Best recent AAA releases/reissues...

Btsvinylfarm · May 18, 2019

Joe Mac said:
Yeah you are right, everything I’m seeing now points to ADA or ADD as well

Yeah, unfortunately they're both cut from hi-res digital. I think they're still pretty dynamic, but I'm not a huge fan of the Peppers mix. But I will say that the White Album's new mix is pretty good - the real gold in that offering though is the Esher demos

teefer · May 19, 2019

Bsdmr2 said:
So what other non-Dylan and Weezer mofi is an absolute must own?

All the Pixies, Elvis Costello, Miles Davis and R.E.M. (some of those last two are out of print), Yaz - Upstairs at Eric's and Love - Forever Changes for a start.

dhodo · May 19, 2019

teefer said:
All the Pixies, Elvis Costello, Miles Davis and R.E.M. (some of those last two are out of print), Yaz - Upstairs at Eric's and Love - Forever Changes for a start.

That AAA Rhino Forever Changes is great too though!

Joe Mac · May 19, 2019

Btsvinylfarm said:
Yeah, unfortunately they're both cut from hi-res digital. I think they're still pretty dynamic, but I'm not a huge fan of the Peppers mix. But I will say that the White Album's new mix is pretty good - the real gold in that offering though is the Esher demos

I like both mixes tbh. I also think both presses have been very well done! I know this is the wrong thread for it but I’m not opposed to Digital in the chain so long as it’s done right.

teefer · May 19, 2019

dhodo said:
That AAA Rhino Forever Changes is great too though!

Yeah, you can't really go wrong with either version or have too many copies of that album.

Splunders · May 19, 2019

Some of these primo AAA releases are in mono. Do you all still use stereo cartridges with no I'll effects?

Joe Mac · May 19, 2019

Splunders said:
Some of these primo AAA releases are in mono. Do you all still use stereo cartridges with no I'll effects?

Yep.

Splunders · May 19, 2019

Joe Mac said:
Yep.

Oh good. I have a White Album and Pet Sounds at Acoustic Sounds in my sights!

Urbs_hott · May 20, 2019

Bsdmr2 said:
So what other non-Dylan and Weezer mofi is an absolute must own?

Their recent release of Curtis Mayfield- Superfly is incredible.

GelloJive · May 20, 2019

Btsvinylfarm said:
Some of my favorite AAA titles that are widely available and fairly cheap (~$25 or less) - no particular order:

1. Dave Matthews Band - Crash (mastered/cut by Chris Bellman, pressed at MPO
2. Van Morrison - Moondance (mastered/cut by Keving Gray & Steve Hoffman, pressed at RTI)
3. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium (mastered/cut by Keving Gray & Steve Hoffman, pressed at RTI)
4. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magik (mastered/cut by ???, pressed at Record Industry)
5. Nirvana - Nevermind (mastered/cut by Bernie Grundman, pressed at Pallas)
6. Blind Melon - Soup (Analog Spark release, cut by Kevin Gray, pressed at RTI)
7. Dire Straits (most of their catalog, from the '09/'10 remasters, cut by Grundman; pressed at Pallas)
8. The Beatles (2014 mono releases, mastered by Sean Magee; pressed at Optimal - pick these up while you can, some are OOP)
9. Van Halen (1, II, and 1984 were all cut from tape for the 2015 remasters - Bellman cut; pressed at Record Industry)
10. Jimi Hendrix (Experienced, Electric Ladyland, and Axis: Bold as Love - a mix of Grundman & Marino, pressed at QRP & RTI - these are the "Authorized Hendrix Family Editions")

Where can I pick up 5 and 6?

tvham · May 20, 2019

Urbs_hott said:
Their recent release of Curtis Mayfield- Superfly is incredible.

I think I need this

LeeVing · May 21, 2019

Btsvinylfarm said:
Some of my favorite AAA titles that are widely available and fairly cheap (~$25 or less) - no particular order:

2. Van Morrison - Moondance (mastered/cut by Keving Gray & Steve Hoffman, pressed at RTI)

Gotta be careful with this one. The current release of this looks identical to the AAA cut, but Steve Hoffman himself says it's a "Digital recut then. Impossible to cut in analog tape now."
"Moondance is too damaged to be cut from the original tape."

This new release is still cut by Kevin Gray, but it's RTI number puts it released around 2017 or so.

It also has the same UPC as the AAA 2008 reissue.

At least it does sound pretty good to me.

Btsvinylfarm · May 21, 2019

GelloJive said:
Where can I pick up 5 and 6?

Nirvana - Nevermind: https://www.importcds.com/nevermind/720642442517

Blind Melon - Soup: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01MDME4KT/ref=ya_aw_oh_bia_dp?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Btsvinylfarm · May 21, 2019

LeeVing said:
Gotta be careful with this one. The current release of this looks identical to the AAA cut, but Steve Hoffman himself says it's a "Digital recut then. Impossible to cut in analog tape now."
"Moondance is too damaged to be cut from the original tape."

This new release is still cut by Kevin Gray, but it's RTI number puts it released around 2017 or so.

It also has the same UPC as the AAA 2008 reissue.

At least it does sound pretty good to me.

Yup, good point to note. I linked to Discogs with all in my list for this reason, as many albums available now are not the AAA cuts that were from still-recent years. It's still a bit of wilderness out there and clarity on what version you are buying can be difficult to find at times.

kafunis · May 21, 2019

Rickie Lee Jones 2x 45 rpm from Mofi is pretty good !

slabsofvinyl · May 21, 2019

Haven't seen Analogue Production's issue of Muddy Waters - "Folk Singer" mentioned here: 33rpm | 45rpm

teefer · May 21, 2019

slabsofvinyl said:
Haven't seen Analogue Production's issue of Muddy Waters - "Folk Singer" mentioned here: 33rpm | 45rpm

It's on my wantlist, along with a few more from AP.

slabsofvinyl · May 21, 2019

teefer said:
It's on my wantlist, along with a few more from AP.

Highly recommend it. "Folk Singer" and "Tea for the Tillerman" are basically my demo records at this point.

tvham · May 21, 2019

LiquidBlue said:
Here's a few of my MoFi must haves. Trick is a favorite and sounds great, especially with the deep bass from the Taurus pedals. The Santana 45rpm is really well done, as is Tigerlily. I'm a bit mixed on Tapestry, but probably because I think it could have been recorded so much better originally, though the MoFi may be one of the better sounding copies available. I wasn't as happy with the sound quality of the Pretenders first album, from MoFi either, though it's a great album. I have a preorder on the Yes Fragile One Step and am really excited for that one! Will be my first One Step.

View attachment 960

I love the MOFI Tigerlily. I really wish they would do Ophelia! I need more Natalie Merchant in my life.

mondie · May 22, 2019

There hasn't been mention of the EMI100 reissue program from 1997 to celebrate EMI's 100 birthday. There was a mix of CD & LP, many of the vinyl reissues are considered to be the best versions and are mostly AAA:

EMI 100

Centenary label used on releases from 1997 by companies of EMI Group Plc. See EMI 100 (2) for Japanese releases.

www.discogs.com

Some highlights include Bowie's Hunky Dory which is superb and rated the best version by many collectors, this is reflected in the asking price these days: