Jean.Francois
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- May 31, 2022
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Hello,
Off the Wall is Michael Jackson’s fifth studio album and marks a pivotal turning point in his career. It was his first solo project under Epic Records and, more importantly, the beginning of his legendary collaboration with producer Quincy Jones.
It sold over 20 million copies worldwide and established Michael Jackson as a solo superstar, paving the way for the global phenomenon he would become with Thriller in 1982.
But how has this album evolved with each remastered version?
A comparative analysis of the waveforms reveals a clear artistic intent in the original releases, particularly on the original vinyl (US, Japan) and the 1984 CD, where a gradual increase in volume can be observed over the last four tracks. This progression, highlighted by the yellow arrows, reflects a deliberate choice to build dynamic tension leading up to the album’s conclusion, enhancing its emotional impact.
So it's clear that, even beyond the “volume war” that affects many recent digital masters, for those that preserve the dynamic range, such as MOFI editions, the tonal balance between the different tracks no longer corresponds to that of the original version.
Aside from the issue of the original track levels, when it comes to remastered versions, MOFI delivers the most dynamic rendering, with a well-balanced sound that aligns more closely with current sonic standards. This is particularly evident on the MOFI SACD. Conversely, the MOFI vinyl version exhibits a noticeable boost in the high frequencies, as shown in the graph below, with a gain of approximately 5 dB at 15 kHz (yellow zone), adding an excess of detail in the upper spectrum, similar to what was done on Thriller.
Spectrum : SACD MOFI (blue) vs Vinyl MOFI (white)
If you want to recapture the spirit of the original album, you'll have to turn to the original editions, otherwise the Mofi SACD edition offers the most recent and correct remastering.
You can find the 11 versions tested, along with audio samples for direct comparison and all technical measurements, here (link).
Enjoy listening,
Jean-François
Off the Wall is Michael Jackson’s fifth studio album and marks a pivotal turning point in his career. It was his first solo project under Epic Records and, more importantly, the beginning of his legendary collaboration with producer Quincy Jones.
It sold over 20 million copies worldwide and established Michael Jackson as a solo superstar, paving the way for the global phenomenon he would become with Thriller in 1982.
But how has this album evolved with each remastered version?
A comparative analysis of the waveforms reveals a clear artistic intent in the original releases, particularly on the original vinyl (US, Japan) and the 1984 CD, where a gradual increase in volume can be observed over the last four tracks. This progression, highlighted by the yellow arrows, reflects a deliberate choice to build dynamic tension leading up to the album’s conclusion, enhancing its emotional impact.
So it's clear that, even beyond the “volume war” that affects many recent digital masters, for those that preserve the dynamic range, such as MOFI editions, the tonal balance between the different tracks no longer corresponds to that of the original version.
Aside from the issue of the original track levels, when it comes to remastered versions, MOFI delivers the most dynamic rendering, with a well-balanced sound that aligns more closely with current sonic standards. This is particularly evident on the MOFI SACD. Conversely, the MOFI vinyl version exhibits a noticeable boost in the high frequencies, as shown in the graph below, with a gain of approximately 5 dB at 15 kHz (yellow zone), adding an excess of detail in the upper spectrum, similar to what was done on Thriller.
Spectrum : SACD MOFI (blue) vs Vinyl MOFI (white)
If you want to recapture the spirit of the original album, you'll have to turn to the original editions, otherwise the Mofi SACD edition offers the most recent and correct remastering.
You can find the 11 versions tested, along with audio samples for direct comparison and all technical measurements, here (link).
Enjoy listening,
Jean-François
