Images and Words

[Mister Gold]

Because of the triggered drums, some of the keyboard sounds, vocals and arrangements, I&W sounds somewhat outdated (that's not necessarily a problem though, I love every single minute of it) while SFAM still is a modern progressive metal masterpiece, maintaining its fresh sound (arguably, none of DT's subsequent studio albums sounded that good).

I think it's the opposite.  I love Scenes, despite the production/mix not being that great.  Meanwhile, I&W's original mix still sounds awesome.

It's not about the greatness of the mix, rather about one sounding outdated and the other not. I think they mixed the bass miles better on I&W for instance.

This. I&W might be better mixed, but I can tell just by listening to it that it's over two decades old.

[KevShmev]

What you call outdated, I call it being a snapshot in time.  While a lot can be said for a recording that is timeless, a lot can also be said for certain recordings that are a snapshot in time and indicative of a certain time and era. 

[Mister Gold]

What you call outdated, I call it being a snapshot in time.  While a lot can be said for a recording that is timeless, a lot can also be said for certain recordings that are a snapshot in time and indicative of a certain time and era.

I don't think it's "outdated," I just think it's "dated." There is a difference. It's not necessarily a negative, but it's not necessarily a positive either. Like you said, it's just a "snapshot in time."

[MetropolisxPt1]

Love the album but I have always felt it was more of a collection of songs rather then a complete album. The moods reflected in each song do not always transition well imo. My only problem with the sound of the album is that sometimes it sounds a little cheezy

[Sycsa]

There is a subjective difference between dated and outdated indeed. For instance, while they are a definite and inimitable snapshot of the era, I would never use the word "outdated" for Deep Purple's Machine Head, ELP's Tarkus, Gentle Giant's Octopus or Yes' Close to the Edge, they all sound fresh to me, but, in spite being a decade less old, I would call most of the electronic music of the '80s outdated (doesn't necessarily a bad thing though). In that sense and in terms of sound, I&W does feel a little outdated to me, but the music is just so good that I came to appreciate it on every level and wouldn't change a thing about it (unlike MP, who would ditch the triggered snare).

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

This probably makes me a bit of an outcast, but I've always liked the snare sound on Images And Words.

[BlobVanDam]

What you call outdated, I call it being a snapshot in time.  While a lot can be said for a recording that is timeless, a lot can also be said for certain recordings that are a snapshot in time and indicative of a certain time and era.

I don't think it's "outdated," I just think it's "dated." There is a difference. It's not necessarily a negative, but it's not necessarily a positive either. Like you said, it's just a "snapshot in time."

I'd define dated as "not sounding like a modern album", ie. a "snapshot in time". As you said, that's neither inherently positive or negative. I'd define outdated as specifically something that has dated in a way that is negative.
IaW is definitely dated. I wouldn't call it outdated, although I have a bias for that era, so others very well may consider it dated.
IaW is a good sounding album though. A great mix, and no over-compression.

This probably makes me a bit of an outcast, but I've always liked the snare sound on Images And Words.

Nothing to worry about. I like the snare too, as do plenty of others, but I'm an '80s man, so I enjoy that kind of sound. I think a lot of people are fairly indifferent to it.

[Daso]

Love the album but I have always felt it was more of a collection of songs rather then a complete album. The moods reflected in each song do not always transition well imo. My only problem with the sound of the album is that sometimes it sounds a little cheezy

I don't have issues with the transitions themselves or with the mood changes, but I somehow agree. I feel there is not lots of album cohesion between the songs, while I do feel it in Awake. I think Images and Words's songs are better than the ones on Awake, but Awake works better as an album itself. Both are still legendary albums to me, and both are the real reason I doubted a lot when I read Petrucci thinks the upcoming S/T album is the best the band has done. Is there a real chance they can top these two albums?

[Luigi]

This probably makes me a bit of an outcast, but I've always liked the snare sound on Images And Words.

We are 2.