I can't speak to the HY-1001 pressing of "Sun Collection" but I have the NL 42757 and it is the best Sun Elvis I have heard on RCA vinyl. It is my go-to vinyl for Sun Elvis. Caveat emptor: to the best of my knowledge, a totally "dry" "That's All Right" does not exist in the RCA/BMG/Sony catalog, save for the FTD "A Boy From Tupelo" box. I would be eager to hear informed, contrary views on the above!
The Sun Collection (Germany NL 89107) from 1979 is the best sounding Sun I've heard on vinyl. I think it's the same mastering as the one you have but it has Harbour Lights as the last track on side 2.
Elvis At Sun on LP must sound great. I have only the CD. The LP must be mastered from the same digital restorations. So for this the CD should be sufficient. If you want the best LP from guaranteed all-analog mastering, it is the UK LP The Sun Collection, either (1975) HY or (1979) NL catalog numbered, or that German NL version. Every song version is correct and from the cleanest tapes Bob Jones and Roger Semon could find at the time in RCA archives. That's All Right is the common RCA-echoed master version, and they knew that, but it's from the earliest least tampered tape they could find. I believe the reissue versions containing Harbor Lights just tack on a copy of the first US release of that, and that track alone is not mastered by Bob Jones. This is not a real problem, although later releases of that track have been cleaner.
Great topic. Just had a chance to take a deeper dive into one of his albums, "Pot Luck", for my Youtube Channel and to me, you just can't beat original vinyl stereo 1SA1 pressings of the Bill Porter Nashville produced Living Stereo material. Absolutely jaw-dropping at times. Bill Porter was a genius audio pioneer who had such 'an ear' and vision in sound and what sounds natural to the ear. In researching his work, I found the Michael Fremer interview with him from '87 and it was fascinating to read Mr. Porter's approach to his work and how he often simply relied on his ear and what sounded best and natural to him as the final arbiter in what went to press. Also, Fremer began the interview discussing how he(Porter) was only now (then in 1987) able to truly hear what he had put 'between the grooves' since audio equipment had improved so much. But that drove the question of how Porter was able to engineer such a tremendous sound and put it 'between the grooves' given the 'the catalog of deficiencies in that early equipment' as Fremer put it. Fascinating read.
I know this is a "best" of thread, but I owe it to you guys to report one to avoid - the Friday Music reissue of the posthumous Golden Records Volume 5. The good news first: the FM vinyl contains the remixes from the original LP, in particular, the remixes of "Kentucky Rain" and "If You Talk In Your Sleep" are IMO better than the originals. The bad news -it is super, super bright! I am not talking a little tipped up in the high frequencies, but bright like bass knob on zero, treble on 10 and speakers out of phase! By way of comparison, my original vinyl is also on the bright side, but not nearly as bad as the FM. Avoid! Originals are easy to find and cheap. I am a fan of many other Friday Music Elvis releases, so this is not a broad stroke type bashing of said label.
Yes! Have just experienced a revelation. There is indeed a difference that you can hear between the Nashville cut (Indy) and LA and/or Rockaway, that Steve referred too. I have been fortunate enough over the last couple of years or so to be able to acquire two original pressings of Presley's "Pot Luck" album that are in great condition. The Indy cut is 1S A1 with an 'I' stamped in the deadwax and the other is 4S with an 'H' stamped. The labels both say "Living Stereo" with "STEREO ORTHOPHONIC" HIGH FIDELITY on the right side. And after listening to both, there is no question, the Indy cut sounds better. More detail and sonic clarity. I have done such A/B comparisons before, but never with such profound results. Truly an 'ear-opening' experience! This is another example from the Indy pressing. Also, if anybody has any selections from the "Gold Standard Series" 45 RPM collection, would love to be able to hear a few samples for more 'ear-opening' joy.
I have Elvis Is Back LPM 2231 side 2 dead wax... L2 WP1966-3S A1 R....L2 WP 1965- 4S B1 on side one. Sounds good in VG+. Listening to Elvis LPM-1382 now in VG/VG+ has the "bands 1-6" label and ads of other RCA Victor LP's on back cover with $3.98 in pencil on back cover. Side 1 G2 WP 7207-5S A3. Side 2 G2 WP 7208-5S C1 sounds good also a bit "reverby" but not as good as Elvis Is Back.
Excellent! I guess those copies are becoming harder to come by in good condition but thankfully they are still out there. My 1S A1 from Indy copy was considered by the seller as a 'throwaway' and 'suitable for framing' only, believe it or not. But I went ahead and purchased anyway because the photos the seller provided were telling me otherwise and only superficial wear only. It took some extra elbow grease to get it clean but my jaw dropped the first time I heard it and then the goose bumps soon followed (ok and maybe a little dance too? ). Incredible sonics locked away in those grooves all those years that only took a bit of 'groove digging' to unearth.
I have a question for anyone familiar with the original US pressings of His Hand In Mine: Can anyone comment on the difference in sound quality between the original Living Stereo pressings issued in 1960 and the later ones that simply say "Stereo" on the label circa 1963 and 1964??? I have a shot at a mint 1964 pressing as shown in the picture below. It seems logical the earlier Living Stereo must be better, but I have Dynaflex pressings for example of many Presley records that sound wonderful, so who knows?
I've read that the OG German pressing of From Elvis in Memphis sounds dull. Has anyone listened to the original UK pressing (orange label)? I have a chance to pick up a copy and I would be interested to know if anyone has an opinion on it either way.
At the time Elvis's 2nd LP was recorded Radio Recorders did not have a two track machine, only mono, so I have no idea how those mono tapes could have possibly been remixed. The binaural capability at radio recorders came later in that year. Certainly dynamics/compression, noise reduction and frequency response could be modified with different masterings however.
Nothing beats the original US pressings of the Living Stereo versions of Elvis Is Back, His Hand In Mine, Something For Everybody and Pot Luck and the original Silver top Stereo pressing of Elvis Golden Records Volume 3...all Bill Porter.
I have copies of LPs originally issued as Living Stereo and then as regular stereo issues. They share the same matrix info and - yep you guessed it - sound nearly identical.
I have some U.S 70s reissues of Pot Luck and Something For Everybody and they sound surprisingly good but noise can be a problem.
If I had the choice between an Original Elvis Is Back! U.S. Living Stereo pressing Vs the Speakers Corner Elvis Is Back! pressing which would you go for? best sound wise
I have a U.S. pressing which sounds ok if a bit thin and I have heard the the reissue from MOV which also sounded decent but I think this album sounds better on cd. This one is very good. Elvis Presley - That's The Way It Is
Thanks. I like the 2014 remaster but still prefer it on vinyl. I have an early 80's RCA German pressing which sounds brilliant but I was wondering if there was better.
Or maybe not quite so easy - Elvis Is Back on Analogue Productions blows everything else away. The Friday Music From Elvis In Memphis also betters the Speakers Corner.
The Japanese LP from 1971 sounds really sweet, much better than either CD mentioned - my go to copy. It has a natural depth, air and punch too but it's also far more transparent than the CDs.
