Encores was released in May 1993 as a complement to the live album On the Night. It’s an EP (Extended Play) of 4 tracks which contains 3 exclusive tracks (Your Latest Trick is already in the album On the Night)

The review includes 3 editions (Vinyl , digital files and CD) of this album.

Reviews of two other albums are available Brothers In Arms and Money For Nothing.

Below you will find the description of the different editions, as well as the measurements of each edition in the following chapters.
The synthesis of the review and the samples are available here.

This album includes 4 tracks reviewed:

1. Your Latest Trick
2. The Bug
3. Solid Rock
4. Local Hero – Wild Theme

First we will analyze each edition in detail (technical and qualitative analysis) then we will compare the successive editions with their dynamics and assign a final score and you will be able to listen some samples.

The streaming versions may evolve over time, those presented here correspond to the version tested at the date of publication, or update of the review.

Review of the editions:

Part 1: Presentation of the editions

Part 2 : Waveform and dynamique comparaison

Parts 3 : Spectrum comparisons

Part 4 : Spectrogram comparaisons

Part 5 : Summary, scoring and Sample

Part 1: presentation of the editions

Ed1 : Pink vinyl Black Friday ref 093624874720 – 2021

Presentation

This is the pink vinyl of this limited edition with lithograph.

Label	Warner Records
Reference	093624874720
Format (speed)	Vinyl lp 45 rpm
Type	Pink vinyl Limited Edition Black Friday 2021 including lithograph, with a code for digital files
Master	Digital
Mastering/Pressing	Remastered by Bob Ludwig Lacquer Cut at Bernie Grundman Mastering
Original recording	Digital
State	US
Year original	1993
Year production	2021

Ed2 : Digital files ref 093624874720 – 2021

Presentation

This is the downloaded files from the code included with the vinyl.

Label	Warner Records
Reference	093624874720
Format (speed)	Digital files
Type	Wav files in 16 bits 44.1 kHz
Master	Digital
Mastering/Pressing	Remastered by Bob Ludwig
Original recording	Digital
State	US
Year original	1993
Year production	2021

Ed3 : CD ref 862 209-2 – 1993

Presentation

This is the original CD released in 1993.

Label	Vertigo
Reference	862 209-2
Format (speed)	CD single (4 tracks)
Type	CD in 16 bits 44.1 kHz
Master	Digital
Mastering/Pressing
Original recording	Digital
State	Europe (Germany)
Year original	1993
Year production	1993

Part 2 : Waveform and dynamic comparaisons

Waveform

The waveform represents all the 4 tracks of the album.

The graph below represents the album in vinyl version. There is no sign of level limiting, but the whole thing remains packed without showing much dynamics. This is surprising from Dire Straits and their rather dynamic style of music..

The graph below represents the CD version, we find here less dynamics than the vinyl with zone where the compression is visible (yellow zone).

The graphic below represents the Ed2 Digital files. It is a remastered version compared to the CD version released in 1993. As often, the remastering consists in compressing more the dynamics. This is clearly visible here in the yellow area, where more of the signal is at its maximum.

The graphic below is a zoom of the waveform of the Ed2 Digital files. You can clearly see a clipping due to the compression of dynamic in the red area which strongly degrades the original music peak.

Dynamic

Dynamic represents the ability to reproduce a wide range of sounds from the softest to the loudest. The target is to compare the dynamics of the music and not of the media (CD, digital files or vinyl).

For our 3 editions we have obtained the following Dynamic Range (DR) :

	Ed1: Vinyl	Ed2: Digital files	Ed3: CD
GLOBAL	DR10	DR8	DR9
Min	DR10	DR8	DR8
Max	DR11	DR9	DR10
Your Latest Trick	DR10	DR8	DR8
The Bug	DR10	DR8	DR8
Solid Rock	DR11	DR8	DR9
Local Hero / Wild Theme	DR10	DR9	DR10

For the analysis of the DR, it is important to take into account the artist. Dire Straits has always made very dynamic albums (DR14 DR15) with their style of music.
We find here a DR10 for the vinyl, DR9 for the original CD and DR8 for the remastered version (Ed2 Digital Files). We are thus far from the dynamics that this album should produce.

As a reminder, the scale goes from 0 to more 20, but the dynamics are considered good from 12, quite good between 10 and 11, and deteriorate below 10.

Part 3 : spectrum comparisons

Spectrum

The Spectrum allows to check the tonal balance of the music (balance between treble, medium and bass sounds) and to detect process that may have been carried out during the recording, the mixing, mastering or manufacturing phases. It is also possible to detect frequency interference issues.

The curve represents the average frequency distribution over the sample “The Bug”.

