Mirage Audio/Fidelity Quality Issue (My 2 cents)
 

Because I had Mirage on record album, I believe I appreciated it a lot more than I do now. My parents had huge JVC speakers and a JVC top shelf receiver. And Mirage really punched out at you on that system. (much like rumours - even though I think these two albums are nothing alike).

Songs like Hold Me, Eyes, That's Allright and others (so tight and crisp)


I just listened to Mirage on CD and it falls flat in intensity and recording level. All the highs are missing, and the lows are bland. It has little dynamic.

In closing I say this

For the love of God re-master this CD.....correctly and soon! so others may appreciate some of the elements missing on this analog (crap) cd recording. :(

I agree - MANY have complained about the intergrity of the audio dynamics on the Mirage CD. I mean when the LP is better :eek:

I like the "Mirage" album. Not my favorite, but I still think it's good. But the CD sound is horrid. I agree -- it needs to be remastered and re-released ASAP.

That's in the song haha! Sounds like a skip

AMEN!

I've only heard the CD so I can't compare it to a vinyl verson BUT I definitely hear a difference between my CD and the remastered Mirage songs on The Very Best.

I wonder if that's part of the reason i think Mirage sucks so much? (cept stevie's songs) The whole thing just sounds really shallow, metallic, tinny, unsubstantive, to me...maybe it could be better....

I know. I used to listen to the tape back in '82 on my ex father in law's JBL'S and it was fab. There is definitely something lacking in the CD's sound. :nod:

amber

Straight Back is my fav from Mirage and u can't even hear Christine's parts like you could on the album. That whole song is CM and SN. Spotlight it don't hide it!!!

The recording level is bad and unbalanced. Headphones helps a little.

I contend there are TWO versions of Straight Back! The original cassette version I have(the day it was released) doesn't have the guitar solo lines at the end. But on the cd version I have, it has the guitar lines. Go figure....

I'll try that, if i can stand it. REISSUE!!! REISSUE!!! It's probably worse that i have crappy speakers...

I personally think vinyl is better than CD any day of the week. Vinyls are warmer and richer sounding than CDs. CDs sound cold and steely to me. I own them for convenience for the car or for things that you can't purchase on vinyl. But if I'm listening on my stereo at home, it is vinyl for me. It doesn't matter what the album is--just my two cents. :D

But since we are talking about Mirage, I own Mirage on vinyl and CD both. Obviously due to what I said above, Mirage on vinyl is my choice. It is much warmer, richer, and punchier than the CD for sure! :nod:

I own...
 

the cd and the audio cassette and the cassette sounds much better...But I did make my own mix sourced disc from the cd which sounds much better than that awful low volume level cd does.

Straight Back
 

Me and a mate, who were real FM enthusiasts, bought Mirage on Vinyl when it was first released. I remember goig Going to his house and him putting on the album - and I was amazed to hear that the version of Straight back was different to the one i had!!

I now know that this was another version of the song ( i guess the one without Stevie singing.....hours and hours of waiting for you!! is the rare version, but I was really pissed at the time thinking i didnt have the rare version with Stevie singing those lines)

Regardless, I love the song...and now have really good quality versions of both....however....just thought i'd share this titbit!!!!!!

DAVE

This talk of Straight Back is getting me confused.

I have the 'original' cassette (I believe it is, it was my Dad's), and a copy of the CD version from the iTunes Music Store. I didn't notice any difference in the arrangement, but I'll pay more attention this time.

I have the audiophile version of the Mirage LP... picked it up in a used record store. It's apparently a different formula of vinyl... can't speak too intelligently about it since I'm right at the age that CDs were fairly prevalent by the time I had my own money to buy music. But apparently this version was also mastered at half speed.

Sonically the differences are stunning between this and the CD. Lindsey's vocals, though still highly processed, are much thicker and more "muscular." To me, the CD seems to be ALL highs (as opposed to what someone else here saying they were missing), making the whole thing sound thin. In fact, the full bit-rate CD all sounds like badly compressed MP3s to me: distorted cymbals; thin, "wavey" vocals and generally flat, even when EQ'ed to hell and back.

