Cai Qin Album

Hi There,

Like to know which Cai Qin album is highly recommended. I notice there are a lot of them in the market but the problem is which are the original & high quality pressing. I notice there is this album tilte `JI YU' under HUGO label with same songs but cover a bit different (two face of her in mirror image - orange & a bit brown color). One showing the face in full album cover & the other on the face at the centre. Like to know more detail of her full range of album.

I have one of each manufactured by Godot or something like that and distributed by High End Record, Taiwan and JVC of Japan also distributed by High End. I don't hear any differences in both recording.

Hi tycham,

May i know which cd u have & what front cover the picture is. I just had a listening of the one i mention early & the sound quality is different. one selling at rm130+ which direct cut from LP & the other selling rm70+ which are normal cd but the picture are different. But i didn't buy it because half the cd are in piano music & also a lot of talking & peom but the direct cut from LP sound better.

Mine is the orangy color one with mirrored face. Another is green color with face on the left side. Both are the same CD.

Hi Tycham,
This two had a lot of talking & piano playing rather then singing. I had one XRCD with a lot of green leave & she wearing a yellow long sleeve shirt. I'm looking for her other album which have good quality recording. Any suggestion? Thanks

I also have this and these are all I have. Other than that I have her Hong Kong Concert DVD.

Hi Tycham,

Base on what you have, which one do you recommend & under what label & press. I'm looking under JVC particular XRCD or under direct cut from LP but there are few in the market, so which one?

Mine are both XRCD manufactured by JVC which are more expensive than direct cut over here.

I think you're referring to Ming Ge (blk/yellow dress) and Chance album.
Sorry, I can't write the mandarin name.
Don't waste your money on XRCD's, my personal view from experience as too much doctering on the SQ and bloody expensive. But if no choice, it could be the next best thing.

The early pressings of those albums are the ones to seek, but out-of prinnt long ago. Min ge best pressing was a Taiwan release, HDCD encoded, gold disc and digipak case. Subsequent releases or normal jewel case loose out and very inferior if A-B compared.

The most sought after Cai Qin albums by most audiophiles who know Cai Qin are:
1. Lao Ge 1985 album, early Sanyo pressing or WEA gold cd release. (Big bucks now and collectible)
2. Ming Ge - Taiwan release, HDCD, Gold cd, digipak.
3. Jin Pian Ze - Taiwan release, HDCD, Gold cd. (initial release)
4. Chance - Orange cover, earlier was green cover. Some say better mastering.
5. Chris & Friends - Limited release in box set. Taiwan release, Gold CD, HDCD encoded. Very collectible.

Yes, I have all of them in my personal collection..don't think of asking me to part with them..they're all gems and perhaps very rare now.

老歌(1985年) - Can only find Malaysia & Taiwan Press Publisher is UFO.

These are the tracks on this album.

01. 痴痴的等

02. 寒雨曲

03. 落花流水

04. 是夢是真

05. 總有一天等到你

06. 三年

07. 訴哀情

08. 紅淚

09. 一年又一年

10. 恨不相逢未嫁時

HDCD is excellent quality.

Lao Ge is my best Cai Qin album to date. Recording is above average but very involving to the listener as if you are tranported back to the era. My best track are track 1 and track 6. So emotional, so touchy.I guess she shed some tears during the recording. She is really at her peak.

Hi cmboy,

You must be one of Cai Qin big fan as you have almost all her best album. Are you from US & you manage to collect all her best album up to date. WELL DONE. Any website that I can look for her album especially in Asia country.

To tycham,
Since you are from Singapore, I'm sure you can get some of those cd over there without problem. I notice from your local forum there, people still looking for her album. Do you know where can I can it in Singapore or in Malaysia. I have been looking around for her album but most of them are from local press or from China which the sound quality not so good.

Appreciate all the info & guidance. Cheer!

Hi tycham,

Do you have any of their contact number or website site for reference (Hong Kong & Singapore).

HMV Singapore


1 Raffles Link #B1-47 CITYLINK MALL, 039393, Singapore
p: 62387218 f: 62387226


http://www.hmv.com.hk/product/canto.asp?sku=302946

The above are the information you require.

Hi tycham,

Thanks for the link & contact.

Hi artesuano,

You can check Yesasia.com, there are plenty of Cai Qin's album for sale and free delivery when purchase over USD 39.

Hi sfcwlim,

Thanks for the link. Will check it out.

Hi Cai Qin fan,
I like to find out more about Cai Qin album, there is this shop selling her cd under UFO Warner Music of the album title old song (front cover showing full face with her on make-up & the back cover showing full old photo) & the other album front cover showing her near full height window but in dark back ground (sorry can't read the chinese word). Is this album good to buy? Thanks

If you're going to be a Cai Qin fan, just buy the UFO Warner albums.

