Definitive Audiophile pressings

[MikeH]

I gotta say, this has got to be one of the nerdiest threads on here with people counting how many KPGs and RKSs and BGs they have . Instantly added it to my Watch list

I'm here for the cheap gems. Recently picked up the KG Curtis Mayfield and was really impressed. Got the Aretha on the way now!

LOTS of those Rhino reissues are the cheap gems. I'd recommend looking through some of the Rhino Rocktober, Start Your Ear off Right and other Rhino Reissues over the past 10 years or so. A lot of them were mastered by Boom Boom or Chris Bellman or Bernie Grundman, a lot were pressed at RTI and many are AAA. I've gotten probably 20-30 of them over the past year or so and they all sound awesome.

The Aretha and Curtis are both amazing.

 

[Matt M]

Yeah man! I was shocked! I have some no fill on the final track but I think that track kinda sucks and I'll never play it so whatever, otherwise it sounds amazing! Has to be remastered although I can't find any details on it.

Flav is sounding funky, perfect work day distraction! Not quite to that last track, but I'll keep my ears open for it.

 

[Mather]

Alright nerds... BlackStar. What's the one to get, and don't tell me the OG clear or I will punch you.

 

[Ghost]

Alright nerds... BlackStar. What's the one to get, and don't tell me the OG clear or I will punch you.

I heard the Respect The Classics pic disc isn't the WORST option >_>.

 

[Mather]

I heard the Respect The Classics pic disc isn't the WORST option >_>.

-clenches fist-

 

[TenderLovingKiller®]

Alright nerds... BlackStar. What's the one to get, and don't tell me the OG clear or I will punch you.

I think @Turbo was just looking into this if I recall.

 

[MikeH]

Alright nerds... BlackStar. What's the one to get, and don't tell me the OG clear or I will punch you.

People seem to think the first MPO pressings sound best but this might be a case of not being able to distinguish which ones are which unless they are unsealed...

 

[TenderLovingKiller®]

-clenches fist-

Wait, I thought you were asking about the Bowie album, you are asking about the Mos Def/Talib Kweli group?

 

[Ghost]

Wait, I thought you were asking about the Bowie album, you are asking about the Mos Def/Talib Kweli group?

Oh wait, yeah what is it Mather

 

[MikeH]

Oh wait, yeah what is it Mather

My mind immediately went to Mos Def and Talib too and then thought maybe Bowie

 

[Ghost]

My mind immediately went to Mos Def and Talib too and then thought maybe Bowie

Its probably totally Bowie, curse my gen-Z ass self for being all hip to the hop. . Actually went to cogs and turns out, the pic disc IS the worst option, so scratch that just in case.

 

[TenderLovingKiller®]

Its probably totally Bowie, curse my gen-Z ass self for being all hip to the hop. . Actually went to cogs and turns out, the pic disc IS the worst option, so scratch that just in case.

TBF, that Blackstar (hip-hop) album is like a decade older than the Bowie Blackstar album so maybe your’e just an old skool hip-hop head

 

[Turbo]

I think @Turbo was just looking into this if I recall.

@Mather

I was... I ordered an RTI pressing from a canadian store but it's still on the way. I used to have an MPO pressing but I fucked it up (don't ask...). It was ok wrt sound, but badly dished.

I can confirm how the RTI sounds when I get it. Probably next week based on tracking.

How to tell the difference? You can actually see through to the record because of the packaging. It seems like the MPO have the distinctive 3 concentric pressing rings around the spindle while the RTI do not. MPO pressings don't always have the 3 rings but I think it holds for Blackstar. The matrix is different too if you can see it (parts of the star could obscure it though). I'll only know for sure I have an RTI when it comes in though. The people at the store were great about checking for all the tell-tale signs for me before shipping.

 

[Turbo]

Photos from Discogs - best way to tell is the matrix #'s though... RTI should have that 25697.1(3) / 25697.2(3):

Blackstar MPO:



Blackstar RTI:

 

[Mather]

My mind immediately went to Mos Def and Talib too and then thought maybe Bowie

TBF, that Blackstar (hip-hop) album is like a decade older than the Bowie Blackstar album so maybe your’e just an old skool hip-hop head

Haha I didn't even think of that.. Yeah the Bowie. My bad.

-punches self in face-

 

[LeeVing]

Pretty good Mono copy for $20 IMO. Luckily my vintage McIntosh amp has a mono switch which helps as well. Very popular on Amz btw, must of sold out twice while in my cart over 2 weeks!. But was restocked within a few days.

Btw, this was the first Amz lp shipped to me in the old poly bag with no packing! Corner was bent and bottom of cover roughed up, they sent me another in a box and got to keep the rough copy for free which I will hand down to someone for nothing.

Shout out to everyone @MikeH @Andy who recommended it and @Mather who helped verify I was ordering the correct item

My copy is cut by The Man™

Miles Davis - Kind Of Blue

View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 2016 Vinyl release of "Kind Of Blue" on Discogs.

www.discogs.com

 

[LeeVing]

Alright nerds... BlackStar. What's the one to get, and don't tell me the OG clear or I will punch you.

I have an OG MPO Clear and a black RTI - Either sounds great.

 

[LeeVing]

People seem to think the first MPO pressings sound best but this might be a case of not being able to distinguish which ones are which unless they are unsealed...

With the die-cut sleeve, you could see the MPO concentric rings on the label. At least you could on the original ones pressed in 2016. If it's a newer press, they stopped pressing with these rings, so it could be a crap-shoot.

 

[MikeH]

I believe 7 more MoFi restocks next week...

Vanilla Fudge
Twisted Sister

and 5 more mystery titles...i'll let y'all know as soon as I get any alerts on em!

 

[Turbo]

Also, the Blackstar RTI should NOT say "Made in the EU" on the back - the "Made in the EU" pressings are MPO (for the EU market) and the Celebrate pressings.