What are the best Pink Floyd pressings?

Mike

Japanese pressings were generally regarded as the best. I have a few of my Steely Dan favourites to prove the point.

Same with CD's - I'm gradually buying some 'faves' as Japanese produced discs.

The sound quality difference can be staggering. I'd like to know why.

Mike

The answer to your question is - go Japanese. I have all the Floyd albums and many of the solo albums on Jap LP, and can vouch for their fabness.

However, there are two exceptions:

The best DSOTM is the Mobile Fidelity UHQR pressing - but this vvery rare, and expect to pay over $750 for a sealed copy. Failing that, the "normal" Mobile Fidelity pressing is the best, but EMI's 1997 100th Anniversary Pressing (NOT tthe 1997 Floyd 30th Annniversary edition) is also very good.

For WYWH, it's the CBS Mastersound Half Speed Mastered pressing from the USA.

I hhave all the catalogue numbers of tthis stuff if you need tthem.

Kevin

No no no no Nooooo!

Although I haven't heard the UHQR Mobile Fidelity, The 'ordinary' MF is easily beaten by the UK 1st pressing - It HAS to be a 1st pressing though (search my other posts for a detailed identification guide).

IMO all of the 60's / 70's Floyd LPs are at their best on the original UK 1st pressings.

If you really want the necessary information on this, full details (Very full!) can be found on the Vernon Fitch PF Discography pages. I don't have the URL handy but search the words vernon fitch pink floyd discography and you'll find it easily. You may regret it though...!

Oh, and ignore what he has to say about the 'solid blue' DSOTM label variation - This was not the first label design (as claimed) but a misprinted label batch.

I've heard just about all of the different pressings of these Floyd LPs and I always come back to the original UK pressings.

Incedently it was Animals I found totally mint without the bar code. I can't say if its a first pressing, it came from a shop that closed down and had this stock out back, I believe all the led zep I have been getting from this guy is original 'new' stock.

Can anyone tell me what to look for ont he animals album for a uk first pressing? It sounds supurb if that helps

I have a copy of Animals which I bought around the time of release, the matrix numbers are SHVL815-A2U and SHVL815-B3U.

FWIW

Paul

Thanks for looking that up Paul, mine is SHVL815 4u and 3u, so I am guessing not an original.

Never mind.

Probably original enough. It's probably from stampers from the first mastering, which is presumably as good as it gets.

Paul

Quote from Tim Williams IMO all of the 60's / 70's Floyd LPs are at their best on the original UK 1st pressings.

I agree with you Tim, they're good, but not as good as the Jap pressings. Have you managed to compare them?

Kevin

Muchachos

Thank for all the above; keep 'em coming

Regards

Mike

On the Yellow Brick Road and happy

Paul's copy of Animals is an original 1st pressing (with the A2U / B3U matrix numbers). I agree with your copy being from the first stampers. Basically, as far as I am concerned, any UK non-barcode copy of Animals with the picture labels and thick card inner sleeve is 'original'.

Garyi, what Led Zep LPs did you buy?

Kevin-W - I have compared the UK pressings with the Japan ones. I prefer the UK ones... but I agree that there's very little in it!

Tim, I have over a few weeks got 1, 2, 3, and 4. All are mint and have 'promo copy' not for resale on them in sticker form.

To be honest these are in such good condition they can't be originals but at 4 quid each who's arguing.

I get all this stuff from Watford Market. Its a covered market and there one record store. he dosn't have tonnes of it, but boy does he have an eye for mint records. Don't go there though, its only for me

with reference to Floyd. I have the original Meddle with textured front cover, although the record is trashed. I have an original Wall and WYWH, I also have copies which are in much better condition. The WYWH has the bag and postcard.

I also have an original Dark Side with posters and postcard, although again trashed, how I wish I looked after my earlier stuff like I do now!

I've got two copies of the earlier Dark side with stickers/postcards - one is missing one poster, but there you go.

What's a matrix for an early-ish issue - mine's not got "The Gramophone co" running round the label, but does have the blue prism labels?

When the music's over turn out the lights

The very first matrix numbers for DSOTM are -2 / -2. It seems that a -1 matrix does not exist in released form (although I always look just in case!)

I think that all Gramophone label text copies have the -2 matrices

Garyi - Original UK pressings of the first 4 Led Zep LP's were released on th 'Plum' Atlantic label (Red and purple design). If your copies are indded on this label,you did extremely well!!

I nearly agree with Tim on this.

All UK original releases were the best except for WYWH which the best is 1/2 speed Mastersound. It was one of the few that CBS actually got right. Even with this pressing, you have to get the right stampers and it took me 10 or 11 sealed copies to get it.

The best DSOTM is supposed to be UHQR, but at those prices, I've never heard it. I bought a sealed standard MFSL and it beats all my other pressings. The recent 30th Anniversary issue is good for people who can't get the MFSL, UHQR or 1st pressing.

I recently bought 4 brand new copies of Animals from the 70's, all non bar coded with the stampers SHVL815-A2U and SHVL815-B3U and these sound far superior than the ones I already had.

I don't like standard Japanese pressings whatsoever. They always sound muffled and lifeless.

Regarding Led Zeppelin,

The new Classic Records issues sound far superior than any original pressing.

In my opinion of course.

Alas Tim they are on the three colour split atlantic label, orange/white/green. I guess the promo label was a trick, never the less mint and four quid each, I ain't moaning.

Iagree with Count.d - the Zep Classics are fantastic. Can't wait to hear the 6-LP How The West Was on next month.

Maybe they should go through the Foyd catalogue as they have with LZ

Kevin

Kevin, IMO the floyd music was in general fantastically produced. I mean, listen to WYWH or The wall and no matter which version I have had (and believe me I have a lot of them) they all sound fantastic.

As for Led Zep, well 1 is a bit crappy in terms of recording quality as is the one with loads of windows on the front (the name escapes me right now)

So I would say yes some of zep required it, but apart from perhaps AHM floyds tend to be good, all in my opinion of course.

FWIW I purchased the echoes album and felt the rematsering was not very good at all, I felt that on tracks from WYWH it had been speeded up, and what with the title track being cut short (bloody heathens) I sold it on to a friend, i'll make do with the original intention, kind of my attitude with all these remasters to be honest, espcially Zappas approved remasters, bloody mess!

Mike,
have a look at this page

enjoy

Cheers,
Hermann (560 FEP's)

quote:

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Originally posted by garyi:
As for Led Zep, well 1 is a bit crappy in terms of recording quality as is the one with loads of windows on the front (the name escapes me right now)

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That'll be Physical Grafitti (sp?) I think

When the music's over turn out the lights