Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 25 of 39

Thread: Novalis Box Set

  1. #1

    Novalis Box Set

    I saw yesterday in a shop the Novalis box set 'Schmetterlinge 'with 15 CD's , 1 DVD with unreleased TV footage and a book . The CD s were remastered by Eroc. I saw Novalis when I was in high school and I have still Sommerträume on vynil, but I never followed their output. Did anyone bought the boxset ?
    Dieter Moebius : "Art people like things they don’t understand!"

  2. #2
    Insect Overlord Progatron's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    southern Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    7,122
    Not yet, but last week I e-mailed my wife a link to it with the subject line "This sure would be a nice Christmas gift!" - so we'll see.
    Interviewer of reprobate ne'er-do-well musicians of the long-haired rock n' roll persuasion at: www.velvetthunder.co.uk and former scribe at Classic Rock Society. Only vaguely aware of anything other than music.

    *** Join me in the Garden of Delights for 3 hours of tune-spinning... every Saturday at 5pm EST on Deep Nuggets radio! www.deepnuggets.com ***

  3. #3
    Member moecurlythanu's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    The Planet Lovetron
    Posts
    13,023
    Is Eroc still compressing the crap out of everything?

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by alucard View Post
    I saw yesterday in a shop the Novalis box set 'Schmetterlinge 'with 15 CD's , 1 DVD with unreleased TV footage and a book . The CD s were remastered by Eroc. I saw Novalis when I was in high school and I have still Sommerträume on vynil, but I never followed their output. Did anyone bought the boxset ?
    Looks interesting. I have everything on vinyl and several on CD, but still something I would like to own.

    But almost 200 euro is a bit steep.

    It is lot cheaper by Amazon Germany, so I ordered it.
    Last edited by Rarebird; 11-03-2018 at 10:58 AM.

  5. #5
    Member Mr.Krautman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Brussels
    Posts
    815
    At the current (lowered) price it's a fair deal but prospective buyers should be aware that only about one third (5 CD's at best) of this box set could be considered as (soft) prog, the remaining is closer to easy-going german pop-rock songs. (with german lyrics of course)
    Also, if this boxset is supposed to be complete why didn't they included "Visionen" which was a pleasant fully instrumental album never re-issued on CD ?
    .. and the included book is written in german (only).
    Still, being a Novalis-fan I just ordered the box.

  6. #6
    Member Mr.Krautman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Brussels
    Posts
    815
    Quote Originally Posted by moecurlythanu View Post
    Is Eroc still compressing the crap out of everything?
    Mr. Ehrig is sometimes heavy handed on his compressors but I don't have big issues with the (remastered) sound of his own repertoire (Eroc I to IV) and (to a lesser extent) the Grobschnitt re-issues he (re)mastered. I also remember that the remastering of Rockpommel's Land was an interactive process helped by the inputs and advices of many external fans, a seldom seen method in the re-mastering world.

    But as neither Grobschnitt or Novalis were "audiophile" quality recordings to start with I don't expect too much...

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Mr.Krautman View Post
    At the current (lowered) price it's a fair deal but prospective buyers should be aware that only about one third (5 CD's at best) of this box set could be considered as (soft) prog, the remaining is closer to easy-going german pop-rock songs. (with german lyrics of course)
    Also, if this boxset is supposed to be complete why didn't they included "Visionen" which was a pleasant fully instrumental album never re-issued on CD ?
    .. and the included book is written in german (only).
    Still, being a Novalis-fan I just ordered the box.
    I think Vielleicht bist du ein Clown still is progish and Flossenengel is a concept-album.

    Both my German Rock lexicons mention Visionen, but accorging to one of those, this is a sampler.
    According to Progarchives it's a collection of earlier songs as well and judging from the tracklists I can find it just has songs that are on other albums.

    I'm very curious about the box-set, especially the bonus-disc and the book. I'm well-versed in German, so the language isn't a problem. I have more problems reading English.
    On Amazon.de there are 4 reviews, 3 very positive, one complaining about the sound-quality (compressed) and the lack of album-covers.

