I was studying in Japan in 1991. May I share one reason why they remove the bottom end of records. The Japanese home is made of wood, recycled wood chips. Most of it are plywood, which is hollow. If You have a recording with such lows, the doors in the rooms may vibrate. You can hear the vibrating in the other rooms it may disturb the family members or even other tenants under the same roof. Ofcause,Japanese rooms are pretty small, so the Long throw of Low frequencies may be thrown too far. I hope Idid not mislead you, tsk for the listening ear.
Was just going to say that. Have friends who were stationed there....High Population, denser to the land available, Smaller and closer living spaces.....needs quieter and less emphasized sound. That's why they all scoffed up our Blue Notes.....
Buying records in Japan, I was most impressed with how meticulous the stores were in their grading of used records and detail listed on the protective sleeve. Since they don't want you to take it out of the sleeve and look at the record (away from the register at least) they include all the detail you could want on the outside. Label variations (with picture included), matrix numbers, etc. A record they graded as a B or B+ was in fantastic condition. A great shopping experience and the customer service was awesome. I was more stoked to find UK originals of New Order and Bauhaus over there than the couple of Japanese presses I got haha
Japan VG is Western NM or M. A lot of brand new vinyl I've bought from Western sources come scratched to hell, as they slide back and forth in their paper sleeves. Then you get 40 year old Japanese vinyl they've listed as VG because it has a tiny hairline mark that you can only see under bright light at a certain angle. After dealing with all the nonsense western grading, I just buy solely Japanese now. I'd rather it be mastered with anaemic bass, then get a western NM+ that sound like someone is constantly crushing paper in the background.
I bought the Japanese copy of Animals you showed in the video. The condition was immaculate and the vinyl very quiet. However, I sold it because compared to my first UK press it was very anaemic sounding. No bass, no dynamics - just lifeless. The UK, though noisier, just kicks you in the balls with a big aggressive sound, just like it should. Keep up the good work.
I had it as well. ok on some parts of the tracks but muddy, no dynamics or range. The 2016 180 gram reissue blows it away and the org UK pressing would be the one to get otherwise, great record.
Same. I bought 2 japan pressing cds 1 which is the album frontiers by journey and second which is aerosmith's self title debut album. I usually listen to the older albums from journey before listening to frontiers and whenever i listen to frontiers, hell there is no bass whatsoever it feels like the audio is very light same goes with aerosmith. i bought that japan press cuz thats the only one thats left on the store
Their not "pilfering" but buying american pressings. Americans tend to buy what's new or the latest. As you said they care about music as art. Collectors in japan have always been audiophiles...what it comes down to is the master tape or a copy. Recordings done in japan and released their are incredible.
I have many Japanese pressings and though you do have a point with the low end on many of their pressings, still, I'd take them over many of the US pressings anytime for overall quality. A really good example is The Who's "Quadrophenia" which for me is far better sound wise than probably all other issues. It's incredible!
The US press of quadrophenia is horrible. I has the Japanese press and it sounded ok. But the first press UK press kicks the Japanese press in the ass.
@@NorsePJ yeah, I used to think so too. But over the years as I became a more critical listener and quality of my stereo greatly increased, I found that the Japanese presses would not hold up to a good original press from the country of origin. by the early 90s I had over 1000 Japanese albums. I have been slowly replacing them one by one. I am down to about 100 or so and I've kept about 10 from my shootouts.
Well, after over sixty years of following and listening to music from various countries, my opinion is different in this respect. I don't agree that the country of origin = better quality. I have many pressings from around the world and some leave the UK in the dust. People get fixated on an idea and they just convince themselves that nothing can compare to a UK original from a band from that background. In any case, to each their own. I prefer many pressings from other countries over UK ones. The UK tended to press far more LPs with the same mothers compared to many other countries. And in doing so, this diminished the quality of the pressings. Anyway, just my opinion and we are both entitled to think and feel as we do. After sixty plus years of music exposure, this is where I'm at. All the best. Cheers!
@@NorsePJ country of origin is not the final word, its definitely a good starting point. You brought up the who, I've found the German press of who's next is great. The Holland press of who by numbers is great too. But the UK press of earlier albums including Tommy are tops. And yes, the uk quadrophenia is better than the Japanese one. The sound is as thin as a Japanese wall. By the way, a lot of German presses are the best for Beatles. But yeah, to each their own. I haven't been collecting for 60 years, but I'm only a few years behind you. But nobody cares how long you or I have been collecting. Cheers.
The Japanese are THE ONLY country that don't take the consumer for mugs and make a poor quality item. I pride my Japanese release LP's way over and above everything else. The U.S and Australian copies have to be the worst by far in terms of quality.
@@iaincowell9747 even German cars are overengineered rather than quality. That's why their value drops like a stone over time. Their vinyl is nothing to write home about either. Most of the time, it's exactly the same as the UK version. Nuclear blast records, which is German, has some of the shoddiest and noisiest records I've ever owned. Both bad mastering and quality. Not to mention their countless terrible limited edition coloured vinyl.
@@user-yk4gd1fl4z I'm also here in Melbourne. Aussie pressings have, IMO, been poor. Many are so thin and flimsy it's like holding a sheet of A4 paper in your hand.
I find this review spot on. I have a couple of Japanese pressings in my collection and they sound impeccably clean with no cracks or pops whatsoever but the sound is incredibly flat and shallow. I personally find German pressings of 1970-1980s to be noteworthy. To me they combine the Japanese quality of the vinyl material with the American quality of the musical material.
I could not agree more. I bought a half dozen Japanese pressings in the late 70s. Gorgeous packaging and quality except for the sound which was sorely lacking bass. I gave up on them shortly after.
When I order some older used Japanese pressings, the inside where the record goes has a moldy/mildew smell to it. Is there something that can be done to neutralize the smell and have you ever come across it when purchasing albums from Japan?
I notice their packaging on Laser Discs (I don't collect LD) that I saw at Goodwill. There is something substantial about them with the Obi strip and the thick cardboard sleeve.
Many years ago, I bought a Japanese pressing of Beatles 65. I Feel Fine opens with a little bit of feedback and was corrected so that there was almost no feedback. Instead of a more powerful intro we get, Plink plinkity plink plink plink plink, Plink plinkity plink plink plink plink... The first journey album with Steve Perry had really nice US pressings and the Japanese sounded doll all the way through. I was shocked. Looks beautiful though.
in my limited experience on records, the only thing i know about why japanese records have less bass it's because it will "override the high frequencies" and also low frequencies take more space, so you have to cut the bass, thats why you need a pream and boost the bass, that is part of the reason why they have less noise floor and sound better, it has nothing to do with the size of japanese houses or the materials.
