Definitive Audiophile pressings

jamieanderson1968 said:
This one comes with a bit of a story.
View attachment 106004

I have a sickness. I have lost track of the number of copies of this album I have purchased over the years, chasing the perfect sound in my memory. It’s an addiction, like chasing the feeling of the first high.

Growing up my best friend was Brian. His older brother Ken was a surrogate older brother for me, especially in music. Introduced me to so much music in the late 70s and early 80s, even taking me and Brian to see Bowie on the Serious Moonlight tour in 1983.

It probably would have been in 1980 that he took me and Brian with him and his buddies to see The Who’s “The Kids Are Alright” at the movie theatre. I was totally blown away by the band and the movie. I couldn’t stop talking about it, especially Baba O’Riley and Won’t Get Fooled Again. When we got back to their place he sat us down with his copy of Who’s Next. I still remember the perfection of the sound of Won’t Get Fooled Again coming through the giant Mission speakers in Ken’s bedroom.

But every copy of the record I have owned has lacked something, especially in Won’t Get Fooled Again. Some parts are right but others are lacking. Some copies the attack on Moon’s drums are killer, but his cymbals are washed out. On others Entwistle’s bass punches you in the gut and other copies it is just a low end rumble. Sometimes Roger’s voice is too thin and lacking the growl. Pete’s guitar usually always sounds great.

The Who were notorious for not giving a toss for the sound quality, often leaving final mixing up to others. And it it very evident in Who’s Next with so many copies sounding so different from each other.

Then a couple of weeks ago I came across a video comparing several versions of the album, including the MOV version. I had a $25 Amazon gift card so I decided to take a chance on it, even though it is definitely a digital copy (most people believe is is the same mastering as the 2010 Japanese SACD). Well, its not perfect but damn close to version that is in my head (95%?). I hope this is the end of my endless chasing of that original high

The copies I have owned back to about 2008-10
  • UK W-1 OG 1971 - bass was totally lacking, just some low end rumble
  • UK 1974 BilBo remaster - instruments were great but Daltrey’s voice was thin as a reed.
  • 1980 US MCA promo copy sealed - drums sounded like wet cardboard boxes
  • 2015 both the US and EU pressings - the US was terrible, but the EU (pressed at MPO) was pretty good but the cymbals just sounded way too thin and brittle.
Click to expand...
I’ve got the same version, and can comfirm this sounds probably as good as it’s ever going to.
 
jamieanderson1968 said:
This one comes with a bit of a story.
View attachment 106004

I have a sickness. I have lost track of the number of copies of this album I have purchased over the years, chasing the perfect sound in my memory. It’s an addiction, like chasing the feeling of the first high.

Growing up my best friend was Brian. His older brother Ken was a surrogate older brother for me, especially in music. Introduced me to so much music in the late 70s and early 80s, even taking me and Brian to see Bowie on the Serious Moonlight tour in 1983.

It probably would have been in 1980 that he took me and Brian with him and his buddies to see The Who’s “The Kids Are Alright” at the movie theatre. I was totally blown away by the band and the movie. I couldn’t stop talking about it, especially Baba O’Riley and Won’t Get Fooled Again. When we got back to their place he sat us down with his copy of Who’s Next. I still remember the perfection of the sound of Won’t Get Fooled Again coming through the giant Mission speakers in Ken’s bedroom.

But every copy of the record I have owned has lacked something, especially in Won’t Get Fooled Again. Some parts are right but others are lacking. Some copies the attack on Moon’s drums are killer, but his cymbals are washed out. On others Entwistle’s bass punches you in the gut and other copies it is just a low end rumble. Sometimes Roger’s voice is too thin and lacking the growl. Pete’s guitar usually always sounds great.

The Who were notorious for not giving a toss for the sound quality, often leaving final mixing up to others. And it it very evident in Who’s Next with so many copies sounding so different from each other.

Then a couple of weeks ago I came across a video comparing several versions of the album, including the MOV version. I had a $25 Amazon gift card so I decided to take a chance on it, even though it is definitely a digital copy (most people believe is is the same mastering as the 2010 Japanese SACD). Well, its not perfect but damn close to version that is in my head (95%?). I hope this is the end of my endless chasing of that original high

The copies I have owned back to about 2008-10
  • UK W-1 OG 1971 - bass was totally lacking, just some low end rumble
  • UK 1974 BilBo remaster - instruments were great but Daltrey’s voice was thin as a reed.
  • 1980 US MCA promo copy sealed - drums sounded like wet cardboard boxes
  • 2015 both the US and EU pressings - the US was terrible, but the EU (pressed at MPO) was pretty good but the cymbals just sounded way too thin and brittle.
Click to expand...

Out of curiosity, did you ever find out what version Ken was playing back in 1980? Ever track that down?
 
Joe Mac said:
Yeah I know! The only one I’ve seen in Europe is Amazon U.K. for £66 (€77) ☹️ It is listed at $49.99 in the states!

At some point I’m going to have play the customs lottery to get some stuff out of music direct so I might just add it to the pile and potentially pay a larger customs fee but just one brokerage fee!
Click to expand...

They don't have any at the minute, but I got a copy from the Rarewaves store on Ebay shipped for around £40. Worth a look if you start to play the lottery, they'll probably get more in stock at some point.
 
Joe Mac said:
Yeah I know! The only one I’ve seen in Europe is Amazon U.K. for £66 (€77) ☹️ It is listed at $49.99 in the states!

