So I have spent countless hours combing over recommendations for versions of vinyl pressings that I want in my collection. I have noticed that by and large Japanese pressings have a pretty bad reputation for having been mastered with an unfavorable EQ with less bass and higher top end. does this apply for first pressings as well, were they all re-mastered for the Japanese market with the non existent bass, or was the original mastering retained at this early stage in some cases.? I am not trying to open up a can of worms here. It seems in many cases the original US Original pressings are best, but can be hard to find quiet copies. This is why I ask.
A good rule of thumb is to get the original pressing from the band or artist´s country of origin (Russia excepted--no offense intended Russian forum members!). So Beatles? UK, Bob Dylan US. Bruce Cockburn Canada, Frascious Hardy French pressing etc... Not always true, but theoretically, they are the close-est to the masters and mother stampers. I used to collect Japanese LP pressings in the 80-90s, then moved to the more ´hot´ UK pressing of fave Rock from the 60s and 70s in the 1990 to now. But now I often find the rule of thumb above works well. Lots to learn and explore in this area!
The Nightfly sounded HORRID. Threw it in the garbage. Don't know when it was pressed. Sold as M-, sure 'looked' just beautiful! Maybe it was just worn out, a bad cartridge/needle or something??? Super treble. Just bad. Couldn't even listen to it once completely through, in the garbage it went. That's ok, I have 3 USA pressings.
It truly depends on the album, which I know isn't what you want to hear, but it's the troof. But no way in the world should you jump to the conclusion that a Japanese pressing is automatically EQ'd in some displeasing way.
I have always loved Japanese pressings, if only for the packaging, but, as @Combination says, it’s very much on a case-by-case basis as far as the tapes used goes. One interesting Bob Dylan anomaly is the first Japanese pressing of Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid, which not only has gorgeous packaging, but is unique musically in the sense that the stereo channels were reversed. Whether you find this pleasing or not is beside the point. Later Japanese pressings corrected the error. This is the first pressing, which came in a full-size, full-colour wraparound obi:
In other threads of the same ilk it seems like this trend if there was one ended in the 80's. I have quite a few that are EQ'd fine. If one isn't happy with the US Ricker ELO-OOTB, apparently the old Japan King has boosted bass. Makes sense as the old Japan compact disc carries this trait compared to the Gastwirt. This is one hellava nice sounding cut-Cure Pornography. Thinking this was the mastering they used for the A&M compact disc.
Typically I don't find them worth the hype. Quiet vinyl, better than their 70's USA counterparts, but the EQ isn't my thing.
Japan issues are usually made of tape copies so you are getting a lower generation in most cases. I don't see it worth i unless you just care about the packaging which is usually better than other countries.