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Gold CDs ...... too much?

Are everyone's experiences with gold CD's (including MFSL CDs) positive? I just received a mint copy via Ebay of Steely Dan's Aja on MFSL Gold CD and something's just not right. Perhaps it's the fact that I've listened to this record (and CD) for almost 30 years now and this is the first time I've heard it on my new system, but here's what I hear.
There is almost too much resolution. Imagine how when you are using your digital picture software and you're using the "sharpness" adjust to modify a picture, and the picture almost becomes surreal, and too "brittle"? That's what I hear on the Aja Gold disk. Things are just too "bright", "brittle", too "much" of everything. It kind of reminds me of the complaints people used to have of CDs when the first hit the market. Sure it sounded clean & everything, but it just didn't sound natural.
Your thoughts??
tgyeti
meisterkleef
146 posts
 
They were worth it when they were $20 while in print. Not sure I would pay the crazy prices they're asking now. But for the most part I'd say I'm really happy with the gold cd purchases I made. I have roughly 1/2 of MFSL and DCC gold releases and most of the Sony Mastersound gold CDs from about 10 years ago.
kinsekd
252 posts
 
I have the particular CD you refer to. I've probably heard it as many times as you. I can't say that was my experience. I enjoyed the added resolution. And as my equipment has improved over the years, the differences became more pronounced.

Overall, I've been pleased with the gold cd's I've bought. But I paid closer to 30 than 20. Wish I knew where Meisterkleef shopped.
rcprince
3,073 posts
 
I don't think you should lay the blame entirely on the fact that it's a gold CD. While I think that in general the gold CDs do seem to have a touch more resolution vs. standard CDs, remember that Mobile Fidelity does not necessarily try to duplicate the original record when they do their re-issues. I recall reading that on one of the Steely Dan albums (Gaucho, I believe) Mofi discovered a lot more bass on one of the tracks than was on the commercial recording, so they kept it in; apparently, the artists had intentionally kept the extra bass out of the mix because they felt it sounded better. So it's quite possible that a lot of what you're hearing, while perhaps from the master tape, had gotten EQ'd out when the original final production record was released.
kurt_tank
1,189 posts
 
The MFSL LP also sounded funny, as if it was mastered too bright as well, so I think it is more this particular release, rather than gold CDs in general.

My opinion is that some of the gold CDs are well worth it. However, there are some that are definitely not worth it. I would say most are worth the extra cost.
(But as Meisterkleef says "not sure I would pay the crazy prices" either!)

My two cents worth anyway.
spiro
115 posts
 
I've enjoyed PF Metal, Dark Side; Sting, Nothing Like the sun; Steely Dan, Box set; some "miles", "Sonny rollins" and others.
The only remastered disk that I found to be "too honest" was the Sonny
Rollins "Plus 4" as in SACD mode it shows the tape saturation/distortion
too
clearly. I may have about 50 "golds" and I've found all of them to be an
improvement. The above member's above comments are very very valid,
if the remastering lab is not sticking to the origional tonal balance
you may not like
them equally to the origional. It's artistry not science in some cases.
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