Best vinyl purchases based on pressing, studio production, sound quality and enjoyment.


As you all know this question has been asked a million times on a million sites BUT each time it’s asked, it can be very helpful to those trying to find great vinyl that is quiet, produced well and touches the heart each time it’s played.

I’ve only been into vinyl for 6 months now and have purchased 250 albums, 99 percent new, recent pressings, reissues. So within the last year, what are 10 of your favorite album purchases based on pressing, studio production, sound quality and pure enjoyment??? Here’s my top 20:

1. The Wonderful Sounds of Female Vocals. (Various artists, 200 gram QRP)
2. Willie Nelson- To all the Girls (Various artists 180 gram Legacy)
3. Dead Can Dance- Into the Labyrinth (180 gram Mobile Fidelity reissue)
4. Rickie Lee Jones- Rickie Lee Jones (180 HQ Pressing Warner Bros reissue)
5. Stevie Ray Vaughn- The Sky is Cryin (200 gram Analogue productions 45rpm reissue)
6. Pink Floyd- Dark Side of the Moon (2016 reissue)
7. Renee Flemming- The Beautiful Voice (Decca 20th anniversary gatefold)
8. Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong- Ella and Louis (Analogue productions Mono reissue)
9. Eva Cassidy- Nightbird (Blix Street Records 180 gram)
10. Doors- All the new reissue 45’s from Analogue Productions, 200 gram
11. Cash- The Man Comes Around (American Records, QRP, 180 gram)
12. Shelby Lynne- Just a Little Lovin (QRP, Analogue Productions, 45 rpm, 200 gram)
13. Vanessa Fernandez- When the Levee Breaks (Groove Note, 45 rpm, 180 gram)
14. Nils Lofgren- Acoustic Live (Analogue Productions, QRP, 200 gram)
15. Neil Young- Live at Massey Hall (Reprise, 180 gram reissue)
16. Tony Bennett- I Wanna Be Around (Mobile Fidelity, 180 gram reissue)
17. Linda Ronstadt- What’s New (Analogue Productions, QRP, 200 gram, reissue)
18. Cat Stevens- Tea for the Tillerman (Analogue Productions, QRP, 200 gram reissue)
19. Muddy Waters- Folk Singer (Analogue Productions, QRP, 200 gram reissue)
20. Fleetwood Mac- Tango in the Night (Rhino, 180 gram, 2017 reissue)

Ps: You can go beyond 1 year if needed.


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Johnny Cash at San Quentin Mono Great raw performance.
Julian Bream Guitar Concertos RCA Red Dog original
Elvis Presley Xmas Album original press
Carmen Living Stereo - Soria Series original Shaded Dog
Readers Digest Treasury of Light Classical music (Stereophonic) sound original
Casino Royale - original LP
Led Zeppelin Presence Classic Reissue
David Bowie Lets Dance Original LP
Dire Straits Communique
Dire Straits - original LP
Faust and Carmen Suite- Wilkinson RCA/Decca recording Classic reissue



Some stand outs for me, but will give this more thought....
Nick Drake: Pink Moon. UM 2009
The Cars:  S/T Red Label STERLING
Fleetwood Mac: S/T KENDUN (Ken Duncan) 75
Dire Straits: Love Over Gold. STERLING
Buckingham/Nicks:  Sterling US (beat my Quality CAN label)
The Doors: Strange Days US Gold label early pressing
Grateful Dead: American Beauty (Warner- GREEN label)
Leonard Cohen: Popular Problems 
+1 on above.... Neil Young: Massey Hall!!!

fjn04
I agree, Neil's Massy Hall would have been on my list as well if not previously mentioned. As would Uncle  Tupelo "March 16-20 1992". Both classic performances by GREAT musicians.    
Gillian Welch and David Rawlings' "The Harrow and the Harvest" and "Soul Journey". 
These represent one of the few instances in which the artists themselves saw to it that analogue was used at every step and that the mastering and pressing were done to their high standards. 
Johnny Cash at San Quentin is a great piece of History! @tzh21y 
Gillian Welch- The Harrow and the Harvest, I have this one. Quite good! @fsonicsmith 
The Wall Us and Japanese pressings were very good