Just My Imagination Single Version [[Hitsville Box Vs TCMS)

[kje71]

Which one of these is the correct single mix? The 2 have a noticeable difference in the mix, yet both credit them being sourced from the original single master. The version on TCMS I've heard on numerous Temptations compilation, including Emperors Of Soul. The Mono mix on the 1995 Hitsville box I haven't heard anywhere else. What's the deal here?

Edit: Including comparison video now, pointed out some of the differences

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLLNR81PTps

[robbert]

Mmmm, interesting issue! I cannot comment since I don't have both of the mentioned box sets.

[kje71]

Just posted a comparison

[destruction]

The first one is the single release.......I played mine 428 times.....

Nice presentation btw.

[uptight]

Good video comparing the two.

[paladin]

Nice........I have no idea. Thanks for pointing this out.....

[1382hitsville]

excellent question. So, the 1995 is the single mix while the TCMS is the album mix?

[kje71]

excellent question. So, the 1995 is the single mix while the TCMS is the album mix?

Digging this up...but I think it may be the other way around? The TCMS mix is heard on every other Temptations Mono compilation, Emperors Of Soul, Ultimate Collection etc. It's only the Hitsville Box mix that has the unique mix. Still a head scratcher

[bradburger]

Good spot!

Never noticed this before.

They are definitely different mixes, but as you say, which one is the 45 mix? [[This was mixed by Norman Whitfield according to the DM number).

Along with your observations, the mix on 'Hitsville USA' has some hum/noise at the start.

Unfortunately, there doesn't appear to be any videos of the original 45 on You Tube for comparison.

Cheers

Paul

[soulster]

Hello gentlemen,

I have just carefully compared three masterings of the song from the "Emperors of Soul" box, the "Hitsville USA 1972-1992" box, and "The Complete Motown Singles Collection Volume 11" set, and I have determined that they all use the exact, same mono tape tape.

Why does the TCMSC sound different? It's just a different mastering. The mastering engineer used EQ and/or compression to the tape in this set, and better converters were used since the Hitsville and Temptations box were mastered. The signal chain was also different, including different tape machines, and the way they were aligned. Also, since the Hitsville and Emperors of Soul box sound very, very similar, sonically, it is a telling sign that the sound may have been goosed on the TCMSC set.

As some of you may know, the mastering stage makes all the difference in the world in how something sounds. The mix is not the final answer.

If you don't trust me, feel free to ask one of the people who were involved in any of the three sets.

So: Same tape. Same mix, Different mastering. Pick which one you like the sound of and be happy.

[soulster]

Also, the attempt with the TCMSC was to exactly recreate the 45 version on CD. We know that didn't always turn out correctly. I have always found that the best way to compare the 45s with the CDs is to do a direct comparison. However, one variable is the cartridge and phono stage one uses to play the 45.

The industry allows something like a 1% pitch tolerance.

One other thing to know about tapes recorded in the 60s: they didn't usually have tones printed on them, so it is up to the engineer on how to calibrate the machines for playback of any particular tape.

[bradburger]

I have just carefully compared three masterings of the song from the "Emperors of Soul" box, the "Hitsville USA 1972-1992" box, and "The Complete Motown Singles Collection Volume 11" set, and I have determined that they all use the exact, same mono tape tape.

As some of you may know, the mastering stage makes all the difference in the world in how something sounds. The mix is not the final answer.

If you don't trust me, feel free to ask one of the people who were involved in any of the three sets.

So: Same tape. Same mix, Different mastering. Pick which one you like the sound of and be happy.

I at first thought that it was just different mastering, but listening to them again several times over [[I only have it on the 'Hitsville USA' & 'Emperors Of Soul' box sets) I think they are actually different mixes, even though the differences are subtle.

This reminds me of the similar situation with Jr Walker & The All Stars '[[I'm A) Roadrunner'.

I thought the versions that were on 'Hitsville USA' & 'Nothing But Soul' were the same mixes, but sounded different because of the mastering [[Both Bill Inglot & Dan Hersch btw), but I've since changed my mind, and think they are actually different mixes.

And just to note, it seems that they got the wrong mixes for both these sets.

TCMS 66 used the correct mix - this is how I remember it sounding on my dad's copy of Soul 35015.

The former are better sonically, but the mix used for the 45 has a certain something about it.

Cheers

Paul

[soulster]

I at first thought that it was just different mastering, but listening to them again several times over [[I only have it on the 'Hitsville USA' & 'Emperors Of Soul' box sets) I think they are actually different mixes, even though the differences are subtle.

This reminds me of the similar situation with Jr Walker & The All Stars '[[I'm A) Roadrunner'.

I thought the versions that were on 'Hitsville USA' & 'Nothing But Soul' were the same mixes, but sounded different because of the mastering [[Both Bill Inglot & Dan Hersch btw), but I've since changed my mind, and think they are actually different mixes.

And just to note, it seems that they got the wrong mixes for both these sets.

TCMS 66 used the correct mix - this is how I remember it sounding on my dad's copy of Soul 35015.

The former are better sonically, but the mix used for the 45 has a certain something about it.

Cheers

Paul

"[[I'm A) Roadrunner" may be different, but I'm standing firm on the Temptations single. It's the same tape, different mastering. As I stated before, the goal of TCMSC was to recreate the 45. With the other sets, they were attempting to present the tapes as they pretty much were. That accounts for the EQ and compression used on TCMSC.

But, be reminded that Motown sometimes released more than one single mix of a given tape.