Nucleus (3) – Alleycat

So, folks, all the Nucleus reissues are digital files on vinyl - might as well buy the CDs then and avoid the hassle of vinyl.

This is direct from the record label in reply to my email about the mastering chain.

'The short answer to your enquiry is the Nucleus albums were hi-res digital transfer from the 2 inch masters. Generally, this is as much as we're able to get from the labels themselves'

Fancy us record buyers being short-changed by the record industry. I mean...whatever next?

As CDs, according to Philips back in the 1980s, were 'Perfect Sound Forever', then CDs pressed onto vinyl 40 years later, must be, um...'Not So Perfect Sound All Over Again'?

Referencing Canada reissue https://discogs.programascracks.com/release/23640638-Nucleus-Alleycat

They've done a MoFi on us - whilst claiming this reissue is from 'original analog tapes' on their website the label has deliberately ommited to tell us the laquers have been cut from DIGITAL files. This has been confirmed to me by the actual vinyl mastering engineer in Canada, so one must assume the European vinyl is also from digital sources.

The digital cutting master may may very well be from 'original analog tapes', but that doesn't change the fact that basically it's just another CD pressed onto vinyl. The worse elements of both formats in one go, and probably not even DSD standard either.

My new Canadian reissue copy sounds decent on nice quiet vinyl, flat and with a tight spindle hole, but it sounds like a warmed up CD on vinyl, as do all these reissues now.

The original pressing has that analog magical sound in the bottom end, especially the drums and bass, and that this reissue simply does not, it is all crisp and clear but it's lacking punch and sound stage cohesion. The horns are also a bit too out front and have that bright digital crispness that's not there one the original presssings.

Shame, as this probably means all the Nucleus Vertigo era reissues are just CDs bunged onto vinyl, so if you can't find or afford original UK pressings, you might as well just buy the CD box set and be done with it.

As Mr_Fixx says, the artwork is shamefully third rate - I've seen better printed artwork on dodgy Scorpio reissues of albums, and that's saying something. The rear B&W photos of the group are all grainy and out of focus.

Oh, the sorry life of the eternally disappointed audiophile...

Hi, just picked up in my local store the BeWith records version, not listened yet... being issues virtually at the mean time of We Are Busy Bodies may I assume that the mastering and sound quality will be exactly the same, isn't it?
According BeWith description it have been mastered froima analogue master tapes.
Anyone knows if it might be any difference between both reissues (vinyl gr., pressing plant, different mastering)?
Thank you!

Great news, finally the beast is reissued but 6 months of waiting, damn the factories are really full of sh*tty albums that will stay on display for months all of this because of the majors, it's a shame independant labels are the one suffering from that

This album sounds phenomenal on wax. My favorite of the band's records, and it was an absolute blast to sit down with my buddy and listen to it on vinyl for the first time. It was expensive due to the rarity, but it was sure worth it. To anyone who hasn't- check this record out!

Yet again a excellent band with very little in the way of CD reissues of their music. Come on labels.. it is 2020