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The Plangent Process playback system? Huh?

This from the Acoustic Sounds description of the upcoming box of the first seven Springsteen albums:

"Using the Plangent Process playback system, noted for its ability to correct pitch errors and other distortions in the magnetic tape, this is, hands down, the most detailed take on Springsteen's high-energy studio performances anywhere."

I've never heard of this Plangent thing. Does anyone know anything about it?

I'll be buying this box no matter -- I've long loved these records -- but would be absolutely thrilled if they were somehow made to actually sound, well, better than they used to. Even when I was spinning "Darkness on the Edge of Town" on a crappy little department store stereo back in the 1970s, I remember thinking that the record didn't sound so good. Growing up to a real system only confirmed that, and made me long for more. Here's hoping these remasters will give us what we've been missing all this time.

Thanks.

-- Howard
hodu
jafant's avatar
jafant
19,773 posts
 
This mastering stuff always fascinates. I wish the catalog were being released on SACD. It is a Sony product afterall.
Still, it is going to be great having some of these titles remastered fort he 1st time. Let us hope it is a job well done! Happy Listening.
gpgr4blu
1,091 posts
 
Love Bruce and will bite as well-- but don't expect sonic masterpieces. I have first pressings of most of his albums and they consistently are among the worst sounding---exceptions being Tunnel of Love, Lucky Town, Human Touch, Wrecking Ball and High Hopes. I must also note that Born To Run was purposely murky (missed wall of sound attempt) and Darkness had a sound that was perfect for the feeling that the Boss was trying to evoke. Magic is on the other hand, one of the worst sounding cds that I have ever heard. The vinyl is better but that is not saying much.
crna39's avatar
crna39
145 posts
 
Yeah, there's more problems than wow/flutter with those tapes, and that's all the PP does.
jamieh
3 posts
 
PP also lowers distortion substantially. These sound very different, for the better.
crna39's avatar
crna39
145 posts
 
Jamie, once distortion has been recorded into the music, you can't take it out. It's like taking the distortion out of the guitars of SRV. Do you take out the good distortion, or the bad distortion? You can't differentiate.

Like I said, It's a solution looking for a problem.
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