Why do I keep torturing myself with remasters?

ehtoo- That has been my experience re the EQ of Japanese pressings of rock music generally, but sometimes it is either not the case, or the EQ works in combination with the nature of the recording so the end result is not bad, e.g. LZ1 japanese pressing I mentioned. Pretty much every copy is murky, many have no bass, the Piros cut pressed at Monarch is probably one of the best I’ve heard, but that Japanese cut is really strong too. For the odd ball prog stuff, the King records and Seven Seas imprint have been good as well, but in almost all cases, the original pressings are so expensive, I have not compared them. (e.g.. Museo Rosenbach -Zarathustra).

Led zeppelin CDs and downloads from dynamic range database. Vinyl Zeppelin is very good as far as dynamic range goes. It’s the digital reissues are the problem. Early Zeppelin CDs from 80s and early 90s are OK, very good dynamic range wise. Of course dynamic range isn't everything. But it's a lot IMO.

The three numbers represent Average, lowest, highest dynamic range measured on the recording.

Good dynamic range starts at the number 14. Numbers 8 and 9 and lower are poor. 10-13 are just OK (transitional)

Led Zeppelin Mothership (Remastered) [MFiT] i 2015 09 08 11 lossy Download
Led Zeppelin Mothership - 2 CD - disc : 1 i 2007 07 06 08 lossless Unknown
Led Zeppelin Mothership - 2 CD - disc : 2 i 2007 08 06 09 lossless Unknown


Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin I i 1994 10 09 11 lossless CD
Led Zeppelin Houses of the Holy i1994 12 11 13 lossy CD
Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin IV i 1994 10 09 11 lossy CD
Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin III i 1994 11 09 13 lossy CD
Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin II i 1994 11 10 13 lossy CD

Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin IV i 1984 12 11 13 lossless CD

Physical Graffiti [Disc 2] i 1990 12 11 13 lossless CD
Led Zeppelin Physical Graffiti [Disc 1] i 1990 13 12 15 lossless CD
Led Zeppelin Presence 1990 13 12 14 lossless CD

Vinyl examples

Led Zeppelin Houses of the Holy 1973 13 12 14 lossless Vinyl
Led Zeppelin Physical Graffiti 1975 13 12 14 lossless Vinyl
Led Zeppelin Presence i 2006 14 13 15 lossless Vinyl


Geoff Kait
machina dynamica

I stopped buying reissued vinyl.It's a gamble that almost never is worth it.And you can't return a piece of lousy sounding new vinyl for a refund most of the time.Last one for me was Zappa's Hot Rats.I go for original pressings and when affordable promo radio station DJ originals.

When it comes to vinyl avoid remasters. They are digitised analogue, so rather bizarrely you are making ur Anologue rig play digital. A bit like buying a diesel and trying to run it on petrol. Buy them as a last resort. Buy a second hand record - there are many people selling them

A strange as it might seem digitally remastered cassettes actually sound very good, even spectacular. Great dynamic range, low noise and that analog sound. Examples, ACDC You Want Blood You got It (live) and Miles Davis Kind of Blue.