CBS Mastersound

Columbia/CBS audiophile vinyl series launched in May 1980. Though associated with half-speed masters the series focus is audiophile treatment, as the releases in the series are either half-speed mastered, original digital recordings (considered audiophile at the time) or direct-to-disc recordings. Many of these were also released on "Extended Range" Mastersound CrO2 (Chrome) Cassette Tapes. For the 90's commemorative Columbia/Legacy SBM Gold CD series, please use MasterSound (4) The CBS Mastersound series was worldwide released in the US, Canada, Europe (Pressed in Holland) and in Japan. The Half-Speedmaster masters would usually carry an insert with information on the technical concept. The series only ran for a few years in the early 80's and most releases were remastered re-issues of previously released albums. Columbia/CBS aimed to compete with the Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab label that was successful in half-speed remastering at the time but CBS proved less successful. The CBS Mastersound releases were priced just a little over regular releases and were low-priced for half-speed masters often priced the double of regular releases. Apparently the label didn't do much but master at half speed. In blogs Director of Product Development at Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs Gregg Schnitzer is quoted that CBS didn't do the necessary alteration in equalization when half-speed mastering resulting in problems in the high range and bad sound and gives that as the reason why the series was so rapidly discontinued.