Classic Records vs. Analogue Productions

Not to diss BG, Hobson, or Chad, but I have found that in virtually every
case where I have an original early pressing and the Classic, the Classic
remasters sound brighter. More 'detail,' and more 'audiophile' but less of a
piece. I appreciate that the OP doesn't want to search out or pay the tariff
for the originals, but if we are talking 'definitive' versions, I wonder what
others' experience is?

Rushton: thanks for responding- I wasn't limiting myself to the RCAs, in
fact, I don't know that I have originals and Classics of the same record- I
have the Royal Ballet 45 set on Classic, but don't have the original to
compare against. In other cases, I have the old shaded or white dog, but
not the Classic. My comment may be limited to the pop releases that were
done on Classic. For example, Neil Young- Greatest Hits- was done by
Chris Bellman at BG and has some cuts from Harvest, among others. If you
compare it to the old Lee Hulko mastered version, it sounds bright, almost
strident by comparison. Interestingly, the Bellman re-master of Harvest from
a few years ago is closer to the original, just a tad 'clearer,' a little less
organic.
Other records where the Classic is very bright sounding, to my ears,
compared to better original cuts: Aqualung, an admittedly horrible sounding
recording; the Classic 45 on Clarity, one sided is good, until you compare it
to an old WLP. Same on the Zep Classic 45s I have, of I and IV. Brighter,
more detail, but not as balanced sounding. I know all of these are not
'audiophile' records to begin with. But, at least in the case of pop/rock that I
have on Classic, including Classic 45, they sound a little fiddled with. As I
said, I'm not dissing BG, or the re-do labels, but wonder if it is an artifact of
mastering on more modern equipment, or simply a sonic choice by the
mastering engineer.

Rushton: thanks.
Fjn/Don: Don't mean to derail this thread for Zep stuff, but I bought a couple
of the Zep albums as Classic 45's individually, not p/o the
"roadcase." (I also have Zep 1 and III as Classic 33's). As I
have posted on other threads here, for the first album I find the Piros 'CC'
Monarch the most convincing, overall, and think it sounds better than the
Classic 45, Monarch first press, the UK plum and the east coast (US) first
press. The Classic 45 has more detail, more 'air' in the middle, but doesn't
have the drive or the overall cohesiveness of the Piros/Monarch, which just
sounds more balanced and, for lack of a better word- less 'tweaked.'
On IV, I alternate between a UK plum, a US Porky/Pecko Monarch and the
Classic 45. Agree, the newest reissues sound pretty flat and lifeless,
though they are quiet, have pretty good bass and are inexpensive.

Hey, Myles- agreed that for alot of the records that are reissued as
premium audiophile, finding an original isn't just pricey but very difficult if
you want a clean, quiet, unmolested player. (I've been on a Vertigo Swirl
binge for the last 2 years, and the price of the originals- pretty much all that
is available b/c the reissues aren't of great quality- is vertigo-inducing!) But,
hasn't the classical album market dipped in value? I remember how
expensive some of the doggies and living presence were back in the late
80's- when Sid Marks was writing them up for TAS (unfortunately when I
bought many of the ones I have), but I thought that market nose-dived at
some point.
By contrast, I have long enjoyed Chad's Hoodoo Man Blues recut at $50
bucks new. I only recently got to hear a true first press in absolutely mint
condition- something i rarely see and hear. I didn't get to directly compare it
with the recut, but at over $400, it is the kind of record most people would
be happy to buy as a remaster, rather than chasing the original.