Ultimate Led Zeppelin Vinyl Pressings!

All the fuss seems to be surrounding the new remasters atm. I think Presence and ITTOD improve on the originals judging from the mastered for iTunes which are from the new remasters and should sound about the same. My ultimate versions though are ofcourse vinyl-

I - US AT/GP George Piros or Classic 200G
II - US RL
III - UK Plum A5/B5
IV - UK Plum A3/B3 or B4
HOTH - UK A1/B1 Porky/Pecko or later RL pressings
PG - UK A1/B4 or B5/C1/D1
Presence - Classic 200G
ITTOD - Classic 200G
Coda - Classic 200G

What are others opinions? Im betting most would firmly agree with the above list as the best you can get!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdcWQTjcRgY

 

Just listening to the new Physical Graffiti remaster and its pretty damn good! Sounds clearer than my UK Vinyl, maybe this is just due to a bit of EQ though?

 

it would be cool to see what other pressings you compared to reach these conclusions....

 

this is what i have
LZI- uk plum
LZII- US RL
LZIII- 2014 reissue
LZIV- 2014 reissue
houses of the holy- US monarch RL
physical graffitti- US press
presence- still looking
in through the outdoor- still looking

 

Dont know, but folks are saying the new PG is the best of the remaster lot. Most improvement so far, anyway.

 

Solid list from the original poster. I can't see any corrections

 

Was mostly based on forum opinions of best pressings for each title. Lots of replies as to which were the best and these tended to be mentioned the most as the best u can get.

 

Clearer doesn't necessarily mean more musical. I prefer my original vinyl - more presence if you'll pardon the pun...

 

IMO- The new PG beats my old US pressing (although it's not a 1st pressing) It's cleaner and doesn't skip.
(My old copy has 2 skips. After listening to it for years it's odd to hear the songs without the skips. A part of my brain still hears the skips)

I'll keep my older copy- but when I want to hear this record I will most likely spin the remaster.

 

I agree but I think a US 1st press Monarch of Physical Graffiti should get a special mention.

 

Just listening to my 2014 reissue of III. It sounds similar to the original US pressing but compared to an A5/B5 UK Plum its veiled and lacks detail/clarity. Maybe the plum was midrange boosted but it sounds better to my ears than the reissue. I have 1-3 on vinyl of the recent reissues. 1 and 2 are very good, don't best the classic records or an RL though.

 

I - Classic 200G
II - US RL
III - Classic Records
IV - UK Plum A3/B3
HOTH - UK A2/B2 RL
PG - Classic Records
Presence - Classic 200G
ITTOD - Classic 200G
Coda - Classic 200G

I've compared many different versions but have never heard or seen the A1/B1 Porky/Peko HOTH.

 

Always wanted the Classic 200G of ITTOD but its ridiculously expensive now and the rarest of the Classic records Zep. I only really like In The Evening though but wow what a track!

 

My favs line up pretty close to the OP until after PG. I haven't heard those later classics but I'm sure they are better than originals based on all the posts here.

I - US AT/GP
II - (toss up) US RL/UK plum A2/B2
III - UK plum A5/B5
IV - UK plum A3/B4 (honorable mention to the Classic)
HOTH - US RL
Physical Graffiti - UK A1/B4/C1/D1
Presence - US Monarch
ITTOD - US Monarch

 

I don't think you can go wrong with the Classic Records pressings, even II. Found I greatly preferred Classic II over a UK plum (RL is pretty impossible to find in UK). Of the new pressings found III came closest to the Classic for SQ. Other new titles can be a little muddy but do excel at bass. All these sound better than the 80's represses I used to own.

 

Sadly I no longer have my set of UK originals to compare with, just the vinyl Mothership set, and all the new 2014/2015 vinyl remasters with the bonus discs.

Anyway, just wanted to say thanks for the thread. It's nice to see one where someone has pulled together other threads and done a nice neat summary, which is probably spot on or close to it. Nice to see also that the new Physical Grafitti is highly regarded. I started listening to it again after I heard Bob Plant say it was his favourite Zep, and it's slowly become mine too, several years on....

 

Can't go wrong with a Presswell as well.

 

Really good low end on those. My faves of PG.

 

The MO of Presence is incredible.

 

When I was a kid my copy of Rod Stewarts "Every Picture Tells A Story" would get stuck in the same spot during "(I Know) I'm Losing You." Nonetheless I played the record to death. To this day (over forty years later) I do a double take every time I hear that song sans the skip.

 

I have a Canadian pressing of PG which is exceptional. I accidentally pulled it out the other day instead of the 2015 reissue. I was half way through the first side before I realized my mistake.

 

Along with HOTH, which I do have the 200g CR of, ITTOD is my fave LZ album but out of my league when it comes to the CR reissue. Maybe one day ( I can dream, right?).

 

The Canadian pressing is just as good and a lot cheaper.

 

Presence- The Classic used to be my go to and totally rocks, but now it is a promo copy with the orange sticker (RI- Richmond? pressing). Just a tighter, leaner, meaner sound on my system.

I would like to find one of these.