5 Classic Albums

This is a good affordable way to get Heaven 17's first five albums. Unfortunately, the first two albums in this set are mastered much less dynamically than the last three - they sound similar to the 2006 remasters. Except for track 3 "Play To Win" in the first album, which on the cd in this set for some reason is the 7" mix rather than the original album version, and it is mastered much more dynamically than the rest of the album. My favorite sounding cds I've heard so far for the first two albums are the Caroline Records cds from 1997. But this box contains my favorite sounding cds I've heard for the last three albums included here. I also like the packaging with the paper slip cases similar to the original LP covers.

I have loved these guys for years and although I have all their stuff already I had to purchase the set. For the Price it's excellent. Note However that these are the English versions of the albums. Here in America Heaven 17 and The Luxury Gap were released on Arista records originally and feature different track listing. I have never seen those versions on CD, I don't think they were ever released in the format. That being said the Music is excellent and the packaging is similar to other Classic Albums sets I have purchased. OK but nothing great. All and All an enjoyable Purchase.

easy listening great album

Great albums, knew first four, fifth was a pleasant surprise! Good price, quick delivery, no issues

Out of the x5 discs included, both Penthouse and Luxury use the last remastered version with a poor dynamic range (DR) average of 11 and 9 respectively (versus the original CD versions' 15 and 16), but do they come with the extra tracks from those remasters? No, of course they don't.The other 3 albums have the following, much better average DR. They are HMA/13, P1/14 and TBDAP/13 - and guess what TBDAP has extra tracks!Before anyone claims I'm a dynamic range bore, the edition of Penthouse here is next to useless, as track 3 - "Play To Win" has been sourced from a completely different place - an album called "The Best of Heaven 17" on a different label! - and is a completely different track and mix, but has better DR, which means that it all goes very quiet when that track comes on, so you'll turn the volume up, and then have to quickly turn it down again when "Soul Warfare" kicks in.The CD for Penthouse here is nothing better than a drinks coaster. Literally zero quality checking from the label here. Poor effort on such a classic album. For this album alone you are better off sourcing an original CD. But, the package here is worth it for the last 3 albums in this collection.

Slightly disappointing presentation, coming in a rather cheap box and not great cardboard inlays for each of thefive albums, hence docking a star.With that minor gripe out of the way, here we have the 80's output in full, CD wise of Heaven 17. Great stuff!!!I have Penthouse and The Luxury Gap, I won't look at these, as all fans know them well. The Luxury Gap being one of my Favourite albums of the 80's.But I haven't got the other three on CD (just old cassettes), hence this purchase. Worth it just for the epic 10 minute version of 'And That's No Lie' on How Men Are.I always felt Pleasure was unfairly overlooked at the time, being a fine album certainly as good as How Men Are, it didn't make the UK album charts (unless you count no.76) Contenders and Trouble, were both great singles, both deserved better. Duke even more so overlooked, missing the album chart top 100, although by 1988 heaven 17 were yesterday's news. It is the weakest of the five CD's here, although it does feature the rather brill track Responsibility.Very hard to get on CD the last three albums so this is the best place to get them.The first four CD's have no remixes or extra tracks, which is fair enough, what you have is the original albums.Duke, does have 5 extra tracks (oddly not on the track listing on back of CD) but it does contain 15 songs.To summarise if a Heaven 17 fan missing the latter three albums this is a must buy.

Superb value for money release of five Heaven 17 albums in plain card sleeves, no extra tracks but they have been remastered and the sound is superb.Considering how hard it is to get hold of some of these albums this is a fantastic release.A definite five star purchase.

Great value for money and worth it for Penthouse and Pavement, The Luxury Gap alone and How Men Are alone. You also get Pleasure One and Teddy Bear, Duke & Psycho which I'd not heard before. One listen in and there is nothing about the latter two that is going to stop me playing them again.No remixes or extra tracks but that works for me as it is great to hear the albums in their original form. Highly recommended!

bought this because it was nearly impossible to get how men are on cd with paying hundreds of pounds for a new remastered version, fourth album also very good, i already had the first two which are classics,great buy and value for money