Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon - Best sounding CD (updated)

Here is the short answer. (If you look at the column headings carefully, you should be able to figure out how to find the original CSR digital transfer.):
Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon - Best sounding CD (updated)

If you would like a long answer, I can direct you to 3 long posts of mine on another thread.

 

Right.
(TO) is Toshiba, a manufacturer. Toshiba for the US Capitol went back and used the first Sony mastering found on the Japan CSR (going by memory) manufacture.
The later Japan manufacture after CSR used the 2nd Sony mastering, often called the 'TO' to help identify the mastering, , this one has that Ticket To Ride you can hear at the fadeout on Eclipse. This was made by Toshiba. Hence why you see people say 'Non TO'
Confusing. But yes the US DIDX Capitol with TO uses the first Sony Japan mastering. Peaks I posted above. I have one and confirmed it.
Edit-Thanks Caroline!
So I wonder if 'Ticket' can be heard on the standard US DIDX Capitol with these peaks, might help identify the mastering
46.8 / 48.2 / 49.3 / 51.0 / 72.5 / 63.3 / 67.1 / 58.8 / 62.7

 

The "TO" discs are the EMI mastering.

 

TO is irrelevant and could be EITHER CSR mastering or Abbey Road (EMI) mastering

 

With a massive boost it can be heard but very, very faint. Much fainter than on the 1992 Doug Sax.

This early US capitol disc pressed by DADC with these peaks does not contain a for de-emphasis EQ adjusted version of the first Sony mastering.

The grail has more low end and the DIDX is much brighter. On a few segments I checked the EQ of the DIDX above 10 kHz is almost on the level of the grail without de-emph!

 

The U.S cd I have, had or heard - Matrix: DIDX-226 111A16 (Silver Face: DIDX 000226)
Pink Floyd Archives-U.S. CD Discography

One event to listen for is a noticeable volume level drop-recovery during Us and Them
starting at approx 2.54mins = “forward he cried from the rear, and the front rank died”.

 

The second Sony mastering is the one you do NOT want, in my humble opinion. Inferior to every other mastering of this album that I’ve heard.

 

Well, THANKS! You actually un-complicated it for me.
following just this one title is Fascinating to me! And stumbling across various edition s once in awhile makes it even more fun.
so thank you for the clarity and everyone else here for your info!
Beave

 

Thanks as always Strippies for the homework, appreciated!
So indeed the standard US uses the second EMI Japan mastering.

 

You're positive that this second master 46.8 / 48.2 etc wasn't created by US DADC?

 

Capitol tapes digitally transferred by DADC in the US.

 

My brain hurts.

It would help to look beyond peaks.

 

Probably safe to say the US PDO/Capitol JAX carries it as well? Tough when these labels were 'pimping' out their manufactures

 

It seems the US PDO indeed has the DADC mastering but the Capitol JAX has the EMI mastering. Life can be complicated on the dark side.

 

Weren’t the early copies made from safety masters? I seem to remember reading that in ICE mag back in the day.

 

Indeed...

 

And for even more complication, there's also an US PDO with the first Sony Japan master.

 

There are 2 different US PDO pressings, one with the original CSR transfer and the more common later ones with the later transfer.

The same story with Capitol pressings. There's a US pressing with a "C" in the matrix on a regular aluminum face disc made from a Toshiba Japan stamper AND later ones with JAX in the matrix from a DADC glass master.

I suggest reading the column headings on my chart. I spent hours on that chart so that you can't make a mistake if looking at the matrix.

 

Do the 20th anniversary and '94 reissue use the same mastering? I want to have the '94 remasters as my Floyd collection but don't know if these are essentially the same.

 

Shoot, sorry Caroline, I forgot about that chart, i'll bump it-
Nice job!
One more to add is the US Capitol DIDX 226-(on the face) CDP 7 46001 2 31C3 TO J in the matrix, carries the 39.9

 

It's not quite that simple. There's another version:

Title: The Dark Side of the Moon (Capitol Records 14th issue)
Record Company: Capitol Records
Catalog Number: CDP 7 46001 2
Bar Code: 0 7777-46001-2
Matrix Information:
1) Bottom: C 246001 02% MADE IN USA BY PDO
Pressing Plant: Philips DuPont Optical, Kings Mt., North Carolina
Production Mastering / Revision Level: EMI mastering - EMI revision level 1
Release Information: Fourteenth U.S. release. Fourth pressing by Philips DuPont Optical in Kings Mt., North Carolina. Booklet, cover and longbox made in the U.S. 4-box rectangle on label.
Total Time: 42:54
Track Peak Levels: 83.8 / 90.4 / 95.5 / 92.8 / 95.5 / 94.6 / 95.5 / 91.7 / 95.5