My imports from Japan are primarily 1980s city pop funk and boogie records. Those LPs that I’ve ordered arrive as if they were packed and preserved by your best friend lol - multiple sleeves, clean and the obis are gorgeous! The represses are top notch as well. My setup may be very Japanese in nature - Technics SL1210gr w Nagaoka Mp200 through heresy IVs and vintage Marantz. Your covering more of the typical rock and jazz LPs in this vid; I do agree the American pressings have been great that I own. My Only other outlier is my minty Thriller pressing that just sounds incredible.
I went through a phase of collecting Japanese pressings and I love some of them, and some not so much. T Rex - The Slider 1972 press is probably my favorite, fantastic, punchy yet clean sound. Also love my Tom Waits - Rain Dogs
My experience with Japanese records the bass is not as strong but the vinyl is super quiet compared to the rubbish recycled crap the Americans and Australians used I prefer Japanese records over all others
I once attended an audiophile show and capped off the day by buying a handful of "audiophile " records featured in the lobby. The booth merchandise was all Japanese jazz, and kind of picked over by the time I got there, the only good stuff left was high priced. This video explains why I never listen to them very often. Just another lesson to be learned along the way. I figured Audiophile show, exotic records, what could go wrong. My much anticipated listening , the star of that buy, was a Coaltrain with Johnny Hartman. Impeccable and wondrous sound presentation, yet somehow the vocal lacked a genuine tone.
Basically continue to do your homework for each pressing and keep in mind that Japanese pressings don't always have the best sound, in fact many do not. This isn't due to the quality of materials but typically due to EQ boosting in mastering process.
I have a few Japanese pressings of jazz albums from the 70s. John Coltrane - Blue Train, A Love Supreme and Ballads. I don't hear a reduction in the bass on my system comparing to US reissues. I like them because they sound better than recent reissues and are cheaper than original US pressings. I am running an EL34 tube amp, self built tube phono stage and Klipsch La Scala speakers. Don't have any rock records from there though.
I believe Japanese are milions years ahead in many things and whatever they do, they do it with great care and love. Personal i'm big fan of Japanese music and i have many 70s and 80s Japanese pressings and some of them are the most audiophile i have in my entire collection. But these vinyls came out and were only released in Japan. So you can not compare them with others pressings around the world even though their quality is unbelievable. Also i have other Japanese pressings from US and European bands/artists and i really can not say that they are the best versions of these albums but they still have a very good and clear sound with clarity. I have also noticed what you mention in your video that they are lagging behind on the bass. All in all, Japanese in their own releases are unique (J-Pop music) and i suggest you listen to some J-Pop Pressings. I recommend to listen "Tsukihime" from "Mioko Yamaguchi" original vinyl. This is the best sounding pressing I've ever heard in my life.
I bought japanese pressings 78-84 Great clean vinyl Sounded great except for a few bright records - The Beatles Revolution Then bought a few UK originals Went out and bought the originals records on key artists . - wow I went back into vinyl with a high end turntable in 2002. You could pick up all sorts of gems, Never bought any japanese since then - don’t know why Uk records in the 70s were ideal, german too
Totally agree, the Toshiba EMI and King reissues from late 70's and early 80's are unbelieveble good and far superior to any audiophile recent reissues imo. ..
I was happy to hear you discuss the difference in Japanese recordings verses US/UK/Canadian pressings and that you immediately brought up the lack of bass and higher levels of treble. Yes you are correct on this because they do live in much smaller homes and apartments and bass as we know travels from room to room. Also asian music is all treble with a little mid range and no bass so this is what the population is used to and have grown up with.
I'm very pleased with my 2007 remastered japanese version of Steely Dan's Gaucho. But you are right Mike: when I think of my jp Michael Jackson versions it really lacks the "drive". Thanks for this great video!
Haha me too....like the third shelf up from the bottom, I can see the spines of several Led Zep lls, LZ 4s, Houses Of The Holy's and Phys. Graffiti's lol. I guess I'm rather a nerd too 🤪
you got a point there that japanese pressings are maybe EQ'd ... I got to admit japanese pressing always sound like they have a special mastering extra for japan. but I tell you most time they sound amazing that way !!!
Thank you for saying what I've felt for years. Very rarely do I prefer the Japanese version. Its usually on a less than audiophile recording of something that I find very muddy and feel that it needs some brightness. Sabbath vol 4 and Deep Purple In Rock come to mind. The other thing to note for the people that do collect Japanese pressings, is that there has been a rash of counterfeit obi strips. They look almost identical to the originals.
Just noticed the counterfeit OBI strips recently, any way to identify those without a strong magnifying lens (to try and check the type of printing method used)?
Thanks for the informative video. Maybe you could do another one someday on Japanese pressings that are good? I’d love to know the version of that Wish You Were Hear one!!
Robert Culp I agree I’d love to hear more on specific exceptions to this rule. I had always heard that Japanese vinyl was great when I first started collecting. Didn’t realize it was mostly referring to pressing quality but I acquired a copy of an OG Japanese Double Fantasy for $10 and I have always thought it sounded phenomenal. I should check it again and pay attention to the bass but this is the only Japanese pressing I have and am curious now to seek out a US copy to compare.
Great episode! Interesting that you mention the Japanese buyers who come to the States. I actually appreciate that they dig our stuff and appreciate it. Keep up the great work!
I would also like the american Blue Notes and Prestiges, but we all know for how much those RVGs go. And that's why people search for the japanese counterparts (that, obviously, not all are good). I don't know about rock, but in jazz, the right japanese records sound really good and cost a fraction of the american good sounding ones. And, they're second only to the american early pressings (excluding good modern reissues).
I couldn't afford originaIs so I used to buy those Kings and Toshiba's but I sold them all. For the same price you can get Music Matters, Tone Poets etc. From the original masters tapes and better sounding in my humble opinion.
@@Matasky2010 Because they are out of production now but for a long time they were around 50 dollars and Kings are getting more expensive also. And the Tone Poets and Blue Note 80's series are also by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes and are 35 and 25 dollars.