Cai Qin concert at Genting on 1/8/09. Who else's going?

ARTESUANO wrote:Hi Cai Qin fan,
I like to find out more about Cai Qin album, there is this shop selling her cd under UFO Warner Music of the album title old song (front cover showing full face with her on make-up & the back cover showing full old photo) & the other album front cover showing her near full height window but in dark back ground (sorry can't read the chinese word). Is this album good to buy? Thanks

I bought the LPCD version. The remastering is heavy on the bass. Overall, this is an excellent album.

Hi Tycham,

You are right because I borrow from my friend that LPCD & I notice the bass for 1st song is a bit too heavy because I had one normal cd under HUGO & the bass also heavy for the 1st song. Thanks for sharing.

So, you're all realizing and not liking what they've sound re-engineered. Thats why for many reasons I do stay away from some these audiophile labels. Not only hideously expensive but sometimes makes things worse. I've given up on those JVC XRCD's costing 2 figures. They're just NOT worth it and really made the original recording worse.

Hi cmboy,
If that's the reason you stay away from audiophile label, may I know which label of Cai Qin will you recommend. I'm still looking for some of her album. Thanks

I said the remastering is heavy on the bass not that I dislike it. Here only cost 2 figure and this one I got it dirt cheap.

I've always had this album in mind and nearly wanted to buy this online.

http://www.yesasia.com/global/tai-yu-cai-qin-piao-lang-zhi-nu/1004509271-0-0-0-en/info.html

Finally found it and acquired it from here.
OK..this is NOT an audiophile album but its Cai Qin belting out in Taiwanese Hokkien. I've seen this album long ago and my friend got his from Popular Bookstore back then. I'm not sure if my copy is a new production pressings. Record labels are known to re-print certain albums if there's a demand. I've heard of sound degradation with these new pressings. I'll compare it against the original release when I've the opportunity to borrow it from my buddy. Meanwhile I'll sit back and enjoy something different from Cai Qin.

anyone listen to cai qin LP ah ? where can get good pressing huh ?

Try V&V Audio or Nova Hifi both located at the same shop in Jaya One, Petaling Jaya. I have seen a numbers of LP (New or old) there.

03-79602468 (Mr. Lai or Mr. Ng)

Recently i bought a Fye Wong LP45 CD by HUGO label at Rock Corner, i was looking Cai Qin Album too, there got few LP45 Cai Qin cd album but some song not nice. The person in-charge said this 2 weeks will coming a new stock. Can online Purchase also but that web-site at HK price will be almost same as i buy at Rock Corner cos u ask for discount at Rock Corner...heheee
Refer to this -> http://www.hifi-cd.com/utf-8/category/16/index_home.html?javaID=d3dc2f32fb9819232aa1aa59989a4647

Hi Artesuano,
Maybe some photos of my LP albums to help you find what you are looking for. These are some of Tsai Chin (Cai Qin) albums that her fans at least 'must have', in both vinyl LPs and CDs, imho. The top row is older 1980s and 2nd row is released after 2000. The older series LPs pressed in Taiwan in the 80s are expensive are collectibles so they are hard to find. But new releases LPs made in Germany are available brand new from record shops around RM180. The same goes for CDs, as someone pointed out, the original Japan pressed Sanyo CD of 80s of the first album is rare and expensive, but newly made CDs of the same album is available are normal prices. But then again it is said that the old version sounds better - even for the CDs.

For vinyl LPs we can understand because the moulds used to press the LP of the 80s were worn out & long gone, hence the newly pressed LPs sound different since new moulds were cut for the new pressings. One set of moulds is probably good for 2000 records or less - maybe I don't know exactly. Just my 2 sens Thanks for looking.

Hi CLH,

Thanks for posting the image files of Cai Qin for reference.

Since my first posting of this topic & from all the Cai Qin fan out there, I manage to get all the album you mention except the dark green XRCD which I don't really like because it had a lot of talking (story teller).
I like particular the 1st 2 album upper row & also the one beside the window (not on the picture) under hugo label.

Thanks all of you out there for all the information.

When there's opportunity, I've compared some of those (possibly all at different times) to current pressings or edtions. NO WAY current edition (even if its SACD, K2, XRCD)are as good sounding as the original or initial pressings where I've listed much earlier in this thread...especially Jin Pian Ze which is now retailed in various remasters. This one was very recently compared prior to KLAV show and the original gold cd beat the K2 hands down in every department. Many details were veiled and evidence of compression.. If you don't compare, perhaps its quite acceptable, but once A-B compared, you feel like throwing up.

Hi cmboy,

I do agree with what you said about the 1st press of cd & it's also better than remastering one.

