Better vinyl copy of Dark Side Of The Moon than the "30th Anniversary"?*

No. I am talking about the Mono vinyl box pressed by Optimal. I've got 2 of 'em. Very poor QC. Records were dusty coming out of their sleeves for the first time. One of the LP's in the "White" album had somebody's lunch stuck to it. Overall poor quality of vinyl used. Excess noise in between tracks and not just surface noise. I've noted problems with other Optimal pressings. As an analogy, Optimal is to Pallas as Rainbo is to RTI.

I understand what you mean about Rainbo pressings but I haven't had much problems with them. I also have 2 Stereo boxes and find both very acceptable. I got a couple of Wilson Pickett LP's the other day put out by Friday Music and pressed by Rainbo. Talkin' about surface noise. The stuff Friday Music puts out is hit or miss. Many times they use RTI and those are pretty good.

 

If you wrote 'Dark Side Of The Moon' at the top of your thread you would probably get more posters why abbreviate it makes it impossible to search for the thread.

 

Just my opinion, but to say that Optimal vs Pallas is like Rainbo vs RTI is completely off the mark and it has certainly not been my experience. It could be of course that we're not buying the same albums, but a bad pressing from either Optimal or Pallas has been rarer than hen's teeth.
Sorry to hear about your experience with the Beatles in MONO boxset, but again that's not been my experience either.

To the OP: See if you can find a copy of the 20th Anniversary (2003 reissue) of DSOTM.

 

I always go back to my Canadian Harvest pressing. I think it sounds great.

 

I have to agree that the US 2016 vinyl remaster sounds incredible. Admittedly, the only versions of TDSOTM that I've heard on vinyl were my Dad's original 1973 Capitol US pressing (which probably doesn't even have any grooves left on it from being played so much) and the 2016 remaster, but I also have the 30th anniversary SACD and I actually like the 2016 vinyl better.

 

I must be lucky, my 30th into sounds amazing!

 

What are thoughts on the 40th anniversary pressing?

 

The UHQR is amazing...one of my best sounding records, and probably my ultimate "late night spin" choice. I have the regular MFSL, too (had that since new...bought myself a copy as a kid with my lawn mowing money) and it's also pretty great. Mine has the original upright Original Master Recording letters, not the slanted later issue writing.

 

Other precious treasures I've found in Optimal pressing are hairs(and not vinyl trimmings, human hair). Optimal, only in business for around 20 years, tends to use lower quality vinyl formulas which I guess is what makes them the bargain-basement brand in Germany. I have noted that Optimal pressings seem to have more mechanical noise in the supposed to be silent areas between the tracks. Yes, Optimal is to Pallas as Rainbo is to RTI. If I could get a properly centered QRP pressing, I'd prefer it over Optimal.

 

A real eye opener. I have 1973 harvest/capitol that is noisy but I just live with it, should give it another spin here soon!

Im my experience Optimal is in another league compared to Rainbo.

 

I was always more than happy with my original US Wally Traugutt (WALLY or wly in the deadwax) until it became played out!

 

I think you have a bad copy of the 30th. I find it closest pressing to my A3/B3 second UK. MFSL is nothing special sound wise. You could try the 2016. It's got no sibilance issues is quiet but is not as good sounding as the 30th.

 

I must have gotten lucky too: my 30th is perfect and is my go-to pressing of this album.

 

I bought the first MFSL pressings of DSOTM, Abbey Road, Crime Of The Century and Year Of The Cat, when they were first released. They were all flat and noise free pressings.

I sold all of them, buying the earliest UK pressings I could, and apart from potential financial gains, have no regrets at all. The greatest improvement going back to standard UK pressings, was COTC.

On my original Rega turntable, the MFSL of DSOTM, sounded superficially more detailed, when I upgraded the turntable, I simply preferred my UK pressing from 1974, and had no problems with sibilance.

 

That's the one! I must have snagged it in my undergrad years when I didn't take vinyl all that seriously. I pulled it out and it's noisy due to the paper inner sleeve leaving pock marks over the ages. Sorry to draw attention away from the reissues!

 

My go to copy is a Pro Use that I picked up used on eBay several years ago. No sibilance, deep and tight bass, natural tone, and a good soundstage. That being said, early US and UK copies in good condition also sound terrific. This is a very well recorded album.

 

Sibilance in DSOTM? Shouldn't be...not on any of my copies played on my rig.

 

Yep. Optimal is in the basement compared to Rainbo. Optimal, a company in business about 20 years, buying up old worn out pressing equipment as many of the recent start-up record pressing facilities have. You'd think that after 20 years they'd have got their shirts together and figured out how to press records and inspect them. Now, Rainbo, a company in business since the 1940's, one of the first to make records out of vinyl, has been continually updating and maintaining it's equipment and with employees who have worked there longer than the people at Optimal have even been alive. So popular, Rainbo is working beyond capacity with waiting lists and has been adding more employees and shifts.

 

Eh, the worst offender in my book is GZ then followed by Rainbo. Optimal I personally put above Rainbo but YMMV I suppose.

 

You're likely confusing mistracking for sibilance. This record is exposing issues with your system, not causing them.

Correct.

 

Agree....my 30th plays solid and is amazing. Never once have I heard any sibilance....

 

Chemical burn.

I've seen Meddle and Ummagumma US Harvest pressings with that issue.

 

My 2003 DSOTM that I bought new when it was first released is very quiet and sounds great !!

 

Thoughts?...a zillion threads on this. Use the search function.

 

Agreed. My later Moss pressing sounds better to my ears than my A3B3.