Title: The Dark Side of the Moon (Capitol Records 15th issue)
Record Company: Capitol Records
Catalog Number: CDP 7 46001 2
Bar Code: 0 7777-46001-2
Matrix Information:
1) Bottom: C 246001 02% MADE IN USA BY PDO
2) Bottom: C 246001 02% AB MADE IN USA
Pressing Plant: Philips DuPont Optical, Kings Mt., North Carolina
Production Mastering / Revision Level: EMI mastering - EMI revision level 1
Release Information: Fifteenth U.S. release. Fifth pressing by Philips DuPont Optical in Kings Mt., North Carolina. Booklet, cover and longbox made in the U.S. 4-box rectangle on label.
Total Time: 42:54
Track Peak Levels: 83.8 / 90.4 / 95.5 / 92.8 / 95.5 / 94.6 / 95.5 / 91.7 / 95.5

Title: The Dark Side of the Moon (Capitol Records 16th issue)
Record Company: Capitol Records
Catalog Number: CDP 7 46001 2
Bar Code: 0 7777-46001-2
Matrix Information:
1) Top: CDP 7 46001 2 L9C09E RE1 1-1-3 CAPITOL JAX 80 C
2) Top: CDP 7 46001 2 L9C09E RE1 1-1-4 CAPITOL JAX 81 C
3) Top: CDP 7 46001 2 L9C09E RE1 1-1-8 CAPITOL JAX 85 C
4) Top: CDP 7 46001 2 L9C09E RE1 1-1-10 CAPITOL JAX 87 C
5) Top: CDP 7 46001 2 L9C09E RE1 1-1-11 CAPITOL JAX 88 C
6) Top: CDP 7 46001 2 L9C09E RE1 1-1-13 CAPITOL JAX 90 C
7) Top: CDP 7 46001 2 L9C09E RE1 1-1-15 CAPITOL JAX 92 C
8) Top: CDP 7 46001 2 L9C09E RE1 1-1-17 CAPITOL JAX 94C
9) Top: CDP 7 46001 2RE1 L9C16C
10) Top: CDP 7 46001 2 L9C16C RE1 Y 2-1-3 CAPITOL JAX
11) Top: CDP 7 46001 2 L9C16C RE1 Y 2-1-5 CAPITOL JAX
Pressing Plant: Capitol Records, Jacksonville, Illinois
Production Mastering / Revision Level: EMI mastering - EMI revision level 1
Release Information: Sixteenth U.S. release with CD, booklet cover, and longbox made in the U.S. 4-box rectangle on label with nothing printed above the box.
Total Time: 42:54
Track Peak Levels: 83.8 / 90.4 / 95.5 / 92.8 / 95.5 / 94.6 / 95.5 / 91.7 / 95.5

Title: The Dark Side of the Moon (Capitol Records 17th issue)
Record Company: Capitol Records
Catalog Number: CDP 7 46001 2
Bar Code: 0 7777-46001-2
Matrix Information:
1) Bottom: 112776-D7-2269-1 DISCTRONICS USA **46001**
2) Top: CDP7460012 MADE BY DISCTRONICS (H) W.O. 14753-1
Pressing Plant: Disctronics, Texas
Production Mastering / Revision Level: EMI mastering - EMI revision level 1
Release Information: Seventeenth U.S. release with CD, booklet cover, and longbox made in the U.S. 4-box rectangle on label with nothing printed above the box.
Total Time: 42:54
Track Peak Levels: 83.8 / 90.4 / 95.5 / 92.8 / 95.5 / 94.6 / 95.5 / 91.7 / 95.5

Title: The Dark Side of the Moon (Capitol Records 18th issue)
Record Company: Capitol Records
Catalog Number: CDP 7 46001 2
Bar Code: 0 7777-46001-2
Matrix Information:
1) Top: CDP 7 46001 2RE1 L9C16C
Pressing Plant: Capitol Records, Jacksonville, Illinois
Production Mastering / Revision Level: EMI mastering - EMI revision level 1
Release Information: Eighteenth U.S. release with CD, booklet cover, and longbox made in the U.S. 4-box rectangle on label with nothing printed above the box.
Total Time: 42:54
Track Peak Levels: 83.8 / 90.4 / 95.5 / 92.8 / 95.5 / 94.6 / 95.5 / 91.7 / 95.5

Looks like it must be the green mastering, lowered in level slightly.

 

Whatever I just got the 2011, I think it sounds great.

 

J is the key. Look at the chart again.

 

Any idea what it would stand for?

 

My guess is JAX. I am convinced that AR stands for Abbey Road. TO obviously is Toshiba. U is probably Uden ( when EMI CD'S were distributed in Europe through EMI Uden. I have no clue what M may stand for.