A Guide for Audiophiles
Wings Wild Life & Red Rose Speedway: Paul McCartney Digital Sound Quality Guide
Picking the best-sounding CD & hi-res versions isn’t as easy as you might think
How I judged releases
Welcome to my ongoing research on the best-sounding Paul McCartney CDs and high-resolution downloads. You will either find this a tedious journey that you wish to skip or a fascinating take on the CDs and hi-res downloads of titles in McCartney’s classic period.
I judged these different versions by comparing multiple tracks a/b to determine which ones sound the best. I also took dynamic range readings (DR) so that you can consider that as one factor in deciding which version you want, if that matters to you.
I have only compared the digital versions I own, which is to say this is not an exhaustive list and there is a possibility that there is one or more that I haven’t heard that could be a “winner.” If you have a version that isn’t included here, I’d love your feedback if you’ve done any comparisons of your own.
Most of these are out of print. However, they can be found used on websites like Discogs, eBay, or Amazon. Some are more scarce and expensive than others, but there are surprises here: expensive doesn’t always mean better. I have linked the titles to their Discogs counterparts so you can get more information on whichever ones you like.
Wings Wild Life (Wings, 1971)
Comparison of 5 Different Digital Releases of Wings Wild Life (excluding bonus tracks):
- Parlophone 0777 7 89237 2 5 The Paul McCartney Collection 1993 (dynamic range DR12)
- MPL B0028224–00 2018, Super Deluxe Edition Box Set CD (dynamic range DR11) — Same mastering as 2018 Special Edition High-Resolution Download (DR11)
- MPL 2018 High-Resolution Download 24/96 DR11
- DCC Unreleased GZS-7142 (dynamic range DR12)
- EMI Fame FA 3101 UK CD (dynamic range DR12)
- Capitol CDP 7 52017 2 (dynamic range DR12)
Winner: EMI Fame FA 3101 UK CD/(DCC Unreleased GZS-7142) (likely from same source)
Close Runner up: Super Deluxe Edition Box Set/MPL 2018 High-Resolution Download (same mastering)
The tracks that I compared most closely were “Mumbo” and “Bip Bop,” two very different-sounding songs.
Capitol CDP is a definite NO. It is smothered with noise reduction. Listen to the beginning of Bip Bop: no hiss, but there is a pumping sound, and the guitar sounds buried underneath a blanket. I am aware that with some other titles (and perhaps with this title as well) there have been cases in which the first issue in the CDP series does not have NR but the second does, when there is no difference in CD or booklet artwork, and no difference in catalog number. If yours does not have NR, I’d appreciate it if you’d post a reply so we can get to the bottom of things. But for now, I’d say definitely avoid this issue.
The Parlophone 0777 7 89237 2 is better than the CDP, but it’s also a no-go since it has noise reduction (slight, but still there) and a boosted top end that sounds harsh.
Steve Hoffman has never claimed that he did a mastering of Wings Wild Life, however there has been a so-called “unreleased” version of it attributed to him that has been circulating for many years. I cannot hear any difference between it and the EMI Fame CD. They have the same tonality and the same amount of hiss. The timings differ, which is mainly attributable to the “DCC” having added a slight amount of silence at the end of the songs, detectable both aurally and visually by looking at the waveforms. Some of the waveforms look remarkably similar, but they are not clones.
Usually, different waveforms, even when they differ only slightly, as they do here, indicate a different mastering. But I think some funny business is going on here. For example, bootleggers found a way to make a buck, and perhaps they did a digital-analog-digital transfer of the Fame CD and called it an unreleased DCC so they could sell it for big money.
Do not pay money for the “DCC” CD. There is no evidence that Steve Hoffman mastered it, and there is no improvement in the sound of it, and it doesn’t sound any better than the Fame CD. Any money you pay for it goes solely to the bootlegger, none to Steve Hoffman, none to Paul McCartney, just to some anonymous cackling opportunist.
The 2018 remastering, in the Deluxe Edition and high-resolution download, is OK (same mastering). It has slightly less treble than the Fame mastering but has extra compression, resulting in a less dynamic, louder listening experience. However, it has less hiss than the others without NR processing, indicating a lower-generation tape. This is especially apparent at the beginning of “Bip Bop.”
How you listen to music enters into the equation. If you’re listening in the kitchen while you cook a meal (vegetarian naturally) or if you’re jogging with earbuds on, 2018 will do just fine. But if you’re doing “concentrated listening” on a pair of good headphones or through a dedicated stereo system, you will probably prefer the Fame CD for its better dynamics and sound quality.
Red Rose Speedway (Paul McCartney & Wings, 1973)
Comparison of 4 Different Digital Releases of Red Rose Speedway (excluding bonus tracks):
- Parlophone 0777 7 89238 2 4 The Paul McCartney Collection 1993 UK CD DR11
- DCC GZS-1091 Gold CD DR11
- MPL B-0028225–00, 2018, Super Deluxe Edition Box Set DR12
same mastering as 2018 hi-res download DR12 - EMI/Fame CD-FA 3193 UK CD DR11
Winner: MPL B-0028225–00, 2018, Super Deluxe Edition Box Set, also released as a hi-res download in 2018 and as a 2 CD Digipak 2018
Runner up: DCC GZS-1091 Gold CD
The 2018 mastering truly sounds wonderful. It is more dynamic than any of the others, free of NR, and doesn’t have any weird EQ. The DCC sounds very good, but it is a little louder and doesn’t quite sound as much as you’re in the room with the musicians.
If you already have the DCC, keep it and don’t worry that you’re missing out, but if you’re looking to buy the CD for the first time, there’s no reason to shell out the big clams that the DCC commands and I’d recommend getting the 2018 mastering.
Surprisingly, the worst-sounding version is the EMI/Fame CD. This series is known for having excellent, often superior sound quality, unlike the other digital versions, but that is not the case here. It does not breathe like the 2018 mastering does. There is clipping on the waveform for “Big Barn Bed,” and it sounds like there was a high-end rolloff in the EQ.
The Paul McCartney Collection 1993 UK CD fares almost as badly since it uses noise reduction, not a huge amount, but enough for it to affect the sound negatively.
As always, your ears and your mileage may vary (YMMV).
Paul McCartney Sound Quality Guide: McCartney & Ram
Digital Versions: Picking The Best Ones
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