Black Sabbath Paranoid Best Vinyl Pressing

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Neilson77, Jan 29, 2015.

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  1. Neilson77

    Neilson77 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Nottingham UK
    I know most are going to say the 1st press UK Vertigo swirl but to me it sounds dull and muffled, I much prefer the recent Vinyl released as part of "Black Sabbath The Vinyl Collection 1970-1978". Yes it is brighter sounding but not too much and everything just seems clearer. I hear the Kevin Gray Rhino is nice sounding too but has a lot of tape dropouts due to it being from the US copy tape.
     
  2. wrighty47

    wrighty47 Forum Resident

    I have a UK Vertigo spaceship and love the sound of it. Took it to a friends house and played it on his LP12 (a better deck than mine) and it sounded just wonderful. Only heard a Nems other than that. Now that was dull & muffled.
     
    sathvyre likes this.
  3. DaveyF

    DaveyF Forum Resident

    Location:
    La Jolla, Calif
    I own a UK 1st press Vertigo swirl copy and it doesn't sound "dull and muffled" on my system. I think it is an excellent recording and well worth seeking out if you can find one. What cartridge/tonearm/table are you using? Condition of your pressing?
     
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  4. Neilson77

    Neilson77 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Nottingham UK
    I would say its muddy sounding. My copy is a Spaceship pressing in EX condition and I also have pbthal's rip of the swirl, both sound the same. The new pressing from the box set is much better to my ears, clearer and doesn't lose any of the analog impact. Cart is an Ortofon Super OM30, Technics SL-1210MK2, Wharfedale Xarus 5000 speakers and Yamaha A-S700 amp.
     
  5. dconsmack

    dconsmack Senior Member

    Location:
    Las Vegas, NV USA
    The 2004 Rhino USA reissue, cut by Kevin Gray. Apparently an analogue cut. It's truly an audiophile style mastering; there's tons of dynamics and the drum transients are huge. Powerful bass and a wide stereo separation. There is no digital version of this mastering that I'm aware of. Pressed at RTI; heavy, quiet, and flat. Yeah, War Pigs increases in volume a couple of minutes into the song, but the original US version did too. There's lots of high end so if you have a moving coil cartridge with a boosted high end, it will sound sizzly. But if you have a neutral cartridge, this pressing can't be beat. It's awesome. 2004 Rhino Records R1 78976.
     
  6. E.Baba

    E.Baba Forum Resident

    There's some very informative threads on this already and I wonder why people don't research and read them. I picked up a Vertigo stamper Paranoid for $10 by doing so.
     
    KipB likes this.
  7. pinkrudy

    pinkrudy Senior Member

    i have couple vinyl rips....the german virtigo swirls sounded better to me than the phthal uk press needle drops.

    but that could be because of the transferring equipment.
     
    Soundslave likes this.
  8. Barnabas Collins

    Barnabas Collins Senior Member

    Location:
    NH
    Both the UK Vertigos of "Paranoid" and "Masters of Reality" feature a laid back presentation that might not appeal to those used to the later digital versions. Personally, I love the way they sound although I can understand why some might find them "muddy". I found them muddy at first too but now they are my go-too versions; most of the CDs I've heard aren't nearly as good to me anymore. The US WB greenie of "Paranoid" is actually pretty good too, but those volume fluctuations are kind of annoying.
     
    Erik Tracy likes this.
  9. Neilson77

    Neilson77 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Nottingham UK
    Do the German Vertigo Swirls use the same UK stampers for 1-4? People say they don't sound as good as the UKs but they use the same 1Y 2Y matrix codes
     
  10. ripping corpse

    ripping corpse Forum Resident

    Location:
    IN
    Neilson77,I'll take that Paranoid spaceship off you hands for a fair price if you don't like it.
     
  11. kippenhok

    kippenhok Forum Resident

    Pretty sure they're different. I have a German swirl Paranoid and it's got German stampers (IIRC: starting with the number 10, and having the '320' country code). It sounds OK, it's bass heavy but similar to what I see described for the UK otherwise. I do, however, expect the UK to be a bit better so still on the lookout for one of 'em.
     
