Going to do a "Boston" shootout Monday!

[JCOConnell]

Going over to my friends house Monday and among other things we are going to do a "Boston" vinyl shootout on his excellent high end system. The four pressings we will be
comparing are:

:BOSTON S/T

1.Early original epic label with Wally (Wy) in the dead wax -1976
2.U.S. CBS Mastersound 1/2 speed reissue -1980
3. U.S. MFSL Anadisq 200 1/2 speed reissue -1996
4. Recent Friday Music reissue -2010

Now I know this album was supposedly recorded in a basement or something but it will still be interesting to compare the pressings. We are also going to do a shootout of Pink Floyds DSOTM and the Wall but I'm not sure of what pressings will be used at this time. Will update the thread with general impressions next week.

[JCOConnell]

The Pink Floyd DSOTM shootout will include at least the Toshiba pro use Japanese pressing, the standard Mfsl pressing, and possibly the Mfsl UHQR pressing among other possible versions on hand. The Wall shootout will include at least the stock US Columbia pressing, the US CBS Mastersound 1/2 speed pressing and other possible pressings on hand.

[lasercd]

A few years ago we did an A/B comparison between an OG Japanese Wall vs an OG UK Wall.

Japanese Wall was fantastic. You can hear why it was in Harry's TAS list...until you played the UK pressing. Blew the Japanese version away. Japanese pressing was a bit dead in comparison. If you only heard the Japanese you would be thoroughly happy.

[MylesBAstor]

Ha! Thanks for the info. Have both the UK and Japanese but never compared them.

[mep]

UK pressings of LPs all seem to be done to a high standard.

[JCOConnell]

well UK Lps may indeed be the reference for the Floyd, but I don't know how they fare for BOSTON

[JCOConnell]

My friends analog system sounds pretty good too. VPI Avenger TT , 3D arm, Koetsu cart, Herron phonostage and linestage, Cary tube poweramp, SA top line ($20k) Danish speakers.

[RandyRobinson]

Sounds like Oz

[JCOConnell]

Hes got a VPI ADS on the avenger motor too.

[JCOConnell]

wish we had UK Floyd LPs for the comparison, I think there may be some 2012 reissues involved.

[Johnny Vinyl]

That should be a fun time. I always love reading opinions about DSOTM comparisons.

[cpp]

Heck just saw them in St Augustine at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre April 20th. AWESOME SHOW

[Bill Hart]

Going over to my friends house Monday and among other things we are going to do a "Boston" vinyl shootout on his excellent high end system. The four pressings we will be
comparing are:

:BOSTON S/T

1.Early original epic label with Wally (Wy) in the dead wax
2.U.S. CBS Mastersound 1/2 speed reissue
3. U.S. MFSL Anadisq 200 1/2 speed reissue
4. Recent Friday Music reissue

Now I know this album was supposedly recorded in a basement or something but it will still be interesting to compare the pressings. We are also going to do a shootout of Pink Floyds DSOTM and the Wall but I'm not sure of what pressings will be used at this time. Will update the thread with general impressions next week.

FWIW, here's what I heard in a comparison of two pressings: http://thevinylpress.com/a-tale-of-two-masterings/

[MylesBAstor]

Going over to my friends house Monday and among other things we are going to do a "Boston" vinyl shootout on his excellent high end system. The four pressings we will be
comparing are:

:BOSTON S/T

1.Early original epic label with Wally (Wy) in the dead wax
2.U.S. CBS Mastersound 1/2 speed reissue
3. U.S. MFSL Anadisq 200 1/2 speed reissue
4. Recent Friday Music reissue

Now I know this album was supposedly recorded in a basement or something but it will still be interesting to compare the pressings. We are also going to do a shootout of Pink Floyds DSOTM and the Wall but I'm not sure of what pressings will be used at this time. Will update the thread with general impressions next week.

Be interested in what you think of the Friday Music. They are so hit or miss. Some analog, some digital, some good, some awful. One that I did like was the 45 rpm Yes reissue.

[JCOConnell]

Not sure what speed ( 33 or 45 ) the Friday Music Boston is, but we will certainly include it in our shootout.

[Johnny Vinyl]

Listened to my plain Jane Canadian copy yesterday. Sounded fine.

[JCOConnell]

Well we did the Boston and Pink Floyd shootouts today. We were kinda pressed for time so we only sampled one track per comparison. The results were quite surprising however.

First was BOSTON S/T LP., cut played "more than a feeling"

We started with #1 the epic original wally pressing from 1976 - overall pretty good, but lacking in bass guitar, vocals not highly resolved
Then #2 pressing, the CBS mastersound from 1980 - much better, better bass, clearer vocals, very pleasing overall
Then #3 pressing, the Mofi, 1996 what a letdown, mushy bloated bass, missing midbass, overall sucked
Then #4 pressing, the Friday music from 2010. Very nice, almost as good as #2.lead guitars matched #1

Overall conclusion, the best BOSTON of this bunch was the cbs Mastersound, which is somewhat of a surprise as the mastersounds don't have a stellar reputation, but hearing is believing. Cant understand why the mfsl goes for big bucks.

Next Album was Pink Floyd DSOTM , cut played "breathe"

we started with a standard mfsl pressing , sound was very good but left us yearning for better.
Then #2 pressing, Toshiba Pro Use Japanese. Different from the mofi but not necessarily better, more upper midrange.
Then #3 pressing, 30th anniv -2003 edition - much better than the first two, better HF extension and greater resolution.

Overall conclusion, the best DSOTM of these three was by far the 2003 30th anniv edition. Also surprising since mofi and pro use are supposedly tough completion.


Last Album was Pink Floyd The Wall, cut played "In The Flesh"

We started with a standard US Columbia pressing - sound was very impressive, dynamic and detailed with good tone
Then #2 pressing was a cbs mastersound pressing - sound very similar to #1, but slightly rolled off HF extension
Then #3 pressinig was a 2012 reissue - obviously better than either #1 or #2 pressings, clearer, better vocals, at least as dynamic and with great tone.

Overall conclusion, the best Wall of these three was easily the 2012 reissue, which isn't exactly famous as a great Wall so that's 3 for three on shootout surprises today.

[Boltman92124]

Going over to my friends house Monday and among other things we are going to do a "Boston" vinyl shootout on his excellent high end system. The four pressings we will be
comparing are:

:BOSTON S/T

1.Early original epic label with Wally (Wy) in the dead wax -1976
2.U.S. CBS Mastersound 1/2 speed reissue -1980
3. U.S. MFSL Anadisq 200 1/2 speed reissue -1996
4. Recent Friday Music reissue -2010

Now I know this album was supposedly recorded in a basement or something but it will still be interesting to compare the pressings. We are also going to do a shootout of Pink Floyds DSOTM and the Wall but I'm not sure of what pressings will be used at this time. Will update the thread with general impressions next week.

Sounds like a fun listening session right there. My MFSL CD of The Wall is one of the best recordings I've ever heard from redbook CD. How are the newest (2017) vinyl re-issues of the Pink Floyd albums anyway?

[rockitman]

I have the spendy Japan 1st issue...

[EdAInWestOC]

That's the one to have. The CBS/Sony pressing is very open and dynamic.