Best vinyl pressings of each Duran Duran album?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by davidbix, Oct 18, 2013.

  1. The7thStranger

    The7thStranger Part of the Rhythm Nation

    Location:
    An der Lahn...
    Rio is my baby. I can protect it sometimes a bit too fiercly. ;) :goodie:
     
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  2. vlds8

    vlds8 Forum Resident

    I have just listened to an Australian S/T (MAXICUT). It is pretty worn, but still sounds very good. I still think the UK (Utopia) first pressing is best, but notable on the Aussie LP is the almost complete absence of any IGD, even with a cheap stylus. There must have been some good science put into this process. Very interesting.
     
  3. 2.1Channels

    2.1Channels Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Jersey USA

    Duran Duran ("The Wedding Album" 1993)The basic tracks were recorded on an Akai digital mixer and two Akai 12-track digital machines, minus drums. These machines were smpte locked to a striped 24 track and the drums were tracked, and whatever else they added. I'm pretty sure it was all mixed down to 1/2" 30 ips analog, IIRC from a magazine article.

    This album would most likely made a REALLY great sounding audiophile 2-LP set since it runs over an hour.
     
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  4. captainsolo

    captainsolo Forum Resident

    Location:
    Murfreesboro, TN
    What do you guys think is a fair price for the Astronaut vinyl 2lp? A store has one for quite a bit and the only online listings are at the crazy uber rare prices of 150-400. Since I'm pretty sure this is a digital recording it should be the digital master without the loudness.

    I've compared a bunch and so far the best version is a needledrop of the vinyl that I found but it is uncredited and sounds simply like the cd without loudness. The surround mix seems a bit gimmicky and the hires stereo is compressed like the CD.

    I'm thinking the vinyl would be a certain but small improvement like the ones for AYNIN and what I've heard about PG. Thing is I'm terrified about what quality a 2004 US only vinyl pressing would have since many albums released on vinyl back then in limited US only pressings were horrible like the various Foo Fighters releases.

    A copy sold here for $35 in 2013 but I can't exactly justify spending over double that even for an album I really like just for "slightly" better sound.
     
  5. captainsolo

    captainsolo Forum Resident

    Location:
    Murfreesboro, TN
    By the way my latest DD pickup is the 12" 45 UK gatefold single of Serious. And it sounds amazing...
     
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  6. Monddialle

    Monddialle Forum Resident

    Location:
    Moscow, Russia
    To me the best analogue sound version of WA is original '93 cassette ( mine is Dutch XDR-version)
    Great dynamics and load of natural warmth compared to cd, absence of IGD compared to vinyl.
     
  7. c-eling

    c-eling They're made of light,We never would have guessed

    After a few years of listening and collecting
    In my opinion for the 7:03 mix of Hold Back The Rain the UK 12 Inch 45 'Save A Prayer' is my favorite, this comparing it to the Japan Carnival, and US Carnival, For digital-The Japan EP CD
    For the shorter DK mix 6:18, the US Columbia House Capitol B.T. press is the least muddy, it has an earlier fade out compared to the US Columbia House Stuart J Romaine press 6:24 and the US Harvest precision D.L. 6:30, the worst offender, maybe due the medium was the US Wally Rio 7 Inch 6:25
     
  8. jamesc

    jamesc Senior Member

    Location:
    Dallas, TX
    That's the one I always go back to as well. Great pressing!
     
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  9. Rob9874

    Rob9874 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Surprise, AZ
    Wow, I thought I was a Rio fan. I bow to you!
     
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  10. c-eling

    c-eling They're made of light,We never would have guessed

    I bow to the bargain bins :laugh:
     
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  11. captainsolo

    captainsolo Forum Resident

    Location:
    Murfreesboro, TN
    Would you guys fork over a chunk of change for a slightly more decent sounding Astronaut?
     
  12. Rob9874

    Rob9874 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Surprise, AZ
    Just revisiting this thread. I can see how an outsider might find it fatiguing, tracking down the best sounding version of each version of each song. But to a Rio fan, it's a labor of love.
     
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  13. c-eling

    c-eling They're made of light,We never would have guessed

    It's definitely been fun, plus the nice thing, Rio pretty much in any format can be had without breaking the bank with a little patience :)
     
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  14. Rob9874

    Rob9874 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Surprise, AZ
    I'm about to start getting into the CD versions, for ripping digital to my iPhone. I listen to it more in the car than I do vinyl at home.
     
