Definitive Audiophile pressings
- Thread starter Mrjay07
- Start date
Mather
Unknown Member
Anyone spun that new reissue of Alice in Chains "Dirt"? Going by the info on Cogs it seems like it's two different cuts, all the coloured vinyl is listed as Wes Garland pressed at MRP, one of the blacks is listed as WG @ United then there's another black copy with a totally different master pressed at MPO. I would have guessed that would be the Europe pressing but it's not listed as such. But reviews point to that one being the best... has the same bar code of course. HEEERE WE GO AGAIN
Hemotep
Well-Known Member
My red one just showed up this morning. I'm hoping to get it cleaned up and playing this afternoon. Will report back.
DrainedPatience
Active Member
I spun the orange version after it arrived on Thursday and can say there are no problems with my copy. It sounds fantastic.
zdkaiser
Well-Known Member
I spun sides A/B on the red Wal-Mart pressing. It sounds very good. No issues with surface noise. I've never heard the MOV pressing, so cant compare.
The red has MRP in the deadwax. The discs were dirty out of the cheap paper sleeves, but cleaned up okay. C1 on my copy has a scratch, but miraculously I believe it is inaudible.
US black versions are coming out of United (seems like everyone who bought from Amazon got URP pressings) but other black copies in the US are from MPO.
I did not see WG etched into the deadwax on my red copy.
Hemotep
Well-Known Member
Cleaned and spun. There was a small amount of background crackle on the first 10-15 seconds of side a and b, but c and d were perfectly quiet. I'm hoping another cleaning might clear that up but it's not bad enough to really bother me if it's just in there. Overall I think it sounds very good. I'd love a little more separation between the vocals and the instruments, but I imagine that's just part of recording and not something they can really fix. I could get nitpicky in wanting a little more punch from the bass, it's not bad, just a little more air in there would elevate it. This was my favorite album of that whole scene when I was young and I'm far happier with how this pressing sounds than most albums from that era. Hate to say it but Walmart really has done a pretty good job with the quality on their exclusives.
Hemotep
Well-Known Member
Does yours have #17 etched into the deadwax?
Sonicpharmacist
Well-Known Member
Yeah, it's so weird that the Walmart variants have been so good. I've been thrilled with the Metallica and Fleetwood Mac records I've purchased from them.
Melt Face Molly Drop
Well-Known Member
Walmart did nothing except secure whatever rights it needed to get a variant. Anything outside of that was pure luck of the draw. That goes for any retailer pretty much.
zdkaiser
Well-Known Member
No. Has a #9 with a slash through the 9
MikeH
Well-Known Member
They weirdly do get nice plates. It could be total coincidence but I think there have been some cases where they aren’t even using the most recent cuts for their variants. The Fleetwood Mac ones have been fantastic and IIRC they are bellman cuts. Can’t say I’ve had any issues with noise or anything on their pressings.
Sonicpharmacist
Well-Known Member
right, which is why it’s so strange that their variants seem to get more positive reviews than others.
yeah I got the silver variant of Tusk from Walmart and it’s a Bellman cut.
Nee Lewman
बैस्टर्ड
I don’t know, the Blue note stuff has been adventurous and against that grain frequently.
They don't get plates, because Walmart doesn't press anything. Variants are all done when the plates are in play for regular versions and the colored loser editions. Total randon luck if a pressing bought at Walmart is better than any other, or it may have to do with the press run fotr that particular color.
Not tunnel vision so much as choosing reissue titles from historic sales charts. Zero risk that way, but little gain for the music.
People keep buying.
BTW, I am not a boomer, but I will buy the Streisand. Columbia positioned and produced her as a pop singer doing Broadway material as she rose in the 60's, but that was unfortunate - when she had material outside that mold, she could really break loose. Streisand is one HELL of a great singer, one of the greatest of all time. Norah Jones? No comparison. Hasn't got the range, the power or the color of Streisand. Diana Krall? Put her beside Streisand and she sounds like a dull, narrow range whisperer. Streisand outpowers her by a mile. Cassandra Wilson? Has the nuance, and the tone, but not the sheer power of Streisand's voice. And on, and on - pound for pound, as a pure singer, Streisand is in a class of her own.
It's sad that there are so few recordings of Streisand that do her justice, partly that is the record company's fault, partly it is hers. These early club recordings are pure Streisand and I wouldn't miss them.
Beats the shit out of a $150 rehash of KOB.
Nee Lewman
बैस्टर्ड
Yeah Streisand is a hell of a talent that the record company kind of ruined. The music industry is full of a lot of suck.
Russ I
Well-Known Member
Yeah I think it’s a different story for jazz in a lot of ways, not the least of which is pricing!
Can recommend first mono UK pressings for 1 and 2. I have the US pressing of 3 on Smash which is alright but missing 30 Century Man and the half speed reissue of 4 which is ok as well. I’d assume 3 and 4 would be best on first UK pressings too but those cost a lot more than 1 and 2. I think the European reissue of 3 and 4 are probably your best bet for reasonably priced releases.