Best "dark side of the moon"

prefer the UHQR. but the VTA must be 'just right'. the regular MoFi is also very good and very VTA sensitive.

as this is not exactly a perfect natural recording, who is to say what is right. it becomes a bit of a taste issue. then maybe whether one's system is full range and can handle big bass without bloat. some rooms cannot contain the bass.

as my system matured and improved the relative attraction of different pressings changed. this happenned with many MoFi's, not just DSOTM.

Mr. Lavigne - perhaps the best post ever on AudiogoN!

You're exactly right and everything you've stated applies to the whole game, right down to what speaker wire people prefer.

It's all got to do with what plays best in our individual rooms and what sounds best to those funny looking transducers on either side of our respective pointy heads.

So many things can impact the percieved sound, ESPECIALLY an LP, the cartridge used, the loading used, the pre-amp used, etc. etc.

... maybe that thought will bring balance back to Tvad's mellow ...

If I were Crawl3, I'd start with the 30th anniversay edition before moving into the big-money versions. I'm reasonably happy with it and it blows away the red-book CD version I had prior... not sayin much but, still, worth the $30 I shelled out for it.

I'm up to 19 copies of this album- 14 on vinyl and 5 digital.

First, I disagree with Marty on the US pressings. I have 2 copies with very early stamper codes and they are both excellent although not as nice as the UK. My other favs:

EMI EMS80324 (Japan)
HARVEST 1C06205249Q (German Quad mix)
HARVEST 8556731 (UK Centenary release)
EMI EMLF97002 (Japan)

The first and second release MFSL are quite ordinary as is the 30th anniversary version.

The 30th anniversary and SACD were done by James Guthrie (Das Boot Studio) on ATC's (same as what Pink Floyd use). The orginal (back in '73?) was done by Alan Parsons (on B&W's?). Rather than spend $500 on a pressing it might be worthwile looking at your gear/room setup. (as Mike points out "as my system matured and improved the relative attraction of different pressings changed. ")