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  15. Rob9874

    Rob9874 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Surprise, AZ
    OK, I have a question about discerning between the 2nd and 3rd US records. :: Duran Duran :: ยป says that the 2nd LP has the matrix ST-1-12211 Z13-REI #1 and the 3rd has the matrix ST-1-12211 Z16 #2. Does anyone know if that is accurate? It also says that the 2nd pressing came with a "Nagel-esque sticker noting its difference". In all my searching, I've never seen that sticker. So what is the best way for the completest to identify a 2nd US pressing?
     
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  16. c-eling

    c-eling They're made of light,We never would have guessed

    US Harvest was the first issue, it contains the 4 minute mix of Hungry Like The Wolf
    The Capitol issues had the 5:20 mix
    The record company labels will indicate on the back bottom right
    I have three-
    US Harvest D.L. cut
    Capitol Columbia House B.T. cut
    Capitol Columbia House S.J.R cut (Stuart Romaine)
    I prefer the B.T. cut soundwise of the three for US
    UK mixes I just have a Japan press...
    I have never seen a 2nd US cut with a different mix
    Edit:My Harvest has 'My Own Way' @ 4:30
    Lonely-4:54
    Hold Back The Rain-6:30
    This album is confusing as hell
     
    Last edited: May 31, 2016
  17. Rob9874

    Rob9874 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Surprise, AZ
    According to the link I posted (which I've seen referenced on here as a viable source), the 3rd US pressing has the 5:14 Night Version of Hungry. I have the 1st pressing Harvest, but would like to acquire both Capital versions (non-Columbia House), with the 4 min & 5 min Hungry's.
     
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  18. walrus

    walrus Staring into nothing

    Location:
    Nashville
    I'd gladly buy a single-LP reissue of the original, non-brickwalled master. It's pushing the limits, but certainly not long enough to absolutely require a 2-LP pressing. (It's not much longer than Notorious)

    My go-to is a fold-down of the 5.1. It's probably the best I'm ever going to get with this one.
     
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  19. c-eling

    c-eling They're made of light,We never would have guessed

    I'm afraid it would be extremely tough as it seems the catalog numbers remained the same unless you were to actually look at the track width as the face label times are incorrect also
    You may get lucky placing an add in the 'Wanted to buy/trade' part of the forum
     
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  20. captainsolo

    captainsolo Forum Resident

    Location:
    Murfreesboro, TN
    It's probably too much to ask for a hires non-loud release. The best I've heard is a needledrop but it wasn't that much better than the regular version and I need to try the 5.1 again.
    Someday they might make albums that sound great again...comparing even the 90's albums to the newer ones is just shameful in terms of modern low dynamics.
     
  21. JoelDF

    JoelDF Senior Member

    Location:
    Prairieville, LA
    Yes, this is my absolute favorite DD song and version of this song out of all of their material. Considering that the U.K. LP uses one edit, and the original CD issue uses another edit, I consider the U.K. 12" version to be simply the "full-length" version. I like it much better than the muffled Kershenbaum remix.
     
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  22. captainsolo

    captainsolo Forum Resident

    Location:
    Murfreesboro, TN
    I found a copy of the US '81 ST recently that was promo marked, double Wally on purple labels. They wanted too much for it so I put it back, but it got me wondering how well it compares to my UK original.

    The U.K. is reference grade, my harvest 81 sounds pretty good (cut by Joe Lemay) and the 83 US is okay.

    The best SATRT I have is a double Wally and it edges out my double TJ and original CD. I've wondered how the Wally cut compares to U.K. and Japanese copies. Anybody done a shootout?

    Still haven't gotten a UK Rio to check against my amazing Japanese copy.
     
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  23. c-eling

    c-eling They're made of light,We never would have guessed

    Same here for RIO Solo :laugh:
    I only have the 83 US Gene Thompson cut for S/T which I think sounds fine, Usually I go to my old US Capitol JAX compact disc for this title
     
  24. Sold a UK S/T on Harvest. It was a superb sounding record. I've also had a Rio US, and a record club pressing as well. Both sounded fine, with the record club pressing being my go-to at the time.
     
  25. Smegman

    Smegman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brazil
    Some very useful information in this thread. I have a mix of UK and japanese originals of the 1st four albums, all great sounding, except the 1983 japanese S/T reissue. This is an interesting case, where the first track (Is There Something I Shoud Know) sounds really great, but the rest is muddy. On the other hand, it's nice to have all the ten original tracks plus ITSISK.
    Rio and Seven sound amazing on both UK and japanese versions. Some say that the japanese pressings are slightly better. UK Arena is the winner, but not by a long margin. I'm yet to hear any US pressing but, AFAIK, the next albums were mastered in the US.
     
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