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View Full Version : Philly Re-Grooved - The Tom Moulton Philly Groove Remixes


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theboyfromxtown
09-05-2010, 12:30 PM
Has anyone bought this?

It's got some absolutely wonderful music on it but many of the tracks sound muffled. I've tried using the graphic equaliser to no avail. I'm finding I can't play them loud at all. It HAS to be low volume despite the fact that those tracks are ones to hear loud!

Has anyone else bought a UK copy and thinks the same. Maybe my ears are now only accustomed to hearing the clarity on those old Motown songs.

That track Big Stone Wall was new to me.....when it gets going, I find I'm singing the words to David Ruffin's "I've Lost Everything I've Ever Loved".

waldo
09-05-2010, 02:21 PM
what do the First Choice cuts sound like.. how different are they from the previous re-mixes?

theboyfromxtown
09-05-2010, 03:13 PM
YES! I love them.

I'm just a bit concerned about the sound of the pressing. They are not crystal clear unless you listen on low volume. I've been fiddling about with the settings on Windows player. I'm trying the Rock option at present.

waldo
09-05-2010, 10:18 PM
they DO!! sound muffled.. i just listened to snippets over on Amazon. think i'll pass.

daddyacey
09-06-2010, 03:39 AM
I ordered mine from Juno last week but it hasn't arrived yet.

"I've been fiddling about with the settings on Windows player."

I wonder if you all are just listening on computer speakers?
You can't get the full effect from the limited range of a computer. Considering the age of the 2" tapes that the mixes were made from and the technology available to make up for some degrading of the original sound ,which was not really the state of the art back in 71-75 for some of the tracks on the set, I would imagine you would get better results on a stereo system or headphones driven by a decent amplifier. Also ,If you guys are not old enough to have heard the material in the time period it was originally released ,you may have a different perspective on the sound. I have most of the original tracks on vinyl and also on an older Kent CD ,Deep In The Philly Groove ,so I don't expect a huge difference in the sound quality of 30 to 40 year old tracks. I am more excited about the restructuring of the original tracks ,the art of the extended mix ,more than anything else. Being a DJ at the time they all came out ,you were limited to what you could do with two copies of the originals by mixing or looping with tape at the time. No matter what you did with the original records at the time ,I always wished I could work with the individual elements and breakdowns.
On the other hand......considering the cost of the set ,which shocked me ,a little over $10 USD ,with free shipping , I hope that Harmless didn't choose to skimp on the cost of mastering T.M.'s work. I expected it to be at least in the $15-$20 range.
I've been waiting for this project for a long time and I have faith that the quality of T.M.'s work on this material would be the best that he could do with the tapes as long as they were in decent enough conditon for release. So if the mastering is at fault ,then that means that a crime as been commited and somebody F'd up royal. I'll keep an open mind until my copy comes in the mail ,but I'm going straight to the stereo system for my first playing. Thanks for the info , and I will be posting my views on the set when I get it.

theboyfromxtown
09-06-2010, 11:23 AM
Daddyacey

It might be my copy only that is faulty so I'm very interested in what you think. I agree with all you say though and I bought all the First Choice records when they were released, so I know what you mean. However, you listen to Tom's mix of the Marvelettes track on Motown and there's definitely a difference in sound. Waldo was a bit more direct that me! On some tracks it was so muffled I got to the point that I had to stop playing and check the cd for fluff!!! Old habits never die, I'm afraid!......

The mixes are excellent.

waldo
09-06-2010, 09:08 PM
there's a First Choice facebook page

http://www.facebook.com/firstchoice1

daddyacey
09-17-2010, 04:20 AM
I got mine in the mail Sat.
First off ,I got to give props to Stan "The Man Watson" , Baker ,Harris and Young , and those M.F.S.B.'s.
Collective , they some shameless bad Mothers.
I first gave a quick listen on the stereo system in surround. My perspective was thrown way off. Then I listened in straight up stereo. A little better. Then I listened on the computer speakers at work. That was also confusing on some mixes as far as sound perspective, the mixes themselves were in all cases ,excellent ,but something was off. The best sound I got was through headphones. Then I thought about it. These remixes are classic Tom Moulton in structure but the E.Q. was off in one way or another to my ears. They were not in some cases the same brilliance as say T's remix of A & S' s," Found A Cure" ,or some others. Then some remixes of Toms sound a little different then others ,and thats because of the source materials time period and the processing of the new mixes ,which you would understand better depending on your understanding of the multi track recording process and how it has changed over the years ,and the variables of each studio etc. Then I thought about the fact that these remixes were representative of what Tom's interpretation was of them ,and the fact that he has changed the position of some elements of the recording from their intended position in the original arrangement of some compositions ,hence the reason they are "remixes" as well as "re-edits". Today I went back to the straight stereo mode on a 4 channel system ,front and rear right and left ,only this time I set the E.Q. flat ,at zero. That was the the magic charm. They sounded even better in mono.
IMO ,in Tom's remixing ,he has pre- set the EQ. Think of it as when you record a track with altered E.Q. and gain , and then play that same track thru a system with additional E.Q settings on top of the altered settings. You wind up getting a double E.Q. result or ,distortion. When you record at home ,if your record flat ,you can add E.Q on playback wlthout distortion. If you record with E.Q. added and playback with E.Q. ,you will wind up with distortion. Adding E.Q. when recording will add some gain to your signal ,doubling gain on playback with E.Q on top of an E.Q.ed track. Playing this C.D. flat with just a litlle master gain to the whole signal was right on the money. I sure wish that J.R. was here to do the mastering.
W.O.T.R.T. ,with the conga drum as the main drum sound was awesome. The conga has the feeling of that clack clack sound of the wheels of the train as it runs against the joint's of the rails.
The Delfonics "I Told You So" ,one of my favorite tracks that I have remixed in my head for years, is awesome , the First Choice tracks ,are superb ,especially "G.G.A.'s", breakdown is just what I've imagined in my head for years. Bonus on Finishing Touch , "D.B.M.D." ,is downright "Bitchin".
I love this C.D. Remember , flat EQ and turn up the vol.
Thank you Tom ,for this , and I would welcome your comments.
Now........how about the remixes on Loose Change.????????
Now on to Loose Change

tom_moulton
09-17-2010, 11:42 AM
Hi Daddyacey, I had some issues with the Mastering and I was outvoted. When people I respect say its fine I will go along with it. So many people have gotten it and responded in a very positive way and They say it sounds great. It is also selling very well and that has to account for something. When I mixed these songs I wanted to mix with dynamics and also gets some level. Its not the easiest thing to do and I kept everything close to the vest and I am happy with it.

daddyacey
09-18-2010, 01:38 AM
Thanks for your response Tom. The most important thing is that you were able to do the project and get it released. Dispite the issues you had to deal with on the mastering ,It's an excellent CD.

ceasar
09-27-2010, 11:38 PM
Hi Tom,
Hope all is well with you.
Question, That version of YOU LITTLE TRUSTMAKER that you had on here some time ago.
What ever happened to that, I really wanted to get that from you.
I remember that you wanted to send it to me.
CEASAR

tom_moulton
09-28-2010, 11:35 AM
Hi Ceasar, You never sent me your email address. Ciao,Ton