The third installment of the Achtung Baby throw-down is, finally, what most of the readers have been waiting for. Now is the time to actually compare the recording quality of the remastered versions of the CD and the LP.
First of all, the listening is being done with a balanced system giving little advantage to either format. A few quick trips between Ovation (http://www.ovation-av.com) (where I am a consultant) and Audio Solutions (http://theaudiosolutions.com/) and you could have the same experience at home.
Both versions are very good and vast improvements over the original. The differences between the two mediums are subtle but they are present and give discerning listeners an interesting choice. From the opening bars of Zoo Station listeners will hear slight inconsistencies. On the CD that guitar intro comes straight out of the left speaker. On the LP, however, it radiates further out in the room in the general direction of that speaker. The snare pop on the CD is way out front in the mix and almost slaps you in the face. On the LP it is further away from you and does not resonate as much. The bass enters with extreme tightness, control and articulation in the digital version. The analogue bass sacrifices a bit of control but fills the room much more and is obviously reaching a bit deeper.
All of these differences come through in other classic tracks as the album progresses. One and So Cruel are great examples of slight sound-stage shifts and the revelation of subtle sound effects. More aggressive works like The Fly or Acrobat demonstrate the dynamic range of these recordings and the ability to clearly sort out the sonic assault U2 and crew treated us to 20 years ago.
All things considered, these two deserving formats battled to a draw on this one. Your preference will likely depend on the ability of your sound system. If you have questions about the system used in the throw-down or have an opinion from your own tests you should use the comments field or Facebook link to keep the conversation going!
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