    I'm looking forward to getting it. I've never ordered something from Amazon.de. Having to pay in advance is not really something I'm used to, but the price difference between this and the Dutch stores I visit is more than 100 euros, which made it worth the gamble.

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Mr.Krautman View Post
    But as neither Grobschnitt or Novalis were "audiophile" quality recordings to start with I don't expect too much...
    My German LP of "Rockpommel's Land" is audiophile quality.

  9. #9
    Member Mr.Krautman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Brussels
    Posts
    815
    Quote Originally Posted by Rarebird View Post
    I think Vielleicht bist du ein Clown still is progish and Flossenengel is a concept-album.

    Both my German Rock lexicons mention Visionen, but accorging to one of those, this is a sampler.
    According to Progarchives it's a collection of earlier songs as well and judging from the tracklists I can find it just has songs that are on other albums.

    I'm very curious about the box-set, especially the bonus-disc and the book. I'm well-versed in German, so the language isn't a problem. I have more problems reading English.
    On Amazon.de there are 4 reviews, 3 very positive, one complaining about the sound-quality (compressed) and the lack of album-covers.

    I'm looking forward to getting it. I've never ordered something from Amazon.de. Having to pay in advance is not really something I'm used to, but the price difference between this and the Dutch stores I visit is more than 100 euros, which made it worth the gamble.
    Visionen is not really a "sampler" but a compilation of (only) instrumental tracks taken from various records. Some of them have been re-worked, edited, or re-played and can't be found on any other Novalis records in that form. Not essential ,but the album has a great spacey flow and excellent sound.

    Flosenengel is a (good) concept-album and the very last one from the band with some progressive elements. All the following records, from Augenblicke on and on, contains only short easy-going rock-pop songs sung in german. Even the (rare) longer tracks (Nachttraum on Neumond) are extended ballads. Some nice (short) instrumental tracks can be found spread here and there...
    Last edited by Mr.Krautman; 11-04-2018 at 06:42 PM.

  10. #10
    Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Philadelphia Area
    Posts
    1,805
    How many studio lps did they release?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  11. #11
    Member Mr.Krautman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Brussels
    Posts
    815
    Quote Originally Posted by Fracktured View Post
    How many studio lps did they release?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    11 , if you exclude the live records.

  12. #12
    Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Philadelphia Area
    Posts
    1,805
    Quote Originally Posted by Mr.Krautman View Post
    11 , if you exclude the live records.
    Yeah, I was mainly talking about studio work. I only ever bought one of their albums and know just about nothing about them. Sounds like this may be for the completest.

  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by moecurlythanu View Post
    Is Eroc still compressing the crap out of everything?

    Still, but his skills and softwares are better now. He likes the compression, and that scares me coming from a drummer, kneading and squashing his own performance on the albums, making the drums with no breath. Eroc never was and never will be an audiophile engineer. such a shame for a man who Mastered so many bands, vast catalogues and maybe more than 1000 albums.

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Bruno Sampaio Barbosa View Post
    Still, but his skills and softwares are better now. He likes the compression, and that scares me coming from a drummer, kneading and squashing his own performance on the albums, making the drums with no breath. Eroc never was and never will be an audiophile engineer. such a shame for a man who Mastered so many bands, vast catalogues and maybe more than 1000 albums.
    I suppose he has suffered some hearing loss. Playing drums might not be very good for your hearing.

  15. #15
    The live stuff interests me, but alas, this box set is not for me.
    "Always ready with the ray of sunshine"

  16. #16
    I like almost everything Novalis did, even their non-prog stuff. I'm not that fond of Bumerang, but that is all.

    If everything works out they way it should, I'll recieve it on Wednesday.

  17. #17
    Insect Overlord Progatron's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    southern Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    7,122
    Quote Originally Posted by Rarebird View Post
    I like almost everything Novalis did, even their non-prog stuff. I'm not that fond of Bumerang, but that is all.

    If everything works out they way it should, I'll recieve it on Wednesday.
    I'd like to hear your review when you have time, I'm still seriously considering it for Christmas this year.
    Interviewer of reprobate ne'er-do-well musicians of the long-haired rock n' roll persuasion at: www.velvetthunder.co.uk and former scribe at Classic Rock Society. Only vaguely aware of anything other than music.

