Wire - Vinyl reissues 2018

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by It's Felix, Mar 24, 2018.

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  1. gt81

    gt81 Active Member

    Location:
    Norwich
    Picked up all 3 today. I have nothing to compare them to except the On Returning CD compilation, which I'm not going to bother doing.

    Pressing quality is excellent, vinyl is flat, quiet, centred and blemish free. Jackets are a little tight if you wish to store the record in a third party sleeve. I use the Spin Care clones of the MoFi triple layer sleeves.

    Currently spinning Pink Flag. Sound quality seems good on my modest system - an Audio Technica LP5 through an aging Sony Mini Disc Mini System with DSG engaged. Dynamics perhaps not the best (could be just the way the album sounds, as I said, first time I've had the albums) but otherwise a nice balanced mix with plenty of detail and instrument separation, but also with a nice forward punch and typically claustrophobic post-punk soundstage to it.
     
    John Bliss, landerstnkb and scotti like this.
  2. scotti

    scotti Forum Resident

    Location:
    Atlanta GA
    Very nice, let us know after you finish listening. Stuck my copy of CM in a MoFi sleeve as well. Inner sleeves are a good investment and really not that expensive. My system is warming up now. These are a first on vinyl for me as well. Liked them when they first were released but never spent a ton of time with them, so really looking forward to it.

    Not very familiar with "154"...really do not want to sample as I do not mind taking chances. Was wondering if I should grab this one as well while its still available on vinyl. Any insight on this release would be appreciated.
     
  3. gt81

    gt81 Active Member

    Location:
    Norwich
    I've almost finished listening to 154, definitely worth getting if you are considering it. It does have a somewhat different feel to the first two albums, whereas PF and CM live on the poppier side of post-punk, 154 seems more expansive and experimental in places, but without losing the energy.

    Sound quality seems a bit more dynamic than the other two albums, but a little boxier. But I think that's a trait of post-punk in general than any flaw in the mastering. I bought the recent reissues of Magazine's 1st and 3rd albums and they have a similar atmosphere.

    I bought the albums from HMV who were doing a buy all 3 for £44.99 so I saved a couple of pounds and probably got them for less than you'd pay for decent condition originals.
     
  4. scotti

    scotti Forum Resident

    Location:
    Atlanta GA
    Many thanks! You convinced me to get it, plus I love experimental style music. Really appreciate your response!
     
  5. Dolemite

    Dolemite Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago
    Good to hear these sound good. I'm picking up my copies at my local shop later.

    Younger me didn't take as good a care of his versions from the 80's. I'll be happy to have a non rice crispies sounding Chairs Missing again.
     
    scotti likes this.
  6. gt81

    gt81 Active Member

    Location:
    Norwich
    No problem!
    -------------------------------------------------------
    Minor point of interest, I've just noticed both sides of Chairs Missing are labelled side one, though the track listings themselves are correct.
     
  7. bonjo

    bonjo Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    I don't get all these positive vinyl reviews.

    Does anyone really believe these are anything other than the latest CD remasters on vinyl, i.e. the same compressed versions that no one likes when they listen to them via CD?
     
    markaberrant likes this.
  8. erowid

    erowid Die unerträgliche Leichtigkeit des Seins

    Location:
    Vienna, Austria
    its likely digital, yes. but also very likely high res transfer with much less peak limiting than the cd counterparts. all I can tell you, my ears prefer the sound of the vinyl remasters over the cd versions.
     
  9. Pavol Stromcek

    Pavol Stromcek Senior Member

    Location:
    SF Bay Area
    Have you heard them?
     
  10. Pavol Stromcek

    Pavol Stromcek Senior Member

    Location:
    SF Bay Area
    These LPs must be selling pretty well. I pre-ordered Chairs Missing on Amazon a few weeks before the July 20 release date, and mine is still showing that it hasn't shipped yet, and Amazon already has that album listed as "temporarily out of stock."
     
  11. bonjo

    bonjo Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    No I haven't heard and I never claimed to have heard them. I'd like to have copies of these on vinyl as much as anyone but I'm just using common sense.
     
  12. bonjo

    bonjo Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    But why is that "very likely"? Does anyone know if high res transfers even exist?
     
    Robert C likes this.
  13. Pavol Stromcek

    Pavol Stromcek Senior Member

    Location:
    SF Bay Area
    That's cool. I just wouldn't jump to conclusions about how these sound before hearing them.
     
  14. Neonbeam

    Neonbeam All Art Was Once Contemporary

    Location:
    Planet Earth
    And "common sense" tells you to dismiss reissues without actually having heard them????
     