Interesting point of view. However I collect Japanese albums that simply never existed in any other pressing. The artists of japan are brilliant and wonderful. Many of the master sound albums, toshiba’s albums are absolutely fantastic. I’ve many albums far better than their American counterparts. But it always can be argued both ways. It’s really just experiencing that album and choosing which you prefer. :) this is a great video to discuss this topic. And it’s interesting to hear your opinion on the subject too. I’ve many American albums that sound far better. Still.... it’s fun to collect Japanese albums as 80-90% I have cannot be purchased in any other pressing.
True.. I agreeI have Japanese pressings.. Truly you'll notice the difference from US, Canada and UK Pressing.. Only I love is the cover and inserts thou.. 😁
Eh, the Japanese King pressings of Blue Note albums have been consistently wonderful in terms of mastering in my experience. Are they of the same sonic caliber as Music Matters? Probably not. But the King pressings are an excellent, affordable option.
6:06-6:09 Interesting comments about the EQ levels, and in particular, the musical preferences of Japanese audiences compared to Americans (also true in our case; I'm British). My ex is a classically trained harpist, and I would say this Japanese "ear" is also true of their instruments: her American-made harps were always much more virtuosic, with a better ability to play bass notes, than her Japanese-made harps. By comparison, something like an Aoyama harp does sound considerably brighter than the American-made Lyon & Healy. I've had similar experiences playing cello, where my Yamaha learner's cello sounded way brighter than my German-made Roderich Paesold (which sounds richer with a more vibrant timbre). As for vinyl, for my part, I've always preferred British and German pressings.
The first time I really observed what you are talking about was with rock records. A good example of what you are talking about would be the Deep Purple records, In Rock Fireball Machine head. I have original UK Pressings and US original pressings and for a while, Japanese pressings. There is less bottom end on the Japanese records. Another thing that you will notice on the Japanese copies of those records is that the bass guitar cleans up pretty well. You can hear the attack of the pick on the string and the clear sound of the bass notes. Sounds a little more mainstream prog than mainstream rock bass. I gave my Japanese pressings to a friend that had gone 20 years listening to cd, and recently bought a turntable. I explained the difference to him and told him 'you'll be able to hear the bass parts real well on these'.
If the Japanese wanted good sounding records then none of these albums would have sold in Japan in the first place. Buying from ebay shops is a good way to bulk up on amazing condition vintage records you wouldn't be able to find in as good condition in the US. There are some Japanese pressings that are weak no doubt. But more often than not the Japanese pressing sounds excellent, in my experience. I'd rather have a reissue Japanese pressing from the 70s or 80s than a brand new American pressing of the same album that has been digitized and pressed to new vinyl losing all the warmth the older pressing has. edit however my setup is only good, not amazing, so perhaps the differences can stand out with $6k speakers and $10k turntable/amp/receiver etc
AC/DC Back In Black early eighties copies with the red obi actually sound really good. I haven't taken a good look at the deadwax on mine, but I suspect it might have been mastered in the U.S. It has a very American sound to it. The big difference is how quiet the vinyl is.
My Uk Led Zeppelin version has more balls then my Japanese pressing, but as a collector I love my Japanese version in it's own right it's a magnificent grail find in mint condition audiophile grade vinyl from the 7os is not easily found...
Of the Japanese presses I have, and I do have quite a few, I do not hear the EQ difference. If I am shopping vintage vinyl, I always prefer to have a Japanese copy. They are everything you said, but I have not noticed that they sound brighter, they are quieter. When I buy new records, they have to be Mofi, Analog productions or any of the other high quality audiophile labels.
If anyone likes good sound try buying some of the Japanese 70's jazz artist records that are being re-issued. They sound great and the music is fantastic. Mastered very well too.
I hope you realize that there's some absolutely fantastic music out there from Japanese musicians that, as you'd expect, only exist as Japanese pressings. Casiopea, for example.
pressing in Japan or States' one, it is the same environmental issue for the World... At the same time, we have been offering the "VINYL REUSE" technology for more than a year, which can replace "fresh" vinyl for the records' production, even with an increases of the sound quality.
Interesting video. I've always wondered what the big deal is with Japanese pressings (aside from the "obi"). I'd love to hear about why single-side pressings are done and why a 12-inch at 45 rpm is desirable.
I agree with this somewhat but I have a huge Japanese collection and they all sound fantastic. While playing them I never feel like taking it off putting it on the floor and smashing it up. I also have a huge analogue productions and mofi collection. I can definitely hear the difference between the Japanese pressings and these for sure.
Great video, you really went into detail with the comparisons, much appreciated! A large portion of my collection are Japanese pressings, and you are dead on about packaging- Japanese covers are like hardcover books compared to most others, especially the flimsy and often tattered old UK presses (with superior SQ)..I think for most ‘regular’ vinyl listeners who will never reach the ‘fanatic’ level, and using modest systems compared to hi-fi audiophiles, the difference in SQ/EQ will not be as noticeable. I am always amazed when I open a box from Japan to find a 50-yr old Lp that looks like the shrink was just taken off it, on heavyweight vinyl in a thick stock cover..on the contrary you could find a 70s U.S. press with original shrink on the cover, only to find the vinyl is full of crackles and pops..I totally accept your expert and experienced comparison of the audio characteristics of Japanese vs U.S...I think a bit of the disadvantage of the Japanese EQing is somewhat mitigated by the fact that it’s so much easier to find CLEAN vintage Japan pressings...
Interesting video, thank you for posting. I think generalisations are difficult. I have probably about 500 Japanese records, across the genres, from rock to jazz to classical. By my experience, without exception, the production values are through the roof - packaging is awesome, and throughout the '60's, '70's and '80's they took the view that "less is more", limiting most pressings to only 500 or 1000 records per stamper, so there is more detail and less noise. The vinyl is always much quieter. So far so good. The problem with Japanese pressings is the eq. Generally, they don't like bass but they do like the top end so there are Japanese pressings that sound "shrill" which you crank them up, rendering them unlistenable at louder volume - but this is not a rule, others sound "richer", more resonance without too much top end. Therefore, my advice to anyone thinking about buying Japanese would be to a.) stick to pressings made from about '68 onwards as this seems to be where the quality of the vinyl really kicks into another gear, b.) be prepared for disappointment once you play it, c.) but also don't be surprised if it sounds fantastic, and finally d.) persevere, as with records generally, especially recent pressings, it really is a a case of "suck it and see". Great video - your views carry weight - thank you for posting.
