Hot Pressings

garylkoh

WBF Technical Expert (Speakers & Audio Equipment)
Sep 6, 2010
5,599
225
1,190
Seattle, WA
www.genesisloudspeakers.com
I can't even begin to count the number of times I have bought a hotly anticipated new re-issue or re-mastering and have been disappointed by the sound quality. While I would much rather have a great performance with bad sound than poor music with great sound, why can't I have BOTH? Doing some comparisons for visitors during RMAF, I was also surprised by how little shared knowledge is out there.

With the collected experience here, may be we can all share what we know to be the best sound in vinyl or digital formats for some great performances/albums that we have.

I'll start with the following:

1) One of my favorite live rock performances is Deep Purple's Smoke on the Water Live in Japan - one of the first few albums I bought. I used to be in a rock band when I was in high school (junior college) in Singapore, and Smoke on the Water was one of our signature pieces. I've got the first pressing of Live in Japan and a number of re-issues, but I've always been mildly disappointed with the sound. Some are better than others, but the absolute best sonically is on the Collectors Edition Deep Purple Mark 2 Purple Singles pressed on clear purple vinyl. The excitement of the audience is palpable, and I get goosebumps every time I listen to this LOUD.

2) That old warhorse Jazz at the Pawnshop. I have quite a number of copies, but none can match the Swedish first pressing - with the orangy-red label and black lettering. Someone who has only heard the re-issues with the white labels and black lettering, or even the Proprius 1/2-speed mastered version with the white/red labels and white/black lettering will wonder what all the hype is about. The original pressing has atmosphere, has life, and you can almost understand the background chatter even when it's in a foreign language. The closest digital version to the first pressing is Winston Ma's latest K2HD re-issue, mastered directly from the first generation analog tapes by JVC. On my system, I think that it is better than all the analog re-issues I have, but then again that's IMHO. YMMV depending on your system.

3) Fleetwood Mac's Rumours. I've never been able to find a digital copy I could listen to, until I got a "free" copy of The Very Best of Fleetwood Mac. I bought another CD off eBay and it came with three other free CDs. This redbook compilation CD sounds even better than the DVD-A, and far better than every other CD I have (and I have plenty).

4) Another old audiophile warhorse - the soundtrack to Casino Royale. In particular, Dusty Springfield singing The Look of Love. I have the original Colgems pressing, and the Classic Records 24bit/192Hz HDAD ripped to my music server. Playing these two at RMAF, the audience was pretty equally divided between digital and analog. Some preferred the warmth of the original, others preferred the transparency, detail, and clarity of the digital. Both had life and vitality, and Dusty Springfield in the room.

I'll post more as I remember/play more music.

Oh, also when I mention CD or DVD-A, it's ripped to my music server and played back via Firewire to a Weiss DAC.
 
  • Like
Reactions: chet atkins

ack

VIP/Donor & WBF Founding Member
May 6, 2010
6,774
1,198
580
Boston, MA
Speaking of bad re-issues, I just got the Grieg Piano Concerto on Decca with Curzon (Speakers Corner) and it's just average sounding.
 

DWR

New Member
Jul 26, 2010
262
10
0
Western burbs of Detroit
Gary, the first paragraph of the thread is so true. The re-issue of King Crimson In the Court of the Crimson King is coming out in November I believe, on both vinyl and cd, it is one of my favorite albums and I am really hoping the re-issue is well recorded. There are many pressings of this album out there and not many that I've found are very well recorded. (what a shame!!)

Dan
 

JackD201

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
12,308
1,425
1,820
Manila, Philippines
Le Fille is a favorite LP wise the Decca wide band (London) is my favorite followed by the dutch. On CD it is Winston's. Is this part of the Tape Project? If so, I'm in trouble.

I've not heard an original JATP. Of the re-issues the most natural to me in terms of putting me inside the event is the ATR. The others just sounded too "cleaned up".

The most disappointing re-issues have got to be the Linn re-issues of Carol Kidd. So bloated I put it away.