The interesting features on this curve Ed1 Vinyl (white) vs Ed3 CD (blue) are the following:

1. The two curves are superimposed up to 12 kHz.
2. The yellow area shows a large variation in levels between 12 kHz and 20 kHz which is due to equalisation (or a problem with the engraving). This equalization causes a 10 dB drop at 17 kHz, giving the impression of a high signal cutoff at 17 kHz (red line).
3. The purple arrow shows the area produced by the distortion of the vinyl and its surface noise.

The graph below shows that the curves of the CD (Ed3) and digital files(Ed2) versions almost match. So we find the same sound balance.

Part 4 : Spectrogram comparaisons

Spectrogram

Spectrogram is another representation of frequency versus time of a track. For each channel (right and left), horizontal axis represents time, and the vertical axis represents frequency. The amplitude is represented by the intensity (brightness) of the color of each point in the image.

The spectrum beloow représente the vinyl version (Ed1). The spectrogram is consistent with the spectrum analysis. We find a limitation of the high frequencies to 17 kHz instead of 22 kHz (yellow arrow) present on the CD and the digital files. The white arrow represents the harmonics generated by the reading of the vinyl.

For Digital files (Ed2) and CD(Ed3) , we find the same representation with a maximum frequency of 22 kHz (yellowarrow) due to the 44.1 kHz sampling rate. The white arrow shows that there is no signal above 22 kHz (black area) unlike vinyl.

Part 5 : Summary, scoring and Samples

Ed1 : Pink vinyl Black Friday ref 093624874720 – 2021

This vinyl edition was the occasion to have 4 tracks of Dire Straits with a dynamic rendering like we could find on the Alchemy album. But nothing of that, the sound is clean, but lacks dynamics for Dire Straits. We don’t find the finesse of the music and the guitar playing, it’s a pity for a special edition, we could have hoped for a better treatment from an uncompressed studio master.

• Rating:
  • Dynamic: ●●●oo (3/5)
  • Bandwidth: ●●●oo (3.5/5)
  • Surface noise: ●●●●o (4.0/5)
  • Restitution: ●●●oo (2.5/5)

• Sample : “The Bug” 24 bits 88.2 kHz:

Ed2 : Digital files ref 093624874720 – 2021

The CD was already compressed in 1993, this remaster will not correct the problem, but make it worse. We are in the loudness war. And this affects a band like Dire Straits, which is a shame.

• Rating:
  • Dynamic: ●●ooo (2/5)
  • Bandwidth: ●●●●o (4/5)
  • Restitution: ●●●oo (2.5/5)

• Sample : “The Bug” 16 bits 44.1 kHz:

Ed3 : CD ref 862 209-2 – 1993

The CD was already compressed in 1993, we are far from the quality of rendering of the previous albums in term of dynamics, nuance of the guitar playing, of the musical rendering. This version remains better, more defined than the remastered version.

• Rating:
  • Dynamic: ●●ooo (2/5)
  • Bandwidth: ●●●●o (4/5)
  • Restitution: ●●●oo (2.5/5)

• Sample : “The Bug” 16 bits 44.1 kHz:

A special edition of the pink vinyl in 45 rpm could have indicated a superb edition of this 4 tracks single. Good musical performance of the concert, but unfortunately, the compression reduces the potential of this mini album. It will remain a collector for its color, with a sound rendering a bit inferior to the other previous 1993 live albums.

Detail of the ratings :

• Dynamic :
  1. Significant dynamic compression, DR less than 7
  2. Compression of the present dynamics, DR between 7 and 9.
  3. Correct piece DR >=10
  4. No dynamic compression (DR >12), dynamic rendering
  5. No dynamic compression, high DR and very dynamic sound rendering
• Spectrum :
  1. Spectrum cut and less than 15 khz
  2. Spectrum cut at 15 khz
  3. Spectrum not conforming to the original and cut (not HD) or original but limited bandwidth (but less than 20 kHz)
  4. Spectrum conforming to the original (but not HD)
  5. Spectrum conforming to the original with HD resolution (higher than 24kHz)
• Surface noise (only for vinyl):
  1. Continuous audible noise
  2. Audible surface noise except on passages with a high level of noise
  3. Reduced surface noise, barely audible on low level crossings
  4. Low surface noise, very good quality
  5. Very low surface noise, no defects, almost inaudible on the quiet passages (exceptional disc)
• Spatialization :
  • Between 0 and 5 for 5.1 or 7.1 channels configuration
  • Between 0 and 10 for Atmos configuration (7.1.4)
  • For more information on spatialization, you can read the article describing this parameter here.
• Restitution :
  1. Low quality of the restitution mixing dynamics, clarity, separation of voices and instruments.
  2. Average quality of the restitution mixing dynamics, clarity, separation of voices and instruments.
  3. Quality of the restitution mixing dynamics, clarity, separation of voices and instruments. Good record.
  4. High quality of the restitution mixing dynamics, clarity, separation of voices and instruments. Very high level disc.
  5. Maximum quality of the restitution mixing dynamics, clarity, separation of voices and instruments. Exceptional disc.

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