Re-issue vinyl vs. the original pressing

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.)

I made a post yesterday on this topic saying that I prefer to mix my reissue purchases with records found on ebay , garage sales , fleamarkets and record stores. That sometimes I am lucky and sometimes I get disapointed but that was a part of the hobby and why I love it so much;

I wrote that the high price of some original pressings made it difficult, that I would love to have all the Blue Note, Impulse, and CTI recordings. I also said I had quite a few originals that where very special to me. These records are clearly superior to any re-issue. Original Jazz Discograpy

An additional point not mentioned yesterday, Many record companies of that time, especially Impulse, Riverside, Bluenote, CTI etc., had a small amount of capital and pressings where made on a budget so limited quantities were made. The collecting of Jazz Albums at that time was an esoteric passion. Selling more then a few thousand of any one release was the exception not the rule and inventory lasted for years. It is very probable that any original Impulse, Bluenote, Status, or Verve as well as many other labels were from the first pressings made. I know because I worked for Independent Record Distributors in NYC during the early sixties and seventies. I grew up in the record business. When the big companies took over distribution of the boutique labels the originals somtimes were returned to the new companies for credit and resold as cutouts or sentback in New Covers ! with the old records inside. These records sat on the shelf until they sold out. Often it would be years before a conglomerate Record Company would reissue any back catalogue material. It wasn't till the early seventies that the reissue phenomenon began utilizing dorment resources by licensing them to another boutique label or doing the work themselves(often badly).

My main point was to encourage the purchase of a good Record Cleaning Machine. That with the $ saved by not paying outrageous prices one could buy an excellent RCmachine That by using a RCM one is able to expose the naked truth contained in the grooves of those original pressings available as used records.

I also mentioned that you never know you might find a rare Velvet Underground Acetate Recording in a box in Chelsea for 75¢ and sell it on eBay for $156,000.00 dollars. link to VU sale Sold Last Week

I don't understand why this post never made it onto the thread after 12 hours, I certainly made the post with no interest in financial gain or a hidden agenda. I feel it is pertinent to the topic and if one is able to read between the lines a reality check for us that support the market.

Best Regards

Groovey Records

Listening to Pink Floyd 45rpm Harvest Records English Single Money