Re-issue vinyl vs. the original pressing

The problem is that the original master tapes have often vanished... search Google for Billboard's articles about the state of major recording labels' artchives. Frequently a second, third or fourth generation safety master has been used, or the record has even been mastered from CD or a vinyl copy.

Even when the tapes have survived, they have frequently been stored improperly and deteriorated.

Add to this that records in the '50s and '60s were mastered using all tube equipment in state of the art facilities... since the '80s, nobody is making new cutting lathes.

Older mastering engineers were artists who learned to cut vinyl in real time, varying the EQ themselves by hand (you can't make a mistake or you have to start all over again), while today it's done by computer (this is the use of the digital delay... in the old days it was done by a Studer-type machine with a second head).

It's possible to do good vinyl reissues, but few people succeed. Just do an A-B with an original pressing of any of the recent Analogue Productions, Classic or Speaker's Corner pressings. They are mostly far inferior. One notable exception is the Mercury Bach Cello Suites with Janos Starker.

Good luck
Patrick

I fully agree with the consensus that most original vinyl pressings are better than the reissues and also that there are some exceptions. I have had not had a chance to check myself, but I did hear recently from a source who should know that the Classic reissues from the Everest catalog are as good as or better than the originals.

Given the quality and price of reissues, in most cases a digital release (redbook, sacd, dvd-a) of the recording offers much better value.

Steve Hoffman or not, the original pressings rule 99/100.

Wow, you guys bummed me out. I was hoping for better news about the quality of re-issues.

Well....it is what it is.

thanks guys.......mitch

Hmmm..., OK, I'll be the contrarian here. I've found over the years that I'm often preferring top quality reissues to originals. No, the reissues don't sound like the originals. But to my ear they often sound more like live instruments and real performers. The Mercury classical reissues from Speakers Corner are superb, and their entry into the Harmonia Mundi catalogue is off to a similarly rewarding start (although the sonic quality of the HM original pressings are better than the original Mercuries overall). The Classic Records 45rpm reissues from the RCA catalogue are excellent, far better than their 33rpm reissues were. Analogue Productions 45rpm jazz reissue series is simply stunning across the board. Pure Pleasure's reissues have been extremely satisfying.

For me, while there certainly are attractive qualities to many of the orignals from the 50s and early 60s, the originals also reflect the limitations of the cutting technology of the period. I encourage folks to read with some consideration Arthur Salvatore's writings about why none of the pressings from the 'golden era' make it to his list of sonically best LPs while many of the later reissues do make his list. I've agreed with his observations for many years because they track closely to my own listening experience. More recent reissues from Speakers Corner, Analogue Productions, Pure Pleasure and a few others reinforce my perspective. As always, YMMV depending on your sonic priorities.