I reckon anyone wishes to collect the best of Cai Qin cd's have to pay quite a sum and find them on Ebay or occasional used ones that turn up. Buy current pressings unless you don't wish to compare. Of course I won't rule out some titles may still be randomly be found for sale.

Just like Teresa Teng albums, hardly anymore in local CD stores. Perhaps they're just seen as unprofitable to be stocked. Teresa Teng or Cai Qin rank about with the most compilation albums being pressed out. I guess these complilation albums are seen as best selling.

Hi,
I have both the orginal pressings 1980s Taiwan "Lao Ke" (first photo of my earlier post) and the 2000+ German made 180gm new pressing LP and new and old CDs as well - they all sound different. LPs are more natural & sweeter treble but CDs have an edge in the bass besides being noiseless.

I came across this album in a different version (below) - from a different label - marked as "Taiwan Warner", a WEA label. It is probably made in 80s. I have no chance to test it. Any of you have this album and would like to share your finding on this pressing and how it sounds compared to the other 2 ? Thanks

CLH wrote:Hi,
I have both the orginal pressings 1980s Taiwan "Lao Ke" (first photo of my earlier post) and the 2000+ German made 180gm new pressing LP and new and old CDs as well - they all sound different. LPs are more natural & sweeter treble but CDs have an edge in the bass besides being noiseless.

I came across this album in a different version (below) - from a different label - marked as "Taiwan Warner", a WEA label. It is probably made in 80s. I have no chance to test it. Any of you have this album and would like to share your finding on this pressing and how it sounds compared to the other 2 ? Thanks

I may have that LP (never opened and still sealed), so can't test. Part of my most precious stash classified as collectible. I don't think it'll ever see the daylight.
Let me offer a secret (maybe not anymore) about Lao Ge.
Listen to track 10, VERY CAREFULLY and at the 22-23rd SECOND (watch your CDP timer) if there's a minor audible jerk, your pressing is a subsequent remaster from the original tapes. I've heard the original analog tape "putus" and this was a very minor but audible defect. If your CD doesn't exhibit this fault, then you've got the best remastered album. I only know of 3 original pressings having a perfect playback.
Ok.. go listen VERY CLOSELY and CAREFULLY. This may be applicable to the LP.

Hi everyone,

Slightly off topic here : Which of Teresa Teng's albums do you consider is her "best" album and which is her "best recording" (best sound quality) album? In my opinion, Teresa Teng is the Chinese singer with the one of the most (if not, the most) albums in history, I mean vinyl LPs (running to over 100 album titles under at least 6 different labels from 60s, 70s, 80s & 90s and new pressings in 00s). Sadly she passes early and some say most of her recordings were not done well (enough). I wonder who has all her albums in collection and I am still looking for her album with her song "Goodbye my Love" sung in Indonesian/Malay - anyone with any idea?

I have acquired a very sizeable collection but mostly in digital format, some rare, some common, some extremely rare and now hard to find. I don't want to comment which recording is best but bear in mind most were analog recordings and they vary in quality amongst the albums. Perhaps many like the newly remastered editions from XRCD, K2, LPCD, whatever, its your choice.
Yes, I have that Indonesian language CD which may now be a rarity. I think Teresa recorded it all in Indonesia as it was arranged by the legendary Indonesian composer A.Riyanto. I think some independent label bought the rights to all these and came out with a CD many years ago. The recording was somehow not as good as in her Polydor days. Ah..that sugary sweet voice that captivates just about anyone..sad she's gone forever but immortal by her recordings still played all over.

Hi there,

Anyone get new Cai Qin album title Love Is Like A Song (under Universal Music) & how is the sound quality of pressing. It had 12 songs plus DVD. Cheers!

this is the latest "old song" pressing released late last year in xrcd2 format



track no: 10 still have a slight connecting break @ 22 secs before the vocal starts



the rest are my other collections

Wah Leonard, you must be an ardent fan of Cai Qin to possess so many albums. Used to be crazy collector too. I happened to come across somewhere the "cassette tape", of Cai Qin Ming Ge at some junk place for Rm1. Perhaps will acquire it just for the fun of it. Yes, its ori which someone junked away. Still have a cassette deck to play them tapes.
Sorry, but if any of those "old songs" appear to have the 22nd sec break, then its sad that its not from a prestine master. I have 3 discs that apparently from the original master (so I could believe).The first XRCD edition was an audible disaster IMHO. I wonder what they've done to this latest XRCD remaster. I suppose Cai Qin or the label would never cease to be amazed this album would still be a popular seller after 25 years and even be remastered. Somehow, after frequently listening to Cai Qin's rendition of some of the old songs like Bu Liao Ching, I think I still prefer the emotion and ambience of Koo Mei who sang the original version. Poon Sow Keng sang the original version of Lover's Tears.. heard it on an original 10" vinyl LP and it was a jawdrop experience. You can find the original versions on Youtube.