    Pavol Stromcek likes this.
  15. Dolemite

    Dolemite Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago
    Better than having For Men With Beards Chairs Missing. Better than my trashed clicking "non-digital" old copy.
     
    Pavol Stromcek likes this.
  16. mpayan

    mpayan A Tad Rolled Off

    Ill probably buy Pink Flag and then compare it to the cd. Not a perfect comparison but about as good as Im willing to spend at this point.
     
  17. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    Bought Chairs Missing and 154 on LP at a local shop today. Cracked open Chairs and it's dish warped. For $30 a pop either pass or only get these from a place that will do easy returns. Sick of the piss poor QC with these pressing plants.
     
    mpayan likes this.
  18. gr8trak

    gr8trak Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago
    Listened through all of these at medium volumes due to domestic situation. My only context is the 2006 cd remasters. If you’re wondering if there’s a reason to get the 2018 vinyl reissues as an upgrade over the 2006 cds, my answer is an unequivocal, resounding yes. There’s more depth to the soundstage, more nuance, more detail to the background instruments. The jackets aren’t tip-ones but the lyric inner sleeves are nice and the vinyl is flat and very quiet which especially benefits Chairs Missing and 154. As mentioned earlier by gt81, 154 feels especially more dynamic. Overall very happy with these reissues.
     
    Last edited: Jul 22, 2018
  19. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    @gr8trak, I'm glad you were able to get flat copies...unfortunately my copy of 154 was warped too, just not as bad as CM. Sour taste on these for now, even though I've played CM once and haven't played 154 yet. I assume you haven't heard the 1994 EMI editions with bonus tracks? I thought those were very well done and skipped the last batch of CD remasters because most feedback said they were no improvement. I'm not getting the new CD sets either probably as they're bricked.

    I hope anyone that got bad copies of these will take the time to write the label and return them if you can. So tired of crap QC with new records, even those from some of the better plants out there. Had to return two Pallas pressed albums a couple weeks ago...this is the kind of stuff that turns me away from new vinyl...
     
  20. Pavol Stromcek

    Pavol Stromcek Senior Member

    Location:
    SF Bay Area
    Sadly, this is why I get most of my new vinyl from Amazon these days: hassle-free returns. I've had to return nine new albums so far this year, all due to things like scratches that produced loud surface noise, warps, etc. I'd really rather not buy records through Amazon, but the shoddy QC with vinyl these days leaves me with with no other choice.
     
  21. gr8trak

    gr8trak Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago
    @patient_ot Dumb luck for me I guess. Understand your annoyance with the warped records and QC with new vinyl in general. FWIW, I bought mine through Stranded Records. Not sure if that batch is generally better or not, but they were shipped in packaging that is way more secure than Amazon's. Amazon's shipping of vinyl in my experience is lackadaisical bordering on disrespectful. I have not heard the 1994 EMI editions. Are they worth seeking out?
     
  22. Robert C

    Robert C Forum Resident

    Location:
    London, UK
    Depends when the transfers were made. Is there any information on the sleeves or a hype sticker indicating the source? If there isn't, then a high-res transfer is probably "less likely" :)
     
  23. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    I got these from a local store. Isn't Stranded run by the Superior Viaduct folks? I think I've only ordered from them once and shipping was very slow. If I did try another copy of either of these (not sure I will at this point) it would have to be through Amazon. I just can't get stuck with another bum copy. I'm already out $60 on these with no way to return them.

    And yes, I think the '94 CDs are well worth seeking out. The correct problems that the earlier CD editions had and they are quite dynamic. Non-album tracks from singles are also stellar.
     
    gr8trak likes this.
  24. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    I've cut my new vinyl way back due to QC problems. I'm much more likely to buy used LPs for under $10 if I'm buying vinyl at all, with the occasional new release or reissue from a band or artist I really like. I also buy from the audiophile labels when I can, and the places I buy from tend to understand that customers want vinyl with minimal or no defects. I actually had to return 2 audiophile records in the last couple of weeks that were released by a respected label and pressed at Pallas. Both had pretty bad dish warps. The store I ordered them from had to go through their copies and send me the least bad ones, and even those were not perfect pressings. So even the best plants are letting QC slip because of the current vinyl trend. It's extremely frustrating. As consumers all we can do is let the labels and stores know we are not happy with this, and adjust our buying accordingly.
     
  25. gr8trak

    gr8trak Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago
    Yes, same people. Shipping can take a little longer but they do a great job with packaging in my experience. Will seek out the '94s. Thanks for the tip.
     
    patient_ot likes this.
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