Kiss Vinyl Reissues, Part 6

Quick heads up...you can get a LOT of these titles over at Collectors Choice for $20.73 but if you spend over $60 you can use their current code FEB2060 and get 20% off bringing each $20.73 title down to around $16.59. I filled out a lot of my complete set during this sale!

http://www.ccmusic.com/Search/Guided/kiss?ed=4293722513|4294958550

 

Great prices on these! Just filled in the few I hadn't bought yet because my originals are flawless....but at these prices I guess I may as well play the reissues huh??

 

I have to say that the record I have been most impressed with this reissue series was Asylum. I never got into this album before but I love it! The reissue sounds terrific. Lots of great 80's KISS songs on there with a big Zeppelin influence on Paul's tracks!

 

Where did you get that info on eq ??

(I ask this because he tweeted he had done flat transfers....)

 

He may have done a flat transfer of the Ace solo album but there were clearly EQ changes on many of the other ones. I personally like what he did for many of the albums which was usually add more bass and a little bit of treble. The 80s albums are where these moves are the most obvious.

 

Absolutely. Unmasked didn't miraculously grow a set of testicles overnight

 

Copies of original LP's and my ears, most common move is punched up bottom end, boosted treble and flat or lowered mid range = smiley face.

 

I bought Dynasty from bestbuy.com and it skips on both side one and two!!! Has anybody else had a problem? I am sending it back for another copy!!! Thanks

 

No problems here whatsoever.

 

Nope

 

What's your turntable set up? I don't see it in your profile.

 

No, mine is good.

 

Hey, guys. I just wanted to check in and say hello. I see you're all still discussing the 2014 vinyl, and others just getting into it. That's awesome.

 

And I am going to jump on the bandwagon and do the same! I can still recall the euphoria in this thread when these releases first started coming out - good times! Great to see it is still going strong.

 

Ugh - WHY oh why did I join this site....???!!!!!???! You guys are KLLING me and my wallet.

I think I'm going to have to bite on some of these. I was a KISS fanatic growing up and now like to listen here and there but never really felt the need to own the stuff on vinyl (other than Ace's solo which I have an original or early pressing of). So - I'm thinking I may just get the more "eccentric" albums for fun, like Unmasked and The Elder.

From my limited browsing of the many pages here it seems like Unmasked has been noticeably improved SQ-wise? Knowing that I am only looking to get 2-3 of these total, is it possible to recommend the TOP 2-3 from a "need to have" and "most improved sound quality" perspective? I am only interested in '73-'82 era.

My early contenders are:
Hotter Than Hell
Gene - Solo
Unmasked
The Elder

 

Here is my opinion on 3 must haves (If I can only pick 3)
1. Alive
2. Hotter Than Hell
3. Unmasked

 

"Unmasked" is a truly terrific-sounding LP. I still haven't bought "Hotter Than Hell", but that will change soon.

 

You will be very happy with any or all of those. In terms of sound quality, those are some of the best-sounding of the re-releases. I have only two things to add: 1) Don't miss Hotter Than Hell. You really gotta hear that one. I found it to be a big improvement over the original mix and pressing. Please, don't skip that one. 2) If you're not a strictly analog guy, buy the hi-res downloads instead of the LPs. I know; it's hard to pass up being able to hold in your hands that nice, big, shiny physical piece of media, but the hi-res files consistently sound better. In fact, the vinyl was, essentially, mastered from these hi-res files. Don't get me wrong; the vinyl will not disappoint you, but the digital sounds better. Alternately, you can be a complete idiot, such as myself, and re-buy practically the whole catalog in BOTH formats.

 

Unmasked may very well be the best, in terms of sound quality, of the entire 2014 re-release campaign. And you gotta get HTH. Like right now.

 

And don't forget the killer poster that comes with Unmasked!

 

Absolutely. The one for Dynasty is also excellent. You really can't go wrong with those.

 

Hey, Mij, didn't you end up getting all the studio albums on vinyl and hi-res digital? I didn't get all of them, but I came close. The ones I did not get were: Alive III, Animalize, Carnival of Souls, Creatures (I picked up a Japanese SHM CD instead), and Hot in the Shade. I don't have a 2014 copy of those, in any format.

 

I got all of them in hi-res but skipped the vinyl releases for Hot In The Shade, Carnival Of Souls, Alive III and Crazy Nights but I have all the rest of the vinyl yes. I agree with your assessment that the hi-res is the best sounding version of all of these with the vinyl a close second.

 

As batman144144 has stated the hi-res sounds better than the vinyl but the vinyl overall does sound good. IMO Hotter Than Hell is the most improved over the original release. My personal opinion is to avoid The Elder on vinyl from this reissue series. It is one of the few that wasn't pressed well. It's noisy and has some pre play (when the song plays a few seconds faintly before the actually track starts). I went through three copies (one EU and two US copies) and couldn't get a decent copy. If you have to get one I would recommend the EU copy (which is the rare case that the EU copy is better than the US). I would consider Love Gun too. It sounds decent and it comes with the toy pop love gun too!

 

Thanks for all the feedback guys!!!!