More Entries from Tom’s Audiophile Notebook
I think I originally posted this in the comments section for Steve Westman’s youtube channel, but, to be honest, I cannot remember as it was way back in 2023 when I wrote it.
Tom Port here. Hello all. I come in peace with a quick question.
Much is made of price points when discussing these modern pressings, and rightfully so.
I admittedly do not know anything about The Counting Crows record being discussed, but I wanted to know more — what was available, from what year, mastered by whom, that sort of thing — so I went to Discogs to see what vinyl versions had been pressed recently.
The original import LP is probably made from a dub, or mastered right off the CD — that used to happen a lot in the 90s. (My beloved Jellyfish Spilt Milk on import vinyl is a dubby joke compared to every other copy I have, including the cassette. Watch for a review of the Omnivore LP coming to the blog soon.)
Then Analogue Productions put out a version in 2012, cut by Ryan Smith, which can be seen here.
There are 16 for sale starting at $127.49. It’s two discs at 45 RPM.
Chris Bellman cut the record in 2017, and his version can be found here.
CB in the deadwax. 2 discs at 33.
There are 43 available from $25.36. Since those were manufactured by Rainbo records, the vinyl may be terrible. Their stuff often is. I gave up buying their pressings in the 90s because they were so often warped and noisy.
Then there is one other which is a bit of a mystery, with no date of release, this one.
No CB in the dead wax. 2016 on the copyright info on the label though.
8 are available for $37.99
Question
Which one sounds the best?
Seems to me that this would be valuable information for your viewers to have. Why spend $100+ for an audiophile pressing when there are so many others around?