It’s tough to find great sounding copies of this album — or any Springsteen album for that matter — but this one is a step up from most of the copies we played, with less distortion and more energy, two qualities that are not easy to come by on Born In The U.S.A. (more…)
We would be foolish to make claims for “audiophile quality” sound on Springsteen’s albums — they are what they are. The simple claim we make for our Hot Stampers is that the best of them sound as good as the album can sound, and we back that up with a 100% Money Back guarantee.
If you’re bored by the first chorus of the title song, that’s a bad sign, and that was exactly our experience with most of the pressings that hit the table. When we threw this one on, our mood brightened considerably. Bruce was really screaming, the drums were really pounding, and before we knew it we were rockin’ out and really enjoying the music.
Not many copies have this kind of full, solid lower midrange. When you hear the album this way, without the edgy, thin sound that plagues most pressings, it really works wonders for the music. The vocals and instruments are more real, and the improved low end lets the whole thing rock.
For the first time ever on our site, here’s BORN TO RUN available in Hot Stamper form with a very good side one and a side two that’s as good as we ever expect to hear! It shouldn’t be too hard to figure out why we’ve never put up a Hot copy before: most copies of this album sounds just plain awful, a fact that will not surprise any of you who have tried to find a good one.
I wish I could tell you that this record sounded as good as After The Gold Rush or Sgt. Pepper’s, but it just ain’t so. Mindblowing sound is simply not in the cards for this album, I’m sorry to report. The Boss and his crew are known for their great songs, not the sound of their recordings. There are better copies and worse copies of course, but none of them are going to become the kind of record you’d demo your stereo with.
That said, if you’re a fan of this album, I’m betting you’ve never heard it sound this good. We played a ton of copies — White Label Promos, originals, later pressings — and didn’t hear very many that were in the ballpark with this one, particularly on side two.
Side one is super transparent with a punchy bottom end. Springsteen’s vocals sounds JUST RIGHT — textured and breathy with real immediacy. Like nearly every copy we’ve ever heard, the top end isn’t quite what we’d like it to be. Still, the sound was enjoyable enough to earn a grade between A+ and A++.
Side two was much better. In fact, we don’t think you could find one that sounds any better! Compared to the average copy there’s less grit, less edge and more energy. The bottom end is strong and the brass actually sounds good. We gave this side our top grade of A+++ because it did exactly what we needed it to do for this music — it just plain ROCKED.
As I’ve said, the typical pressing is an absolute sonic nightmare. Gritty, grainy, edgy and dull, with recessed vocals and a lightweight bottom end. I was not blown away by even the best copies, but at least I could appreciate the music. I’m pretty sure that’s all we can ask for when it comes to The Boss on vinyl. (more…)
It’s not easy to find good sound on this record — or any Springsteen album, for that matter — but copies like this prove that this is a MUCH better recording than we ever gave it credit for. It’s a rare pressing that can bring this passionate, emotionally charged music to life, but the open, spacious soundstage and full-bodied tonality here are up to the challenge. (more…)
It’s not easy to find good sound on this record — or any Springsteen album, for that matter — but the better copies prove that this is a perfectly fine recording for what it is. Full and solid, the best pressings have the kind of energy and power to really communicate the passion and excitement of the music. (more…)
This famously compromised recording certainly has its limitations, but here is a copy that shows what Bruce recorded on four-track cassette tape in the best possible light. (more…)
As is the case for the Bob Clearmountain mix of Born in the USA, the sound is not exactly vintage analog at its best, but at least on vinyl you get some warmth and unforced clarity. After all, this is 1987, not 1967 and not even 1977. That said, the copies that earned the better grades were big and rich, with plenty of studio space and nicely present vocals.
Mostly what they do well is that they fill out the sound and take the edge off of it without losing musical information, dynamics or energy. Not many copies managed that feat but this one did. (more…)
We used to say that Springsteen recordings from this era always suffered from some grit and grain. With the better cleaning technologies we employ now, and dramatically better playback quality as well, much of that gritty, grainy sound is simply no longer a problem. That change and the others like it come under the general heading of Revolutionary Changes in Audio. It’s what real Progress in Audio is all about.
It’s not easy to find good sound on this record — or any Springsteen album, for that matter — but the better copies prove that this is a much better recording than we ever gave it credit for. Full and solid with a big, punchy bottom end, this pressing has the kind of energy and power to really communicate the passion and excitement of the music. (more…)
