Jimbos Audio ramblings

[Jimbo]

So to get anywhere near what the original Master Tape sounded like you need first pressings and then there would be some variation between the first thousand pressings and then onwards with a gradual decline in quality as the stampers wear out.

Determining the providence of any of the Master Tapes used at any point in time by any production company re issuing is never mentioned and probably only known by a few as I presume there must be some sequential number used to determine first, second, third generation. etc.

[Macca]

Early 1980s CDs usually best bet for being close to an early master. The tended to push the boat out in those days. But there's no real way to tell other than listening.

They do have the advantage that they are not remastered with a ton of limiting/compression so the dynamic range of the original tape is preserved.

People will cotton on to this eventually I think and prices will go though the roof as it's the closest you'll get to owning exactly what they laid down in the studio

[Jimbo]

Early 1980s CDs usually best bet for being close to an early master. The tended to push the boat out in those days. But there's no real way to tell other than listening.

They do have the advantage that they are not remastered with a ton of limiting/compression so the dynamic range of the original tape is preserved.

People will cotton on to this eventually I think and prices will go though the roof as it's the closest you'll get to owning exactly what they laid down in the studio

Only problem using a digital copy or mastering from Tape to digital will the EQ used and any other variations the engineers mastering at the time think needs to be done in the transfer?

[Jimbo]

Just taking DSOTM for instance - there has been so many reissues both on vinyl and digital and none of them sound the same and I expect none of them sound as good as the original early first pressings.

[Macca]

Only problem using a digital copy or mastering from Tape to digital will the EQ used and any other variations the engineers mastering at the time think needs to be done in the transfer?

I don't know. There's no need to do anything except make a straight digital copy the tape but that doesn't mean they didn't cock about with it. Just one of those things we'll never know unless you can speak to someone who was there.

[Macca]

Just taking DSOTM for instance - there has been so many reissues both on vinyl and digital and none of them sound the same and I expect none of them sound as good as the original early first pressings.

I don't know how early a pressing I have heard. Back when at school had friends who were the youngest of 7, 8, 9 siblings and they had 'originals' of a lot of classic albums including Floyd and the later Beatles albums. But their equipment was not good enough to be judging variations between pressings on and neither is my memory.

All the later re-issues are probably remastered and even remixed as well so no wonder they sound different. What's the earliest DSOTM pressing you have heard?

[Jimbo]

I had a UK first pressing back at home which I bought about 1975. Played to death on crap equipment so can't vouch for its sound quality but I do remember it sounding very good. Spacious and dynamic. Everything sounded extremely clear but then again my ears were 40 years or so younger!

This ended up being blu tacked to my bedroom wall after some serious abuse! I then bough another copy which may have been a 2nd or 3rd generation pressing but don't know what happened to this when I sold and gave away most of my vinyl.

For some reason I kept my copy of The Wall which I still have today and it is absolutely mint. It plays super clean and perfect condition sleeves. I bought this the day it was released so definitely first generation. Now worth £200.

[Macca]

One of the reasons I don't play my vinyl anymore is the value of some of them! Anything released after about 1992 seems to be worth a bomb and I bought a lot of records around that time, all on the day or week of release.

Hopefully I won't ever need the money but you never know.

[Jimbo]

One of the reasons I don't play my vinyl anymore is the value of some of them! Anything released after about 1992 seems to be worth a bomb and I bought a lot of records around that time, all on the day or week of release.

Hopefully I won't ever need the money but you never know.

Very little vinyl released between 1992 and 2010 so copies of anything are few and far between, Value has rocketed unless they reissue. And because they are from a digital recording quality can be guaranteed the same.

[Pigmy Pony]

One of the reasons I don't play my vinyl anymore is the value of some of them! Anything released after about 1992 seems to be worth a bomb and I bought a lot of records around that time, all on the day or week of release.

Hopefully I won't ever need the money but you never know.

Post 1992, what music are we talking about? 90s were pretty much Brit Pop and dance music, and little else iirc.