There are some interesting LPs coming out of Asia with accompanying SACDs or CDs bundled. ABC Music comes to mind. Elsewhere, Stockfisch Records is doing the same. Music is enjoyable if not destined for greatness or anything, but definitely not all sonics and no substance.
 

Johnny Vinyl

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
May 16, 2010
8,570
51
38
Calgary, AB
I believe Neil Young's Live at Massey Hall qualifies here. The re-issue 200g vinyl is very well recorded and is a fabulous performance.

What re-issue? This is the first time it has been put on vinyl by Reprise and Classic. I have the Reprise issue and it is superb. I also have Sinatra's Live At The Sands on Reprise...and again, superb.
 

garylkoh

WBF Technical Expert (Speakers & Audio Equipment)
Sep 6, 2010
5,599
225
1,190
Seattle, WA
www.genesisloudspeakers.com
Gary, the first paragraph of the thread is so true. The re-issue of King Crimson In the Court of the Crimson King is coming out in November I believe, on both vinyl and cd, it is one of my favorite albums and I am really hoping the re-issue is well recorded. There are many pressings of this album out there and not many that I've found are very well recorded. (what a shame!!)

Dan

There is a little-known box-set of CotCK that contains a DVD-A with 24bit/48kHz recording of the original master tape. It's worth hunting down. The DVD-A has a wealth of music.
 

garylkoh

WBF Technical Expert (Speakers & Audio Equipment)
Sep 6, 2010
5,599
225
1,190
Seattle, WA
www.genesisloudspeakers.com
Last edited:

garylkoh

WBF Technical Expert (Speakers & Audio Equipment)
Sep 6, 2010
5,599
225
1,190
Seattle, WA
www.genesisloudspeakers.com
A few more albums I was listening to this afternoon:

1) Joan Baez Diamonds and Rust. The Nautilus half-speed mastered has better bass, but is dull and lifeless. The A&M pressing I have is much better. But the title track is best on the live album Diamonds and Rust in the Bullring.

2) Duke Ellington and Johnny Hodges - Back to Back. The Classic Records re-issue in the late 1990's is far better than the 180gm and 200gm later re-issues. I haven't been able yet to score a first pressing from Verve. The original 1959 mono pressing should be a real treasure if someone can find it.

3) Monty Alexander Solo - the 180gm remaster on Audiophile Legends (Jeton) is pretty sad.
 

FrantzM

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
6,455
29
405
Hi

I have all the Mercury re-issues on CD... I am trying to build my RCA Living Stereo in digital, so far it is a hit and miss thing.. Some are simply atrocious ... Some re-issues are not even from the Shaded Dogs master tapes rather from the inferior dynagroove LPs ...What would be the best best mastering that give Justice to the famous Shaded Dogs ... On CD or Hybrid SACD, I profess currently NO interest in LP... There is a 60 CD Box Set, whose price is alarmingly right ..err. low ($150) ..Is it sonically adequate? Good? Superlative?
 

garylkoh

WBF Technical Expert (Speakers & Audio Equipment)
Sep 6, 2010
5,599
225
1,190
Seattle, WA
www.genesisloudspeakers.com
Frantz,
I don't collect by labels.... but I think that Winston has re-mastered some, and there are plenty of RCA Living Stereo on JVC XRCD. The few that I have are wonderful and worth hunting down. I believe that there were also some by Sony on their SBM (Super bit mapping) issues. All the SACDs I have of the Living Stereo have been dumped to one side. There may have been some that sound great, but with a bad first impression, I never bought any more.

Some of these box sets can have alarmingly right prices, and yet be sonically superlative. As an example off the top of my head, the Sony Low-Priced Edition of Ax, Stoltzman, Ma performing Trios box set sound fantastic.
 