Hi I'm a big Elvis Presley fan and I had a UK copy of Today and just recently bought the Japanese pressing cause it was in mint condition plus it had cool photos on the back from the Hawaii concert.😎
You should do a video on mofi. I feel you have a similar opinion to Japanese pressing. What’s your overall thoughts on the label. Which pressings do you like (if any?)
He’s already said in a previous video that some of their all analog press releases are amongst his favourite for those titles. A whole video would be cool though. Some of the CDs are excellent too, the ultra discs in particular.
what’s your take on Japanese SACD Blue Note releases?… in fact APO has a whole subsection of BLUENOTE..which are only Japanese releases. thanks for your thoughts
Purely coincidental. I’m listening to a Japanese pressing of Blue Train on Blue Note. And it sounds awesome. In fairness, I don’t have another pressing to compare it to. But I can’t imagine it sounding any better. Admittedly, I’m relatively new to jazz. But I think I know what sounds good. My 1 cent.
I own a few Japanese pressings and sold a few. You are spot on for the majority of LPs from Japan. That said, I also agree, there are exceptions. I bought a few Billie Holiday albums, pressed in Japan. These are late 70s reissues of the old mono 10" Clef / Verve series of records she recorded in the mid to late 50s. They are some of the best sounding LPs I own. I actually use them as test records, they are that good. So, yes, there are those occasional gems that seem to pop up every now and then. I also have a nice, late 70s Sonny Clark "Leapin' And Lopin'" Blue Note Japanese press and an original '63 Japanese press of Coltrane's "A Love Supreme". both sound fantastic. Love the channel. Very informative. And I'll be ordering some records from you soon. Cheers from Springfield, MA!
I've seen photographs of Japanese rooms not following Marie Kondo's orders, er.. advice, ( enough space for 2 tatami mats though) but where do they find the space in their homes? I thought that's why they went big into CDs & minidiscs ( or was that an untruth?)...Do they just have a regular purge & chuck out like how they demolish their houses regularly?
I lived in China for a long time several years ago, about 18 years ago or so tonnes and tonnes of Japanese records came pouring into China, along with CD's. The story was that this stuff was sold as trash to China for recycling, to be melted down or something like that. I bought a lot of 70's and 80's Japanese classic America jazz reissue titles. They sound great. I only bought a few rock LP's, not because of the sound quality but because the sellers wanted more money for stuff they knew. This was before so much info was easily found online. Sometimes I'd find a rare record and I even have some test pressings on red vinyl. It seems some of these records came from Japanese labels cleaning house. One record that surprised me was finding Black Cat Bones, Barbed Wire Sandwich on the PIP label mixed in with a bunch of Japanese lps. I also bought several classical records pressed in Japan. The vinyl is great but the EQ-ing is often soulless.
I have to echo the comments about pride of ownership, I relocated from the UK to the US and have found in several areas when buying used such as vinyl, audio equipment and vehicles you just don’t see the pride of ownership here in the US like you do in the UK. Just my own experience 😉. The description MINT also seems extremely misused here in the US too 😂
I have four Japanese records and yes the sound on them is ok. I'm keepin them though. Was that a fart at 15:49 in this video? 😂 Great informative video.
I bought some japanese Blue Notes, they have enough bass at least for me, they are quiet, solid cover, they sound great to me and I like them more than the old Mono Originals. Hate me for this, i am a musician all my live, I know a little, japanese Jazz versions are great. Don't ask me about all the other styles, only talking about Jazz.
I agree with your take on Japanese pressings. The quality of the covers, inserts, obi strips and extras are nice, and the vinyl itself is very quiet and high quality. But I totally agree with your opinion of the sound quality compared to other pressings. For example, Rush's "Moving Pictures" is very quiet and sounds really clean, but compared to the UK version, it is missing a lot of detail... same thing with "The Wall" Japanese pressing. I have noticed the lack of bass and the brightness to the Japanese vinyl. There seems to be a point in time where there was a cutoff in quality. I'm not sure why but I have some older Japanese pressings that sound great (early 70's) but later pressings from the 1980's sound terrible. Here are a couple examples: The Rush RJ Series (which include the first six studio albums starting from RJ-7012 etc..with the blue Mercury labels and/or the white label "sample" promos) sound Amazing, better than any other pressings from different countries. But after the RJ series, the sound changed dramatically to the stereotypical low bass high treble (and lack of detail). So I would conclude that the older Japanese records can sound really good (ie: Fleetwood Mac "Rumors"). Regarding the original RJ-1st six Rush albums, the re-issues (with the 25 3..Catalog numbers) and Epic labels sound pretty crappy, even from the seventh album on up. Wonder why this happened? I just wanted to share my opinion. By the way, if I'm ever in the Phoenix area I'll stop in The In Groove! Take Care
As you've mentioned. They are meticulous at packaging, it shows the cultural part of them. It's impressive. I have Ben Webster 45 rpm 2 play, Guess what? I received 2 LPs. 2,pcs of side1&2, no side 3&4. I still have it.
Great episode. I often wondered about them because I don't have many myself and often wanted to pay the extra to have some in my collection. I'm new to your channel and just subscribed. It's the first time I've ever seen one of your videos. Glad RUclips suggested this video for me.
I dont know how abundant Canadian pressings are in the US, but here in Canada 90% of used records from the 70 and 80s are Canadian... with the odd US here and there. It's not until now with new pressings and reissues where they are pretty much mostly coming from the states.. curious peoples opinion on Canadian vs US pressings...
I agree with what has largely been said here - most LPs from Japan don't match-up well (sound-wise) to other US, UK or EU pressings. The only thing Japanese pressings REALLY have going for them is their quiet vinyl. I dunno what vinyl formulation they used, but I so wish that modern pressings today had this same quality. Hell, forget the quiet surface...I'd settle for a record that is nicely centered these days!
@@SunnyAustria Thanks for replying. At first, I was really keen on getting Japanese versions of my favorites. But after watching this, I think just stick to the US pressing. I'll just buy a Japanese version if it's a original Japanese release or artist.
Yeah this completely explains why they always add a bonus track to the end of Japanese albums to try and get the local public to buy the Japanese copy. I mean my favourite band put two albums out last year and of course each one had a japanese bonus track tacked on at the end, and everyone on the forums was pissed that 'why does Japan still get these bonus tracks, it's 2021!'
