Re-issue vinyl vs. the original pressing

Thanks guys, I will check out those articles. I assume if "previewing" is a necessity and that it's made possible by a delay, then the delay must have been implemented by analog means in older lathes, which would of course degrade the signal as well. But since the most common method of analog delay before digital was magnetic tape -- also what the source being mastered from was -- the whole thing begins to seem a bit convoluted. What I immediately wonder is, why not simply use a pair of spaced playback tapeheads to play the mastertape, with the first one generating only the preview signal and the second, later-arriving one going directly to feed the cutterhead's amplifier? But I will read...

In my view, reissues can be devided into 3 catagories:

1) Post 1984 digital reissues - these are good but no better than the CD so unless the CD is unavailable, or the LP is cheaper, why buy? (Having said this I own many mint copies of these for recordings that are out of print on CD).

2) Pre 1984 reissues like the Blue Note solid blue labels from the 70's - not as good as the originals but if I can buy a mint Horace Silver Blue label for $20 on Ebay vs the VG+ original west 47th street for $200, guess where I'm going. The same can be said for pre 84 reissues on other labels. I think they are generally a good value. I decide in favor of individual LP quality over pressing.

3) Remaster/reissues like from Classic records, Mosaic, Analog Productions etc. These are hit or miss. You need to be careful as it often is not clear whether the mastering chain was completely analog and the record mastering process is a lost art so quality assurance is very sketchy sometimes.

Hdm, thanks for the link to the articles. Apparently many vinyl mastering engineers are using add-on digital devices in order to protect their lathes from overloads which would burn out the cutting heads. It's a poor solution, but may be necessary since Neumann doesn't make or even support it vinyl lathes anymore.

Hello Mitch
This is my first post in this forum.
I had to add in my opinion on this subject.
Purchasing vinyl is a lot of hit or miss.
The first thing to learn is labels and lead outs on records. This is where all the info is about a record.
You can get the books about this at most large book stores or order them online.
The only original pressing is the first pressing - all others are reissues, even from the original manufacturer.
This still does not mean it is the best recording though because at the time of the recording the equipment used to make the master plate was not good as good as a later pressing from the same original master tape on better equipment that made a better master plate to make a better record. That is why you can get the same record, made the same year that sounds different from one another.
There will also be a differance from pressing plant to pressing plant.
Most people like original pressings cause it is what the people at the recording studio wanted it, the final product, to sound like. Even that could have changed because someone else higher up in the chain thought a more intense guitar playing from say Clapton would sound better or sell more records so they make that change. Now it is not the original sound agreed upon in the studio.
I have a lot of both original and reissues of the same music like Pink Floyd's Darkside of the Moon. I have 13 different vinyl pressings alone never mind DVD or CD versions, all cause I like the music. Some do sound better than others on the system I now own but may sound different on a later system, as I have found to be true in the past.
So go purchase some MUSIC and see if you like it. After all, that is all that really matters anyhow.
This is a hobby, just sell what you don't like later when you find a better recording you do like.

hevac1

"Most people like original pressings cause it is what the people at the recording studio wanted it, the final product, to sound like. Even that could have changed because someone else higher up in the chain thought a more intense guitar playing from say Clapton would sound better or sell more records so they make that change. Now it is not the original sound agreed upon in the studio."

Fact is, the sound on the record always changes from what was heard in the recording studio, and that can't be helped, even with the most faithful of intentions. What was heard in the studio will never be heard again outside of it. That's not really different in concept than saying a record played at my house will never sound the same as that record played at your house. But even given all that, and aside from questions of eventual mastertape deterioration, there really isn't much reason to think that an original pressing will best conform to an artist's or producer's conception. Historically artists and producers have had little say and even less participation in the mastering process, be it original or re-. (Heck, more of them than you might think haven't even participated in the mixing process. A lot gets left to engineers, not necessarily a bad thing.)