JackD201

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
12,308
1,425
1,820
Manila, Philippines
Hi Frantz,

The hits are probably the ones where WCZ actually participated. I miss her :(

Jack
 

jadis

Well-Known Member
Apr 28, 2010
12,352
5,463
2,810
Manila, Philippines
I have been following different pressings of my favorite music for a while. It seems indeed that when we have assembled a good synergistic audio system, it really is disappointing to hear your favorite artists sound atrocious while the other 'unknown' artists from unknown recordings shine. I'm in the same boat as Gary.

1. JATP. It's a toss up really. Of the 3 known pressings on vinyl, ATR, Original Swedish, and JVC half speed, I've known friends who prefer 1 over the other 2. I've heard all 3 and retained only the half speed in my rack. Perhaps it's due of my system sounding a bit more forgiving, with a little roll on the top end, that's why the extra clarity and transparency of the half speed sounded better in my system among the 3.

2. Casino Royal. I've had the 1s and 3s pressings. The 3s is slightly ahead in terms of image focus. It is more evident on 'The Look of Love'.

3. Earl Klugh's Late Night Guitar. The Mobile Fidelity pressing is so much more superior in sound quality than the regular.

4. La Fille Mal Gardee. I too, like Jack, prefer the Wide Band ED1 (of 3) than the Narrow Band UK or Holland NB. Each time I do an A/B comparison with a NB, the WB ends up being bought. LOL.

5. Nat King Cole. The Mark Levinson ABC Metal Master done a few years ago sounded better than my original Capitol grey label 'Love is the Thing'. Some tracks are similar so I was able to compare. The DCC Nat King Cole's are quite good too.

6. Tango - Almeida and Byrd. The original has more air and sounds more natural than the Groove Note 45rpm re-issue.

7. Weavers' Reunion at Carnegie, Belafonte at Carnegie, and Hatari OST. I prefer them all originals than the mid 90s 180g reissue.

So far, these are the ones I can think of.
 
Last edited:

garylkoh

WBF Technical Expert (Speakers & Audio Equipment)
Sep 6, 2010
5,599
225
1,190
Seattle, WA
www.genesisloudspeakers.com
The ABC Metal Masterings are a "secret" we know in Asia, but I have not seen one here in the US, nor have I heard anyone talking about them. I have a couple, and they all sound wonderful.

If you have the ability to play 24/96 digital, it is worth seeking out The Weavers Reunion at Carnegie on Classic Records DAD.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Alrainbow

jadis

Well-Known Member
Apr 28, 2010
12,352
5,463
2,810
Manila, Philippines
Proprius' Cantate Domino. I've heard all 4: Original Swedish bought in the 80s, JVC half speed Made in Japan, The Super Analogue 180g Made in Japan, and the ATR mastercut Made in Germany. Sonically, I prefer the original but over time the vinyl has worn to the point of too much surface noise. That has been a problem of Proprius vinyls, they deteriorate after many plays. The JVC sounds too clean and at times can be clinical, lean, and lifeless. The ATR has very quiet vinyl and plays almost as well as the original Swedish. The Japan Super Analogue version sounded a bit veiled and also a bit lifeless. Am still hunting to an original mint Swedish original but that's a tall order now. There has been various re-issues of this claiming to be Swedish original which are not, in terms of manufacture and sound.
 

About us

  • What’s Best Forum is THE forum for high end audio, product reviews, advice and sharing experiences on the best of everything else. This is THE place where audiophiles and audio companies discuss vintage, contemporary and new audio products, music servers, music streamers, computer audio, digital-to-analog converters, turntables, phono stages, cartridges, reel-to-reel tape machines, speakers, headphones and tube and solid-state amplification. Founded in 2010 What’s Best Forum invites intelligent and courteous people of all interests and backgrounds to describe and discuss the best of everything. From beginners to life-long hobbyists to industry professionals, we enjoy learning about new things and meeting new people, and participating in spirited debates.

Quick Navigation

User Menu

Steve Williams
Site Founder | Site Owner | Administrator
Ron Resnick
Site Co-Owner | Administrator
Julian (The Fixer)
Website Build | Marketing Managersing