Can't speak to rock but as far as jazz records are concerned, the quality of the vinyl / mastering used by Japanese manufacturer Toshiba EMI seems to have declined from the '90s onwards, where these statements about the mastering and dynamic range are definitely true. However the early '70s Japanese releases of Wes Montgomery titles and the late '70s Blue Notes under King Records (i.e. Soul Station, Moanin') are some of the best-sounding versions of those albums released on vinyl in my view. You'd be hard-pressed to find a U.S. copy of "Incredible Jazz Guitar" that sounds as good as the original Japanese (~$50) for under $500
Do you think Genesis "Trick of the Tail" japanese pressing would be better quality sounding than an American pressing similarly to "Wish you were here"?
Really nice video! I think Japanese Vinyl and brand new vinyl releases are great for new vinyl listeners who have been listening to cd's or digital music. It's real clean sounding and those people may initially get turned off by the slightest non musical artifact. I always cringe when I see a youngster go to the beat up dollar bin. They are likely to take it home and get turned off to vinyl. After they get into it for a while, they will hear the difference and learn more as they go along.
I cringe more when I see youngsters taking home a clean vintage artifact that, chances are, will be ruined. When I was first diving into vinyl my ear definitely wasn’t as fine tuned to its (many) defects as it is now. In the beginning people tend to be very charmed by the whole experience, charmed by the defects, and DO NOT know how to take proper care of a record. Those early years of endless digging through thrift stores, flea markets, and dollar bins were a good education, I had a great time listening to records that I would now consider trash, and learned how to take better care of them along the way. It worked out.
I have two Beatles japan press vinyl and i can't hear the vocals from some of the songs. Others have vocals and some have none. Maybe can you help me or what could be the problem?
It's funny you should mention the fact that Japanese pressings lack low end and I agree with you. I listen to all kinds of music but my heart is the 70's and 80's funk and I used to buy them on US import because much wasn't available in Europe but some were and they sounded dreadful and had no life because of the fact that I think they made a copy of the mastertape and sent it to europe where they EQ'ed it so wrong and without low end. I had heard about it but never knew until I bought an American pressing of Donal Byrd & the 125th Street NYC: Words, Sounds, Colors & Shapes. I played the US pressing and was blown away, not only did it have much more low end but also 3 dimensionality like there was a hole through the sound and since then I always bought pressings according to where the 1 st. original master tape was made and I also have to say that things like Pink Floyd: DSOTM has to be the U.K first press and NOT the American press because the original master tape is in the U:K. Keep up the good work and yes those Tone Poet Series are fanfuckingtastic and I hope Don Was will keep them coming.
The Japanese music listener is so familiar with high pitched instruments. The instrumentation of a lot of Japanese music involves strings. Japanese music in general has little or no bass. This must influence the eq'ing they do boost, cut etc.. it has to. How well do those Japanese mastering engineers know a Pink Floyd album or the way it should sound. Most Japanese pressings were not made where some mastering engineer had the original or safety master tapes. In most cases the US, UK etc. record labels would send the press plates for the jacket, inserts and vinyl press plates. They were not sent the tapes that could be remastered for the most part.
Possibly the only exception to this are the early bluenotes that were never released in the u.s. originally. Case in point was bobby hutcherson's oblique album that was only released in japan.The bass of albert stinson had alot of bottom end. It was released on the french heavenly blue series (sounds like a digital master)but does not compare to the japanese issue. Iam not aware if it was ever released in the u.s. on vinyl. It would be nice if tone poet would release it. I wonder if the japanese recieved the original master tapes?....the lawrence marable quartet (with james clay on tenor) was originally released in 1956 on the jazzwest label which had a reputation of inferior vinyl (much like the score label) the japanese released it a few years back from original master tapes (so they said and am not sure if it was a tape copy) the reissue is excellent sonically and certainly better than the original u.s. release which i had. There were exceptions and some japanese reissues were better.
Alan Senzaki Yeah, in general all the King pressings of Blue Notes have been consistently great in my experience. Also, the Three Blind Mice albums are some of the sonically best I’ve ever heard.
For me personally, if I can locate Japanese pressing of a particular album that would be my first choice, then European (German and Dutch), UK and US. Have been into vinyl for over 30 years.
me, who knows nothing about eq and audio but I turn treble to max on my amp cause it makes the guitars on metal records super loud, looks like I gotta buy more Japanese pressings lol
In my experience Japanese and UK pressings sound great , worst and Australian and nz pressings . You can feel the weight difference and certainly sounds can vary so much
US pressings sound the worst to me. Loud as hell, and everything sounds like mud. Australian and NZ pressings are very soft, which might be why you dislike them, but I find them the clearest in hearing the softer more minute sounds. You're right about the weight though, they're very light and feel cheap. Its Australian > Japanese > UK >>> US for me
Thank you for an interesting video! You certainly have given this some thought. Just listen to what sounds good to your ears.. that's a start. I don't think you can generalise across the board when it comes to pressings in any country - too many factors come into play. And also you cannot hold onto that it is a matter of the gear used when you are going to determine whether or not a certain pressing is "good or bad" - as long as you're not using a totally crappy system. Yes, you can get more out of the grooves - to a certain degree - when you use better gear - but a badly made pressing with a careless mastering will always sound mediocre. Take care - cheers from Copenhagen, Denmark!
I was studying in Japan in 1991. May I share one reason why they remove the bottom end of records. The Japanese home is made of wood, recycled wood chips. Most of it are plywood, which is hollow. If You have a recording with such lows, the doors in the rooms may vibrate. You can hear the vibrating in the other rooms it may disturb the family members or even other tenants under the same roof. Ofcause,Japanese rooms are pretty small, so the Long throw of Low frequencies may be thrown too far. I hope Idid not mislead you, tsk for the listening ear.
Was just going to say that. Have friends who were stationed there....High Population, denser to the land available, Smaller and closer living spaces.....needs quieter and less emphasized sound. That's why they all scoffed up our Blue Notes.....
You got it right! The place is like packed sardines.
lol
Vinnie Morciglio Well, their King pressings are consistently great in my experience.
Japanese king and crown, both op records and cds are excellently done. That"s true.
