Half speed masters. Are they worth the extra scratch?

Miller Carbon: "I have on my shelf 4 different copies of Fleetwood Mac Rumours: one original vintage vinyl, one Nautilus half speed mastered 'audiophile' pressing, one 45RPM audiophile reissue, and one White Hot Stamper."

Similarly, I have multiple versions of FM's earlier, better in all ways, 1975 breakthrough eponymous album ("The White Album"), including a Mobile Fidelity half-speed mastered "Original Master Recording" produced under license from Warner. For reasons unknown to me, this gem -- 7x Platinum and twice voted among the top 200 in RS's "500 GOAT" albums -- is seemingly forgotten. I once heard an hour-long radio special allegedly devoted to FM's career which left it entirely unmentioned, like a biography of Franklin Roosevelt failing to mention his dozen years as US President.

Sadly, for want of a worthy vinyl reproduction system, I can't now compare the half-speed, the Japanese virgin vinyl, etc. with the Reprise original. But until then, I must wonder whether MC or anyone else in the audiophile universe remembers, possesses, or even sometimes PLAYS this classic once heard from every college dorm room window in America?

Gotta admit you had me going there for a while I never heard it called "The White Album" before. Coulda sworn that was the Beatles. But yeah, I have Fleetwood Mac. Got an old original and a White Hot Stamper as well.

Generally lumping all half-speed masters in a bucket is not a valid question. Too many variables to consider.

Like Beatles White Album, this one had no official title and later became known by the dominant cover color. FM's very first album, from the original Peter Green iteration a decade earlier and a continent away, was their only strictly eponymous release. Both "White Albums" became so known in the same way as "Led Zep IV," which in context makes much more sense than "FM 10" would have for a total restart.

"And then there is DMM."

Are you referring to Direct Metal Master? If so, I do have Beatles for Sale DMM and it may be the worst sounding record I own.