Rolling Stones Vinyl Box 1971-2016 Sound Quality Thread

The main thread for the new box set is here:

Rolling Stones Studio Albums 1971-2016 Vinyl Box Coming June 15th*

Like most people, I'm very interested in the sound quality of the new pressings compared with the originals.

The thread above offers discussion of shipping, pricing, sources, etc.

So let's keep this thread to a discussion of sound quality/comparison ONLY

Start it up!

 

Is this standard practice here? I started the thread above and I didn't mean for it to exclude sound quality discussion. We have been doing lots of that already ... if people care to split their attention between two threads that's fine, I'm just confused as to why?

 

It's been happening in the last year or two for big boxes like this. The primary reason is that threads get too convoluted with a mix of posts about shipping/pricing and content/quality. My only qualm is this thread should probably be the shipping/pricing thread, since the other has been going on longer. Typically the shipping/pricing thread is made second.

 

Okay whatever people prefer, I guess. No idea when my box will arrive or I would be reviewing it for you all today

 

I just dont want to read thru lots of posts about shipping, pricing, etc. I'm sure lots of members just want to focus sound quality and comparisons without having to read about other aspects of the release

 

I don't want to read about the Beatles in the other thread either but what can you do?

 

you can alway just skip those..... folks seem to have a hard time of skipping parts of the discussion they don't care about.. interesting????

 

So, anybody listened to digital download ones?

 

I'm still waiting for vinyl reviews. On the "main" thread there's exactly one comparison review that I've seen.

 

I appreciate this thread. I don’t have time to spend going through pages and pages of people letting us know that their order shipped, didn’t ship or that they’ve received when all I’m looking for is thoughts and impressions and maybe a review or two.

 

Going to listen in order, without comparing to other versions (too much work). Just listened to Sticky Fingers. Sounded ok, a bit polite overall. The sonic quality was clear and nice, but it didn't jump out of the speakers ... a bit restrained. The less rocking tunes seemed to fair better, sonically, than those that balls out rock.

Oh, and both sides of Sticky Fingers were cut slightly off center, with side 2 being a bit worse than side 1.

 

Just finished the first 3 sides of Exile...like it a lot. Maybe a bit bright sounding, but very dynamic, clean and clear.

The presentation Rocks nicely, so not polite sounding like Sticky Fingers, but might be a slightly deficient in low end punch.

 

Goats Head Soup....what can you say. I guess this is a good as it might sound. The mud and sludge of the mix is there. Maybe 2 or 3 cuts sound nice, the rest have the signature sound this album always had; no high end, muddy low end and indistinct midrange.

So we get what is par for the course with this LP.

It is what it is, and this version is ok.

 

I know I wasn't going to, but I pulled out the 2015 deluxe edition Sticky Fingers vinyl. The new box version is much better, even if more polite sounding. The clarity of the new box version trumps the somewhat "smeared" sound of the 2015 version (isnt this the same version in the 2010, 1971 - 2005 box?)

The new box version has better clarity, bass extension, top end clarity. The new version wins here.

 

No, it’s not.

 

Ok

Ok. Then I will have to compare to the 2010 box version in the future.

 

Just a quickone. I have the 2010 box and the stand alone version of Sticky Fingers with the original Spanish cover which I think was 2015. I have not compared them but is that right that they are different? The version in the new 2018 box is a new different mastering.
That would be 3 versions in under a decade on vinyl. No wonder it is getting hard to keep up.

 

Got my box yesterday via Collectors Choice and their sweet 20% off deal. Been listening to the albums for the past day.

Initial thoughts on the sound quality:

1. Everything is very smooth and nice. The pressings are super-quiet.
2. I have original LPs to compare against. I wouldn't say that the 2018 editions totally blow the originals out of the water, but they are a nice clean dynamic presentation.
3. The albums all sound better if you turn up the volume. The albums seem to really jump to life when the volume goes up.
4. "Black And Blue" 2018 is a little tame compared to the original. But that original is one of the best-sounding Stones album sonically. The 2018 is good but doesn't have that full-on kick.
5. "Steel Wheels" is on the meh side. It doesn't help that the material isn't all that inspiring. Sonically it sounds just so-so.

For reference sake, I am spinning the records on a Rega Planar 6 turntable with the Ania MC cartridge. Using the Rega Aria for a phonostage and a PrimaLuna DiaLogue Premium HP integrated amp with Gold Lion KT77 and 12aux7 tubes. My speakers are Vienna Acoustic Mozarts.

 

Now that I’m thinking about it more, I’m not 100% the 2010 and 2015 are different. But I still believe they are. I think Sticky was redone when they did the whole deluxe edition in 2015.

Maybe someone with the 2010 box can post the deadwax info?

 

How does Voodoo Lounge sound compared to the Virgin cd?

 

To my ears, Voodoo Lounge on vinyl sounds better than the Virgin CD. Everything is just more open and spacious. But that's pretty much what I find with vinyl compared to CD in most cases. Everything just breathes better. I also just like the warmer more organic sound of vinyl compared to CD.

 

I have both, 2010 box and 2015, so when I get a chance I will compare it not done by someone else first.

 

That's cool. That's not exactly what I meant though. I wasn't questioning the Vinyl format as a medium. I was asking if the sound quality of this version/ mastering, compares favorable to the original. Thanks.

 

Just to clarify from my end (so that I'm not going senile or something), you asked how it sounds compared to the Virgin CD, right? So my simple answer is: better : )

 

Yes. Haha !