Buying records in Japan, I was most impressed with how meticulous the stores were in their grading of used records and detail listed on the protective sleeve. Since they don't want you to take it out of the sleeve and look at the record (away from the register at least) they include all the detail you could want on the outside. Label variations (with picture included), matrix numbers, etc. A record they graded as a B or B+ was in fantastic condition. A great shopping experience and the customer service was awesome. I was more stoked to find UK originals of New Order and Bauhaus over there than the couple of Japanese presses I got haha
Japan VG is Western NM or M. A lot of brand new vinyl I've bought from Western sources come scratched to hell, as they slide back and forth in their paper sleeves. Then you get 40 year old Japanese vinyl they've listed as VG because it has a tiny hairline mark that you can only see under bright light at a certain angle.
After dealing with all the nonsense western grading, I just buy solely Japanese now. I'd rather it be mastered with anaemic bass, then get a western NM+ that sound like someone is constantly crushing paper in the background.
I bought the Japanese copy of Animals you showed in the video. The condition was immaculate and the vinyl very quiet. However, I sold it because compared to my first UK press it was very anaemic sounding. No bass, no dynamics - just lifeless. The UK, though noisier, just kicks you in the balls with a big aggressive sound, just like it should. Keep up the good work.
I had it as well. ok on some parts of the tracks but muddy, no dynamics or range. The 2016 180 gram reissue blows it away and the org UK pressing would be the one to get otherwise, great record.
Same. I bought 2 japan pressing cds 1 which is the album frontiers by journey and second which is aerosmith's self title debut album. I usually listen to the older albums from journey before listening to frontiers and whenever i listen to frontiers, hell there is no bass whatsoever it feels like the audio is very light same goes with aerosmith. i bought that japan press cuz thats the only one thats left on the store
Their not "pilfering" but buying american pressings. Americans tend to buy what's new or the latest. As you said they care about music as art. Collectors in japan have always been audiophiles...what it comes down to is the master tape or a copy. Recordings done in japan and released their are incredible.
I have many Japanese pressings and though you do have a point with the low end on many of their pressings, still, I'd take them over many of the US pressings anytime for overall quality. A really good example is The Who's "Quadrophenia" which for me is far better sound wise than probably all other issues. It's incredible!
The US press of quadrophenia is horrible. I has the Japanese press and it sounded ok. But the first press UK press kicks the Japanese press in the ass.
I prefer the Japanese over any I know. Far superior quality vinyl and production wise. And the sound reproduction is second-to-none (IMHO).
@@NorsePJ yeah, I used to think so too. But over the years as I became a more critical listener and quality of my stereo greatly increased, I found that the Japanese presses would not hold up to a good original press from the country of origin. by the early 90s I had over 1000 Japanese albums. I have been slowly replacing them one by one. I am down to about 100 or so and I've kept about 10 from my shootouts.
Well, after over sixty years of following and listening to music from various countries, my opinion is different in this respect.
I don't agree that the country of origin = better quality. I have many pressings from around the world and some leave the UK in the dust. People get fixated on an idea and they just convince themselves that nothing can compare to a UK original from a band from that background.
In any case, to each their own. I prefer many pressings from other countries over UK ones. The UK tended to press far more LPs with the same mothers compared to many other countries. And in doing so, this diminished the quality of the pressings.
Anyway, just my opinion and we are both entitled to think and feel as we do. After sixty plus years of music exposure, this is where I'm at. All the best. Cheers!
@@NorsePJ country of origin is not the final word, its definitely a good starting point. You brought up the who, I've found the German press of who's next is great. The Holland press of who by numbers is great too. But the UK press of earlier albums including Tommy are tops. And yes, the uk quadrophenia is better than the Japanese one. The sound is as thin as a Japanese wall. By the way, a lot of German presses are the best for Beatles. But yeah, to each their own. I haven't been collecting for 60 years, but I'm only a few years behind you. But nobody cares how long you or I have been collecting.
Cheers.
The Japanese are THE ONLY country that don't take the consumer for mugs and make a poor quality item. I pride my Japanese release LP's way over and above everything else. The U.S and Australian copies have to be the worst by far in terms of quality.
"The Japanese are THE ONLY country that don't take the consumer for mugs and make a poor quality item"
Germany
@@iaincowell9747 well... no, not Optimal Media GmbH.... 🙄
@@iaincowell9747 even German cars are overengineered rather than quality. That's why their value drops like a stone over time. Their vinyl is nothing to write home about either. Most of the time, it's exactly the same as the UK version. Nuclear blast records, which is German, has some of the shoddiest and noisiest records I've ever owned. Both bad mastering and quality. Not to mention their countless terrible limited edition coloured vinyl.
Australian pressings ? I live in Australia. What are you basing that opinion on. I’d say it’s exactly the opposite.
@@user-yk4gd1fl4z I'm also here in Melbourne. Aussie pressings have, IMO, been poor. Many are so thin and flimsy it's like holding a sheet of A4 paper in your hand.
I find this review spot on. I have a couple of Japanese pressings in my collection and they sound impeccably clean with no cracks or pops whatsoever but the sound is incredibly flat and shallow. I personally find German pressings of 1970-1980s to be noteworthy. To me they combine the Japanese quality of the vinyl material with the American quality of the musical material.
Going to keep this in mind the next time I want one of my favorite albums on vinyl, thank you
I could not agree more. I bought a half dozen Japanese pressings in the late 70s. Gorgeous packaging and quality except for the sound which was sorely lacking bass. I gave up on them shortly after.
I love my Japanese vinyl pressings. They are the best in my experience and the Japanese really look after their records unlike here in the UK or US.
When I order some older used Japanese pressings, the inside where the record goes has a moldy/mildew smell to it. Is there something that can be done to neutralize the smell and have you ever come across it when purchasing albums from Japan?
I notice their packaging on Laser Discs (I don't collect LD) that I saw at Goodwill. There is something substantial about them with the Obi strip and the thick cardboard sleeve.
Hi, I'm Japanese and I perfectly agree with what you're saying. Same thing with some recent SHM-CDs.
四塚文雄 Should you do also video about this issue? ;)
Welcome!
Many years ago, I bought a Japanese pressing of Beatles 65. I Feel Fine opens with a little bit of feedback and was corrected so that there was almost no feedback. Instead of a more powerful intro we get, Plink plinkity plink plink plink plink, Plink plinkity plink plink plink plink...
The first journey album with Steve Perry had really nice US pressings and the Japanese sounded doll all the way through. I was shocked. Looks beautiful though.
in my limited experience on records, the only thing i know about why japanese records have less bass it's because it will "override the high frequencies" and also low frequencies take more space, so you have to cut the bass, thats why you need a pream and boost the bass, that is part of the reason why they have less noise floor and sound better, it has nothing to do with the size of japanese houses or the materials.
