Definitive Audiophile pressings

I actually agree with Fremer all this audiophile stuff is ruining music. I jest a little. I like mud to be mud if that is what was intended 9except for Exile on Main Street because otherwise I wouldn't be a music junkie who is overopiniated. There has to be some hypocrisy.)

Within reason. I’m never adverse to revealing something beautiful under the mud. What I don’t like is sanding the jagged edges of something that’s meant to be abrasive.
 
I got Marquee Moon and spun it last night. It sounded very good and I admittedly don't know the album well enough to know what it SHOULD sound like. But I can absolutely see how it's likely been cleaned up and should be a bit grungier. KPG does do that and it certainly makes sense when listening to it. My buddy has a OG press so he's gunna bring it by to compare. That being said flawless pressing and nice package on this one. I know the labels aren't authentic but man they look slick.
 
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I got Marquee Moon and spun it last night. It sounded very good and I admittedly don't know the album well enough to know what it SHOULD sound like. But I can absolutely see how it's likely been cleaned up and should be a bit grungier. KPG does do that and it certainly makes sense when listening to it. My buddy has a OG press so he's gunna being it by to compare. That being said flawless pressing and nice package on this one. I know the labels aren't authentic but man they look slick.

Yeah mine arrived yesterday and is cleaned and ready but I’m still waiting on getting my turntable back. Sigh!
 
Yeah mine arrived yesterday and is cleaned and ready but I’m still waiting on getting my turntable back. Sigh!
I will say it's a disturbingly pleasant surprise to get an album, open it, have the labels be flat and not ripped at the spindle hole, the record is flat and there's no pops whatsoever. I can't remember the last time I had that. All of the Rhino Hi Fi I've gotten have been like this.
 
I will say it's a disturbingly pleasant surprise to get an album, open it, have the labels be flat and not ripped at the spindle hole, the record is flat and there's no pops whatsoever. I can't remember the last time I had that. All of the Rhino Hi Fi I've gotten have been like this.

Yeah the Cars and Van Morrison I got last year were great like that too.
 
My MM is still sitting at Rhino for a week now, but I find it funny for people to believe they have such an ear to say the artist never intended the master tape to sound like this.

If we can't trust KPG with the true tape sound, WTF.
He said he barely adjusted Jack Shit on EQ. It's really that simple how revealing his system is at the end of day. I've heard enough jazz cuts from KPG to know his mastering is somewhat 3D.

I know there are always those "get off my OG pressing lawn" people out there but geez get over it.
 
Well the fact is that music always has to be mastered for release , boost this adjust this, otherwise there would be no call for mastering engineers, the original is most times artist approved and how they envisioned the final product reaching the audience, sure remastered things can sometimes improve on things by different eq, equipment, ears etc, but the Original is the Original. No getting round that.
My MM is still sitting at Rhino for a week now, but I find it funny for people to believe they have such an ear to say the artist never intended the master tape to sound like this.

If we can't trust KPG with the true tape sound, WTF.
He said he barely adjusted Jack Shit on EQ. It's really that simple how revealing his system is at the end of day. I've heard enough jazz cuts from KPG to know his mastering is somewhat 3D.

I know there are always those "get off my OG pressing lawn" people out there but geez get over it.
 
Well the fact is that music always has to be mastered for release , boost this adjust this, otherwise there would be no call for mastering engineers, the original is most times artist approved and how they envisioned the final product reaching the audience, sure remastered things can sometimes improve on things by different eq, equipment, ears etc, but the Original is the Original. No getting round that.
I am no expert but it seems mixing and mastering are often used interchangeably.
Anyway, does the artist truth lie at the tape or a lacquer cut? It's definitely an impossible answer to say at the general level since it's very tailored, but personally, I prefer to hear at the tape level for as much as possible. Which is why I think KG brings us closest to that experience, but that's my subjective opinion.
 
I have not said anything about intent. Television is a grungier album than the beautiful KPG pressing. I have no idea what Verlaine, the band, and engineer intended. All I know is it isn't quite the album I have been listening to the last five years or so. It is missing something, in my opinion, as a result.

The VMP Master of Reality is more so with an album I know a lot better.

There is nothing wrong with either pressing and I imaging that most people will be over the moon with them. I feel like they are missing just a bit of gravitas. They don't hit me the way I am used to them hitting me.

They are fine. I am just not sure (and have been suspicious of it for a minute - I will not spend UQHR money on a White Stripes fucking album, I could care less about the hype. Wouldn't mind hearing it, but will not spend the money on it) that EVERYTHING needs an AUDIOPHILE pressing.
 
I have not said anything about intent. Television is a grungier album than the beautiful KPG pressing. I have no idea what Verlaine, the band, and engineer intended. All I know is it isn't quite the album I have been listening to the last five years or so. It is missing something, in my opinion, as a result.

The VMP Master of Reality is more so with an album I know a lot better.

There is nothing wrong with either pressing and I imaging that most people will be over the moon with them. I feel like they are missing just a bit of gravitas. They don't hit me the way I am used to them hitting me.

They are fine. I am just not sure (and have been suspicious of it for a minute - I will not spend UQHR money on a White Stripes fucking album, I could care less about the hype. Wouldn't mind hearing it, but will not spend the money on it) that EVERYTHING needs an AUDIOPHILE pressing.
What version of marquee moon are you familiar with? I had the Bellman cut prior to this and it’s not crazy different in terms of sound. I haven’t heard an OG or anything so not sure what kinda punch that packs. I’m not super familiar with MoR either but that one felt really “polite” to me.

It’s kinda funny you say that about the white stripes UHQR too. I got it on sale but that pressing absolutely smokes. It’s got an almost three-dimensional sound that’s really impressive. It sounds like they are in the room with you but has the added bonus of not actually having to be in a room with Jack White
 
Mixing and Mastering are completely different,Mixing is making a complete song from individual tracks, all sounding good(great) together and adding effects etc and then sequencing the album, Mastering is making those songs sound great together and making the whole album sound good as a piece. If you listen to an Original Artisan mastered Exile for example, there is a “Vibe” about it that has never been bettered, no matter how many "Remasteres" have been produced (a LOT) I'm not saying that Grey can't make the album sound "Clearer/cleaner , but that doesn't necessarily make it a better cut.
I am no expert but it seems mixing and mastering are often used interchangeably.
Anyway, does the artist truth lie at the tape or a lacquer cut? It's definitely an impossible answer to say at the general level since it's very tailored, but personally, I prefer to hear at the tape level for as much as possible. Which is why I think KG brings us closest to that experience, but that's my subjective opinion.
 
What version of marquee moon are you familiar with? I had the Bellman cut prior to this and it’s not crazy different in terms of sound. I haven’t heard an OG or anything so not sure what kinda punch that packs. I’m not super familiar with MoR either but that one felt really “polite” to me.

It’s kinda funny you say that about the white stripes UHQR too. I got it on sale but that pressing absolutely smokes. It’s got an almost three-dimensional sound that’s really impressive. It sounds like they are in the room with you but has the added bonus of not actually having to be in a room with Jack White
digital streams.

second paragraph is ROTFL
 
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