Jean.Francois
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Hello,
Making Movies is the third studio album by Dire Straits, released in 1980, and marks a major turning point in the band’s career.
For this review, you will find 10 versions tested:
The waveform of the 1996 CD reveals a restricted dynamic range for this album, confirmed by a DR10 measurement, unlike the 1984 edition or the MOFI SACD.
The graph below compares the spectrum of the MOFI vinyl record – 2019 (white curve) with the spectrum of the Japanese vinyl record – 1980 (blue curve). MOFI’s mastering highlights the lower end of the spectrum (green zone) with up to 3 dB more below 400 Hz, and above 3 kHz (yellow zone), there’s an increase in treble of up to 20dB more at 15 kHz.
The graph below compares the spectrum of the MOFI vinyl record – 2019 (white curve) with the spectrum of the MOFI SACD – 2019 (blue curve). MOFI vinyl mastering differs from SACD above 3 kHz (yellow zone), with an increase in treble of up to 10 dB at 16 kHz. So there’s a difference between the MOFI vinyl and SACD versions.
For this Dolby Atmos version on Amazon Music, only two tracks, Tunnel Of Love and Romeo And Juliet, are available in this format, both taken from the Dire Straits compilation Money for Nothing. The soundstage is preserved, with a reproduction that emphasizes an expanded frontal image up to 180 degrees by incorporating the side speakers.
To rediscover the original sound, preserving the tonal balance and dynamics of the time, the 1980s vinyl editions remain the most faithful reference, followed by the 1984 CD, the first digital release and the most respectful of the original master.
In high-resolution digital format, the 2012 SACD is the closest to the original master tape.
For a remastered version that preserves dynamics, the Abbey Road Studios vinyl is a solid option. The MOFI editions, on the other hand, offer a reworked tonal balance: the SACD features more prominent bass, while the MOFI vinyl version presents a very pronounced emphasis in the upper frequencies, resulting in a highly detailed listening experience, sometimes even slightly excessive depending on the cartridge used.
You can also find the full analysis (including all graphs and measurements) and samples HERE (link).
Enjoy the listening.
Jean-François
Other reviews of Dire Straits:
Money For Nothing – Review (Tidal Dolby Atmos, LP, CD, Qobuz, 1988, 1996 remastered 2022)
Dire Straits – Brothers In Arms (Vinyl japanese, remastered, Mofi, Abbey Road Studio, CD, SACD, Streaming, Tidal Dolby Atmos…)
Dire Straits – Encores – Review (Vinyl , Download, CD)
Dire Straits – On Every Street – Review – (Test: MOFI vinyl record 45 rpm SACD and CD 1991 1996 2000, Tidal Music HD and vinyl record from Back To Black ). What’s wrong with the MOFI and Back To Black vinyl records?
Making Movies is the third studio album by Dire Straits, released in 1980, and marks a major turning point in the band’s career.
For this review, you will find 10 versions tested:
- Ed 1: Japanese vinyl record – 1980
- Ed 2: MOFI vinyl record – 2019
- Ed 3: MOFI SACD – 2019
- Ed 4: MOFI CD layer from SACD – 2019
- Ed 5: CD – 1984
- Ed 6: CD – 1996
- Ed 7: Japanese SACD – 2012
- Ed 8: Vinyl Abbey Road – 2024
- Ed 9: Tidal – 2024
- Ed 10: Amazon Dolby Atmos – 2024
The waveform of the 1996 CD reveals a restricted dynamic range for this album, confirmed by a DR10 measurement, unlike the 1984 edition or the MOFI SACD.
The graph below compares the spectrum of the MOFI vinyl record – 2019 (white curve) with the spectrum of the Japanese vinyl record – 1980 (blue curve). MOFI’s mastering highlights the lower end of the spectrum (green zone) with up to 3 dB more below 400 Hz, and above 3 kHz (yellow zone), there’s an increase in treble of up to 20dB more at 15 kHz.
The graph below compares the spectrum of the MOFI vinyl record – 2019 (white curve) with the spectrum of the MOFI SACD – 2019 (blue curve). MOFI vinyl mastering differs from SACD above 3 kHz (yellow zone), with an increase in treble of up to 10 dB at 16 kHz. So there’s a difference between the MOFI vinyl and SACD versions.
For this Dolby Atmos version on Amazon Music, only two tracks, Tunnel Of Love and Romeo And Juliet, are available in this format, both taken from the Dire Straits compilation Money for Nothing. The soundstage is preserved, with a reproduction that emphasizes an expanded frontal image up to 180 degrees by incorporating the side speakers.
To rediscover the original sound, preserving the tonal balance and dynamics of the time, the 1980s vinyl editions remain the most faithful reference, followed by the 1984 CD, the first digital release and the most respectful of the original master.
In high-resolution digital format, the 2012 SACD is the closest to the original master tape.
For a remastered version that preserves dynamics, the Abbey Road Studios vinyl is a solid option. The MOFI editions, on the other hand, offer a reworked tonal balance: the SACD features more prominent bass, while the MOFI vinyl version presents a very pronounced emphasis in the upper frequencies, resulting in a highly detailed listening experience, sometimes even slightly excessive depending on the cartridge used.
You can also find the full analysis (including all graphs and measurements) and samples HERE (link).
Enjoy the listening.
Jean-François
Other reviews of Dire Straits:
Money For Nothing – Review (Tidal Dolby Atmos, LP, CD, Qobuz, 1988, 1996 remastered 2022)
Dire Straits – Brothers In Arms (Vinyl japanese, remastered, Mofi, Abbey Road Studio, CD, SACD, Streaming, Tidal Dolby Atmos…)
Dire Straits – Encores – Review (Vinyl , Download, CD)
Dire Straits – On Every Street – Review – (Test: MOFI vinyl record 45 rpm SACD and CD 1991 1996 2000, Tidal Music HD and vinyl record from Back To Black ). What’s wrong with the MOFI and Back To Black vinyl records?
