Physical Graffiti on CD: a blind listening test

Hello folks,
so here's the final one.

In the context of investigating the favourite CD masterings of Led Zeppelin albums I set up a blind listening test (the 9th in a row) on Physical Graffiti. So here you have 3 samples A, B, C (2'20") each one from 6 different tracks (Custard Pie, Houses Of The Holy, In My Time Of Dying, Trampled Under Foot, Black Country Woman, Night Flight), ripped from different CD masterings, in FLAC format.

Dropbox - Physical Graffiti

The samples have been level adjusted so that the excerpts have the same Replay Gain values (based on EBU R128 standard with target of 89dB sound pressure level). The samples comprise vocal sections.

It would be great if you could listen to the samples and compare them to each other, reporting which one sounds the best on your system and why.

Instructions:

• If you intend to vote, it's recommended reading the discussions after you have listened to the samples and voted, in order to escape confirmation bias.
• It's recommended listening to the samples and discussing what you heard. Please take into account that discussions based on visual inspection of waveforms, spectral plots and DR values might condition the poll results while the poll is open, if folks read the discussions before listening to the samples.
• You can choose no more than one sample.
• You can't view the results before you vote, in order to escape confirmation bias (the results are viewable to everybody when the poll closes).
• Votes are publicly displayed.
• You can change your mind until the test expires.
• The sources will be revealed when the poll is closed (and it's impossible to vote).

This test will expire on February 18, 2017.

As usual I hope you'll have fun and I thank you for your participation
G.

•••

Other polls in this series:

• Led Zeppelin (S/T album) on CD: a blind listening test (winner DIAMENT 79.5%)
• Led Zeppelin II on CD: a blind listening test (winner DAVIS 52.6%)
• Led Zeppelin III on CD: a blind listening test (winner DIAMENT 50.0%)
  
• Led Zeppelin's Untitled on CD: a blind listening test (winner MARINO 52.6%)
  
• Houses Of The Holy (album): a blind listening test (winner DIAMENT 56.3%)
  
• Presence on CD: a blind listening test (winner DAVIS 59.0%)
  
• In Through The Out Door on CD: a blind listening test (winner DIAMENT 47.2%)
  
• Led Zeppelin's Coda on CD: a blind listening test (winner MARINO 44.2%)

 

I'm in. Thank you very much for this.

(By the way, what are your plans concerning this kind of tests? Any Hendrix on the horizon?)

 

Quickly settled for (A) as it was the only one I finished listening. The other two were simply too loud.

 

I voted A. I liked the clearer, more open sound and the wider stereo image. I'm guessing that this is the Davis, because part of his brief was to widen the soundstage. Sample A was top on five of the six excerpts for me; the only one that it didn't win was IMTOD, where I couldn't distinguish between the three samples.

Thanks, once again, to grandegi for the fun.

 

The differences were smaller than for other LZ Zeppelin albums. I did not detect any differences in stereo image, compression or source quality, so what was left were EQ choices. My preference was C, then very closely behind A, and last was B.

PS: For Black Country Woman and Night Flight, the channels were swapped on A compared to B and C. For a listening test, that was a bit confusing.

 

Thank you very much for the info, I didn't notice the swap!
I've fixed this. I'd ask folks who have voted so far to listen again in order to confirm their impressions.
Sorry for the inconvenience.

 

Sample A by quite a large margin for me. nice impact of the drums, dynamic sounding with lots of detail. Sample B was dull-sounding, boring and mid-rangey. Plant's voice on "Black Country Woman" sounds annoying on this one. C is better than B, but doesn't have the impact of A.
I am guessing B is the Marino as it sounds as boring as I remember my Marino CD to be. I thought the Davis was big improvement, perhaps the biggest of the catalogue compared to the Marino. I have never heard the Diament, apart ftom the sample here, which I'm guessing is C.

