David Bowie on Ryko Lp - Avoid

[JCOConnell]

Saw a posting in another forum about David Bowie Lps on Ryko Lps so I decided to pull one out of my collection an play it. ( I bought these new over 25 yrs ago). I chose
CHANGESBOWIE as the title which is basically a double Lp greatest hits package. The vinyl is clear (transparent) and quiet but the sound is terrible. No bass, closed in, sounds like
a cheap transistor radio. Maybe these are very early digital mastered? I don't know but whatever the problem is, there IS a problem. Anyone else ever heard these clear vinyl
RYCO Bowie releases on Lp and what did you think of them?

[Metamatic]

I have the clear vinyl US reissues of Space Oddity and the man Who Sold the Earth.

Space Oddity sounds OK and Man Who sounds excellent. Both are better sounding than the recent vinyl reissues.

[JCOConnell]

I have the clear vinyl US reissues of Space Oddity and the man Who Sold the Earth.

Space Oddity sounds OK and Man Who sounds excellent. Both are better sounding than the recent vinyl reissues.

Are they on Ryko from the early 90's?

[Bill Hart]

I remember those Rykos- they were a light green translucent vinyl, and had OBI type strips (though I'm not sure they were made in Japan). I think they touted the fact that they were digital transfers.

[JCOConnell]

yes, yes, and maybe.

[Metamatic]

Are they on Ryko from the early 90's?

Yes, the original Bowie vinyl reissues. Both have an additional record with b sides and alternate versions.

I have heard that the later albums got progressively worse sounding

[JCOConnell]

I bought a bunch of them ( I think they were on closeout at the time ), Hunky Dory, Diamond Dogs, Aladdin Sane, pinups, changesbowies, maybe more. Ill have to revist to see how they sound today.

[JCOConnell]

Shouldn't the originals on RCA sound the best?

[JCOConnell]

I read the fine print on the RYKO CHANGESBOWIE Lp. First of all, they are made in USA despite the OBIs. Secondly they tout them as CDQ "Compact Disc Quality phonographic records". They state they are DMM (direct metal mastering ). And finally they are for the most part AAA Lps (two tracks are ADA). Date is 1990.

[Bill Hart]

I read the fine print on the RYKO CHANGESBOWIE Lp. First of all, they are made in USA despite the OBIs. Secondly they tout them as CDQ "Compact Disc Quality phonographic records". They state they are DMM (direct metal mastering ). And finally they are for the most part AAA Lps (two tracks are ADA). Date is 1990.

Thanks for checking- yeah, I remember playing a few of them when I got them- like you, I bought a bunch. I didn't like how they sounded then, and never revisited (though a couple of them serve as dust covers for my turntable and a cleaning machine).
As to which pressings are best, I think in some cases, you have to open up your bank account wide.
Ziggy- UK- 6E/4E is really good. A high condition one is market at $100 or so, the 40th Anniversary is pretty close and when new, was cheap. Now it commands almost as much money. The re-release recently of 5 Years box supposedly included the same mastering for Ziggy, but I have not verified that- the others in that new set are, I believe, all drawn from digital files.
Man Who Saved the World- I short cut to avoid the costly UK (there was a cover change if I recall, and I think that's when Bowie moved from Philips to RCA). I have a first Japanese and it is very good.
Hunky Dory- early UK- I think it is 3T Bobil if I remember the nomenclature- pricey; supposedly the EMI Centenary version is great, but very hard to find, and also pricey, not as much as the earliest UKs, but still up there.
The album renamed Space Oddity was originally on Philips- when he was completely unknown- pricey- i just use the 5 years era copy, which sounds better (even though digital source) than my old US RCA Dynaflex.
I may have a couple of others- but the album that really caught me back in the day was Ziggie, and that because of the songs, and Mick Ronson's playing. I've really come to appreciate Man Who Saved the World, it rocks pretty hard.
Hope that helps. There are a ton of threads on Hoffman comparing the early pressings. Some are of value because of cover (outer jacket art) changes or other collectability factors- not sonics.

[JCOConnell]

Just did a little research on DMM and it could be the culprit. Its been known to affect the sound quality and give vinyl a "DMM" sound.

[JCOConnell]

As far as Ziggy goes, I have a stone mint Mofi copy and I absolutely love it.

[mep]

I thought all Ryko LPs were crap.

[JCOConnell]

I thought all Ryko LPs were crap.

what else did they make besides these Bowie reissues? I hope they got better or just stopped.

[Johnny Vinyl]

I don't have any Ryko discs.

[JCOConnell]