Furnace Record Pressing VS Czech pressing?
WhyNotSweden
Posts: 4,307
in The Porch
Anyone who compared the two different pressings for Dark Matter?
As far as I’ve seen Furnace only made the Black that’s sold in the US. All the different colored once (and black sold in Europe) are made in Czech Republic but who sound the best?
-95, Stockholm (MirrorBall Tour)
-00, Stockholm
-07, Copenhagen
-09, Berlin
-10, Berlin
-11, East Troy 1+2
-12, Stockholm, Oslo, Copenhagen, EV London 2
-13, London, Chicago
-14, Amsterdam 1+2, Berlin, Stockholm, Oslo
-16, TOTD San Francisco 1+2
-17, EV Amsterdam 2+3
-18, Amsterdam 1+2, London 1+(2), Barcelona, London 2
-19, EV Brussels
-00, Stockholm
-07, Copenhagen
-09, Berlin
-10, Berlin
-11, East Troy 1+2
-12, Stockholm, Oslo, Copenhagen, EV London 2
-13, London, Chicago
-14, Amsterdam 1+2, Berlin, Stockholm, Oslo
-16, TOTD San Francisco 1+2
-17, EV Amsterdam 2+3
-18, Amsterdam 1+2, London 1+(2), Barcelona, London 2
-19, EV Brussels
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Comments
Personally, I'm not a fan of CZ. Furnace is pretty decent IMO. Though I didn't get much surface noise, a CZ feature, on my Cubs pressing.
I guess I'm gonna have to pick up a black pressing to compare.
I'm assuming they both use the same digital master to cut, and it shows. The highly compressed sound for the album still comes across on both vinyl.
Both LPs were cleaned ultrasonically before playing. Because thye were new, I just an 8 min cycle on my Degritter. Both got new antistatic sleeves before being played. Both were played on my VPI HW-19, Grado Gold cart through a vintage Marantz 2020. Polk bookshelf (Solid low end, decent mids, great highs). No knobs were touched for this comparison (Volume remained constant. I keep my Bass at a 7, Mids at a 9 and highs at an 8)
The differences:
(pressing quality) The CZ pressing has a touch noisier surface. even after the cleaning. Some static remains. Pretty normal for a CZ pressing (if the label doesn't pay up for the better quality). The furnace wasn't dead quiet but it was difficult to pick up surface noise. No pops on either. Didn't weigh them, but it felt like the CZ was a touch heavier. Both have different dead wax. The messages are the same (Thanks Rick/Stevie), but Furnace has "Matt @ Metropolis written"
(Sound) The Furnace had a very nice low end. Jeffs bass and the bass drum kinda rip on this. Unfortunately, the offset to that is that its makes it have a murkier over all sound. The CZ seems a bit more crisp in the sound. The offset to that is that it comes across as a bit thin. I'm chalking both of these up to the master being not great. Maybe if the furnace were spread across 2 LPs, that murkiness would go away with more space to cut. Neither had great instrument separation. The quieter songs and parts sounded better. Highs better on the CZ, lows better on the Furnace.
I saw some chatter about the last track Setting Sun, pushing the limits for time on the B-side. My first spin last week of the CZ pressing I noticed the IGD immediately. The compressed sound on the master certainly doesn't help things either. The furnace pressing minimizes the IGD. The cut is better at keeping that IGD static down. Again, its still there, but its less noticeable than the CZ pressing.
Overall, I'm not crazy about either. I'll probably play the CZ a bit more just because of where I have my receiver set at. It would be nice if they do a limited edition 45 cut with a redone digital master to make it less harsh. but at the end of the day its just my opinion and its still a great PJ album.