Best vinyl pressing of The Band MUSIC FROM BIG PINK

Hi fellas,

Just thought I'd chime in (albeit a year late) as I have some info that might be helpful.

The matrices for the original UK rainbow label stereo are A5 / B6. I had one at one point years back and moved it along because that copy was a little noisier than I would have wanted. Just today I came across a lime green UK with the exact same matrices. It even has the flip-back jacket so I'm gonna posit that the rainbow label was only around for a short time on this title. Either way, it's nice to know you can find the right stampers on this second label and of course, the vinyl is nice and clean and plays beautifully. As Clay noted, there are copies on the green label with different mastering so make sure to ask Discogs / eBay sellers and don't assume the copy you are looking at has the correct dead wax.

Tonally, it's everything Clay has proclaimed in past threads and in his for sale threads. The balance is perfect. The mid-range is beautiful and gets the voices just right. As a drummer I feel satisfied with the way Levon is rendered here, too. Nice and fat. The MoFi from a few years back was just not engaging for me. The US Capitol is nice but I would put it second to this.

So, look for the UK first (rainbow) or second label (lime green) - but the right stampers (hot stampers?? ) are A5/B6!

M

 

How about the bass?

 

Earth shattering!

No seriously, it’s actually very nice and full in my opinion.

 

MFSL

 

absolutely LOVE this pressing!

 

I’ve got a very good copy of the 1st Jacksonville pressing. It’s very quiet vinyl, has a large soundstage, great instrument/vocal separation and good bass. Nothing seems exaggerated on it. I’m very happy with this one, but again, this record is in exceptional condition for its age.

 

I agree. I have this pressing and think it sounds great

 

No bass below 80 hertz on it. Filtered. What bass it has sounds good. Mastered this way on purpose, I explained why earlier. It sounds great within it's limitations. Mastered this way for better playback on modest portables, compact Stereo systems, and consoles. I like it just the same. Capitol from 1963 to the Wally era was mastered this way.

 

A note, the UK Capitol issues were mastered from dub tapes, excellent low generation dub tapes. And they were mastered at Abbey Road, and very well. I've heard several different UK Pressings on EMI, the A5/B6 slays any USA Rainbow or Green Label Capitol pressing, it's also on quieter, purer vinyl, plated and pressed far more carefully. Every UK pressing I have heard of "Big Pink" slays any US Capitol. A great Mobile Fidelity in between choice. Has better bass than the US copies, but great midrange and treble, and well balanced.

 

@Leonthepro
Hi Leon,
Is this the third UK press you're talking about ?
The Band - Music From Big Pink
It has the preferred A5/B6 in the deathwax, but your comment makes me doubtfull to buy it.
Or do you think the harsh sounding is because of the worn out grooves, but not the pressing as such (i know it can be hard sometimes to differentiate) ?

 

No mine was this one:
The Band - Music From Big Pink

Still have a review down below. Sold it long ago so I cant tell you more but it might indeed just have been worn grooves. This one is also an A5 / B6 though.

 

I acquired a copy of the UK ‘black label’ Capitol/EMI pressing (A5/B6) early this month from an eBay seller in Ireland. The record clearly had been taken care of. I finally had opportunity to clean it and listen to it: Holy Moly, beyond the transcendence of the music itself, the quality of the mastering, pressing and ABSOLUTE SILENCE between tracks is remarkable! Hands down, now one of my most cherished records.

 

Have you tried any other pressings?

 

If you could share a link to this version I'd be most appreciative, as the only Back In Black versions I can find on Discogs are this:
Derek & The Dominos - Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs
..and this:
Derek & The Dominos - Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs

Neither of which have the yellow sticker, or any mention of Miles Showell...

Thanks.

 

Yes, it did. Problem was youth with average phono systems which were not able to track it. Capitol wanted it remastered, to keep the return rate down.

 

I've never heard Fremer state anything positive about SV LPs. Quite the contrary, he went head to head publicly with them and tore them a brand new hole. Where is this quote I'd like to see it.

 

Since you asked so nicely:


“Yet some [Simply Vinyl] releases such as the Nick Drakes and a few others actually sound very good and it is my understanding that releases from the EMI vaults like the Drakes (no long controlled by EMI), and John Martyn's superb Solid Air, were actually sourced from analog tape.”

157 In-Print LPs You Should Own!

“Some of the Simply Vinyl reissues sound quite fine (particularly the EMI owned titles mastered at Abbey Road, including the Nick Drake and Free albums), and some sound like sonic road kill—as if the source was a commercial CD, which it very well may have been!”

Who's Cutting Those Lacquers? Part 1

“Simply Vinyl refuses to identify sources. Actually some of them, especially those licensed from EMI, can sound very good and could very well be analog tape sourced, but the company refuses to identify sources.”

Reissue Labels To Avoid and Some Best to Proceed With Caution

 

Thanks for asking! Yes, I have a nice US A-3 (LA, lime green label) copy. I’ve read and agree that this US pressing has audible bass, and it sounds decent, but the vinyl/pressing quality is not nearly as good as the UK. It’s still nice to have the US version for the gatefold jacket.

 

This one has the yellow sticker if you run through the photos. In the end I got the Mofi but hopefully this helps .

Derek & The Dominos - Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs

 

Thanks mate!
This one is proving hard to find online .... can only seem to find the 2008 version and the MOFI. May have to just splash out on the latter...