Etta James - at last

Trekmaster

Analog man living in a digital world!
Label: WaxTime ‎– 771824
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue, 180 gram
Country: Europe
Released: 2013

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Love me some Etta however was wondering if anyone has heard this record. The bass seems to be over emphasized and certain words when pronounced with hard P's or B's causes the bass to thump the speakers. I've even noticed it on a A digital download of greatest hits from I-Tunes. Does the earlier US versions have this issue :idea:
 
I haven't noticed that, but the only original I've ever managed to find was in rather poor condition.
 
Yeah I think I shall try and find an earlier copy. 1999 was the last issue of this record so I can go back in time until I find a copy that was not over mixed in the re-master.
 
I have two of her CD's with that song and both have those heavy P's and B's.
I actually blew a dynaco a25 woofer cranking that song with a DC leaking amplifier..
 
Well that sucks I have been very reluctant to turn up the volume. I guess the next step is to find an earlier version. It sucks as that Chess collection I downloaded from Itues has a bunch of songs that do that. I should try and get my money back from them! And then head to the record store and look for some of the older versions!
 
Well maybe some good news on this front finally! I see a new release of At Last from a different label for Record Store Day! I have one saved and hopefully it will be a better record than the other one from Wax-Time!
 
I only have the CD version and haven't noticed this... might have to spin it tonight and see if I can hear what your describing
 
I only have the CD version and haven't noticed this... might have to spin it tonight and see if I can hear what your describing
I'll be interested in what you find out for sure. I've had a couple of people confirm so far. Even my Chess download from I tunes has the same issue. I'll pull it up on the pod here at work and see what tracks and time that it occurs for better reference thanks!
 
So here are some tracks and times where I'm hearing the anomalies. The whole record is filled with them. I may try and re-rip it but I heard it live while it was playing the last time.
1. :11, :49, :56
3. :27 - :40
9. :30, 1:11, 1:33
 
I have AT LAST on 4 different R & B cd collections and the thumps are evident to certain degrees on all 4. I believe the distortion is in the master tape, but I'm only guessing. I did notice that the most recent remastering I have of that song has the least thump audibly, although it's still there. Where I noticed the thumping the most was on the double cd Chess reissue of ETTA's greatest hits.
 
They are selling a reissue of this on Record Store Day saturday. From what I understand Waxtime uses some dubious sources for their pressings, as in just using the CD.

On a related note, I just bought a super clean copy of Call My Name at a local record store, and I will likely be going early to the same place on Saturday to try and get At Last.

ETA: I reckon I ought to read all the posts. RSD already mentioned above.
 
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I have AT LAST on 4 different R & B cd collections and the thumps are evident to certain degrees on all 4. I believe the distortion is in the master tape, but I'm only guessing. I did notice that the most recent remastering I have of that song has the least thump audibly, although it's still there. Where I noticed the thumping the most was on the double cd Chess reissue of ETTA's greatest hits.
Yeah I was very disappointed in that chess double CD release. I mean for the most part the remaster sounds pretty good but you can't have the volume up very loud or I could imagine you could damage the woofers. The new At Last release will be waiting for me at the store on Saturday I'm hoping that the different label will do a better job with it.
 
They are selling a reissue of this on Record Store Day saturday. From what I understand Waxtime uses some dubious sources for their pressings, as in just using the CD.

On a related note, I just bought a super clean copy of Call My Name at a local record store, and I will likely be going early to the same place on Saturday to try and get At Last.

ETA: I reckon I ought to read all the posts. RSD already mentioned above.

How does Call my name sound? If I had $100.00 laying around I'd try and get an original release of At Last!
 
I bought that album new, like back in the seventies and that is a bumping bebop LP definitely for an adult late night house party. Etta James was grown people's music.

They should have this album on Sundazed.....
 
So here are some tracks and times where I'm hearing the anomalies. The whole record is filled with them. I may try and re-rip it but I heard it live while it was playing the last time.
1. :11, :49, :56
3. :27 - :40
9. :30, 1:11, 1:33

I also have it on CD, will listen in a few moments for any anomalies and report back, but I don't remember hearing any bass related issues.

Well it seems as usual my memory has let me down. My version also has this issue, didn't seem too problematic with my Dayton subs in the living rm. But in the study with the Infinity sub's ability to accurately reproduce such low frequencies it was not pleasant.
 
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I also have it on CD, will listen in a few moments for any anomalies and report back, but I don't remember hearing any bass related issues.
Thanks Kingshead the more info I can gather of various releases and such will help me figure out what the best medium and version so I can get the best Etta! :thumbsup:
 
I also have it on CD, will listen in a few moments for any anomalies and report back, but I don't remember hearing any bass related issues.

Well it seems as usual my memory has let me down. My version also has this issue, didn't seem too problematic with my Dayton subs in the living rm. But in the study with the Infinity sub's ability to accurately reproduce such low frequencies it was not pleasant.

Well hell this is not looking to good. Thanks for the update all my chips are in for the record day release to be good or I'm gonna have two copies I can't play!:(
 
How does Call my name sound? If I had $100.00 laying around I'd try and get an original release of At Last!

I have this release. I'm not much of an audio sommelier because I'm a novice at most of this, and at this point I have listened to the record only a few times, but I will say that I haven't noticed any problems at all with it, especially not anything like you have mentioned above. Overall, it sounds really good, and I listened to it pretty loud.

Here's a little more information on the At Last RSD release. It's somewhat telling that they don't say what the source is. They have four extra tracks on it too, for whatever that's worth, and it's on colored vinyl. I personally would prefer a direct copy of the original. Jackpot has also reissued Etta James Rocks The House. I can't find any reviews of their issue of this record.

Here is a quote from the record label page:
In 2004, our independent record label was born into the Jackpot Records family. In its current conception, Jackpot Records operates as a reissue label featuring albums and bands that have been seminal within their respective genres. To date, Jackpot Records has reissued works from The Wipers, Beauregarde, Jandek, The New Dawn and MIJ, with more on the way. Care is paid to giving each album the most authentic and true-to-form representation, with all recordings taken from the original master tapes whenever possible.
 
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According to this page, the Rocks the House release was mastered by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio, so maybe that's who's doing At Last.
 
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