Neither of the 2 (block and italics lettering) Mobile Fidelity pressings are very good. My favs: Original UK Original US UK Centenary (Harvest 8556731) Japanese Pro Series (EMI EMLF 97002) UK 30th Anniversary (Harvest SHVL804)
The original British and German Quad releases are very good but mixed quite differently than their stereo brothers. You’ll need to search eBay or record shows for the aforementioned list.
I haven’t heard any current releases, 18 copies of one album is plenty and I doubt anything new meets or exceeds what I have.
If you are shopping, look for the UK A3/B3 deadwax on the UK pressings. It is a warm good sounding record (i haven’t compared every pressing) and is less grainy sounding than the A2 matrices (which were on the original solid blue triangle copies that are huge money as collectors items). Because it is not a first pressing, it is gettable at a decent price (should be well below a hundred dollars, I bought several for less than $40 US 5 or 6 years ago). The Japanese pressings will have quieter surfaces, and the one most prefer seems to be the Pro-Use (4th pressing), which I don’t own- though i have several earlier japanese pressings, and the MoFi among them, that I bought new back in the day.
@slaw - i’m not even sure what the "current" remaster is. As you I think you know, I’m not a fan of a lot of the old MoFis because the sound quality is all over the place and is often inferior to the standard issue of a given record. Some are killer, though. It’s been years since I compared copies of Dark Side, and all of the copies I own are older. I didn’t have any particular issue with the MoFi Dark Side that I can recall, but I’d have to listen to it and compare it to say that UK pressing I mentioned to remember how it stacks up. I do know that when I was doing the comparisons some years ago, and seeking out copies, the UK A3/B3 was a winner so long as you could find one with quiet surfaces that was unmolested. It would require some fresh comparisons (since I don’t have listening notes on these) to answer your question, and of course, part of it is personal preference. Some people prefer a detailed sound, some a more organic sound. I tend toward the latter. The JVC vinyl compound and pressing quality of the old MoFi is among the best extant- dead quiet surfaces, and of all the ones I owned, bought new, never an issue.
Without looking it up, I believe the latest remasters (they are remasters...not reissues/very important distinction), came out in late 2016, early 2017 as Sony/Legacy.
I think all of the issues you noted are relevant in any preliminary discussion, before recommending, what can be a real investment on the listener. It may be better for the OP to directly relate the qualities that are important to him when asking of others, which pressing is better/best?
I concur on your assessment of the JVC vinyl formulation as being perhaps, the best ever.
DSOTM has been a "go to" test album since I listened to my first stereo system in 1974, so I have always been a little OCD about which version is "the best" I have the following on vinyl: original USA release and the original MoFi 1979 release (excellent condition). The MoFi version was my go-to test album prior to going to digital. I thought that it was an improvement over the original release. However, I no longer listen to vinyl and have the following digital versions:
1. Black Triangle version 2. 1992 Remaster 3. 2011 Remaster 4. Digitized 1981 UHQR MFSL limited edition pressing [24 bit/96K] 5. Digitized and declicked MFSL 1979 vinyl [24/96K]
There are subtle differences between the various versions. My hearing is no longer good enough to definitively say that one version "blows away" any other version, but there are subtle differences. Historical note: MoFI broke the analog master tape when using it for the MFSL 1979 release . . . OOOPS!
Although this thread was originally a vinyl "which is better" question, for those interested in putting their hearing to the test, see this thread on the Steve Hoffman forums where the poster kindly made identical 1 minute clips of six different CD masterings of DSOTM in one download. Listen to the clips and decide which you think is best and then find the key to see which version it is . . . you may be very surprised! http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/dark-side-of-the-moon-on-cd-a-blind-listening-test.468342/
Finally, I second the comment about the SACD. Hearing DSOTM in 5.1 was incredible and almost like hearing a new album!
As a budding audiophile, over 3 decades ago, I had read all of the positive attributes of "Speak To Me" and how it was a revelation. All of these years later, I am still disappointed, maybe because all of the hype surrounding it, that never met (that) expectation,yet mostly because I own several lps now that blow this portion of that record away, regarding deep bass.
Now, on to this pressing... I own the original MFSL, and all of the (every five year) anniversary issues and the domestic. I’m going to rely on my musical memory, which I’ve always found to be very good and I’m sure those of you who are really into music can attest you have as well. This pressing sounds at least as good, maybe better than any I own. In fact, it’s dynamic expression seems to be superior to any copy I own, while retaining all of the warmth one should expect from a ’70s era lp.
I could go through every pressing I own of this lp and find little things that I’d like here & there. Not interested in doing that. If I were to recommend one copy of this lp, The 2016 re-master would be it. In fact, whenever I pull this title out for a listen, this pressing WILL be my go-to.
The new remaster is pretty good. It isn't as good as the 30th Anniversary. The 30th bests the MoFi. To sum this up. The 30th is an upgrade to the MoFi. The new remaster is about a lateral move from the MoFi. So if you want an upgrade, buy the 2003 remaster. If you just want a replacement the 2016 Grundman remaster is cheap and about as good as the MoFi. I suggest the 2003 remaster as an upgrade. I do own all three versions.
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