My imports from Japan are primarily 1980s city pop funk and boogie records. Those LPs that I’ve ordered arrive as if they were packed and preserved by your best friend lol - multiple sleeves, clean and the obis are gorgeous! The represses are top notch as well. My setup may be very Japanese in nature - Technics SL1210gr w Nagaoka Mp200 through heresy IVs and vintage Marantz. Your covering more of the typical rock and jazz LPs in this vid; I do agree the American pressings have been great that I own. My Only other outlier is my minty Thriller pressing that just sounds incredible.
I went through a phase of collecting Japanese pressings and I love some of them, and some not so much. T Rex - The Slider 1972 press is probably my favorite, fantastic, punchy yet clean sound. Also love my Tom Waits - Rain Dogs
My experience with Japanese records the bass is not as strong but the vinyl is super quiet compared to the rubbish recycled crap the Americans and Australians used I prefer Japanese records over all others
I once attended an audiophile show and capped off the day by buying a handful of "audiophile " records featured in the lobby. The booth merchandise was all Japanese jazz, and kind of picked over by the time I got there, the only good stuff left was high priced. This video explains why I never listen to them very often. Just another lesson to be learned along the way. I figured Audiophile show, exotic records, what could go wrong.
My much anticipated listening , the star of that buy, was a Coaltrain with Johnny Hartman. Impeccable and wondrous sound presentation, yet somehow the vocal lacked a genuine tone.
Basically continue to do your homework for each pressing and keep in mind that Japanese pressings don't always have the best sound, in fact many do not. This isn't due to the quality of materials but typically due to EQ boosting in mastering process.
I have a few Japanese pressings of jazz albums from the 70s. John Coltrane - Blue Train, A Love Supreme and Ballads. I don't hear a reduction in the bass on my system comparing to US reissues. I like them because they sound better than recent reissues and are cheaper than original US pressings. I am running an EL34 tube amp, self built tube phono stage and Klipsch La Scala speakers. Don't have any rock records from there though.
I believe Japanese are milions years ahead in many things and whatever they do, they do it with great care and love. Personal i'm big fan of Japanese music and i have many 70s and 80s Japanese pressings and some of them are the most audiophile i have in my entire collection. But these vinyls came out and were only released in Japan. So you can not compare them with others pressings around the world even though their quality is unbelievable.
Also i have other Japanese pressings from US and European bands/artists and i really can not say that they are the best versions of these albums but they still have a very good and clear sound with clarity. I have also noticed what you mention in your video that they are lagging behind on the bass.
All in all, Japanese in their own releases are unique (J-Pop music) and i suggest you listen to some J-Pop Pressings. I recommend to listen "Tsukihime" from "Mioko Yamaguchi" original vinyl. This is the best sounding pressing I've ever heard in my life.
Very late, but Akina Nakamori is great too!
I bought japanese pressings 78-84
Great clean vinyl
Sounded great except for a few bright records - The Beatles Revolution
Then bought a few UK originals
Went out and bought the originals records on key artists . - wow
I went back into vinyl with a high end turntable in 2002. You could pick up all sorts of gems,
Never bought any japanese since then - don’t know why
Uk records in the 70s were ideal, german too
I love my Japanese blue note records. They look great with the obi and they’re always so clean. Great information on this video.
Agree, the Blue Notes are a whole different ballgame
Me too. I'm not sure this applies (low end cut) to the Blue Note japanese pressings. They sound really good and bassy and stuff.
I have to agree. The Japanese Blue Notes are really good.
The blue note are great
Totally agree, the Toshiba EMI and King reissues from late 70's and early 80's are unbelieveble good and far superior to any audiophile recent reissues imo. ..
Mike really brought out the bottom end at 15:50
I was happy to hear you discuss the difference in Japanese recordings verses US/UK/Canadian pressings and that you immediately brought up the lack of bass and higher levels of treble. Yes you are correct on this because they do live in much smaller homes and apartments and bass as we know travels from room to room. Also asian music is all treble with a little mid range and no bass so this is what the population is used to and have grown up with.
I'm very pleased with my 2007 remastered japanese version of Steely Dan's Gaucho. But you are right Mike: when I think of my jp Michael Jackson versions it really lacks the "drive". Thanks for this great video!
Tangential to the subject of the video, I'm having fun nerding out, identifying the spines of the albums on the shelving the background... 🤓
Haha me too....like the third shelf up from the bottom, I can see the spines of several Led Zep lls, LZ 4s, Houses Of The Holy's and Phys. Graffiti's lol.
I guess I'm rather a nerd too 🤪
The Japanese version of Jethro Tull- [A] is the best version I've ever heard
Anthony Ferraro - But what have you heard?
you got a point there that japanese pressings are maybe EQ'd ...
I got to admit japanese pressing always sound like they have a special mastering extra for japan. but I tell you most time they sound amazing that way !!!
Thank you for saying what I've felt for years. Very rarely do I prefer the Japanese version. Its usually on a less than audiophile recording of something that I find very muddy and feel that it needs some brightness. Sabbath vol 4 and Deep Purple In Rock come to mind. The other thing to note for the people that do collect Japanese pressings, is that there has been a rash of counterfeit obi strips. They look almost identical to the originals.
Just noticed the counterfeit OBI strips recently, any way to identify those without a strong magnifying lens (to try and check the type of printing method used)?
Thanks for the informative video. Maybe you could do another one someday on Japanese pressings that are good? I’d love to know the version of that Wish You Were Hear one!!
Robert Culp I agree I’d love to hear more on specific exceptions to this rule. I had always heard that Japanese vinyl was great when I first started collecting. Didn’t realize it was mostly referring to pressing quality but I acquired a copy of an OG Japanese Double Fantasy for $10 and I have always thought it sounded phenomenal. I should check it again and pay attention to the bass but this is the only Japanese pressing I have and am curious now to seek out a US copy to compare.
Great episode! Interesting that you mention the Japanese buyers who come to the States. I actually appreciate that they dig our stuff and appreciate it. Keep up the great work!
I've gone to many countries looking for records and our vinyl is in damned all over the world not just Japan.
@@TheInGroove Ah true that!
They were smart way back in the 80's and 90's by buying up a lot of vintage tubes and old amps from Americans who didn't want that old stuff.
