05/26/2017: Mastered for iTunes releases

[U2Joshua]

I'm liking these "masters."  On that note, I find it delightfully interesting that Rattle and Hum is referred to as a "Remaster" in the Digital Booklet.


Generally speaking, I'm not able to discern significant differences from original album cd releases and their subsequent Remaster releases.  However, I believe I hear greater difference between any cd versions of U2 albums and their MFiT treatments.

In particular, I hear striking differences on NLOTH and ATYCLB.  There are/may be others, too..., but I've not listened to all of them, yet.  But with No Line and All That there is much greater dynamic detail.  The bass is bass, the vocals are vocals, the guitars are guitars, and drums are drums...  cleaner, clearer separation between elements.  Hard to call these "differences" "improvements," right out of the gate, but I do like them.  NLOTH is much less "harsh" to me (in a good way).

[U2Joshua]

Okay...  Songs of Innocence sounds like a different album

[Brad]

Okay...  Songs of Innocence sounds like a different album

I will definitely have to compare the two versions. They have not remastered the deluxe edition bonus track that we know of, correct? The deluxe edition and SOI+ are still showing 2014 copyright dates on iTunes.

[U2Joshua]

Okay...  Songs of Innocence sounds like a different album

I will definitely have to compare the two versions. They have not remastered the deluxe edition bonus track that we know of, correct? The deluxe edition and SOI+ are still showing 2014 copyright dates on iTunes.

Correct (that's my assumption, too).

The implication, I think, is that while MFiT was birthed in 2012, many technical articles allude to the idea that the technology is only as good as the engineer using the process.  That is, I think they're becoming more skilled and more adept at using all that MFiT has to offer.  So, even though Achtung Baby got an MFiT release,, as well as SOI, recently they've gone back in and are exploring the fullness of what MFIT offers and are getting better masters than the original MFiT efforts.

I think this corroborates some of Bono's ongoing comments about The Edge staying in the studio, way too long, and not coming up for air, or to see the light of day, etc.

[miryclay]

Thanks for these posts. It is rare that someone explains audio with being a d*** but you seemed to have done that. I really hear it in drums for Fast Cars on HTDAAB.

[U2Joshua]

Thanks for these posts. It is rare that someone explains audio with being a d*** but you seemed to have done that. I really hear it in drums for Fast Cars on HTDAAB.

Thanks for the kind words.  I'm no authority on the matter, but as a hobbyist I take a keen interest.  ...just trying to figure all this out, and admittedly there's a good bit of speculation.

I will say, though, that the more I'm listening to these MFiT albums, on my iPhone, playing through my car stereo, the more convinced I am that these are great!

Listened to "October" on October tonight, and it just sounds great.  Sounds like a much newer recording than 1981.

[George]

I will say, though, that the more I'm listening to these MFiT albums, on my iPhone, playing through my car stereo, the more convinced I am that these are great!

Listened to "October" on October tonight, and it just sounds great.  Sounds like a much newer recording than 1981.

Are you saying that the lossy remasters sound better than the lossless CD versions?

[U2Joshua]

I will say, though, that the more I'm listening to these MFiT albums, on my iPhone, playing through my car stereo, the more convinced I am that these are great!

Listened to "October" on October tonight, and it just sounds great.  Sounds like a much newer recording than 1981.

Are you saying that the lossy remasters sound better than the lossless CD versions?

To my ears (in some cases), yes.

[George]

I will say, though, that the more I'm listening to these MFiT albums, on my iPhone, playing through my car stereo, the more convinced I am that these are great!

Listened to "October" on October tonight, and it just sounds great.  Sounds like a much newer recording than 1981.

Are you saying that the lossy remasters sound better than the lossless CD versions?

To my ears (in some cases), yes.

Interesting.

Have you listened to the music without using iTunes/iPhone/iWhatever?  Does this mastering process take advantage of something specifically built in to the Apple world?  In a sense, would a CD burned from these files still sound better than the original?  If so, is it really "mastered for iTunes" or is it just mastered differently?  (I'm not expecting actual answers to the last bits as I don't expect anyone to have done this yet)

[Brad]

I have the MFIT versions, the "Complete U2" versions, and my own CD rips all loaded up on a Pono, but I haven't actually gotten 'round to doing any listening yet.

[morgan1098]

Interesting that the MfiT versions of Pop, ATYCLB, and R&H had the Edge's involvement. Those were rumored to be the next releases in the CD reissue series a few years ago, although that plan was obviously abandoned. I'm guessing Edge's involvement dates back to that period.

[Aaron]

Interesting that the MfiT versions of Pop, ATYCLB, and R&H had the Edge's involvement. Those were rumored to be the next releases in the CD reissue series a few years ago, although that plan was obviously abandoned. I'm guessing Edge's involvement dates back to that period.

They were rumoured to be, but weren't next on the list at all from what i was told...  The remastering group had no intention on doing any albums post "Zooropa" at the time that they were dismantled.  The next project they were planning on working on was a new release from the archives, collecting non-album related audio.  I spoke in detail to them about what the plans were, and would love to reveal more, so I'm going to have to go back and ask if i can talk about what they told me.  The feeling at the time was that the remaining albums had all been done digitally and didn't need the tweaking that other work did.

[morgan1098]

Interesting that the MfiT versions of Pop, ATYCLB, and R&H had the Edge's involvement. Those were rumored to be the next releases in the CD reissue series a few years ago, although that plan was obviously abandoned. I'm guessing Edge's involvement dates back to that period.

They were rumoured to be, but weren't next on the list at all from what i was told...  The remastering group had no intention on doing any albums post "Zooropa" at the time that they were dismantled.  The next project they were planning on working on was a new release from the archives, collecting non-album related audio.  I spoke in detail to them about what the plans were, and would love to reveal more, so I'm going to have to go back and ask if i can talk about what they told me.  The feeling at the time was that the remaining albums had all been done digitally and didn't need the tweaking that other work did.

People always trot this image out as evidence of... something. I guess you could argue that the AB set was the next in this series, but that was more of an "anniversary set" and, more significantly and controversially, was NOT remastered.   

[God, Part II]

So irritating that when I'd finally read enough online to confirm that these are new mixes with overt sonic differences compared to their CD counterparts, the $5.99 sale ended. As much as an uber fan as I consider myself to be, no way can I bring myself to rebuy their entire catalog at $10 a title. Ugh.

[Panama Jack]

First time poster here! 

Is there any rumor of these new MFiT masters getting lossless releases sometime in the near future, either digitally or on CD?