  12. Kossoff is God

    Kossoff is God Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicagoland
    The US WB Quadraphonic pressing is my preference over the UK 1st press Vertigo. Nice fat sound with a more open presentation. The clarity is also better making it appear it could of been cut from the master.
     
    quicksrt likes this.
  13. dkmonroe

    dkmonroe A completely self-taught idiot

    Location:
    Atlanta
    I've read many of these threads and I haven't found a $10 Vertigo pressing by doing so. :laugh:

    I have a Vertigo Spaceship pressing of Master of Reality but I've never found one of Paranoid. Copies of Paranoid that aren't WB are SO.FREAKING.EXPENSIVE. I'm about to break down and get the Rhino version but I'm not jazzed about the varying volume levels in "War Pigs."
     
  14. matthew2600

    matthew2600 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    I got my German Vertigo for free from a funk dj who scoffed at me wanting a common rock album he ended up with in an auction lot. But sadly most Sabbath I see on vinyl is later press, bad condition and overpriced.
     
    hi_watt likes this.
  15. Tim1954

    Tim1954 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cincinnati, OH
    I don't care for the "Vinyl Collection" box. Most of the stuff sounds like it was EQ'd with a big smiley face curve.

    Original UK Vertigo LP is my preference, but I'm sure there are other 70's pressings which are as good.

    Never cared for Kevin Gray's cut for Rhino at all. Nice dynamics but way too bright.
     
    latheofheaven and E.Baba like this.
  16. Vinyl Fan 1973

    Vinyl Fan 1973 "They're like soup, they're like....nothing bad"

    Uk Vertigo Spaceship. Simply put....incredible.

    Not sure what other people are claiming to hear, but muddy sounding does not even come into play with this pressing.
     
  17. oldschool

    oldschool I love tape hiss

    Location:
    Sofia, Bulgaria
    +1

    It does sound great to me too - difficult to pick between this, the CP32 original twofer CD and the original UK vinyl. It is a different experience - the first is more transparent and exciting, the other two are a bit more laid back and natural sounding.
     
    Neilson77 likes this.
  18. dkmonroe

    dkmonroe A completely self-taught idiot

    Location:
    Atlanta
    It drives me bonkers that the Vinyl Collection box existed and I couldn't afford it, and will probably never see it again. :mudscrying:
     
    Neilson77 likes this.
  19. box of frogs

    box of frogs Forum Resident

    Location:
    Lincolnshire, UK
    Look out for the early UK WWA pressings: I have versions of the 1st album and 'Paranoid', both using the original UK Vertigo swirl masters. They sound identical (I have both Swirl and WWAs, but the latter are in better condition).
     
    Soundslave likes this.
  20. E.Baba

    E.Baba Forum Resident

    ^ This ^ is what I'm talking about. Notice I said Vertigo stamper not label.

    IME the Rhino is wrong. Resold mine.

    I have a German Spaceship that sounds very good too.
     
    funknik likes this.
  21. dkmonroe

    dkmonroe A completely self-taught idiot

    Location:
    Atlanta
    I get that, I'm aware of the WWA pressings using Vertigo stampers, unfortunately they're all really expensive now. I did manage to grab a WWA pressing of Sabbath Bloody Sabbath for a good price a few years ago. I keep looking, hope springs eternal.

    Thanks for the heads-up on the Rhino - being Kevin Gray's work it's tempting, but I'll pass.
     
    E.Baba likes this.
  22. E.Baba

    E.Baba Forum Resident

    Kevin Gray's name is usually a seal of approval for me which is why I had one. Problem one is the US mastertape. Problem two was the topend was too sharp - for me. Problem three was pressing related. As you can see on forum some people like it. Even my first post about it was positive because it was more 'dynamic' than I expected. But then......too much, too sharp.
     
  23. Vinyl Fan 1973

    Vinyl Fan 1973 "They're like soup, they're like....nothing bad"

    The Spaceship pressings use the same vertigo stampers, and the original laminated gatefold, but they are more rare than the WWA. Their value will only increase.
     
  24. bluesky

    bluesky Senior Member

    Location:
    south florida, usa
  25. JustinBond

    JustinBond Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Can't believe we got to post #24 before anyone mentioned NEMS.

    I want to say it was a similar thread about 'best Sabbath vinyl' that steered me in the direction of NEMS Sabbath reissues. Looking at my Discogs purchase history, in June '13 I bought the 2011 NEMS reissue along with an also recent NEMS reissue of Sabbath s/t on red translucent vinyl. I don't listen to either of them that often, but one of them sounds… off. Maybe a little brittle and stale sounding. I want to say it's the red s/t that I'm not hip on. Now I'm going to have to go home and listen to both. Oh Darn!
     
    ripping corpse likes this.
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