Pink Floyds Dark Side of the Moon, best vinyl version?

Question says it all. Don't care about fancy packages, just sound quality. There's an MFSL version, the current Parlophone release from 2011, and a 40th anniversary edition.

I'm just hopeful one of those sounds as good or better than the original UK version since that goes for north of $150.

 

There are many threads on this subject.

Briefly, my personal favorite audio is found on the original UK pressings. Pressings with A2 B2 or A3 B3 in the deadwax are the “best”. Later UK pressings from the 1970s also feature great sound. However, it is very difficult to find UK copies that play without distracting surface noise, in my experience.

Other contenders that offer nice alternatives:

German 2nd pressing A-2 B-2 or A-4 B-2
Japan Pro Use

 

For clean backgrounds the 30th Anniversary (2003) - I found this closest to my A3/B3. The latest (2011) version is OK but a little anemic.

 

To directly address your question, no, none of the versions you have listed sounds as good as a clean original UK pressing. That's at least what I have found.

 

They don't, unfortunately.

 

Yeah, for sound it's the 30th anniversary version. Because of great sound and the dead quiet vinyl.
I have two UK copies, a first and a second pressing. But because of the surface noise I tend to play the 30th anniversary version.

 

I haven't heard it but apparently the Japanese Pro-Use version is the best sounding

 

How is the the Japanese 1st Blue Triangle pressing?

 

I'll second that post wholeheartedly.

 

I've heard that as well. Never heard it myself though.

 

The only version on vinyl I've yet to hear is my Wally-cut '70s US Capitol pressing, which sounds marvelous. One of the best bucks I've ever spent at Goodwill!

 

The 40th edition sounds nice IMO. I also own a first press US which sounds nice too. Both are nice and quiet as well

 

Unless you have heard it you can't say. It's supposed to be better than the MFSL but being Japanese I doubt it was cut from the original master tape. I don't recall reading about any comparisons with other versions.

 

It's going to come down to how much you want to spend. An Nm-Ex Japanese Pro Use will cost several hundred dollars(I've been trolling for one for years and just can't make myself pull the trigger). As will probably a Ex-Nm U.K. first press. IMHO the best bang for the buck would be the 2003 30th anniversary reissue. It's all analogue and you can still buy sealed copies. Possibly followed by the 2011 although that one uses a digital source iirc and I haven't heard it. I do own the 2011 Wish You were Here reissue and if it's any indication, DSOTM again cost wise may be a good option. I think after those two you are heading into expensive territory.

I own one and I play it quite a bit. Compared to the only U.K. pressing I own, from the First XI box set which would be a late 70's HTM cut, I find the two to be quite close in eq treatment.

 

I own a german 80s pressing with A-2 / B-3 matrix and it sounds nice.

 

Yeah, I think you're right with the 2011 issue, I think that uses a digital source. I haven't heard it but for something like DSOTM I would stay away from anything with a digital source.

 

That's a picture disc isn't it..?

 

I bought the recent reissue, I guess the UK version was better according to what I read (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dark-Side-M...8&sr=8-1&keywords=dark+side+of+the+moon+vinyl)

I'm very happy with this. I don't know what the 'best' pressing is, but I know I'm fully satisfied with this one.

 

Ahhh sorry, for the confusion, mine was not. Neither was my Wish You Were Here. I didn't buy box set new it was nearly new, I purchased it in 1981. I was told by the seller that I was the second owner. I was initially disappointed that the 2 pic discs had been swapped out(I didn't even know at the time that it came with pic discs. I only discovered that via the internet many years later.)

The only thing about the set that I found strange at the time was that DSOTM and WYWH were sealed while all the others were not. I have a feeling that this was done by the record store owner before it left the store, before the seller I purchased it from sold it to me.
Anyway other than the rarity of the pic discs for collectibility, I am glad it had the U.K. pressings. I have a Canadian pic disc of DSOTM that I stuck in and some day maybe I'll find a WYWH to add in as well.

 

You've kind of turned your thread into a trick question, thanks to the widespread esteem and holy grailism that surrounds the unobtanium splendor attributed to clean noiseless early UK pressings. Your quite specific hopefulness is going to be crushed by the cognoscienti.

A less bleak outlook is that an equally widespread esteem applies to other 1970s all-analog pressings of this album as it sold by the millions. Finding a nice U.S. Wally pressing is getting harder but it's far from impossible, and they generally, or at least often sound spectacular (even if people insist that the UK original has an extra magic). It's difficult to acquire the ultimate DSOTM but it's also difficult to find a mediocre or bad version if you know what to look for IMO.

 

This is true about the 2011 version that I have. It's a snoozer and I'm sure you can find better without much effort.

 

I owne a EMI japan pressing, the first MFSL and a UK blue triangle A2/B2. The best is the first UK, then japanese and last the MFSL. UK have great bass and better bottom than the MFSL. It is my best copy for sound even with some crakling during quiet sections, it is cut louder than the japanese and MFSL though.

 

i like my uk quad