Van Halen I Vinyl - Best Pressings

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by raye_penber, Aug 14, 2019.

  1. raye_penber

    raye_penber . Thread Starter

    Location:
    Highlands.
    Hey folks,

    I have a NM WB printed in the netherlands/manufactured in Germany pressing of VHI (WB56470, BSK3075) and, sadly, Eddie's guitar tracks sound terrible. Everything else, bass, drums, vox, are more or less fine. The guitars, however, are destroyed. Now, I'm not a fan of the recent reissues, so I'm relying on you to point in me in the right direction with a great example I can pick on Discogs. As always, all advice gratefully received.
     
  2. raye_penber

    raye_penber . Thread Starter

    Location:
    Highlands.
    Any takers?
     
  3. steveharris

    steveharris Senior Member

    Location:
    Mass
    The reissue before last sounds good to me.I think this was the one that used the DCC stampers?
     
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  4. kozy814

    kozy814 Forum Resident

    Just about as good as this album gets. The original WB cuts are just not great across the board.
     
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  5. Arkoffs

    Arkoffs Remote member

    Location:
    Right behind you
    Yeah, in an audiophile sense I would guess the reissues are better than an original. I like the grungy way the US original sounds but I'm used to it. It would sound weird to me now if I heard it cleaned up.
     
  6. Myke

    Myke Trying Not To Spook The Horse

    Blows the doors off the dump ! Van Halen - Van Halen

    Though I doubt the Chris Bellman cut is any slouch. Great now I'm considering owning two copies ?!?!
     
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  7. monovinyl

    monovinyl Senior Member

    The very first US WB pressing with the Burbank label is awesome. Tough to find in NM condition.
     
  8. steveharris

    steveharris Senior Member

    Location:
    Mass
    I have the Merrie Melodies WB Promo EP sealed.I should give it a listen one of these days.
     
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  9. Dr. Funk

    Dr. Funk Vintage Dust

    Location:
    Fort Worth TX
    The original US WB palm tree label sounds damn good.
    The 2009 Kevin Gray/Steve Hoffman cut sounds damn good.
    The 2015 Chris Bellman cut sounds damn good.
    You have 3 to choose from. :cool:
     
  10. raye_penber

    raye_penber . Thread Starter

    Location:
    Highlands.
    Thanks for the replies :righton:
    I've been wary of the reissues since I heard a friend's copy of 1984 a couple of years ago (three years back, thinking about it now). I can't remember which label but it was readily available on the high street in most generic stores. It was pretty flat, low volume, and sterile sounding (I have an original pressing, NM, which sounds great to my ears).

    Just for clarity - can anyone link me to a good reissue on discogs? I'm tempted for the pressing mentioned somewhere above, but at $129 it's pretty top end for Van Halen. One thing's for sure - my copy has to go. I bought it primarily for the guitar tone...
     
  11. Madison Mike

    Madison Mike Forum Resident

    Location:
    Madison
    I have the Bellman remaster, sounds great to me. The room ambiance and echo come thru nicely. It's a hot cut, but in a good way.
     
  12. JasonA

    JasonA Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cereal City
    I have one of those. Keep yours sealed, mine sounds like crap. Very noisy pressing.
     
  13. raye_penber

    raye_penber . Thread Starter

    Location:
    Highlands.
  14. Madison Mike

    Madison Mike Forum Resident

    Location:
    Madison
  15. raye_penber

    raye_penber . Thread Starter

    Location:
    Highlands.
    I'm hesitant, only because I suspect this is part of the same reissue series as the copy of 1984 I heard recently, which was very flat, smiley-faced EQ compared to the original.
     
  16. Michael Chavez

    Michael Chavez Forum Resident

    Location:
    US
    ?
     
  17. JasonA

    JasonA Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cereal City
  18. Madison Mike

    Madison Mike Forum Resident

    Location:
    Madison
    I've not heard the 1984 remaster by Bellman so can't comment on it.

    As far as their debut record, I haven't heard an original pressing in a very long time. My brother and I had a first press when we were teens but gouged it down to the nub on a cheap Yorx record player. :sigh:
     
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  19. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    Is that Bellman cut AAA? Looks like the 2009 edition is pretty expensive right now.

    My LP copy is a run of the mill U.S. used bin copy (not a first pressing with the palm trees) and still sounds pretty great IMHO.

    Van Halen - Van Halen
     
  20. Michael Chavez

    Michael Chavez Forum Resident

    Location:
    US
    no, my question is/was I don't know how you can say that (just because yours is)
    and if they're all by chance really that bad then what's the point in leaving it sealed?
    not exactly an uber rare title anyone's going to pay a "still sealed" premium for (not to mention it's a who in the heck knows number pressing)
    turn a kid onto Van Halen
     
    Last edited: Aug 15, 2019
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  21. Madison Mike

    Madison Mike Forum Resident

    Location:
    Madison
    IDK. Hype sticker says- remastered from the original analog tapes. Music Direct says- Cut Straight from the Quarter-Inch Tapes by Chris Bellman.
     
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  22. steveharris

    steveharris Senior Member

    Location:
    Mass
    Honestly,I didin`t pay much for Promo and I've just been going between my three other pressings and the DCC CD of VH I.I haven`t given it much thought until now.:)
     
  23. Madison Mike

    Madison Mike Forum Resident

    Location:
    Madison
    All this talk got me to give the Bellman cut another spin last night. Love it.

    I don't know where these were pressed but they did a good job- LP is perfectly flat and dead quiet from nose to tail. Nary a pop or click throughout.
     
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  24. pmdclassics

    pmdclassics Forum Resident

    Location:
    Bismarck ND
    Our host did a fantastic job on the HQ-180 reissue (as Myke linked above). I have listened to the original WB US Palm Tree pressing hundreds of times since 1977 and I can say for sure that Dave's voice is much, much clearer on HQ-180 cut. Also the Bass has more punch. Its rather pricey and hard to find but a must for the VH hardcore.
     
  25. raye_penber

    raye_penber . Thread Starter

    Location:
    Highlands.
    Then consider it on my list!
     

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