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Why do my rolling stones albums sound bad?

When I first got into vinyl a few years ago, I purchased a few stones albums. I thought they sounded good at the time but now that I have collected quite a few more records the stones albums sound bad in comparison. A few that stand out to me are the sticky fingers re-issue by mobile fidelity and let it bleed by abkco circa 2003.I am really disappointed with both of those.
The MoFi pressing sounds like the vocals are in the background and it sounds overall muddy. This surprised me because of all the MoFi pressing I own of various artist, this stones album is the only one I was not satisfied with. Really sub par compared to the rest of their work I have. I don't own the original so I can't compare the two. I would hope the original sounds much better.
The abkco pressing is a DSD. I didn't know this at the time of purchase or I might have avoided it. I do own a few other DSD pressings of other artist and they sound pretty good. Let it bleed from abkco (2003) sounds like mick is singing underwater. The instruments sound really flat in this one as well.
I also own hot rocks from abkco (2003) which is also a DSD. It sounds a bit better than the let it bleed album but still nothing to be impressed with.
I thought the MoFi pressing would sound better because it is mastered from the original tapes and done AAA. In my opinion it has the worst sound quality of the pressings mentioned here.
I would love to have some stones albums that sound great but, I have been reluctant to purchase any more of them for fear of getting the same sound quality of the other pressings. Are there stones albums out there that sound really good? I want something I can be impressed with. What would you guys and gals suggest. What stones albums do I need to be on the lookout for. Thanks in advance.

Andy
andyprice44
jazdoc
365 posts
 
The best sound quality for their early recordings are the original Decca monos. When you get to "Between The Buttons", the original Decca stereos sound the best. These aren't audiophile by any means, but revelatory when compared to subsequent later pressings and re-issues. Unfortunately finding one is good condition can take some digging and will be expensive.

On RSR, I prefer the UK original pressing of "Sticky Fingers" and "Some Girls". I slightly prefer American release of "Tattoo You" over the UK counterpart. IMO, the American pressing of "Emotional Rescue" is sonically their best LP (and underrated musically).

As an aside, Keith Richards' "Main Offender" is a terrific LP with very good sonics.
syntax's avatar
syntax
2,193 posts
 
I gave up. I really like their music, after Reissues I went for Decca Originals,
Stereo, Mono. It is true, they are better (in a way, a step above awful), but when
I am honest, the only way to enjoy them is, when the listener
- is stoned
- has a defect 4-way System with shot Tweeters
- uses is super simple turntable with wrong speed
- all together + a MM cartridge

'Main Offender' from K. Richards is top
dodgealum's avatar
dodgealum
1,406 posts
 
I think the only Stones album with even halfway decent sound is "Some Girls" and that one is tipped up hot on top among other issues. Another rocker I love who also records crappy is Bruce Springsteen. Love his music but sonically his collection sucks. Sadly, his magnum opus Born to Run may be the worst offender--flat, lifeless, muddy. Wild, Innocent....and Darkness are really the only two that even get a grade of sligtly above lousy. Bruce and the Stones are just two examples of many pop/rock bands who didn't pay enough attention to the sound quality of their releases. Isn't that why those of us who get deeper into audiophildum are listening to jazz and classical?
andyprice44 OP
133 posts
 
It is disappointing to me that they recorded it this way. Surely they must have known at the time of release it sounded like ****. Why they wanted this type of sound, I'm not sure. Obviously, it worked well for them and was successful. I was just hoping that really good quality stones albums existed. The funny thing to me is that, the cheaper your system is, the better the stones sound. They sound good in my car or on my computer speakers. They don't sound as good on a nice, revealing system.
jwm
918 posts
 
Dodgealum, thats exactly why I got into Jazz 20 years ago. One can actually hear what each individual player is doing. Listen to a jazz guitarist like West Montgomery or Dog Raney compared to a rock guitarist. No comparison
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