Dark Side - Update

Surprising there has been no replies to this. Perhaps its been gone over, too many times....? Looks like you are really after a Vinyl copy of this....? Why not go for an original LP (EMI Harvest SHVL 804) - not expensive and there is no shortage on .... a well know auction site.....!  There is even a copy of the Mobile Fidelity version on there, currently. 

I have the original LP, not very early, but earl-ish - bought around 1974, I think....? Perfectly fine, IMHO. But if you want near CD levels of noise, the MFSL will give you that. Again, IMO. 

Quite sure I cannot be bothered to debate which is the 'best' version. Will leave that for others. I have some of the DSOTM Tracks, as remastered on 'Echoes' and they seem fine to me, too.

ianrobertm posted:

Surprising there has been no replies to this. Perhaps its been gone over, too many times....? Looks like you are really after a Vinyl copy of this....? Why not go for an original LP (EMI Harvest SHVL 804) - not expensive and there is no shortage on .... a well know auction site.....!  There is even a copy of the Mobile Fidelity version on there, currently. 

I have the original LP, not very early, but earl-ish - bought around 1974, I think....? Perfectly fine, IMHO. But if you want near CD levels of noise, the MFSL will give you that. Again, IMO. 

Quite sure I cannot be bothered to debate which is the 'best' version. Will leave that for others. I have some of the DSOTM Tracks, as remastered on 'Echoes' and they seem fine to me, too.

Ian, thanks for the reply. I'm not too surprised by the lack of responses. I am about 40 years late to the party after all. The original post/query and replies were quite helpful in recommending "good" versions. Trouble was that I did not find any specified. In any case, it's not to say those recommended would have ben any better. I was a bit let down by the Canadian version given that the condition was supposed to be excellent and it clearly was not. Lots of surface damage.  Having ended up with three versions I felt obliged to follow up with what I thought of the three. I will look out for your suggestions on that auction site but buying a 4th version of an album I will only play now and then is a bit of overkill. The Sky Arts Classic Albums programme is well worth watching if you can - and I'm not really a Floyd fan.

Dave

The DSOTM Live at the BBC 1974 (Wembly - Empire Pool) is the most dynamic sounding CD of the lot!

I've had lots of cd 'remasters' of the original album but stick with the Harvest Black Label early pressing as none improve on it imho.

G

I can only advise on CD's. I've had few and the best I've heard is the 30th Anniversary edition.  This is a SACD hybrid (EMI 7243 582136 2) and I only listen to the CD layer and that's very good.  So if you want to rip to your NAS this disc also gives you 5.1 and SACD options.  

I've had several copies of this album over the years, but the best (and most expensive) is the Mobile Fidelity pressing. I also think the latest 2016 version released a few weeks ago is pretty good. About £20, so a lot cheaper than a MOFI pressing. A good example is typically £100 - £130. I still have the copy I bought in 1973, but that copy was played a lot and is a tad tired, so can't really compare.

Pete

Pedro posted:

I've had several copies of this album over the years, but the best (and most expensive) is the Mobile Fidelity pressing. I also think the latest 2016 version released a few weeks ago is pretty good. About £20, so a lot cheaper than a MOFI pressing. A good example is typically £100 - £130. I still have the copy I bought in 1973, but that copy was played a lot and is a tad tired, so can't really compare.

Pete

Interesting - I found to Mobile Fidelity a touch soft and lacking in dynamics.

G

I agree with Pedro about the latest pressing. I heard this at Cymbiosis to demo my LP12 after I'd had the power supply, motor and interconnect changed. It sounded absolutely superb. I realise it has been remastered, but there were definitely sounds I'd never heard before so clearly. I must buy a copy before the vinyl run is exhausted.

More important for me though is to buy a new copy of WYWH.

@Bodger - Am sure I have seen the DSOTM Classic Albums prog somewhere before.... Not on Murdoch Media. As the Mo Fi version is not current, I would treat any copy of that as potentially suspect - similar to your Canadian one. If as @Pedro says, the 2016 LP version is good, that a better bet, as you can get it 'new'.  (I bought my Mo Fi one new, many, many years ago ! ) Looks like the 2016 LP is about £20, on a well known river related site. 

