My Led Zeppelin shootout - Quarantine Edition

Since I’m stuck at home like everyone else, I figured I’d do a Zeppelin shootout with the copies I own, or have owned.

I’m doing this as a public service to all of you who are stuck at home too.

Without further ado…

Zep I

1. Classic Records 200g

Open, defined, balanced. Highs really shine. Vocal overdubs really nice, never heard them like this in previous pressings. Great double bass, nice toms on the drums.

2. George Pirios “C” Pressing – PR

Prominent midrange, great bass. Doesn’t have the bite of Classic Records. Highs and mids get to be a bit much

3. US Plum label

Nice open press. Respectable bass. Well defined sound, but tame

4. 2014 Jimmy Page Reissue

Not as clear as the Classic Records press. Everything sounds smashed together, not a lot of definition. Not a horrible press though

5. UK Plum A1/B1

Polite sounding, very tame. Focus on vocals. JPJ bass sounds great, but restrained.


Zep II

1. Ludwig master – A/A matrix -PR pressing

It’s everyone’s favorite for a reason. Just an all around winner. Loud, full, exactly what Zep should sound like.

1B. Classic Records 200g

I’m calling this a 1B, because it depends on what you like. The Classic is slightly less powerful than the RL, yet it has more detail. Not a lesser pressing than the RL. Again, it’s what you like.

2. UK Plum A2/B2 matrix

Strong mid, good bass. Low vocal mix compared to the others. It’s crazy how much better the UK Plum of Zep II is vs the UK Plum of Zep I


3. US GP Press

I always say that the GP is 80% of the RL. Still holds true. A clear winner if you want to spend under $100 on this album.

4. 2014 Page Reissue

Fine dynamics, but just doesn’t have the power and detail of the others. It’s not that the Page reissue is “bad”, but you see what it is, and what it isn’t, when you hear the other pressings mentioned above. Totally fine for casual fans or people just getting into the hobby.


ZEP III

1. Classic Records

I can’t say enough about the awesomeness of this press. I’ve never been happy with how this album sounds. It never sounds like it’s enough for me. The sound always struggles to capture the music. This pressing is as good as it gets. My favorite all time Zep song is Since I’ve Been Loving You. On this press, after Percy says “Wow my tears they fell like rain…”. Bonzo’s reentry into the song is goose bump inducing.

2. UK Plum A5/B5

Not bad, but just not enough for me. Not enough detail or power

3. US Porky

4. Page Reissue

Zep IV

1. Classic Records

I can hear every string of every note played. Power and detail

2. UK Plum A4/B5 Porky x 2

This used to be one of the best sounding albums that I own. And it’s still great. But it’s the Classic by a nose due to better detail


Houses Of The Holy

Two winners!

The RL US and The Classic Records. I always use the RL as my test album when I get new gear because it’s the best sounding album I’ve ever heard. But the Classic here is like the Zep II – just about the same as the RL, but with more detail. The bass on Rain Song – detail wise – is gorgeous.

2.Page remaster

Physical Graffiti

1. Classic Records

Repetitive I know. But it is what it is. Just great detail, everything sounds as it should, or better. Really grabs you on first listen.

2. US Monarch/PR

I like the US pressings over the UKs because they have more power. I legendary record guy I know told me that UK records were mastered differently than US editions. He said that UK audiences preferred more polite sounding albums. Don’t kill the messenger!

3. UK 2nd Press

Very fine press. Just not enough kick for me.

4. Page remaster.

Presence

Another tie! US Monarch and Classic records. The Monarch has a bit more thump.


Coda & In Through The Out Door

Who cares?

 

I can't comment too much on this, other than the Page remastered reissues from 2014-2015 are great on cd and surprisingly great on Matered For iTunes.

 

Haven't heard the CDs but I have read good reviews of them

 

I think each have a couple good songs a piece.

 

Great reviews GG. Love this kind of thread. Very positive. Agree with the greatness of RL II and HOH. Need to help you with ITTOD and Coda. Will report back.Shame on slogging em.

 

This thread makes me wish Classic Records also released SACDs.

 

I said it in jest really. I dont own audiophile versions of either. Just the Page reissue for Coda and the standard US for ITTOD.

 

Yeah totally I was just being elitist. In The Evening is great, bit I really can't say that I've ever sat down and played that album. Coda has a lot of great cuts too

 

Thanks, Jim. I wish those two albums got more respect...

 

This attitude must be why I found a copy of ITTOD in the $1 bargain bin a few years ago.

Lucky me.

 

I might get Code and ITTOD on Classic at some point. Probably will get Coda first.

I just dont know if I can reconcile with paying a lot for Fool In The Rain.

 

I totally appreciate and respect your analysis but I wonder about a couple of albums.

