What is the best pressing of Awake by Dream Theater?

(First post!)

Hi everyone! According to Dream Theater - Awake , there are currently 7 pressings, counting the test pressing. Here they are in order:

Original 1994 German Pressing: Dream Theater - Awake
This one is the most expensive of the retail pressings, by far.

2014 US Enjoy The Ride Pressing: Dream Theater - Awake
This is the one with the grey, blue and gold on it.

2014 EU Music On Vinyl Pressing: Dream Theater - Awake
I'm pretty sure this one is not colored.

2014 US ETR Second Pressing: Dream Theater - Awake
This one is the standard black.

2014 US ETR Test Pressing: Dream Theater - Awake
This one is actually the most expensive. It has a black, white and gold cover. Only 24 were pressed, and according to Discogs, 11 users own one, and there is 1 (5/24 if you are wondering) for sale.

2014 EU ETR Third Pressing: Dream Theater - Awake
This one is white.

2016 EU MOV Second Pressing: Dream Theater - Awake
This one has a wavy silver color.

I have heard both good and bad things about MOV and ETR, regarding DT album pressings. Some claim some pressings are CD sourced. I have no evidence for this. But judging from past threads about this topic, both companies have conflicting statements. I don't really care, so long as I find out which one is best!

 

I haven’t heard any vinyl versions but I like the original US CD (I imagine it sounds better than any vinyl versions assuming it’s digitally recorded+mastered)

Has anyone heard the original vinyl? If any version sounds better than the original CD I’m assuming it’d be that one.

 

Bought the original when it was originally released. Was never able to find out about the mastering and sources of the reissues so I've stayed away from them until I get more information. Have several Awake CDs but only the single original German vinyl pressing.

 

How does the vinyl sound? Better than the CDs or does it just sound like a digital transfer?

 

Honestly, it's been ages since I've listened to it. My go to is the Japanese CD for Awake. If I had to guess, the assumption would be digital transfer since I think that may have been the standard at that point, but I really don't know.

 

The Japanese is different from the US?

 

Don't really know, but it sounds a little better to me.

 

Could you upload the peak levels or DR measurements? I can compare them to my US pressing to see if there are any differences.

 

I'm sorry. I don't have the software for that

 

I just got the limited music on vinyl copy
Sounds awesome
Now I have to track down a copy of a change of seasons

 

On another note
Has anyone got the SMH-CD version from japan?
They are not cheap, I’d love to know if there is much of a difference

 

Finally got the Japan disc the other day (the one with the bonus 3" CD). Track timings are different but when the samples are aligned they cancel each other out, meaning the mastering is identical. It's possible it could sound better when the actual disc is played back though due to different manufacturing processes.