Best / worst vinyl pressings

[Matteo]

Hi

Here you can post your findings regarding your favourite records pressings.

On Discogs you can find all versions of a record (format, label, cat#, country, year).

For example: Simple Minds - Street Fighting Years (1989):

https://www.discogs.com/Simple-Minds-St ... ster/58937

I own this version: Virgin, MINDS1, Italy, 1989, and it sounds horrible.

Another example: Jethro Tull - Aqualung (1971), 180g LP, Chrysalis, 0825646146604-AQUA 1, Europe, 2015, very good

https://www.discogs.com/Jethro-Tull-Aqu ... ster/38184

Fleetwood Mac - Rumours (1977), 2 × Vinyl 12" 180g 45 RPM, Reprise Records ‎– 517787-1, US, 2011, spectacular

https://www.discogs.com/master/view/38722

Regards

M.

[Tendaberry]

If you like Street Fighting Years so much, maybe you should try this one (available from € 2,-):
https://www.discogs.com/Simple-Minds-St ... se/1642158

[Matteo]

If you like Street Fighting Years so much, maybe you should try this one (available from € 2,-):
https://www.discogs.com/Simple-Minds-St ... se/1642158

Just bought an item from Denmark in near mint condition for 5€.

Thanks

[Freddy]

https://www.discogs.com/Simple-Minds-St ... se/1642158
I have this US version and I think it sound very good

[Charlie1]

Great idea Matteo.

I tend not to have many versions of the same LP. I've normally got bored of the album by the time I think of trying alternate pressings, so it often seems like a bit of a waste of money. Where I do own various copies, then the country of origin pressing is best.

Anyway, a few I can think of are as follows:

1. US first pressing (DMM Masterdisk) of 'Joshua Tree' is better than UK 'Townhouse' first pressing, and much better than 2007 re-mastered 2LP version. Only the first US pressings were done by Masterdisk AFAIR. All previous U2 LPs are better on UK Townhouse (Boy, War, October, Unforgettable Fire).
2. US first pressing of 'Rumours' is better than any UK pressing I have but not sure any of them were UK 1st pressings
3. US first pressing ('Winchester' pressing plant) of 'Ricky Lee Jones' self-titled album is better than UK first pressing

All of these are worth the effort getting over the UK versions.

One thing I'm curious about. If a US pressing 1st pressing is better than a UK first pressing, does this still apply to a much late US pressing from the same pressing plant? Also, how much impact does record ware have on all this?

[Matteo]

I m listening to this version of Peter Gabriel- So

https://www.discogs.com/Peter-Gabriel-So/release/379036

Very good

M

[Charlie1]

Talking of PG, I've got PG1 original UK pressing, UK reissue (late-80s) and Classic Records reissue. No surprise the UK first pressing is best. I sold the Classic Records copy which was quite boring to listen to.

Thanks for the 'So' tip - I'll check it out. I'd like an earlier pressing of that. I originally bought it on cassette and then a late-80s copy once I had a turntable. Probably quite cheap to pick up an early pressing.

[Matteo]

Talking of PG, I've got PG1 original UK pressing, UK reissue (late-80s) and Classic Records reissue. No surprise the UK first pressing is best. I sold the Classic Records copy which was quite boring to listen to.

Thanks for the 'So' tip - I'll check it out. I'd like an earlier pressing of that. I originally bought it on cassette and then a late-80s copy once I had a turntable. Probably quite cheap to pick up an early pressing.

From 6€ for a near mint copy in uk:
https://www.discogs.com/sell/release/37 ... sions_wrap

I always try to buy from uk or Germany (less than 7€ for shipping); surprisingly, shipping from Italy (to Italy) is 9/10 € ...

M.

[Matteo]

I’m now listening to this pearl.

Not so popular album, but it’s a lot of fun ...

I have this version:

https://www.discogs.com/it/Ringo-Starr- ... se/8173078

Incredibly good

M.

[Matteo]

Another forgotten gem

https://www.discogs.com/Ray-Charles-Fri ... se/2209275

This version is superb

M

[Matteo]

Especially for Italians, the 2017 reissue deserves a listen:

https://www.discogs.com/Rino-Gaetano-Mi ... e/10301601

M.

[Charlie1]

From 6€ for a near mint copy in uk:
https://www.discogs.com/sell/release/37 ... sions_wrap

I always try to buy from uk or Germany (less than 7€ for shipping); surprisingly, shipping from Italy (to Italy) is 9/10 € ...