The vinyl was a revelation. Until the inevitable remastering that's been talked about so much on this board, dust off the turntable and pick this thing up, even if it's not the audiophile version. Vinyl is simply the only way to hear the whole of "Mirage" right now.

~Jamie

Oh, AMEN to this one! It's kind of sad when CDs are supposed to be the best technology available and yet the album sounds better on vinyl.... :shrug:

Hopefully we'll get those remasters of this and TITN that everyone's been asking for this year, that would be such a cool way to make my 2005 even better. :D

i agree 100 % i love the vinyl version of Mirage it is when i started to listen to that that i really developed an apreciation for the album that the cd has never given me
so i'll get in line by saying bring on those remasters rather sooner than later ;)
and don't forgete to include some b-sides and remixes warner :P

(listening to mirage lp right now as this thread made me wanna put it on the turntable again :))

It is extremely sad that the cd is of such terrible quality. I personally cannot wait for the remaster either. Especially because my favorite Stevie and Christine songs are on that album.

When I play Mirage in my cd player I hear this high frequency shrill sound. It's not in the music because I don't hear it with head phones on. It's continuous on all the songs until the 2:00 minute mark of track 7 (Empire State). It's there when you hit pause or turn the volume off. I don't understand what causes it? Once your past that 2:00 point of Empire State everything is fine. Has anyone heard this or know what it could be or if it can be eliminated somehow or is it just my individual cd?

Hmmm...
 

I would have said it was "cd rot", But I never heard "cd rot" causing high frequency audio problems (Usually "cd rot" will ruin a disc and leave it unable to play correctly at all since the data on the disc has rotted away due to the dye incorrectly curring.)

It may just be a simple defective disc.

It's interesting that you mention this, because my very first CD copy of 'Mirage' (purchased around 1989/90) had the EXACT same problem.

It was extremely annoying, but thankfully I was later able to trade it in for a new copy.

The mastering quality still sucks, but at least it doesn't squeal anymore!

I bought my copy used, so it may very well be the older version from 89/90. At least I know I'm not the only one. Now I have to decide whether to get another or tough it out until the remaster comes out? :confused: Does anyone think the Mirage remaster will be out in 2005. It should be in the next wave of FM remasters shouldn't it?

Warners seems to be interested in re-releasing the Buckingham & Nicks-era Mac albums first... so I assume that 'Live,' 'Mirage' and 'Tango' will be the next three we get.
At least the latter two.

Unfortunately though, I haven't heard a single word about anything coming out this year... but that doesn't necessarily mean we won't hear something soon.

So I'm in "wait and see" mode.

Well until we hear word...
 

I will enjoy my mixes I did of "Live", "Mirage" & "Tango" that I created with my "Surround Sound" feature on my JVC system.

At least now I have the 'mother of all' fan-mixed versions of the "Buckingham/Nicks" vinyl sourced to compact disc to enjoy :nod:

This must be why I hear people saying things about "Straight Back" that don't even make sense to me--because I have heard the best version! People talk about how great Christine's part is, and I'm thinking, How should I know? I can't even hear it! I love Mirage but I'm sure I'd appreciate it even more if it was remastered, obviously.

I had wondered about that. That's on both the CD and vinyl? Does anyone know why they decided to do that? It really sounded like a mistake to me the first few times until I just got used to it.

Hmmm....
 

I'm listening to "Straight Back" (From the surround sound disc I mixed of "Mirage"...Hell, I did ALL the "Rumours" era releases along with all of Stevie's solo discs.) and I can clearly hear Christine's parts, They just need to be "upped" in the mix for a regular "remastered" version of "Mirage" on cd.

I doubt we'll see them in the near future, but that's just me.

They should have just done all of them at the same time like they did with the Blondie remasters. They would have made a killing based on sales to die-hards alone.

I'm telling you, I bought the cassette version, the DAY it came out :distress: , and there were no guitar solo lines at the end of the song. The CD is completely different from the original version.