Details about pressing the re-issues

MedozK

2-feign-reluctance said:

The Zep reissues on CD are seriously amazing. Better than anything that ever existed on CD prior. I only have In Through The Out Door on vinyl from the reissue a few yrs back & its awesome! I have an original pressing & there's not much difference between them. 

Not so fast on those Zep CDs. The remasters are good, but the early Barry Diament mastered Atlantic CD pressings are  really good. On par with the OG vinyl pressings. IMO

BK5403

mrussel1 said:

northerndragon said:

As a non audiophile I can say for certain that there are only two albums I can completely tell the difference between vinyl and other forms of media. Those being Mad Season - Live at the Moore and Binaural.
That Mad Season is fucking beautiful. 
Other than that I leave it up to my SO to be the geek out audiophile.

Live at the Moore is great.  I would doubt it's analog but for whatever reason, it sounds materially different on vinyl.  Another album many on here may have that is definitely better is Neil Young Live at Massey Hall.  That one is astounding on vinyl.  I't like he is in the damn room.  

Yeah, that Neil Young at Massey Hall is crazy good. I agree with the "in the room thing." In a way it's not a totally fair comparison cause it's easier to work with a solo singer/guitar vs a whole band with lots of layers going on. But still, the stuff Neil puts out is an example of caring about both the music and the sound. When shit is mixed/mastered poorly, the lows aren't low and the highs aren't high and it sounds like a lifeless, muddled mess with no punch. Music mixed & mastered well is like reading a book where your favorite characters have layers and are complex and aren't just good or bad. There's nuance. Music mixed/mastered poorly is like that boring, one-noted character who is totally predictable and boring. 

mrussel1

BK5403 said:

mrussel1 said:

northerndragon said:

As a non audiophile I can say for certain that there are only two albums I can completely tell the difference between vinyl and other forms of media. Those being Mad Season - Live at the Moore and Binaural.
That Mad Season is fucking beautiful. 
Other than that I leave it up to my SO to be the geek out audiophile.

Live at the Moore is great.  I would doubt it's analog but for whatever reason, it sounds materially different on vinyl.  Another album many on here may have that is definitely better is Neil Young Live at Massey Hall.  That one is astounding on vinyl.  I't like he is in the damn room.  

Yeah, that Neil Young at Massey Hall is crazy good. I agree with the "in the room thing." In a way it's not a totally fair comparison cause it's easier to work with a solo singer/guitar vs a whole band with lots of layers going on. But still, the stuff Neil puts out is an example of caring about both the music and the sound. When shit is mixed/mastered poorly, the lows aren't low and the highs aren't high and it sounds like a lifeless, muddled mess with no punch. Music mixed & mastered well is like reading a book where your favorite characters have layers and are complex and aren't just good or bad. There's nuance. Music mixed/mastered poorly is like that boring, one-noted character who is totally predictable and boring. 

Punch... that's a great word for it.  Couldn't agree more and that's one place vinyl really shines to me, the "punch" of the lows.  Digital doesn't have it to the same extent.  It's not as clean.  And mp3 is without a clean punch IMO.  

tempo_n_groove

BK5403 said:

The debate about mp3 vs CD quality vs high res will go on forever. Fine. This thread started as a call for transparency. Some people care, some don't. Doesn't hurt anyone to reveal what our $$ is being spent on. 

High res (or vinyl cut from high res) or vinyl cut from an original tape only gives the album a medium where it has a chance to sound its best. If it's mixed and mastered like shit or the dynamics are crushed to hell, the format doesn't matter. I appreciate when my favorite music also sounds good and think vinyl or high res (when done right) kicks the most ass ... but a well mixed/mastered mp3 will beat a shit mixed/mastered piece of vinyl cut from the analog tape every time. But a thoughtfully done mix/master cut from it's original source to vinyl (especially 2 LPs at 45 RPMs) is gonna make your favorite music kick your ass and give you shivers unlike anything else. If anyone has a chance to check out Beck's MoFi Sea Change or the 2LP 45 RPM version of In Rainbows on a somewhat decent stereo, you'll know what i mean. 

There's a 45rpm version of In Rainbows?  Da Fuq?!?

ISO now...

Oh and the remastered versions of Led Zep are top notch.  I bought Led Zep 1.

cp3iverson

Remember when the majority of blind listeners chose an iphone 6 playing mp3s vs one of Neil Young's Pono players?  Ears are funny things

With vinyl It really does take amazing source material and an amazing setup to hear an improvement.  And thats just sometimes.   I buy vinyl just for the fun of playing it and the packaging.  I like the warmth that i hear at times.