At some point I’m going to have play the customs lottery to get some stuff out of music direct so I might just add it to the pile and potentially pay a larger customs fee but just one brokerage fee!
Click to expand...
$44.99 at Plaid Room in the states
www.plaidroomrecords.com

Neil Young - Greatest Hits

Order now from an independently owned record store in Cincinnati, OH 093624972051
www.plaidroomrecords.com www.plaidroomrecords.com
 
jamieanderson1968 said:
This one comes with a bit of a story.
View attachment 106004

I have a sickness. I have lost track of the number of copies of this album I have purchased over the years, chasing the perfect sound in my memory. It’s an addiction, like chasing the feeling of the first high.

Growing up my best friend was Brian. His older brother Ken was a surrogate older brother for me, especially in music. Introduced me to so much music in the late 70s and early 80s, even taking me and Brian to see Bowie on the Serious Moonlight tour in 1983.

It probably would have been in 1980 that he took me and Brian with him and his buddies to see The Who’s “The Kids Are Alright” at the movie theatre. I was totally blown away by the band and the movie. I couldn’t stop talking about it, especially Baba O’Riley and Won’t Get Fooled Again. When we got back to their place he sat us down with his copy of Who’s Next. I still remember the perfection of the sound of Won’t Get Fooled Again coming through the giant Mission speakers in Ken’s bedroom.

But every copy of the record I have owned has lacked something, especially in Won’t Get Fooled Again. Some parts are right but others are lacking. Some copies the attack on Moon’s drums are killer, but his cymbals are washed out. On others Entwistle’s bass punches you in the gut and other copies it is just a low end rumble. Sometimes Roger’s voice is too thin and lacking the growl. Pete’s guitar usually always sounds great.

The Who were notorious for not giving a toss for the sound quality, often leaving final mixing up to others. And it it very evident in Who’s Next with so many copies sounding so different from each other.

Then a couple of weeks ago I came across a video comparing several versions of the album, including the MOV version. I had a $25 Amazon gift card so I decided to take a chance on it, even though it is definitely a digital copy (most people believe is is the same mastering as the 2010 Japanese SACD). Well, its not perfect but damn close to version that is in my head (95%?). I hope this is the end of my endless chasing of that original high

The copies I have owned back to about 2008-10
  • UK W-1 OG 1971 - bass was totally lacking, just some low end rumble
  • UK 1974 BilBo remaster - instruments were great but Daltrey’s voice was thin as a reed.
  • 1980 US MCA promo copy sealed - drums sounded like wet cardboard boxes
  • 2015 both the US and EU pressings - the US was terrible, but the EU (pressed at MPO) was pretty good but the cymbals just sounded way too thin and brittle.
Click to expand...
Love this LP so much. I watched a double bill of The Kids Are Alright and The Wall at The Fargo Theatre long ago, the marquee simply read "Pink Floyd / The Who." So, I ordered the MOV, and will do an A-B with my dad's old '71 US Decca. I don't think it will be much of a contest.
 
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Mather said:
I'm eager to hear what you think of the audio quality vs the studio albums you sold...
Click to expand...
I will definitely update this space on what I think! I will say it has been a while since I've spun any Neil Young studio stuff. I remember them all sounding pretty good, but didn't find myself going back to them that often. I just prefer live Neil; the only two studio albums I kept are early pressings of Tonight's the Night and After the Gold Rush.

On the flip side, I'll be much more inclined to spin this comp as I enjoy every single song on here. It was one of my favorite CDs as a kid.
 
The Joni Mitchell box (eventually) arrived today. Fantastic package, is it definitive? I'll leave that to @Russ I As chance would have it today I also discovered the Joni thread.

Something More Than Blue: The Joni Mitchell Thread

Now that Joni Mitchell is fully out of her shell and happily sharing her archives with eager listeners, with multiple archive releases accompanying album box sets from each era, mastering variations, and the various and sundry questions/reactions that accompany all of it, this seems like a good...
www.needlesandgrooves.com www.needlesandgrooves.com
 
Andy said:
The Joni Mitchell box (eventually) arrived today. Fantastic package, is it definitive? I'll leave that to @Russ I As chance would have it today I also discovered the Joni thread.

Something More Than Blue: The Joni Mitchell Thread

Now that Joni Mitchell is fully out of her shell and happily sharing her archives with eager listeners, with multiple archive releases accompanying album box sets from each era, mastering variations, and the various and sundry questions/reactions that accompany all of it, this seems like a good...
www.needlesandgrooves.com www.needlesandgrooves.com
Click to expand...
Is this the box thats about 99 right now ?
 
mitchwagz said:
Not sure if anyone else has it yet, but I just got the B&N blue pressing of Nina Simone’s Little Girl Blue. It’s damn good. Kevin Gray cut pressed at RTI I believe. Not sure if it’s AAA though?
Click to expand...
Picked this up at B&N today when I went to get the new Grateful Dead B&N exclusive. I have the Analogue Productions version which is quite good, but will see how this one holds up. If it’s close, I might just sell the AP as it has skyrocketed from the $35 I paid for it.
 
Andy said:
The Joni Mitchell box (eventually) arrived today. Fantastic package, is it definitive? I'll leave that to @Russ I As chance would have it today I also discovered the Joni thread.

Something More Than Blue: The Joni Mitchell Thread

Now that Joni Mitchell is fully out of her shell and happily sharing her archives with eager listeners, with multiple archive releases accompanying album box sets from each era, mastering variations, and the various and sundry questions/reactions that accompany all of it, this seems like a good...
www.needlesandgrooves.com www.needlesandgrooves.com
Click to expand...

If anyone does go fro this, apparently the European version pressed at Optimal has some issues. The US RTI version is great.
 
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