sterling

Is Digital Really the Problem on this Cowboy Junkies Album?

More of the Music of the Cowboy Junkies

More Digital Recordings with Audiophile Quality Sound 

The RCA domestic pressings cut at Sterling are not worth the vinyl they’re pressed on.

Our notes read:

  • Flat and dry vox.
  • Shifted up [tonally]
  • A bit scooped [or “sucked out” in the midrange, meaning the middle of the midrange is missing to some degree]

Don’t be like those analog types who point fingers at the fact that there was digital in the recording chain when their record doesn’t sound good.

It’s got nothing to do with digital. It has everything to do with Sterling doing a bad job mastering the domestic vinyl.

(And a large group of audiophiles, including some well-known reviewers, had no idea there was a digital step used in the process of making some records they raved about. Apparently it’s easier to hear when you know it’s there.)

We Don’t Defend the Indefensible

When good mastering houses like Kendun and Sterling and Artisan make bad sounding records, we offer no excuses for their shoddy work. The same would be true for the better-known cutting engineers who’ve done work for them, as well as other cutting operations. Individuals working for good companies sometimes do a bad job.

How is this news to anyone outside of the sycophantic thread posters, youtubers, and reviewers who write for the audiophile community?

Records are to be judged on their merits, not on the reputations of the companies or individuals making them.

We discussed the apparent distaste some audiophiles have for criticizing the demonstrably bad records made by formerly talented engineers here.

If someone can explain to me why we should like it when cutting engineers do bad work, please contact me at tom@better-records.com so that you can help me understand it better. I am at a loss.

Want to find your own top quality copy?

Consider taking our moderately helpful advice concerning the pressings that have been winning our Hot Stamper shootouts for years. The better copies sound their best:

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Queen – A Day At the Races

More Queen

More Hot Stamper Pressings We Only Offer on Import Vinyl


  • With two solid Double Plus (A++) sides, you’ll have a hard time finding a copy that sounds remotely as good as this vintage UK pressing
  • We shot out a number of other imports and this one had the presence, bass, and dynamics that were missing from most other copies we played
  • Forget the domestic pressings – they may be cut at Sterling, but they never sound like these shockingly good British LPs
  • “A Day at the Races is a bit tighter than its predecessor… its sleek, streamlined finish is the biggest indication that Queen has entered a new phase, where they’re globe-conquering titans instead of underdogs on the make.”
  • If you’re a Queen fan, their 1976 followup to A Night at the Opera is surely a Must Own
  • The complete list of titles from 1976 that we’ve reviewed to date — more than one hundred as of 2023 — can be found here

Forget the dubby domestic pressings and whatever crappy Heavy Vinyl record they’re making these days — the UK LPs are the only way to fly.

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We Don’t Offer Domestic Pressings of Pour Down Like Silver for a Very Simple Reason

More of the Music of Richard Thompson

In spite of the fact that the domestic pressings of this Richard and Linda Thompson classic from 1974 were mastered by the likes of Kendun and Sterling — two of the greatest mastering houses of all time, — they have never impressed us with their sound quality.

The biggest problems with this record would be obvious to even the casual listener: gritty, spitty vocals; lack of richness; bright tonality; lack of bass; no real space or transparency, etc.

The domestic Island pressings did not do nearly as well in our shootout as the best Island imports, no surprise there as the early UK records were mastered by one of our favorite engineers.

Avoid the Carthage pressings mastered by Sterling. They came in last in our shootout.

The domestic breakdown follows:

Black Island Domestic #1

  • Tubey but hot and spitty.

Black Island Domestic #2

  • Flat, dry and hot (glary or bright)

Carthage Domestic recut from 1983, Sterling on both sides

  • So sandy and lean! They really wanted to add some top end.

Defending the Indefensible

When good mastering houses like Kendun and Sterling make bad sounding records, we offer no excuses for their shoddy work. The same would be true for the better-known cutting engineers who’ve done work for them as well as other cutting operations. Individuals working for good companies sometimes do bad work.

How is this news to anyone outside of the sycophantic thread posters, youtubers, and reviewers who write for the audiophile community?

Records are to be judged on their merits, not on the reputations of the companies or individuals making them.

We discussed the apparent distaste some audiophiles have for criticizing the demonstrably bad records made by formerly talented engineers here.

If someone can explain to me why we should like it when cutting engineers do bad work, please contact me at tom@better-records.com.

Want to find your own top quality copy?

Consider taking our moderately helpful advice concerning the pressings that tend to win our shootouts.

(more…)

Brian Eno / Before And After Science – The Last of the Must Own Eno Records, We Regret to Say

More Brian Eno

More Arty Rock Records

  • A stunning sounding copy of Eno’s brilliant 1977 release, earning Shootout Winning Triple Plus (A+++) grades or close to it on both sides
  • Here you will find that rare combination of silky highs and deep low end, with huge amounts of space in the middle, three qualities among many that make this album an especially magical listening experience
  • I know whereof I speak – I must have played this album at least two hundred times in the 43 years that have passed since I first bought a copy
  • If you’re a fan of Art Rock or Prog Rock or just like something a little different, this is an album that belongs in your collection
  • 5 stars: “Despite the album’s pop format, the sound is unique and strays far from the mainstream. The music on Before and After Science at times resembles Another Green World (“No One Receiving”) and Here Come the Warm Jets (“King’s Lead Hat”) and ranks alongside both as the most essential Eno material.”

Side one, the rock side, strongly relies on its deep punchy bass to make its material come to life and rock (or should we say art rock?). Eno’s vocals are clear and present with virtually no strain. Phil Collins’ drumming is energetic and transparent and perfectly complemented by Percy Jones’ simultaneously acrobatic and hard-driving bass work. (more…)