John Lennon - Imagine (Apple 1971) SQ Quadraphonic 24-bit/96kHz Vinyl Rip
John Lennon - Imagine (1971) SQ Quadraphonic
Vinyl Rip @ 24/96 | FLAC 4 Channel (Computer Decoded) 4 X Mono FLAC 1.59GB | FLAC (SQ) Stereo 797MB | 4 Channel MLP 1.64GB | Artwork
Rapidshare/Hotfile | Rock | 1973 UK Apple/EMI pressing / Q4PAS 10004
Vinyl Rip @ 24/96 | FLAC 4 Channel (Computer Decoded) 4 X Mono FLAC 1.59GB | FLAC (SQ) Stereo 797MB | 4 Channel MLP 1.64GB | Artwork
Rapidshare/Hotfile | Rock | 1973 UK Apple/EMI pressing / Q4PAS 10004
John Lennon - Imagine (Apple 1971) SQ Quadraphonic 24-bit/96kHz Vinyl Rip
After the harrowing 'Plastic Ono Band', John Lennon returned to calmer, more conventional territory with Imagine. While the album had a softer surface, it was only marginally less confessional than its predecessor. Underneath the sweet strings of "Jealous Guy" lies a broken and scared man, the jaunty "Crippled Inside" is a mocking assault at an acquaintance, and "Imagine" is a paean for peace in a world with no gods, possessions, or classes, where everyone is equal. And Lennon doesn't shy away from the hard rockers – "How Do You Sleep" is a scathing attack on Paul McCartney, "I Don't Want to Be a Soldier" is a hypnotic antiwar song, and "Give Me Some Truth" is bitter hard rock. If Imagine doesn't have the thematic sweep of Plastic Ono Band, it is nevertheless a remarkable collection of songs that Lennon would never be able to better again. Stephen Thomas Erlewine (All Music Guide)
My additional notes:
One of the world's best known albums in one of the world's least known versions.
If you have Dr. Robert's great MFSL Stereo rip, put this one in the same CD case!
Say what you like about Lennon, his influence on modern culture is immense - and not just as a Beatle. We could all probably do without the Gallagher brothers interpretations but in all other respects Lennon has been a shining example of shameless 'goodness' wrapped up in angst. 'You might say I'm a Dreamer'… indeed but I'd rather that than hear one of Bono or Sting's platitudes about the green movement.
I wonder why people tend to belittle Yoko Ono's influence, and I applaud Lennon's frank and intimate portrayals of his love for Yoko. Cringe if you like but 'Oh Yoko' is actually one hell of a love song. Perhaps one that only Lennon could get away with? I'm more comfortable with that song than with 'How Do You Sleep' which is a bit like airing your dirty laundry in public.
The quad version is quite rare now and regularly sells for about 150 USD - and probably more to stereo buyers than quad fans… like a lot of 70's SQ Quadraphonic remixes, the SQ process demanded they go back, physically, to the master tapes and start from scratch. It features slightly and not so slightly different versions of tracks. The most notable exceptions: There is no orchestral 'hubbub' intro to 'How Do You Sleep' and several low-level instrumental elements familiar to the stereo mix are missing or changed in other tracks. And it's in quad of course. It's not a 'gimmicky' mix by any means (although the squawking sound effect at the end of 'Soldier' flies around the speakers) don't look for pyrotechnics, this is a mellow quad mix.
Completist? Perhaps but the quad mix certainly adds a new dimension to an old favourite.
As usual I put my best efforts into presenting this as faithfully as possible. Hope you like it. Enjoy responsibly!
Euripides Jan 2011.
Many thanks to 'Euripides' for this rip.
Track listing:
01 Imagine (3:06)
02 Crippled Inside (3:51)
03 Jealous Guy (4:12)
04 It's So Hard (2:25)
05 I Don't Want To Be A Soldier (5:58)
06 Give Me Some Truth (3:13)
07 Oh My Love (2:43)
08 How Do You Sleep (5:22)
09 How (3:42)
10 Oh Yoko (4:21)
Media:
UK LP pressing by EMI, mastered by EMI.
Audio Equipment:
Vpi HW-17F Record Cleaning Machine,
Mains voltage cleaner and spike protection.
Technics SL 1210 Mk II turntable,
Origin Live! modified Rega RB300 Tone Arm,
Denon DL 304 M/C Cartridge.,
NAD 3130 Amplifier (Phono Stage Only),
M-Audio Profire 610 Outboard A/D sampling at 96Khz/32bit.
Measured S/N ratio for this system is -87 dB
Audio processing:
Younglove decrackling script across all tracks. I have applied zero noise reduction.
All tracks have been carefully, manually declicked. Tracks faded at most junctions (except 03-04).
Quadraphonic decode using the 'Lucanu' script in Adobe Audition 3.0.
The original stereo SQ LP cut was biased towards the left channel, so through trial and error I have balanced the channels (in stereo) prior to decode to get better separation.
On decode, I checked for phase and balance between both rear, front and front-rear volumes and adjusted accordingly, in effect 'mixing' the decode for better stability. On certain tracks I used Adobe Audition's automatic phase correction on the front channels (as a stereo pair). It seems to straighten up a lot of the sound stage - I hope it works for you too… although the general separation of the quad mix is typically only about 12 db front-rear (not the best), it does have a fairly good quad soundstage, although it needed severe tweaking as described.
For the Quad files I kept tracks 03-04 as one file due to a quick track change (else decoding would produce a glitch). The track change occurs at 4:12.916. All other tracks are faded in-and-out (after decode).
For the stereo version all tracks are separate.
