"Thriller": A great demo disc!

While I find Toto to be an excellent recording, in my system, I hear these differences: FWIW:

Toto: somewhat warmer overall presentation, doesn't have the "enveloping soundstage of "Thriller", therefore, lacks the expressiveness that captures and holds my attention by comparison.

10cc "Deceptive Bends": Has all of the warmth and adds the enveloping soundstage, but lacks the overall magic of "Thriller".

XTC "Wasp Star... Apple, Venus Vol II": Other than the somewhat muddy bass, this lp is VERY expressive, has a good amount of warmth. Soundstage to die for. Just slightly "in your face".

Just comparing these 4, I'd rank them in this order:

Thriller
XTC
10cc

Toto

While I intended this post to be more about the virtues of the Acutex cartridge, I'm happy to give some impressions on these lps.

Cheers!

halcro, since I had it re-tipped with a shibata diamond, it is so much more quiet than when original and seems to extract more info. Nice, very nice!

Going to pull out my copy of Toto IV after decades, to listen. Thanks.

Thanks for the info, can you tell what year it was released?

I'd be interested in reading a comparison from you relating to any of the other lps I mentioned? Cheers!

Hmm, I've never heard of a CBS Master Sound Japanese lp pressing? I have several CBS Master Sound pressings and several Japanese pressings. Doesn't mean they don't exist, just never seen one. Happy listening!

Sorry, I mis-spoke...The Van Morrison lp I like is on the Direct Disk Labs audiophile label.

Another thought... All of my lp pressings on CBS Master Sound are from decades ago. Could it be that this (trademarked name) has been sold and now used to market (later Japanese lp pressings)?

FYI: Of the ones I own, from the original sourced CBS Master Sound series, the only one I find enjoyable is Billy Joel "The Stranger".

What I've found through the years of system enhancement and how at one moment, a record can sound great... then after a while, the same system upgraded, the same record isn't quite as enjoyable...
I read a while back, MF's lp journey. He stated how at one time he thought the Japanese lp's were the bomb. He then sold all of his original pressings. Later, when he realized, otherwise, he then had to re-buy all of his original pressings that he sold because of his earlier mistake.
We all hear things differently and are in various phases of out audio journey. I can only comment of where I'm at now.
After I posted the Billy Joel lp, I was re-listening and find it to be not as enjoyable as I once remembered.
IMO, early MOFI's are mostly great. Current ones are hit & miss. I have a Nautilus pressing of Van Morrison's "Moondance" that is my favorite of VM.
My current thinking is Japanese pressings aren't the one's we should be looking for, for optimum sound quality, IMO.
Thanks for your info and good luck in all things audio.

ninetynine: Epic QE 38112. Here are the matrix #s,
side one: PAL 38112-2D
side two: PAL 38112-2AA