leeds Lungs" bootleg as it sonically blows the official mix and release out of the water...

Please explain, why! For me the new release is lightyears "better" (sonically of course) than the old mono-bootleg ...

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muenke

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scottkeef
While I very much appreciate the first two long lost songs from the Leeds show, I have added these to my "Leeds Lungs" bootleg as it sonically blows the official mix and release out of the water...

Please explain, why! For me the new release is lightyears "better" (sonically of course) than the old mono-bootleg ...

In a way I can see scottkeef's point. From Midnight Rambler on the new Leeds is sonically disappointing. But the first songs (until and included Love In Vain) are pretty well done.

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SharksWillCry
I

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Naturalust
I'm just hoping we get a proper DVD/CD release of this soon because I'm just getting too spoiled to subject my ears to bad sounding audio, no matter what the content is or the quality of the performance. SF is one of my all time favorite records and this is difficult to resist.

I don't think you can go wrong for $10, no matter how brickwalled and muddy the mix. 10-15 years ago I would have paid multiples of this for some sh#%#y bootleg recording done from the bathroom on a cassette tape (10th generation source), and I don't think I'm alone there. This particular gig is that big in terms of Stones shows. I think we're all getting spoiled these days.

Totally agreed. Also, I didn't realize you were still banging about around here, SharksWillCry!

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StonedRambler
What's your opinion?

Don't bite the hand that feeds you.

I always had the impression from my old bootlegs already that the Leeds sound got a bit worse in the last part of the recording.But I haven't really listened to it for some time.

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LieB
scottkeef, which Leeds Lungs release do you consider the best? They're all mono, aren't they?

I have three cds ( Pig's "Leeds Revisited". Turd's "Leed Guitars-Movie Stars" and SM's release) and for me the Pig's version is hands down the best.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-07-17 19:57 by scottkeef.

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muenke

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scottkeef
While I very much appreciate the first two long lost songs from the Leeds show, I have added these to my "Leeds Lungs" bootleg as it sonically blows the official mix and release out of the water...

Please explain, why! For me the new release is lightyears "better" (sonically of course) than the old mono-bootleg ...

Well, I must admit first that I am partial to mono releases. The official version in my opinion is very dry and sterile, taking away much of the warmth and live feeling of the boot release.

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CousinC
I always had the impression from my old bootlegs already that the Leeds sound got a bit worse in the last part of the recording.But I haven't really listened to it for some time.

I've never really noticed that myself but I probably am blinded by the fact its one of my fav recordings!

Maybe I'm wrong, - and Let it Rock sounds nice.
But I always thought there were some fluctuations in the sound.
Btw I can't really believe that the boots sounded better then the new release.
I have 4 or 5 of them but not the Pig's version.

Mr. Clearmountain ruined every Stones-Live-release of the last decades. Maybe he has lost his hearing or he simply doesn´t like guitars at all.

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HMS
Mr. Clearmountain ruined every Stones-Live-release of the last decades. Maybe he has lost his hearing or he simply doesn´t like guitars at all.

It makes you wondering what went wrong when you think he mixed Tattoo You, one of the best sounding Stones albums of the classic era.

Maybe I'm a sound luddite but I blare the S$%& out of it in the car and I'm too busy rocking out to bemoan the fact that its not lossless.

I think the sound quality of SFL is good but could be better. But on my stereo sounds good, some adjusting tone ... I really like the voice of Jagger and the guitar sound of Wood, maybe you can improve the sound of the guitar of Richards, in fast songs the sound is a bit muddy, ballads instead are ok. Nice to hear the guitar of high Wood, nice also distortion, especially in Sway and Sister M.

as I mentioned before: THE MIXING IS A CRIME. In the old days people were hung for less.

You are correct, On my last DVD mix for 'Sticky Fingers Live' DVD the 'brickwall' had to be pulled in to realistic levels. All I did was reduce the volume on output, not the overdrive. It's mixed far too loud ! Where's the dynamic range gone?

IMHO this recording is absolutely fantastic concerning the music and I like the sound,too (loud guitars that sound like played and recorded in 2015 and not 1969 or 1972).
The lats time I was flashed by a Stones live recording like that, was when I first heard the Atlantic City 1989 bootleg in 1990!
Especially Ronnie is absolutely on fire.

the mixing is ok
IT`S BECAUSE OF THE REVERB, folks.
that´s why the sound is so muddy

Here I Got The Blues for those who didn't buy it on iTunes
[www.youtube.com]

Its just too much Delay and Reverb