Anyone have a good sounding LP of U2's War?

I have a Japaneese and US pressing and both sound very dull without any highs. For example on the intro to sunday, bloody sunday you can hardly hear the high hat. It sounds much poorer than cassette tape..

I'll see if I can post an audio clip of my pressings . Maybe I have reissues?

 

Nope, My US Gatefold sucks as well. I won't even waste HD space doing a needledrop of it.
My old US PDO #1A1 compact disc is preferable

 

Ah ok. Very disappointing . It sounds like it was well recorded but something went wrong when creating the master tape...

 

I think it's the way it was recorded actually. I was thinking it may have been an early digital , but that's not the case. The Cure's Pornography is audiophile compared to this

 

I never thought the original vinyl of this sounded good, but it's an important album to me so I bust it out occasionally and give it a spin. Maybe I should look for an old CD copy.

 

I gifted mine to @jeffmo789
What'd you think of it?

 

Can confirm that the original US press is trash. The latest digital remaster (or whatever is streaming on Tidal) sounds decent so I'd guess the latest LP reissue from a couple years back is probably comparable if you need it on vinyl.

Edit: This one. U2 - War

I haven't heard it but it's a Chris Bellman cut.

 

Just okay. I'm with you on the limitations of recording, but I partly blame Lillywhite production for that.

 

These guys are only as good as the source. If it's from the latest remaster it could translate descent to the format.

 

Never a sonic wonder, I doubt it ever will be. A few songs sound better than others, which is odd to me. Surrender being one of the better songs sonically. The Bellman cut 2017 EU is the cleanest sounding cut, is it the best version, perhaps.

 

Agree with everyone here on its poor sound. The drums sound like cardboard. Shame, as it's one of their better albums imo.

 

Which version of War is Amazon USA selling? The 2017 Bellman or the 2003?

 

Sigh. Just bought a US original because mine went missing many years ago. What a waste. Really inferior sound. New Years Day starts great, and then when the drums and bass kick, it’s like getting hit with a pillow. Shame.

And I have the cd, too! What was I thinking?

 

Okay, check my last posting.

I just compared my US original lp with my Canadian CD, issued in 1987. The cd has much more authority, more bass, more punch. But it’s the vocals...they’re pushed around on the cd, and they don’t sound right...very processed. When I switch directly to the lp on the amp, the volume drops, the punch is gone, but the vocals are so much better.

So, maybe not a bad lp purchase after all.

 

I've heard the MFSL Ultradisc CD is quite good!

 

As bad as it sounds, and it does, I have no problem listening to it every now and again. I actually listen to it on CD and on a boombox and get a pretty good sound. Its like they mastered it for the boombox almost. It doesn't sound good on a nice stereo, but I can still groove to it when I want to hear it.

 

It has always sounded like it’s supposed to sound to me. I’ll have to give it a spin to see if I still think so.

 

We have a frustrating hobby!

 

The 2003 vinyl reissue sounds fine to me.

 

I really like the UK original, but that's how War has always sounded to me. Loud and brash with crisp pounding drums. It's not my favourite sounding album by them, that would be The Unforgettable Fire, but the cassette sounded powerful on my personal stereo as a kid and the vinyl also did on my actually quite good Panasonic midi system. Like A Song blew me away! Now I have a decent hi fi set up, I don't play it much anymore. I always preferred Under A Blood Red Sky anyway.

 

The UK issue has a neat label
Stamped 'Townhouse'
iirc.
As mentioned, some songs sound better than others. A fewc'ear-bleeders' on there to my ears. Vocals can be shrill at times, at their sonic worst almost unlistenable, to me. As can guitar in upper register. Great album and performances nonetheless. Can't get rid of it. I would say try a Scandinavian pressing if available, although their studio and pressing plant partner may have changed hands around that time, 1982/83.

 

It looks great. The whole design has barely aged at all. A striking gatefold sleeve.

It's aged a lot better than the October sleeve! That's the exception though. All U2's other 80s albums look good.

 

(Hey I love that October sleeve photo! )
I like the US Boy album cover too
I'm one of those weird people I guess that isn't a fan of the Boy UK/International album cover.
The War one is perfect though, IMO.
Anyway if anyone has a Scandinavian pressing of War, there's a mastering and or plating not done at Townhouse, I may have to try one. Will have to give the UK issue another listen per this thread. I almost put it up for sale but the neat label and it being a 1st pressing prohibited me from doing so.

 

Fwiw I gave the TOWN HOUSE UK pressing a quick sampling. Side 1 only. "Brash and loud" was a great way to describe the music. The sound of the audio (vocals and some guitars -electric violin on SBS?) I heard my ears did not enjoy hearing. It seemed too piercing and shrill, to me
The Diamant CD seemed a better listen when I listened a few nights in a row to War last year. ymmv.

 

I have an early U.S. LP "mastered" at Sheffield Lab Matrix. Not sure who actually cut the lacquers, don't think that info is listed.

My old non-remastered CD copy credits Phil Brown with mastering.

Neither version sounds bad IMHO. I played the CD just yesterday.

I think the complaints stem from the nature of the recording itself, which has some murkiness in the mids and lower end. It's never bothered me. Sure, it's not as carefully produced as the next two U2 albums, but it's always sounded fine to me.