Definitive Audiophile pressings

Turbo said:
I did a bunch of research and ended-up on a Canadian 1st pressing with a green WB label. Also went through a canadian late-70's pressing that sounded close, but not quite as good and was too noisy for my tastes. You kind of need a quiet pressing for this album because 3 of the tracks are pretty mellow and are unforgiving to noise floor. Anyway, the Canadian 1st pressing I got is quiet and quite good for me. I got it from a store in Montreal that took photos and sent me audio samples.

It's this one I got:

www.discogs.com

Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath Vol. 4

View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 1972 Vinyl release of "Black Sabbath Vol. 4" on Discogs.
www.discogs.com www.discogs.com

I'm sure UK's are the best. US WB 1st pressing green labels are supposed to be excellent too but those were expensive when I looked. If you can find one of those at a good price, go for it. Japanese Vertigo pressings are apparently decent too, but I never saw one that met my standards. Of course, there's the CB 2011 reissue, but that one was going for more than the Canadian 1st pressings when I was looking.
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Nope do not want to know this
 
jamieanderson1968 said:
Nope do not want to know this
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men-in-black-will-smith.gif
 
Mather said:
Okay. Sabbath Vol. 4. Any suggestions on best pressing? I see a lot of UK Pecko but I'm not looking to spend $200. Seems like the newer US and UK remasters aren't super great on this particular one?
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My Sabbaths are mostly the 2011 Bellman cuts, including Vol. 4, that sound excellent.

This stuff isn't delicate opera, ya know. Crank it.
 
Mather said:
Good mastering is good mastering, good pressing is good pressing. When even new muddy digital reissues cost $50+, it matters.
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Sure it does. But you don't have to go $200 for some supposed holy grail when a good mastering and good pressing, like the Bellman Sabbath, can be had easily.
 
RHANDMJ said:
Sure it does. But you don't have to go $200 for some supposed holy grail when a good mastering and good pressing, like the Bellman Sabbath, can be had easily.
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Agreed however the Bellman is still $100+ so even that's kinda more than I wanted, it's also pressed at Rainbo so buying sealed is a no go. I'd hoped like Paranoid that the UK remasters from a couple years back would be fine but the reviews are pretty bad for Vol. 4 specifically, although the others are pretty good . I've heard the recent UK Paranoid and it smoked my KPG pressing of it. The search continues.
 
Mather said:
Agreed however the Bellman is still $100+ so even that's kinda more than I wanted, it's also pressed at Rainbo so buying sealed is a no go. I'd hoped like Paranoid that the UK remasters from a couple years back would be fine but the reviews are pretty bad for Vol. 4 specifically, although the others are pretty good . I've heard the recent UK Paranoid and it smoked my KPG pressing of it. The search continues.
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Which UK Paranoid is that? I've been putting that one off and kind of eyeing the deluxe at the same time, but also I don't really need it.

(Edit: You're describing exactly why I ended up looking into Canadian 70's pressings - I'm quite happy with what I ended up with)
 
Turbo said:
Which UK Paranoid is that? I've been putting that one off and kind of eyeing the deluxe at the same time, but also I don't really need it.
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It's just the general one from a couple years ago. It was everywhere but the price is even creeping up on that one... One second I'll find it...
 
Turbo said:
Which UK Paranoid is that? I've been putting that one off and kind of eyeing the deluxe at the same time, but also I don't really need it.

(Edit: You're describing exactly why I ended up looking into Canadian 70's pressings - I'm quite happy with what I ended up with)
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Now just keep in mind, I have no idea if it's been repressed with different matrix or anything. I just know that's the one my friend brought over, I see there's 75 copies for sale which makes me think it's still the current UK pressing so I'm not sure if it'll be the same or not.
 
Mather said:
Agreed however the Bellman is still $100+ so even that's kinda more than I wanted, it's also pressed at Rainbo so buying sealed is a no go. I'd hoped like Paranoid that the UK remasters from a couple years back would be fine but the reviews are pretty bad for Vol. 4 specifically, although the others are pretty good . I've heard the recent UK Paranoid and it smoked my KPG pressing of it. The search continues.
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Wow. I bought mine when it came out 12 years ago for the usual $30. I haven't played it in sometime, but don't recall it as a lousy pressing. Rainbo could do passable stuff occasionally, and in 2011, were generally considered a second rate RTI who did tons of work for Sundazed, Rhino and WEA.

2006 KPG is not automatically good. He was the in-house guy at RTI at that point, the equipment was not top, and quite honestly he was a journeyman doing journeyman work. I have that Paranoid and it is far from bad, and like I said, crank it. Sabbath always sounds better cranked.
 
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The Kevin Gray Rhino Paranoid was cut from the US tapes, with the infamous volume surges and drop-offs throughout side A. I assume the European version was cut from superior tapes (or even the original UK tapes possibly).

That said the KG Rhino Paranoid does sound awesome, and I have no desire to throw money at seeking out a better pressing.

I was lucky enough to get a Vol 4 of the Bellman cut off discogs for $50 a couple years ago, and even then it was hard to find a clean copy for under $80-100
 
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