Definitive Audiophile pressings

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And then there were two. Both the 2014 QRP and 2022 UHDR are enough better than my very well preserved 1979 repress that I am confident I could pick it out on pretty much any system. I only listened to Purple Haze on all three versions. 1979 Thinner and less resolved. I would still listen to it without reservations if it was all I had without feeling deprived but from an audiophile perspective it is outmatched.

As for the big hitters. I listened to Purple Haze, Hey Joe, The Wind Cries Mary, Foxey Lady, & Are You Experienced. The 2014 is cut louder but I matched level with a DB Meter as best I could. I couldn’t do a blind test but I did vary which one I listened to 1st and listened to each song back to back so they would be fresh.

Bottom line: They both sound great. A bit different at times. But if ur not inclined to rush out and buy the $100+ version rest easy. All good. Stop reading now and enjoy some music. :-).


Others may hear all this different but if you want more here is the rest comparing the 2014 QRP and UHDR…..

A few system details (VPI table/Hana cart, Audio Research preamp, Pass Labs phono and power amps, and classic Dunlavy IV 6ft tall speakers) all set up carefully.

I’d like to think I could pick out the UHDR 100% of the time on all songs except Hey Joe on my system but that is easy to say and hard to prove. So maybe not. Hey Joe was so close and it just sounds great on both. On the rest and overall, the UHDR to me just has a bit more presence. My wife yesterday said you could “reach out and touch it”.

To my ears the UHDR has more definite bass notes but not really more bass just cleaner. Wider soundstage. More ambience. Low level details and sound effects are more pronounced. Easy to tell going back and forth on Purple Haze where Jimi is saying Purple Haze and the other low level backgrounds. They just pop. It has that quality that you suddenly and repeatedly hear something in the music you hadn’t ever really noticed before.

The UHDR is great but I was surprised how great the 2014 QRP still sounded. When just listening to the music they’re (almost) equally enjoyable. As a system demo disk the UHDR is the go to copy. It is a super nice record to have to put on when making equipment upgrades or changes. Overall, I thought UHDR Tull was a waste and the others to date were really good; but they nailed this one.
 
My Marvin Gaye is flat, centered, quiet, no pressing issues or noise I noticed upon the first play through. One pop on side 2 but that is probably just a speck of paper or dirt in there and not a scratch. Great package, though I had to carefully remove the LPs from those paper inners and put them in nice mofi lined inners. Great sounding mastering, really terrific dynamics, beats my highly touted 1987 John Matousek reissue, which I found had too much sibilance on my system. Both cuts are very hot though.
 
...My Hendrix UHQR sounds wonderful. Stereo soundstage is really impressive and the vinyl is super quiet black backgrounds. Not as bright/hot as the Marino but really well balanced dynamically. Could be a demo disk in regards to mastering, great job there.

That said, I had two seam splits and the vinyl is bowl warped pretty bad. Hopefully it's not a huge headache or delay in getting a replacement disc and jacket. :/
 
keylime_5 said:
...My Hendrix UHQR sounds wonderful. Stereo soundstage is really impressive and the vinyl is super quiet black backgrounds. Not as bright/hot as the Marino but really well balanced dynamically. Could be a demo disk in regards to mastering, great job there.

That said, I had two seam splits and the vinyl is bowl warped pretty bad. Hopefully it's not a huge headache or delay in getting a replacement disc and jacket. :/
Click to expand...
I... do not think you will have trouble getting rid of the extra disc and jacket.
 
keylime_5 said:
...My Hendrix UHQR sounds wonderful. Stereo soundstage is really impressive and the vinyl is super quiet black backgrounds. Not as bright/hot as the Marino but really well balanced dynamically. Could be a demo disk in regards to mastering, great job there.

That said, I had two seam splits and the vinyl is bowl warped pretty bad. Hopefully it's not a huge headache or delay in getting a replacement disc and jacket. :/
Click to expand...

From AS website “Every UHQR will be hand inspected upon pressing completion, and only the truly flawless will be allowed to go to market.” 🤔

Mind was dead flat this time. AS have replaced damaged AP box Set covers for me without issue in the past.
 
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