I went for it, too many glowing reviews...... As of now Amazon USA only sells the new rated R from 3rd party sellers......Gonna wait and see, and decide if SFTD was worth it. I'd rather really good mastered CDs.
My copy is going back, it has what sounds like non-fill in places. The last side is very noisy at the start. Disappointing from Pallas. Shame, as visually looks pretty perfect so I would advise playing your copies through.
stock issue probably. i pre-ordered mine the moment it went up and they had to notify me that i'd need to wait even longer now.
Was the standard edition of SFTD also cut by CB and pressed at Pallas? Read some contradicting things online. Thx.
I did read the thread. Maybe I missed the specific mention of both pressings? Am I to assume they both are the same?
Thanks. His post mentioned the self-titled LP but not SFTD so I just wanted to be sure before shelling out for the VMP edition.
Yeah, people unfamiliar with Rogan usually have different expectations. First it’s not an interview, second 80% is probably going to be “off-topic”, third it’s just a general conversation which won’t cover AMA questions from the internet, but also won’t be a commercial for the guest’s latest project (even though it is considering the view/listenership). Anyway my amazon.ca pre-order of SFTD is delayed, hopefully get it before Christmas.
Blown away by the quality of Songs For The Deaf (EU vinyl)... Apart from side 4, which starts out crackly, and has one really loud 'pop' just before the music kicks in. It's only during Song For The Deaf, everything's nice and quiet again by Mosquito Song. Anyone else have a noisy side 4? Rated R sounds excellent also.
Received 2019 SFTD and Rated R on Friday. For SFTD I own an original 2002 EU pressing as well as the original 2003 Ipecac US pressing. Also I own a copy of the good Rated X pressing. SFTD: I find the 2002 EU pressing and the 2019 pressing are similar-sounding and "in the spirit" of the CD. Cutting levels are comparable equal. A bit low though. I think the 2019 pressing has a bit more punch and depth but also a bit more compressed than the 2002 EU pressing. Cymbals on the 2002 are bit more prominent than on the 2019 one though. However the 2003 US pressing on Ipecac sounds noticably different and despite having a bonus track was cut louder by Brian Gardner himself (who also mastered the album). It is more open and trebly, e.g. the cymbals have more attack and are more biting. Unfortunately the pressing quality of this US pressing is a bit noisy. At least my copy is and from what I read by other owners, too. I'm curious if the whole batch was affected back then. The matrix does not tell anything about the plant but I could imagine this was pressed at United, Rainbo or Erika. Soundwise my ranking as of now is: 1. Ipecac 2003 US pressing 2. 2002 EU pressing 3. 2019 pressing (close to the 2002 one though) Rated R: Bernie Grundman cut this pretty quiet which surprises me a lot. The good pressing of Rated X cut by Heino Leja at Optimal Media is a lot louder. Although cut louder I do not experience any IGD even with a running time of 24 min on side A. That makes me wonder why Bernie would cut this title this quiet while it is possible to cut louder without disadvantages for the listener? I always thought a good loud cut is preferred and aimed for to achieve a bigger gap between vinyl's noise floor and the music? When cranked I like the biting guitars on the 2019 one. It might have more depth, too. As of now I'm undecided which pressing I prefer. Seems both have their advantages. I'm going to keep both editions anyway - just because of the different artwork. This whole comparison leaves me with some questions though: 1. Although cutting took place at the same studio (Bernie Grundman Mastering) why are the results between the 2003 pressing and the 2019 so noticably different? The cutting levels as well as sound-wise? 2. I think cutting was done best as possible since BG and CB are among the most renowned mastering engineers: - I would have expected an edition which would better previous pressings. I would not confirm this as of now. What was different back then what cannot be achieved anymore today? - why is the Rated R cut so much quieter than the one by Heino Leja? What's the purpose of that? Would be interesting for me to hear opinions and see a discussion about this. Thank you for reading.
Interesting that you found the 2003 Ipecac to sound relatively more open and trebly, I sold mine last year having bought it on release and those aren't terms I would've used to describe it in isolation. I always thought it was a bit on the flat side, bordering on muddy. This might sound silly because it's hard to really say what it's based on but you know when you get the feeling that's almost like, the mastering is fine but the pressing itself is somehow dull? I always felt like that about it. If the new one is seeming like it's even more in that direction I might wait for more comparisons.
Thanks. However, I’m not sure how much we can actually take from this review seen as you haven’t even listed your equipment?
I’m not entirely sure I’m going to get the new Rated R, as I quite like the existing version. However, I think I may upgrade the Lullabies to Paralyse press by Music on Vinyl as I think the new version will be superior. I find the MOV, whilst not bad, sounds a little on the thin and brighter side of neutral on certain tracks. Some of their pressings can exhibit this trait due to their DMM process and I guess it is partly due to the source as I have some phenomenal sounding MoV pressings.
Ok, so the original was also cut at Bernie Grundman mastering by Brian Gardner (his etching is the flower type inscription). I have a hard time believing that the original US is going to be significantly different or superior.
