Led Zeppelin How The West Was Won 2003 vs 2018 remaster

Rock and Roll
2003 0:00
2018 0:51

[@Acecool444]

A picture is worth a thousand words. 2018 remaster definitely looks better on the sound board. Although less the "Loudness War" compression, you'll get more clarity and you can still TURN IT UP!

[@lukaserben4411]

Finally we are seeing mastering of digital tracks that is free loudness stupidity and dynamic compression. I was listening to mix of artists/tracks on Tidal and when one from the 2018 remaster came on, I immediately noticed this was DIFFERENT....

[@JoFreddieRevDr]

Going by this looks to be like the 2003 version was a victim of The Loudness Wars, the visual shows seems to show it clipping, with the 2018 version having more room to breath, yes it will sound quieter played at the same volume setting, but will not be at risk of clipping resulting in a better overall sound. You just need to turn your amp up a little more.

[@xmunki1389]

Yeah, but the new version is a victim of a bad EQ job. I still prefer 2003 version.

[@johnpeace971]

I love how people consider these things "victims". I praise dynamic compression as a gift from God. Before it existed I could only listen to music with my hand on the volume knob chasing the volume up and down. The biggest offender in the too dynamic music category is King Crimson. I can't play one of their albums without chasing the volume up and down to counteract the extreme dynamics. Now I can compress their stuff and it sounds great! BTW, I am an audio engineer. I understand the industry has taken it too far. The Judas Priest remasters are a solid block of super compressed waveform that ruined the albums. But there is a comfortable medium between King Crimson and the JP Remasters, and that is what I aim for

[@falafeldurum2095]

I bought both versions because the 2003 version includes the Hello Mary Lou which was cut out on the 2018 version which makes Whole Lotta Love incomplete... But every other song sounds MUCH better without the evilness of the loudness war

[@georgegeorge7469]

2003 is more heavy & dirty i like it!!!!!!

[@TheFabioOrchedella]

i can definitely tell the difference with casual listening. The drums sound different in the remaster. In a good way.

[@siltom1962]

The 2003 version is more expansive and punchy, I like it.

[@handgunner1911]

THERE IS ONLY SO MUCH THAT CAN BE DONE WHEN THEY REMASTER TECHNOLOGY BACK THEN AND NOW BUT I PREFER THE 03 RECORDING THE RAW POWER ITS HOW I REMEMBER ZEPPELIN

[@nicolasboehm1673]

i prefer the 2003 one john bonham drumming is insane the 2018 one seems quieter

[@erikrupp692]

Ignoring what I see on the sound wave pattern - The 2003 has greater clarity. More high mids, more definition, a crisper sound. The 2018 version sounds muddy and muffled. That's mostly due to how the new version was EQ'd. The ideal version would be just a tad louder (and slightly - and I mean SLIGHTLY - more compressed) than the 2018 version, but have the EQ settings of the 2003 version.

[@daveking2906]

I think the 2018 sounds muffled a little. Not to mention they cut out "hello Mary lou" from whole lotta love and you just can't let that go lol. Once you know it's there you'll be pissed every time you listen to it.

[@phillipanderson7398]

I'd like to know why they cut Mary Lou from the 2018 version. I wonder if it was a copyright issue or they didn't think it fitted in the medly well ?

[@xmunki1389]

2003 DVD-A version tops both.

[@VoodooKush]

I wonder what the difference in Frequency response is between the two? I bet the 2018 has better 16kHz , I can hear the sizzle.

[@vortexgaming8574]

2003 Much better Led Zep needs to be loud!

[@pablodevita4894]

disculpame pero tengo los 2 y suena mucho mejor el de 2018 ......no se que analisis haces pero es a la inversa de como lo pones en pantalla

[@CutiePie-hh3gg]

2003 by a long shot

[@conradflaherty6099]

Sorry but I disagree with you the 2018 version is better than the 2003 Especially in surroundsound have a listen and tell me what you think

[@b1j1b1]

2018, of course

[@ewattersonknows]

The songs on the 2018 version have a slightly lower bitrate than the 2003 version.

[@ДмитрийЗайденберг]

I don't have the 2003 edition, but the blu-ray-audio version from 2018 is fantastic.

[@lucasnn2008]

The only thing you're really losing is the "Hello Mary Lou" section in Whole Lotta Love. Other than that, the 2018 release sounds way better than the 2003 one because of the goddamn Loudness War

[@shoestringplayer106]

Bass and drums over power guitar and vocals on 2018

[@davidbakerscuba]

Guitar sounds are better with original

[@coolbro6969]

okay. I've finally decided. EVEN THOUGH 2018 sounds "mushy in comparison: Overall.. 2018 sounds MORE like REALITY. when you're Live, in person. It does sound better. 2003 Contributes to EAR FATIGUE. it hurts. Its a little more clear, but its painful to listen to for long and is LESS representative of what everyone heard at the actual concert. 2018 wins. I look forward to the END of the loudness war. This is a great beginning.

[@xmunki1389]

2003 DVD-Audio version tops both, IMO... Same superior 2003 sound/mix, but easier on the ears. Perfection.

[@orcwerd]

Thanks for this comparison. I was wondering about the differences when I listened to the new remaster this evening. Is it bad that I like the 2003 version more? 2018 sounds a bit weak to my untrained ears.

[@xmunki1389]

I prefer the old one too, its clearer, more powerful and more fun to listen to

[@tartuffethesprywonderdog5883]

You guys are the problem.

[@VistaRecordsBoard]

No, they're right. The 2018 remaster isn't EQ'd particularly well. It sounds thin, but a bit muffled at the same time. The 2003 version is crisper and clearer as well as punchier. The ideal mastering job would be somewhere in between these two. Having said that, I'll take the 2003 version.