    *** Join me in the Garden of Delights for 3 hours of tune-spinning... every Saturday at 5pm EST on Deep Nuggets radio! www.deepnuggets.com ***

  18. #18
    Don't ask me for information on the sound-quality. I never play music loud and I don't really mind compression.

  19. #19
    Member Mr.Krautman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Brussels
    Posts
    815
    Quote Originally Posted by Rarebird View Post
    Don't ask me for information on the sound-quality. I never play music loud and I don't really mind compression.
    That's the way it should be, just enjoy the music. Leave the anti-Eroc compression debate to the dedicated audiophile/ Hi-Fi forums. These are not Sheffield Labs records.

  20. #20
    Insect Overlord Progatron's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    southern Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    7,122
    Yep, agreed on that! I just want a general overview of what you think of it (packaging, how well are the discs protected, the book, etc.)
    Interviewer of reprobate ne'er-do-well musicians of the long-haired rock n' roll persuasion at: www.velvetthunder.co.uk and former scribe at Classic Rock Society. Only vaguely aware of anything other than music.

    *** Join me in the Garden of Delights for 3 hours of tune-spinning... every Saturday at 5pm EST on Deep Nuggets radio! www.deepnuggets.com ***

  21. #21
    It is supposed to arrive at my home tomorrow at 8 pm.
    I don't think I count on that.

    On the compression debate. I own several albums, where audiophiles seems to have problems with compression, but I can say I hear anything wrong.
    Eloy
    Grobschnitt (box)
    Hoelderlin (the last remasters)
    Some Novalis remasters
    Triumvirat
    Some Genesis remasters

    I'll try to post pictures, which give a better view than the pictures on Amazon.

  22. #22
    Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Cologne
    Posts
    2
    Quote Originally Posted by Rarebird View Post
    On Amazon.de there are 4 reviews, 3 very positive, one complaining about the sound-quality (compressed) and the lack of album-covers.
    And one of them is from Eroc himself. As you can guess, it's not the one complaining about compression.

  23. #23
    The Novalis box has arrived. Took the first pictures of unpacking it. The box is not as thick as the Grobschnitt and the Achim Reichel boxes. It's a bit bigger than the Achim Reichel box and a bit smaller than the Grobschnitt box. It contains a poster and a book with the story of the group, lyrics and pictures, including small reproductions of the album-covers. I would have liked them to be full size, but well, there is always something to be desired. The CD's are in cardboard at the front and the back of the book. It looks nice, but perhaps not as good as the Grobschnitt box.
    For the price I have paid with Amazon € 82.67 I'm happy. I would probably be less happy if I would have paid the prices on the websites of some stores I frequent. One offers it for € 192.99 and the other offers it for € 198.99.

  24. #24
    Quote Originally Posted by Rarebird View Post
    It is supposed to arrive at my home tomorrow at 8 pm.
    I don't think I count on that.

    On the compression debate. I own several albums, where audiophiles seems to have problems with compression, but I can say I hear anything wrong.
    Eloy
    Grobschnitt (box)
    Hoelderlin (the last remasters)
    Some Novalis remasters
    Triumvirat
    Some Genesis remasters

    I'll try to post pictures, which give a better view than the pictures on Amazon.
    Those Eloy remasters sound like a short-wave radio broadcast. Just dismal. If you love Hoelderlin and Triumvirat like I do, do yourself a favor and find the original 1980's cd issues. Their superior sound quality allows you to enjoy the music so much more!

  25. #25
    Quote Originally Posted by yesstiles View Post
    Those Eloy remasters sound like a short-wave radio broadcast. Just dismal. If you love Hoelderlin and Triumvirat like I do, do yourself a favor and find the original 1980's cd issues. Their superior sound quality allows you to enjoy the music so much more!
    I have the original Hoelderlin CD issues, but I don't hear anything wrong with the remasters, which also contain bonus-tracks and more information in the booklets.

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •