Definitive Audiophile pressings

[Colonel4Bin]

This may be an unanswerable question, but what is the best pressing of Velvet Underground’s Loaded? Is there a good one?

I would say a 1970 early press and I’ve also heard good things about the 1977 reissue. I have a Specialty Pressing 1970 that sounds wonderful for what it is. I’ve honestly never heard a VU record that blew me away sound wise, but that’s kinda their thing IMO. I do have the Newbury pressing that sounds OK. I was happy with until I heard an earlier pressing and I think it has much better mastering. Someone mentioned sibilance and the Newbury definitely has some.

 

[MikeH]

I think all the japanese LZ are Warner Pioneer. At least the 3 I have are (III, Physical Graffiti and In Through The Out Door). They're all pretty great, to be honest. I'd be interested to hear what others have to say. I know a bunch of people here got japanese Led Zeppelin's lately. Are any not Warner Pioneer?

I have these bad boys and they sound incredible:

Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin III = レッド・ツェッペリン III

View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 1992 Vinyl release of "Led Zeppelin III = レッド・ツェッペリン III " on Discogs.

www.discogs.com

Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin = レッド・ツェッペリン

View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 1992 Vinyl release of "Led Zeppelin = レッド・ツェッペリン" on Discogs.

www.discogs.com

and thought this one sounds quite good:

Led Zeppelin = レッド・ツェッペリン - Led Zeppelin II = レッド・ツェッペリン　Ⅱ

View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 1969 Vinyl release of "Led Zeppelin II = レッド・ツェッペリン　Ⅱ" on Discogs.

www.discogs.com

 

[MikeH]

This was in my local this afternoon. I know some of y'all have questionable taste. I didn't take it off the wall to check but the owner of the store said it's NM.
View attachment 142708

I have this one. it's pretty good but the copy i got isn't NM (and wasn't anywhere near $125!)

 

[MikeH]

Can't say I'm surprised, but the Deluxe edition of Being There by Wilco sounds REALLY good. CB x RTI. Currently in the Target sale for around $47 shipped for a 4xLP. not too shabby. they also seem to have Sky Blue Sky in the sale which is another excellent sounding pressing.

 

[Turbo]

I have these bad boys and they sound incredible:

Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin III = レッド・ツェッペリン III

View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 1992 Vinyl release of "Led Zeppelin III = レッド・ツェッペリン III " on Discogs.

www.discogs.com

Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin = レッド・ツェッペリン

View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 1992 Vinyl release of "Led Zeppelin = レッド・ツェッペリン" on Discogs.

www.discogs.com

and thought this one sounds quite good:

Led Zeppelin = レッド・ツェッペリン - Led Zeppelin II = レッド・ツェッペリン　Ⅱ

View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 1969 Vinyl release of "Led Zeppelin II = レッド・ツェッペリン　Ⅱ" on Discogs.

www.discogs.com

Thanks. Good to know the 1992's are good too. I'm still looking out for copies of I, II and IV. As an aside, I really dislike the current reissue of IV that I picked up a few years ago, but I think the general consensus on those is pretty bad IIRC.

I'm quite happy with this version of III I got (but as I said I don't have any other experience with AAA LZ's):

Led Zeppelin = レッド・ツェッペリン - Led Zeppelin III = レッド・ツェッペリン III

View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 1976 Vinyl release of "Led Zeppelin III = レッド・ツェッペリン III" on Discogs.

www.discogs.com

 

[MikeH]

Thanks. Good to know the 1992's are good too. I'm still looking out for copies of I, II and IV. As an aside, I really dislike the current reissue of IV that I picked up a few years ago, but I think the general consensus on those is pretty bad IIRC.

they are AAA and the replica jackets are really impressive. III has the spinny wheel and everything. they are getting harder and harder to find (and more $$) but i ponied up for the two i have and really impressed by the quality. i haven't heard the classic records pressings, but some people have favorably compared the AMJYs to those.

 

[Turbo]

Can't say I'm surprised, but the Deluxe edition of Being There by Wilco sounds REALLY good. CB x RTI. Currently in the Target sale for around $47 shipped for a 4xLP. not too shabby. they also seem to have Sky Blue Sky in the sale which is another excellent sounding pressing.

Did you get a chance to compare to the older 2009 issue? The one I have is Pallas/BG and is quite excellent as well.

Wilco - Being There

View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 2009 Vinyl release of "Being There" on Discogs.

www.discogs.com

 

[Turbo]

they are AAA and the replica jackets are really impressive. III has the spinny wheel and everything. they are getting harder and harder to find (and more $$) but i ponied up for the two i have and really impressed by the quality. i haven't heard the classic records pressings, but some people have favorably compared the AMJYs to those.

Mine is spinny wheel too. I'm starting to become a sucker for these original die-cut covers. Got the original gimmick covers for these japanese LPs: Physical Grafitti windows, Some Girls with the og die-cut, Sticky Fingers with the zipper... lots of fun.

EDIT: Lennon's Walls & Bridges too.

 

[MikeH]

Did you get a chance to compare to the older 2009 issue? The one I have is Pallas/BG and is quite excellent as well.

Wilco - Being There

View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 2009 Vinyl release of "Being There" on Discogs.

www.discogs.com

don't have the 2009 version so sadly I can't compare for ya! the deluxe box had been in my "save for later" target cart for ages and the sale made me finally go for it. i really like hearing their demos too so the added LPs is a nice bonus. but honestly, all my wilco albums sound fantastic. they seem to really care about where they are pressed, who cuts them and how they sound.

 

[BjorgenFjorgen]

Did you get a chance to compare to the older 2009 issue? The one I have is Pallas/BG and is quite excellent as well.

Wilco - Being There

View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 2009 Vinyl release of "Being There" on Discogs.

www.discogs.com

Recently came up in the Wilco thread as well: https://www.needlesandgrooves.com/threads/wilco-the-thread.149/post-593115

 

[Turbo]

The japanese og pressing of George Michael's Faith is also superb as well. This copy I got still had the shrink and plays like new, without a single pop. The last track - Kissing A Fool is demo quality frankly. I don't even think this is AAA given it's 1987, but whatever they did, they did it right. Anyway, in case anyone's interested.

 

[Turbo]

Very much enjoying this 1979 Japanese Sticky Fingers. It's like the mud got washed off, but it still has the grit if that makes sense. Great all the way through, but Wild Horses, Can't You Hear Me Knocking, Bitch and Sister Morphine... wow.

To add a little. I also have the 2015 reissue, which frankly is pretty mediocre. I was A/B'ing them last night just for fun. I had to get my wife and daughter in the room it was so drastic - I was playing Sister Morphine and I had to go back and forth 3-4 times before they believed me it was the same song. You can actually visually see the difference in dynamics by looking at the grooves. The quieter parts are clearly visible on the Japanese 1979 while the 2015 is just flat all the way across. Anyway, not much new here since I don't think people liked the 2015 much to begin with, but I find it interesting nonetheless.

EDIT: Some pictures. Japanese sides A/B first, 2015 sides A/B second. It's uncanny how much is lost in these reissues.

 

[trickyseven]

I was sold on picking up some Led Zep from Japan after hearing you all talk about them. Then I looked at some of the prices

I need to do a bit more research.

 

[Poly-Rythmo]

I was sold on picking up some Led Zep from Japan after hearing you all talk about them. Then I looked at some of the prices

I need to do a bit more research.

I've managed to pick up a full set in recent months at v reasonable prices so bear with it (esp if you don't need the obi's). There's high turnover at a lot of sellers. On another note, I have a Japanese Houses of the Holy (think a bit later than @Jbraswell as mine's 79) and am v happy with it. Will have to check The Ocean but hadn't noticed any chipmunk effects (it's one of my favourite songs of theirs).

 

[Turbo]

I was sold on picking up some Led Zep from Japan after hearing you all talk about them. Then I looked at some of the prices

I need to do a bit more research.