For all versions burn gapless to preserve album program.
The downloads:
Presented in three parts MAKE SURE YOU DOWNLOAD THE RIGHT ONE!
(each part has the same artwork files included)
Artwork includes album cover art, CD case in Microsoft Word format (97), various stills for use in DVD-Audio assembly (including the 'Euripides Rip' still which I'd prefer you to use if you intend to share the ISO of your DVD-A project.
This text file and 'Album Notes' text file.
Sharing:
Please feel free to share but credit 'Euripides' for the vinyl rip and decode to 4 Channel. It was a lot of work!
1) JL_I_9624_4_SQ_MLP.rar =
MLP (Meridian Lossless Packing) 4-Channel files 'good-to-go' in a DVD-A authoring program that accepts MLP (Discwelder Chrome for example). Note: track change point on '03-04 is @ 4:12.916
2) JL_I_9624_4_SQ_MONO_FLAC.rar =
The quadraphonic files as individual Channels, marked by file name, ready to decode to WAV and assemble in a DVD-Audio authoring program or use in a DTS encoder or similar. Note: track change point on '03-04 is @ 4:12.916
3) JL_I_9624_2_SQ_FLAC.rar =
Stereo FLAC files like in any other rip you'll find on Avaxhome.
These files are SQ encoded and will decode to 4 Channel when played through a stand-alone SQ Decoder unit - for those that still have one!
NB 1: for those that only want 44/16, sorry I am limiting my uploads to 96/24 for the forseeable future for two reasons:
1) Bandwidth and storage.
2) because I don't think CD resolution is where this valuable, hard-won hi-res material belongs. I know it's a pain, but you are welcome to download the files and resample to 44/16.
NB 2: This is my 1st Quadraphonic share, I would love to know any way that I can make it better or easier for anyone to deal with quad for the future, as I have quite a few SQ decodes to share..? Any advice welcome.
Big up the man Son-of-Albion for posting this for me. Again.
Euripides Jan 2011
PS: As yer man once said 'Give Peace a Chance'.
UK LP pressing by EMI, mastered by EMI.
Audio Equipment:
Vpi HW-17F Record Cleaning Machine,
Mains voltage cleaner and spike protection.
Technics SL 1210 Mk II turntable,
Origin Live! modified Rega RB300 Tone Arm,
Denon DL 304 M/C Cartridge.,
NAD 3130 Amplifier (Phono Stage Only),
M-Audio Profire 610 Outboard A/D sampling at 96Khz/32bit.
Measured S/N ratio for this system is -87 dB
Audio processing:
Younglove decrackling script across all tracks. I have applied zero noise reduction.
All tracks have been carefully, manually declicked. Tracks faded at most junctions (except 03-04).
Quadraphonic decode using the 'Lucanu' script in Adobe Audition 3.0.
The original stereo SQ LP cut was biased towards the left channel, so through trial and error I have balanced the channels (in stereo) prior to decode to get better separation.
On decode, I checked for phase and balance between both rear, front and front-rear volumes and adjusted accordingly, in effect 'mixing' the decode for better stability. On certain tracks I used Adobe Audition's automatic phase correction on the front channels (as a stereo pair). It seems to straighten up a lot of the sound stage - I hope it works for you too… although the general separation of the quad mix is typically only about 12 db front-rear (not the best), it does have a fairly good quad soundstage, although it needed severe tweaking as described.
For the Quad files I kept tracks 03-04 as one file due to a quick track change (else decoding would produce a glitch). The track change occurs at 4:12.916. All other tracks are faded in-and-out (after decode).
For the stereo version all tracks are separate.
For all versions burn gapless to preserve album program.
The downloads:
Presented in three parts MAKE SURE YOU DOWNLOAD THE RIGHT ONE!
(each part has the same artwork files included)
Artwork includes album cover art, CD case in Microsoft Word format (97), various stills for use in DVD-Audio assembly (including the 'Euripides Rip' still which I'd prefer you to use if you intend to share the ISO of your DVD-A project.
This text file and 'Album Notes' text file.
Sharing:
Please feel free to share but credit 'Euripides' for the vinyl rip and decode to 4 Channel. It was a lot of work!
1) JL_I_9624_4_SQ_MLP.rar =
MLP (Meridian Lossless Packing) 4-Channel files 'good-to-go' in a DVD-A authoring program that accepts MLP (Discwelder Chrome for example). Note: track change point on '03-04 is @ 4:12.916
2) JL_I_9624_4_SQ_MONO_FLAC.rar =
The quadraphonic files as individual Channels, marked by file name, ready to decode to WAV and assemble in a DVD-Audio authoring program or use in a DTS encoder or similar. Note: track change point on '03-04 is @ 4:12.916
3) JL_I_9624_2_SQ_FLAC.rar =
Stereo FLAC files like in any other rip you'll find on Avaxhome.
These files are SQ encoded and will decode to 4 Channel when played through a stand-alone SQ Decoder unit - for those that still have one!
NB 1: for those that only want 44/16, sorry I am limiting my uploads to 96/24 for the forseeable future for two reasons:
1) Bandwidth and storage.
2) because I don't think CD resolution is where this valuable, hard-won hi-res material belongs. I know it's a pain, but you are welcome to download the files and resample to 44/16.
NB 2: This is my 1st Quadraphonic share, I would love to know any way that I can make it better or easier for anyone to deal with quad for the future, as I have quite a few SQ decodes to share..? Any advice welcome.
Big up the man Son-of-Albion for posting this for me. Again.
Euripides Jan 2011
PS: As yer man once said 'Give Peace a Chance'.