[News] 『A BALLADS 2』on sale 2021.04.08 [III]

[Surreal17]

Originally Posted by KPL

Wow I do think the difference is notable!

I only listened to SAKURA preview so far and yess, the difference is really visible!

[AJFmzk]

Originally Posted by AyuCanada

I did but the slipcover is only for first press right?

I think so, but the preview on her website shows skip covers and digipack in the TA version photo

[Deep snow]

Originally Posted by dannysan

You can hear the previews here:
https://music.apple.com/jp/album/a-ballads-2/1559845742

thank you for sharing the link. I compared these remasters and their original mixes and they do seem to be different—they're 'cleaner', but I think they could have been better.

songs like beloved, æternal, SAKURA, and how beautiful you are, for instance, sound better but they're still jarringly set in a much higher volume than the rest of the album.

meanwhile, JEWEL and Love song sound better but their volumes are lowered, stripping some of the 'kick' in their original mixes.

the standouts are MOON, walking proud, Days, Moments, rainy day (holy shit rainy day), and HOPE or PAIN (so so good).

[AyuCanada]

Originally Posted by Deep snow

thank you for sharing the link. I compared these remasters and their original mixes and they do seem to be different—they're 'cleaner', but I think they could have been better.

songs like beloved, æternal, SAKURA, and how beautiful you are, for instance, sound better but they're still jarringly set in a much higher volume than the rest of the album.

meanwhile, JEWEL and Love song sound better but their volumes are lowered, stripping some of the 'kick' in their original mixes.

the standouts are MOON, walking proud, Days, Moments, rainy day (holy shit rainy day), and HOPE or PAIN (so so good).

You also have to consider that the snippets from the website are probably not CD quality either. I do not know Mora, but Apple Music does not play CD quality.

[BlackSilence]

Originally Posted by TheRainbow

The inner cover is so much better imo. -_-

It's such a beautiful photo of her, i totally agree! Somehow it's also less claustrophobic when it's not such a tight portrait shot, just makes everything look a bit less awkward (the text).

[Deep snow]

Originally Posted by AyuCanada

You also have to consider that the snippets from the website are probably not CD quality either. I do not know Mora, but Apple Music does not play CD quality.

whoa, OK I didn't know this.

either way, the difference is noticeable in the remasters. I do hope they sound better in the actual album.

[AyuCanada]

Originally Posted by Deep snow

whoa, OK I didn't know this.

either way, the difference is noticeable in the remasters. I do hope they sound better in the actual album.

for your information: apple music plays at 256 kbps on wifi and 128 kbps on data. I am not sure about the wired internet data. in comparison, a CD has a bitrate of 1411 kbps. So at loud volume, it is normal that a file on apple music sounds compressed (at least compared to a CD).

[junshen]

Just collected mine, I got different cover from YT unbox person

[TheRainbow]

Very nice!

[hud]

Originally Posted by junshen

Just collected mine, I got different cover from YT unbox person

omg the inside cover is gorgeous!

[junshen]

Originally Posted by hud

omg the inside cover is gorgeous!

I use my phone to scan the cover

here you go

Spoiler:

[Xianghua]

I love that photo so much.
Thank you for the scan.

[hud]

Originally Posted by junshen

I use my phone to scan the cover

here you go

Spoiler:

omg!!! thank you legend

[SURREAL__RAINBOW]

I hate the tag they've chosen for spotify lol it's going to mess up her plays sooo much! But oh well, I guess they're remastered, etc.

The pics look so lovely! Trying to avoid them until I get my copy lol but can't resist

[hidekirby]

Funny detail :
The actual release of A BALLADS 2 brought up an edited version of the "main" cover. The original one we had (which is also the one printed) is different. Her left hand was less edited (more wrinkles, more natural) unlike the new version.

[ayu-fan]

THANK GOD they fixing SAKURA. I love the song but never able to stand the ear-piercing mixing when the chorus came in. This is soo much nicer.

[StarSUCKER]

Originally Posted by ayu-fan

THANK GOD they fixing SAKURA. I love the song but never able to stand the ear-piercing mixing when the chorus came in. This is soo much nicer.

I noticed that too, and they similarly de-emphasized the very highest frequencies in the vocal track of æternal, which sounds so much smoother now.

[Aderianu]

From Instagram

[thinkingoutloud89]

Originally Posted by hidekirby

Funny detail :
The actual release of A BALLADS 2 brought up an edited version of the "main" cover. The original one we had (which is also the one printed) is different. Her left hand was less edited (more wrinkles, more natural) unlike the new version.

Does it say remaster? That’s how I have A VEST and LOVEppears listed since these are different versions.

[ayumisrael]

So I got to go to Shibuya today.
Except for 1 stand in Tsutaya and half a stand (shared with ketsumeishi) in tower records. I didn't see any other advertisements or posters as promotion for A BALLADS 2.
I guess that avex/ayu prefer to use tours, digital downloads, goods and online promo for ayu nowadays
Of course I didn't expect her to be on Shibuya 109, but at least a poster at the entrance of Tsutaya or something haha.
Anyway I took pics!

Shibuya Tsutaya





Shibuya Tower Records