[@xmunki1389]

2003 DVD-Audio version (still found on ebay often) is the best of them all. It has the superior 2003 version as a base, but is less compressed than a CD version, so it's easier on the ears. In fact, it is the "ideal mastering job" that you're thinking about.

[@tartuffethesprywonderdog5883]

Winston Remasters did a good job remastering/remixing the 2003 release. LED ZEPPELIN - Led Zeppelin How The West Was Redone (Winston Remasters) "How The West Was Won," remastered using the six channels from the DVD-Audio, by Winston Remasters. Winston Remasters wrote: I used the DVD-Audio files, loaded them in Samplitude as a 6 channel mix, turned them all down -6db, and played with the surround channels. I brought the bass up in the mix in its placement on the surround scope. Also mixed in the CD version at -16db .. just enough to help dynamically separate things. After mixing, EQ'd the bass less to the point where I can play it loud and it doesn't bleed the ears. Overall, a very enjoyable mix that is less taxing on the ears, and brings Jones more prominently into the fold. Comparing The Two (How The West Was Won verses How The West Was Redone) What are the differences between the release of How the West Was Won compared to the release of How The West Was Redone? It has been un-brickwalled and is no longer a victim of The Loudness Wars. Kevin Shirleys harshness has been smoothed out. Winston used the DVD-A multitrack version to put his release together. If you really want to hear what John Paul Jones plays, he is right up front in the mix now. The volume of the guitar has been reduced a little and now you can hear everything quite well. How the West Was Redone is actually more of a remaster and a remix. Of course Winston had no access to the original multitracks, but since he used the separate surround channels from the 5.1 mix, and he could rearrange them and adjust their volumes individually, he basically was able to do a remix. The perception of less brickwalling might just come from the original source itself, and the fact that his mix makes everything sound clearer and more distinct, with more "air.". Winston's is definitely the result of a specific goal/choice: he wanted to make it sound less like a commercially produced record with excess loudness and compression - and more like a well-mastered raw multitrack. The result is that it sounds clearer, with more air and separation - but it does lack some of the characteristics we're used to when we hear a professional release. It's less fatiguing to the ear than the official CD, and it allows you - if you're interested - to listen more analytically to what's going on with each of the four guys during the songs.

[@frankderiso2063]

I still like my burn like a candle bootleg ... warts and all ..at least it is the real 6/25/72 show and not a patch job. I could even live with a note repair or vocal crack removal but when the medleys get chopped up, rearranged and have chunks removed that is just sacrilege. My perfect scenario for a deluxe release would be both the 6/25 & 6/27 board tapes as is and then Jimmy's mix/corrections. This would illustrate how a discerning engineer really hears. (save the overloaded mix as a download option for the earbud/mp3 crowd) ... btw if you happen to have all your music files on your computer you owe it to yourself to grab a pair of speakers from Audio Engine. For a couple hundred bucks they do wonders for mp3 files ... pretty flat and uncolored sound, rant over, peace out.

[@briteppr62]

Yeah, if the 2018 remastered version follows the 2003 original release, then it does sound muddled in comparison.

[@mrmacado6070]

If you play the 2018 version with some power it sounds clearer, cleaner and less harsh l feel, l like it..on low volume the 03 sounds better but loud for me is turning the volume to 3 or 4 on an old 45 watt receiver with klipsch forte speakers that are very efficient and on that set up the 2018 version is a tiny bit better,,,but l hope this is the first of a few zeppelin projects jimmy has going this year.

[@thenow5559]

Mr Macado sadly, the new remaster has medley removed on wholelota love, thats in itself is a reason to get 2003 version.

[@emma8775]

Metal Trax what to marylou

[@myronhelton4441]

dont buy the new one, I cant hear anything that sounds clearer on the new one. the loudness war was bad, but nothing was improved on this. The old one was just louder.

[@marcelob4132]

I have the same impression

[@Finsami71]

'Too good' for me both, drums are too compressed, the snare sounds the same on every hit ... Bonham was great but not That Machine- like .. I prefer The song remains the same as more live- like album. Only my opinion.

[@ronaldboreland4479]

For the tone deaf below my comment that think the 2003 version is better, are you serious? The cymbals and bass sound heaps better on the new remastered Version! The cymbals on the 2003 release all sounded the same! The cymbals remain the same is not my idea of bliss! I hope I have cleared things up for you guys and gals!!!

[@VistaRecordsBoard]

I prefer the EQ job on the 2003 version. The 2018 version sounds thin and a tad muffled. There is no right or wrong here, just preference - and I prefer the 2003 version.

[@davidbakerscuba]

Guitars sound better on 2003. They are to low in the mix with 2018.

[@Kotik_Kompotik.]

And both versions sounds weak. Was going to buy new version today but thanks, no.

[@bassplayer8815]

Is that a joke

[@daveking2906]

Dont judge by that clip. Htwww and the bbc sessions are unfuckingbelievable albums. The musical talent has no equal. Get the 2003 if you can. Some shit was cut out I'm guessing due to copyright issues.

[@Radeo]

2003 Version: Mix handed to competent mixer, gets limit slammed in the mastering stage. 2018 Version: Mix handed to incompetent mixer, gets kid gloved in the mastering stage.

[@coolbro6969]

wow.. youknow. it makes sense.. what do we do.

[@davidbakerscuba]

What does all of that mean?

[@coolbro6969]

@@davidbakerscuba In 2003 they started with a good mix then ruined it. In 2018 they started with a bad mix and finished in a "safe" or non compelling way. -For us who just want an all around good mix.. do we start a petition? just live with it? Call jimmy Page?

[@Antman-cy8ch]

2003 all the way. The new remaster has that mixed out mushy drums so many rock albums have in recent years which I hate.