Original pressings are serious dough. I stuck with late 70's pressings and was able to get them for US$40-ish (III and In through The Out Door) and US$50-ish for Physical Graffiti (no obi). All NM- vinyl, VG+ sleeves. III is 1976 and the other two 1979. I guess In Through The Out Door is an og press.

 

[D Jilla]

To add a little. I also have the 2015 reissue, which frankly is pretty mediocre. I was A/B'ing them last night just for fun. I had to get my wife and daughter in the room it was so drastic - I was playing Sister Morphine and I had to go back and forth 3-4 times before they believed me it was the same song. You can actually visually see the difference in dynamics by looking at the grooves. The quieter parts are clearly visible on the Japanese 1979 while the 2015 is just flat all the way across. Anyway, not much new here since I don't think people liked the 2015 much to begin with, but I find it interesting nonetheless.

EDIT: Some pictures. Japanese sides A/B first, 2015 sides A/B second. It's uncanny how much is lost in these reissues.

View attachment 142753View attachment 142754View attachment 142755View attachment 142756

I also have a Japanese Sticky Fingers and agree that it's the best I've heard the album sound - not sure how it compares to an OG UK, but for the money for a good copy, the JP is probably the better move. I have this one:

The Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers

View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 1972 Vinyl release of "Sticky Fingers" on Discogs.

www.discogs.com

 

[trickyseven]

I've managed to pick up a full set in recent months at v reasonable prices so bear with it (esp if you don't need the obi's). There's high turnover at a lot of sellers. On another note, I have a Japanese Houses of the Holy (think a bit later than @Jbraswell as mine's 79) and am v happy with it. Will have to check The Ocean but hadn't noticed any chipmunk effects (it's one of my favourite songs of theirs).

Hadn't thought to go the no obi route! Good idea, thank you.

Original pressings are serious dough. I stuck with late 70's pressings and was able to get them for US$40-ish (III and In through The Out Door) and US$50-ish for Physical Graffiti (no obi). All NM- vinyl, VG+ sleeves. III is 1976 and the other two 1979. I guess In Through The Out Door is an og press.

Yea not gonna chase that rainbow. $40 ish per record would be in line with my budget, I just need to target the right pressings and keep looking. Thanks, I need to take a look at the late 70's pressings.

 

[dansomeone]

Hadn't thought to go the no obi route! Good idea, thank you.

The value placed on that strip of paper is nuts. For example, I picked up London Calling with no obi for about $50. At the time, they had another copy with an obi priced at $130. The choice was pretty easy.

 

[Andy]

To add a little. I also have the 2015 reissue, which frankly is pretty mediocre. I was A/B'ing them last night just for fun. I had to get my wife and daughter in the room it was so drastic - I was playing Sister Morphine and I had to go back and forth 3-4 times before they believed me it was the same song. You can actually visually see the difference in dynamics by looking at the grooves. The quieter parts are clearly visible on the Japanese 1979 while the 2015 is just flat all the way across. Anyway, not much new here since I don't think people liked the 2015 much to begin with, but I find it interesting nonetheless.

EDIT: Some pictures. Japanese sides A/B first, 2015 sides A/B second. It's uncanny how much is lost in these reissues.

View attachment 142753View attachment 142754View attachment 142755View attachment 142756

Can you get the Japanese version for a reasonable price?

I have a really odd one from Europe that has used 2 different plates for side 1 & 2, one side has TML in the run out and sounds fantastic, blows my modem version out of the water, but when I flip it it’s awful. So drastically different I can only listen to half the album.

 

[Turbo]

Can you get the Japanese version for a reasonable price?

I have a really odd one from Europe that has used 2 different plates for side 1 & 2, one side has TML in the run out and sounds fantastic, blows my modem version out of the water, but when I flip it it’s awful. So drastically different I can only listen to half the album.

This one was not all that reasonable since my main goal is to get a clean copy. Let's say it was one-step priced. But I have no regrets considering how great it is.