Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon

[MylesBAstor]

[Sorry this one is post-dated but fell asleep on the job errr. couch last night! ]





ONE item above all others rule Musical Notes for March 1 and that was Pink Floyd's release of that iconic release DSOTM on March 1, 1973 in the US (and on March, 16, 1973 in the UK). Forever an audiophile favorite both for its music and sound quality, DSOTM is one of the most successful albums--not to mention one of the greatest rock albums--of all time! Engineered by the then young Alan Parsons (who has previously gained experience on Atom Heart Mother and The Beatles Let it Be), DSOTM used some of the most sophisticated recording techniques available at the time including multi-tracking, tape loops, analogue synthesizers, etc. Nothing was left to chance, Everything from the recording to the artwork to the packaging was carefully considered.

Just some of the statistics surrounding this progressive rock album.

Top 25 best selling albums all-time in the US
On the Billboard Chart for 741 weeks (1973-1988)
In 1998 was certified as 15X platinum
World wide sales >50 million copies
Continually rated in the top 25 or 50 of the greatest albums all time of almost all polls
Was Gold certified within one month after its release in the US (platinum certification didn't exist yet)

What really makes this an audiophile favorite? The kaleidoscope of sounds? The special effects? The low end? The soundscape? The sheer eargasm? Whatever, the sound and music is truly addictive! So of all the releases, what is everyone's favorite DSOTM pressing? Or digital release? Does anyone own the extremely rare and pricey EMI?Harvest first pressing?

[Johnny Vinyl]

The first UK issue consisted of A2/B2 and A3/B2 lacquers. There are 80 different matrices of the A2/B2 lacquer and 5 of the A3/B2 lacquers.
The second UK issue consisted of A2/B2 (3 matrices) - A3/B2 (16 matrices) and A3/B3 (23 matrices).

Here is some info of note regarding the above:

Pressing Information: Pressings that use A-2 / B-2 lacquers have minor sound quality issues, particularly during the song, Money. Some copies also have a skip pressed into the grooves during the song Money. Such issues were corrected with the A-3 / B-3 cuttings, with the exception of the peak level distortion during the clocks at the beginning of the song Time (the MFSL UHQR LP is the only vinyl pressing without such distortion).
Copies of the Dark Side of the Moon LP with solid blue triangle labels without any stamper or mother numbers in the matrix are not U.K. releases. All U.K. EMI releases will have some sort of stamping code in the matrix.


I have an A3/B3 Second Issue copy. It is considered to be the best sounding of the first 3 lacquer variant combos.

I believe this is the very first pressing SHVL 804 A-2 G 1 / SHVL 804 B-2 G 1 (both stamped), It would likely fetch major dollars.

I have 6 other copies, including the 2003 30th Anniversary, which is an analogue pressing and sounds quite lovely.

[MylesBAstor]

Thanks am going to find if some site has pics of the different labels.

[Johnny Vinyl]

http://pinkfloydarchives.com/

[david k]

DSOTM must be the make out album of the century, nothing but good memories! I just became a teenager when this album was released and immediately became the go get her music of every cool party. I used R2R to DJ in those days and still remember THE slow dance routine when the party got going. Turn the main lights way way way down, turn on the the lighting boxes with colorful lights that changed color and faded in & out with the beat, lead with Breath, Time, Us & Them, Nights in White Satin, Courts of the Crimson King and end with July Morning before the next round of fast songs. You might as well called it a night if you hadn't hooked by the end of that set !

david

Crap, just realized I have two young girls and published "THE" secret sauce on a public forum .

[Johnny Vinyl]

Haha!

[rockitman]

Mine is easy...while I don't have a UK 1st press, I feel the Toshiba Pro Use version (1978) of DSOTM is the best I have heard next to a safety master RTR tape, which I also have heard.

[Johnny Vinyl]

I heard the R2R way back, but couldn't appreciate it at the time as I was just getting into audio. I would love the opportunity to listen to a Toshiba Pro Use and the MFSL UHQR.
If those two are better than the A3/B3 they are truly spectacular then. Maybe one day.

[Bill Hart]

I should probably buy a Pro Use just for completeness, and to compare, since Rockitman isn't the only one who has touted that pressing. The UK 2 lacquer pressings I have heard, e.g. A3/B2 sound grainy. I do like the A3/B3, but it doesn't have the collector's panache of that solid blue triangle.

[allenh]

Pro Use is my favorite thus far as well! I would love to get a Harvest Press with outlined triangle, though. I thought they were supposed to sound better than the solid triangle?

Bill?

[MylesBAstor]

One thing that I noticed when comparing the tape to the LP is the LP is horribly compressed.

[MylesBAstor]

One of these days will have to go back and listen to all the copies of DSOTM that I own. I have a Japanese pressing but not sure it's the Pro Use version. I just remember them all sounding different. One had better bass, one had no bass and better mids, etc.

[JCOConnell]

I have a stock US harvest copy as well as the UHQR. The UHQR is very good but it does have the typical mofi bass and treble EQ boost of that era leaving a slight midrange suckout that is noticeable on guitars and vocals. Its more of a collectors item for its rarity than its sound quality. I'm on the lookout for the Pro Use, I have several other titles of those and they are excellent sounding discs.

[JCOConnell]

I forgot to mention I also have a german quad pressing but I have never attempted to play it back in 4 channel so I cant really comment on it. I think its
SQ format iirc.

[regnaD kciN]

I have the original Japanese "Black Triangle" CD, which is exceptional -- but it may be the case that the only way to hear this album is in the spectacular multichannel mix on the 30th anniversary SACD. The DSD stereo track on that disc is also very, very good...but, for some reason, the Redbook stereo layer is horribly compressed.

I also have the MFSL (non-UHQR) LP, but haven't listened to it for awhile.

[JCOConnell]

I have the 2003 sacd,and at the time had a 5.1 sacd playback setup, but don't recall the mix much. oh well.

[JCOConnell]

I must say that I have listened to DSOTM probably more than any other album over the decades, countless times, and I never get tired of it. It could be my favorite pop/rock LP. Certainly my favorite Floyd LP.

[JCOConnell]

One thing that I noticed when comparing the tape to the LP is the LP is horribly compressed.

Which tape? the commercial 7.5 ips 4-trk or something better?

[MylesBAstor]

Which tape? the commercial 7.5 ips 4-trk or something better?

Something better.

[mep]

Something better.

Until you have heard the "something better" version, you really haven't heard DSOTM. The realism of the bells, chimes, and clocks is worth the price of admission alone.