Thanks Matteo. I will get a copy soon. I have a list of things I want to get so will go through them all at once.

btw, I have found it possible to get US pressings in the UK, of popular albums anyway. Obviously, there isn't the choice but at least the shipping is much much cheaper. Maybe you can find some in Italy. I'm thinking only for US artists. Maybe you can find UK pressings of UK artists too.

[Matteo]

Thanks Charlie1.

Now I’m listening to this underrated jewel via headphones:

https://www.discogs.com/Roxy-Music-Fles ... se/1442813

Astonishing (side b in particular)

M

[Matteo]

Another impressive pressing:

https://www.discogs.com/Simply-Red-Men- ... ase/421571

M.

[Matteo]

Good good good

https://www.discogs.com/The-The-Mind-Bo ... ase/524404

M.

[Matteo]

If you like Street Fighting Years so much, maybe you should try this one (available from € 2,-):
https://www.discogs.com/Simple-Minds-St ... se/1642158

Arrived today; I’m now listening to it: very good pressing, a lot better than mine (Italian version)

M

[Matteo]

Pressings listened to today:

https://www.discogs.com/Al-Stewart-Year ... se/5395931 (Very good, The year of the cat is still one of my favorite songs)

https://www.discogs.com/The-Alan-Parson ... ase/773190 (good)

https://www.discogs.com/Edie-Brickell-N ... ase/385196 (as Uk version, not that good)

M.

[Charlie1]

Fact for the day, Edie is married to Paul Simon.

I agree Year of the Cat is a very good recording. Not sure which version I have, but it’s probably UK. It’s an album I need to play more so thanks for reminder.

Enjoying Sufgen Stevens ‘Illinois’ at the moment. It’s a very good modern recording.

I streamed about half of ‘Street Fighting Years’ the other day. It’s a little better than I recall but most the tracks still don’t do it for me. Maybe it needs to be on vinyl. I did enjoy hearing it again though, if that makes sense. I forgot how the album starts off, which I always liked.

[Matteo]

I streamed about half of ‘Street Fighting Years’ the other day. It’s a little better than I recall but most the tracks still don’t do it for me. Maybe it needs to be on vinyl. I did enjoy hearing it again though, if that makes sense. I forgot how the album starts off, which I always liked.

The side b (from "Kick it in") is better than the side a.

You need to hear this album at least 4/5 times, before really appreciating it.

And yes, the 1st uk vinyl pressing is way better than digital.

M.

[Matteo]

Has anyone listened to RW's Amused to death last vinyl reissue (2015)?

The first 1992 original pressing costs like a Bentley ...

I hadn't listened to it for 20 years and I had forgotten how good is was ("Three wishes" my favourite)

M.

[beck]

Has anyone listened to RW's Amused to death last vinyl reissue (2015)?

The first 1992 original pressing costs like a Bentley ...

I hadn't listened to it for 20 years and I had forgotten how good is was ("Three wishes" my favourite)

M.

Then I am the happy owner of a Bentley......... :-)

[Matteo]

This is good:

https://www.discogs.com/Chicago-Chicago ... se/1617721

M

[Freddy]

Has anyone listened to RW's Amused to death last vinyl reissue (2015)?

I have the reissue. I´m Pink Floyd fan so this is a must to have record. It is probably hard to do the recoring much better than this. The vinyl is better than the CD. How the reissue compare to the original vinyl I don´t know.

[Matteo]

Thanks Freddy

I have the original cd. Ripped via streamer is very good.

M.

[Charlie1]

From 6€ for a near mint copy in uk:
https://www.discogs.com/sell/release/37 ... sions_wrap

I always try to buy from uk or Germany (less than 7€ for shipping); surprisingly, shipping from Italy (to Italy) is 9/10 € ...

Thanks Matteo. I will get a copy soon. I have a list of things I want to get so will go through them all at once

The early UK pressing of 'So' arrived today. BIG improvement. As mentioned before, I bought it on release in '86 on cassette. However, I never really connected with it so much on vinyl, just a few years later. I incorrectly assumed that I'd got bored of the album, having played it a lot, never thinking tape could out perform vinyl, especially on an LP12. But this pressing is like a teleport back to 1986 - images, feelings, all sorts of things come back. Weird how music can transport you back like that, especially to our youth. I can only conclude that the early cassette is actually more musical than the later vinyl pressings. Just another reminder of just how much difference the pressing can make. Definitely worth the money for an LP I'm so fond of. Cheers Matteo.