 

Easily A for this one. It has rich bass, and an open airiness to the sound. Very dynamic, well balanced and pleasing. B is sorely lacking in bass which leaves a hole in the sound, resulting in a mid-heavy sound. All of the power is stripped from the rhythm section. C has decent bass but is muddy/wooly on the high end. The lack of detail sounds like a higher generation tape was used.
I hope a lot of people vote on this, I think the results may surprise some people. Wrapping up the final Zep album in the series of blind tests, once again a big thanks to Grandegi for doing these. Always a lot of fun and often eye (ear?) opening results!

 

I prefer A clearly: more presence & air
Then sample B : a bit congested
Sample C, not good, it sounds washed

 

Hello Grandegi,

congratulations for this great test.
I would like to know if it will have a test with The song remains the same ?

 

There's only one mastering of The Song Remains The Same before the whole thing was remixed.

 

Did not like the brightness of A and B. 80 minutes of Plant can be grating (...sorry) and his voice sounds most natural on the BD mastering (C).

Custard Pie offers the least amount of difference, but HoTH and Trampled are too bright on A and B (although I will concide that Trampled is a bit muddy on the BD)

 

Ok, thanks.

 

The extended edition from 2007 is a bright mess.

But you do get the greatest musical moment from the film...

 

Yes, i have the original film version (the 2003 japanese vinyl replica one-WPCR). The last remix from 2007 has another version of "Celebration day" i don't like (less punchy playing).

 

At a first listen it's sample C for me: natural and crankable, the low end sounds perfect and yet does not muddy at all on my system.
Sample B is the outlier, being excessively bright, grating and anemic: most of the tracks sound brittle, midrange and highs maybe boosted; not bad by itself, but it sounds the worst when compared to the other ones.
Sample A is overall good, but it's still too bright for me: Trampled Under Foot and Black Country Woman are especially fatiguing and also Custard Pie does not sound well balanced. The only excerpt for which sample A does not prevail to my ears is In My Time Of Dying, Plant's vocals lack a bit of clarity.

 

Ok, this time I did the test on my headphones and the main stereo, rather than just headphones.

On headphones, I preferred B. Obvious pumped up mastering and probably can get fatiguing listening for prolonged periods and at loud volumes but it has punch and detail. I guess this is the Page.
C came in close second. More balanced and laid back than B, also smoother but lacks the punch that suits the music of this particular album.
A was a distant last, it sounded veiled and distant. I'd bet this is the Diamant CD I have which i never listen to.

On the main stereo, which believe it or not is more revealing than the headphones, C came in first. It strikes the right balance to these ears.
B was second in this instance. On the stereo the pumped up sound is a bit much at times and the detail is sometimes too forward compared to the vocals. Also a tad too bright on most tracks.
Again A came last. It has the opposite issue of sample B, ie veiled, lackluster, lacking in detail, hardly any top end.

I'm looking forward to these samples being revealed, particularly sample C.

 

So your vote is for B or C in the end?

 

Decided to go with C as the main stereo is where I listen to music when I just want to listen to music.

 

I vote C this time. I think it sounds warmer and more natural. A is not bad, but B is too bright.

 

Same here - on headphones A was close, but on my main system C clearly prevailed.

 

C for me. More crankable. Sample A Custard Pie might win that one but otherwise most are too bright to me.

 

I like both A and C. Having listened back and forth a few times I chose C because the bass was better. I would be happy having either of those in my collection (I don't keep multiple masterings in my collection if I clearly don't care for one unless there are bonus tracks). I listened on my laptop (older HP) with headphones (Sennheiser HD 202) and there's nothing special about either.

Thank you for these. Would be interested if you did Pink Floyd next.

 

We covered various Pink Floyd albums in the past, although I was inexperienced when I designed the tests for DSOTM and WYWH and will surely re-design them at some point.

 

Listened at length on both my speakers and headphones and I think I have to go with A.
However, I do like C and ideally would like something between the two.
B is exhausting because of the boost in the hi mids; I think I've got that version!

After much listening to the samples, I put on my vinyl copy which I picked up in the late 70s.
Even though this album's never been a sonic masterpiece, it seems sad that after all this time and (possible) technological advances, we can't get a better version on digital than these 3.

Anyone know who cut this one originally on vinyl?
Mine has EG in the deadwax.