Houses of the Holy - Never heard anyone praise the Classic reissue. Usually that is the Classic Records edition that is bashed the most so now I am intrigued. Have you heard the UK Porky/Pecko press? That one is my go-to.

Physical Grafiti - Which Classic do you have? 200g or 180g? I heard a 200g copy and was turned off by that version. It had weird fluctuations in sounds that sounded like things were fading in and out but heard good things about the 180g. US Monarch is great. I have a U.K. 1st press and it has plenty of kick. Freakin’ JPJ’s bass is booming and Bonzo’s drums are shaking my house when I jam that press.

 

Guy

Brilliant!

Really enjoyed your observations
I know there are 1,000 threads on releases but
You did this so concisely and relevant.

Just a few comments

Led Zeppelin 1 - I don’t believe there is any double bass playing on Zeppelin 1 - It is all JPJ’s fender jazz bass

Led Zeppelin II - the German intial pressing is not 80% of the RL
It is actually exactly 1/2 of the RL - Side A is actually the Ludwig first press!
A nice bargain if you want the experience but don’t want to shell out $$
My RL had a few issues on Whole Lotta Love - so a pristine German 1st pressing has me covered.

Led Zeppelin III - the German copy is fantastic

Houses of the Holy - the Classic Records is one of my audiophile lps too - No Quarter is spine tingling, the Rain Song so lush

Laughed my ass off and feel the exact same way about In Thru the Outhouse and Coda!

I only bought HotH off the Classic when it was new and had to pay dearly for I II III IV PG and P about 8 years ago.
I did this with Peter Gabriel and missed out too.

I had no problem buying open slightly less expensive copies and also immediately playing a sealed one

It is such a shame - the horrible missed opportunity of the 2014 rereleases.
The extras for the most part were lame. Sound a real murkfest - wrong eq. but hey those nice super deluxe sets, darkroom imaged covers and books look great on the shelf.

 

I would be interested in hearing people's opinions on the In Through The Outdoor and The Song Remains The Same. It seems in general the Classic are the preferred and I would agree in most cases. The only two Classics I don't have are ITTOD and TSRTS so I'd be interested to know if they are really something I need to put out the bucks for or whether others are comparable. I know it's complicated with TSRTS because obviously some releases contain more material than others. Mostly I'm just interested in how the Classic matches up to the original.

 

Many 180 gram Classic Records sound better than 200 gram

less VTA issue on the turntable.
Having to press without getting non fill areas.

This whole thick vinyl craze is a whole lotta lonsense

 

THe new Blue Ray with additional songs sounds stuning and you can see Robert save a damsel in distress

 

Too bad Chad Kasem of Acoustic Sounds bought out distressed Classic Records and hoards his copies for $$$$.

Classic had not problem going back to
1) the analog tapes
And
2) did flat transfers

This is all classic material - The Who, Zeppelin, early Genesis, Peter Gabriel....

Now everything has a digital source, an out of wack eq and most less dynamic range.

Thank God for the Beatles Mono Box - not the stereo

Shame

 

Lock the door, turn out the light
You know you can’t go out tonight.

Covin strikes hard and don’t you know
The doubts and doom begin to grow

They carry news that must get through
A new vaccine - a dream come true

They don the masks where few would go...

 

I do. In Through The Out Door is such a phenomenally underrated album. Maybe it is not what some people demand a Led Zeppelin record to sound like but I like it (a lot) and see it for the evolution of who they were at that time. Perhaps if was not a Led Zeppelin record but instead had been Robert Plant's debut solo LP I believe many people would have been damn right impressed. The pro/con debate about the merits of this album shall continue on into the eternity of that which is rock talk.

My understanding is that the Classic Records press of ITTOD is considered head and shoulder "the best" analog edition of this album.

 

I seem to recall that people consider the Classic Records press of TSRTS to be the one the knocks it out of the park.

 

I thought HOTH was divine. Super detailed and nice

For PG I have the 200g version. Didn't hear anything about it as you described.

 

Not a 1969 Luddy but Zep II 2014 vinyl remaster is pretty damn close. IMHO
Full, robust soundstage a fun listen without the aging pops and ticks of the old lp.

 

I have many of these albums.

I disagree with your findings more than I agree with them. For starters, I don't think the Classic is the best presentation of any of the LZ albums. The problem is Led Zeppelin should "rock" and the Classics come up a little short in that department. Even the better ones sound a little too soft and audiophile-ish. The Classic LZ1 is close to the Piros LZ1, but they aren't similar sounding. And the LZ3 and HOTH Classics? Ooooph, the worst of the lot of the Classics, IMO (although I don't have LZ2 because too many people I trust said it's even worse).

 

Nonsense. Just adjust VTA if VTA is problem.

I recall few, if any, non-fill issues with the 200g LZ's I have.

I do agree that 200g vinyl is unnecessary.

 

Well, I guess this is why we are all made with different ears. As long as it was fun for you