I was surprised to find I still have the original posters, inside the sleeve, of my Harvest copy.... 

I'm getting confused...are we talking vinyl or cd suggestions?

G

[@mention:1566878603894290] - the OP was talking about 'pressings' and 'surface noise', so LP. Sorry, 'Vinyl'.

But OP is asking for a CD version to rip to his NAS...no?

G

These DSOTM threads are all horses for courses. I've got various vinyl copies, same for CD (MFSLs included). They're all good in their own regard. As I said in the prior post; it's a bloody well-recorded album (ought to be, they spent enough studio time on it).

Decide for yourself what's best for your own ears and where you want to draw the end buying different copies. Better yet, go with what you've got and don't look back.

GraemeH posted:

But OP is asking for a CD version to rip to his NAS...no?

G

I have tried a few variants & the best by far is the 30th Anniversary Edition hybrid CD/SACD remaster.  Its remastered from the original 1973 two-track master by James Guthrie, its not taken from a 2nd generation 15ips tape as are most CD re-issues. The disc has 2 channel CD, SACD & a 5.1 mix.   The 2-ch has been made to sound as close to the original vinyl 'sound' as possible.  The multi-channel mix is different & is really worth a listen if you have the kit,  remember quad sound was a Pink Floyd thing in 1970's.  

This discussion is just what I needed to keep me from the insanity of buying a turntable. THANK YOU ALL!

I agree with Randy -- I have several cd versions on my server, and while I can listen for nuanced differences, they are all good in their own right.  The first MFSL probably is a fav, but for no specific reason.  The recent (well its a few years old now) remaster is just fine as well.  

While its such an over-played album at the hi fi shops, it remains for me useful for auditioning.  Very revealing systems DO reveal 'stuff' in there that one never heard on uni dorm room stereos in the 70's (at least any I could afford at the time!).  

Mike-B posted:

GraemeH posted:

But OP is asking for a CD version to rip to his NAS...no?

G

I have tried a few variants & the best by far is the 30th Anniversary Edition hybrid CD/SACD remaster.  Its remastered from the original 1973 two-track master by James Guthrie, its not taken from a 2nd generation 15ips tape as are most CD re-issues. The disc has 2 channel CD, SACD & a 5.1 mix.   The 2-ch has been made to sound as close to the original vinyl 'sound' as possible.  The multi-channel mix is different & is really worth a listen if you have the kit,  remember quad sound was a Pink Floyd thing in 1970's.  

We are of a like mind, Mike

MDS posted:

We are of a like mind, Mike

Listening is about to start right now  ..........  alone in the house as well ..........  volume control, what ??  pardon !!  

I was under the impression, that the so called remastered recordings are not as good as you might think...as I mainly listen to cds, I am curious regarding which might be considered  the best pressing ...of DSOTM?

The best for me is Japanese mini-LP CD. SQ is as good as you may expect from a CD plus it gives me "the pride of ownership" usually associated with LPs

wenger2015 posted:

I was under the impression, that the so called remastered recordings are not as good as you might think...as I mainly listen to cds, I am curious regarding which might be considered  the best pressing ...of DSOTM?

That's where I started. Black Harvest for me.

G

GraemeH posted:

wenger2015 posted:

I was under the impression, that the so called remastered recordings are not as good as you might think...as I mainly listen to cds, I am curious regarding which might be considered  the best pressing ...of DSOTM?

That's where I started. Black Harvest for me.

G

Thanks for the tip

GraemeH posted:

wenger2015 posted:

I was under the impression, that the so called remastered recordings are not as good as you might think...as I mainly listen to cds, I am curious regarding which might be considered  the best pressing ...of DSOTM?

That's where I started. Black Harvest for me.

G

Yep, I've had most of 'em through my system, MFSL, 25th, 30th...Nothing comes close to my original vinyl Harvest pressing. Likewise my early CD on the digital side of things. The HD stereo mix on the Immersion box set isn't bad, and I've always enjoyed Alan Parson's 4.1 MLP version.