For those of you who own the bootlegs and are wondering if the upgrade is worth it, there are noticeable differences to consider. The overall sound of the reissues is much brighter and a lot of subtle nuances are more perceptible: voices and instruments are now apparent that weren't before.
There is a greater dimension to the sound than the relatively-flat bootlegs. Of course, the price for greater clarity of the original analog source material means some audible hiss in spots, but I think the improved quality otherwise outweighs this minor annoyance. The new CDs also offer more music on each disc — about 20 seconds apiece for the first and third albums, and 41 seconds for Neu! 2. Some of this disparity can be be attributed to the fact that the bootlegs were taken from inadequate source (I have heard they were made from the best vinyl copies available). In remastering, Neu! brought back in some skips and pauses that had been errantly "fixed" for the bootlegs. Some tracks are also broken slightly different than on the bootlegs. As for the packaging, it's slightly more aesthetically pleasing than the bootlegs, and borrows a bit from the big foldouts that accompany Dinger's releases on the Captain Trip label. And although the promo material promises "new liner notes," don't expect any further insight into the music itself. Having owned the bootleg versions for several years, I can say that the quality of the official reissues is definitely worth the investment.
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