I would also like the american Blue Notes and Prestiges, but we all know for how much those RVGs go. And that's why people search for the japanese counterparts (that, obviously, not all are good). I don't know about rock, but in jazz, the right japanese records sound really good and cost a fraction of the american good sounding ones. And, they're second only to the american early pressings (excluding good modern reissues).
dastinger111 I agree, I’ve got a ‘70 (I think) Japan press of The Shape of Jazz to Come, it sounds AMAZING..
I couldn't afford originaIs so I used to buy those Kings and Toshiba's but I sold them all. For the same price you can get Music Matters, Tone Poets etc. From the original masters tapes and better sounding in my humble opinion.
Niels Venrooy Not sure where you bought the Japanese lps (local U.S record store?), but Music Matters are regularly $100++!!
@@TheHanniballs Not sure where you're buying Ng those Kings and Toshibas, but they are definitely NOT as expensive as MMJ.
@@Matasky2010 Because they are out of production now but for a long time they were around 50 dollars and Kings are getting more expensive also. And the Tone Poets and Blue Note 80's series are also by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes and are 35 and 25 dollars.
I literally only really care about the OBI, not much else matters to me
Interesting point of view. However I collect Japanese albums that simply never existed in any other pressing. The artists of japan are brilliant and wonderful. Many of the master sound albums, toshiba’s albums are absolutely fantastic. I’ve many albums far better than their American counterparts. But it always can be argued both ways. It’s really just experiencing that album and choosing which you prefer. :) this is a great video to discuss this topic. And it’s interesting to hear your opinion on the subject too. I’ve many American albums that sound far better. Still.... it’s fun to collect Japanese albums as 80-90% I have cannot be purchased in any other pressing.
True.. I agreeI have Japanese pressings.. Truly you'll notice the difference from US, Canada and UK Pressing.. Only I love is the cover and inserts thou.. 😁
Eh, the Japanese King pressings of Blue Note albums have been consistently wonderful in terms of mastering in my experience. Are they of the same sonic caliber as Music Matters? Probably not. But the King pressings are an excellent, affordable option.
6:06-6:09 Interesting comments about the EQ levels, and in particular, the musical preferences of Japanese audiences compared to Americans (also true in our case; I'm British). My ex is a classically trained harpist, and I would say this Japanese "ear" is also true of their instruments: her American-made harps were always much more virtuosic, with a better ability to play bass notes, than her Japanese-made harps. By comparison, something like an Aoyama harp does sound considerably brighter than the American-made Lyon & Healy. I've had similar experiences playing cello, where my Yamaha learner's cello sounded way brighter than my German-made Roderich Paesold (which sounds richer with a more vibrant timbre). As for vinyl, for my part, I've always preferred British and German pressings.
The first time I really observed what you are talking about was with rock records. A good example of what you are talking about would be the Deep Purple records, In Rock Fireball Machine head. I have original UK Pressings and US original pressings and for a while, Japanese pressings. There is less bottom end on the Japanese records. Another thing that you will notice on the Japanese copies of those records is that the bass guitar cleans up pretty well. You can hear the attack of the pick on the string and the clear sound of the bass notes. Sounds a little more mainstream prog than mainstream rock bass. I gave my Japanese pressings to a friend that had gone 20 years listening to cd, and recently bought a turntable. I explained the difference to him and told him 'you'll be able to hear the bass parts real well on these'.
If the Japanese wanted good sounding records then none of these albums would have sold in Japan in the first place. Buying from ebay shops is a good way to bulk up on amazing condition vintage records you wouldn't be able to find in as good condition in the US. There are some Japanese pressings that are weak no doubt. But more often than not the Japanese pressing sounds excellent, in my experience. I'd rather have a reissue Japanese pressing from the 70s or 80s than a brand new American pressing of the same album that has been digitized and pressed to new vinyl losing all the warmth the older pressing has.
edit however my setup is only good, not amazing, so perhaps the differences can stand out with $6k speakers and $10k turntable/amp/receiver etc
Ambient and NewAge sound REALLY good on Japanese pressings ; I stay away from soul , funk Japanese versions.
AC/DC Back In Black early eighties copies with the red obi actually sound really good. I haven't taken a good look at the deadwax on mine, but I suspect it might have been mastered in the U.S. It has a very American sound to it. The big difference is how quiet the vinyl is.
Glad to know this. I keep seeing a lot of folks collecting Japanese pressings lately and I thought I was missing out on something
My Uk Led Zeppelin version has more balls then my Japanese pressing, but as a collector I love my Japanese version in it's own right it's a magnificent grail find in mint condition audiophile grade vinyl from the 7os is not easily found...
Of the Japanese presses I have, and I do have quite a few, I do not hear the EQ difference. If I am shopping vintage vinyl, I always prefer to have a Japanese copy. They are everything you said, but I have not noticed that they sound brighter, they are quieter. When I buy new records, they have to be Mofi, Analog productions or any of the other high quality audiophile labels.
If anyone likes good sound try buying some of the Japanese 70's jazz artist records that are being re-issued. They sound great and the music is fantastic. Mastered very well too.
I hope you realize that there's some absolutely fantastic music out there from Japanese musicians that, as you'd expect, only exist as Japanese pressings. Casiopea, for example.
pressing in Japan or States' one, it is the same environmental issue for the World...
At the same time, we have been offering the "VINYL REUSE" technology for more than a year, which can replace "fresh" vinyl for the records' production, even with an increases of the sound quality.
Interesting video. I've always wondered what the big deal is with Japanese pressings (aside from the "obi"). I'd love to hear about why single-side pressings are done and why a 12-inch at 45 rpm is desirable.
I agree with this somewhat but I have a huge Japanese collection and they all sound fantastic. While playing them I never feel like taking it off putting it on the floor and smashing it up. I also have a huge analogue productions and mofi collection. I can definitely hear the difference between the Japanese pressings and these for sure.
Great video, you really went into detail with the comparisons, much appreciated! A large portion of my collection are Japanese pressings, and you are dead on about packaging- Japanese covers are like hardcover books compared to most others, especially the flimsy and often tattered old UK presses (with superior SQ)..I think for most ‘regular’ vinyl listeners who will never reach the ‘fanatic’ level, and using modest systems compared to hi-fi audiophiles, the difference in SQ/EQ will not be as noticeable. I am always amazed when I open a box from Japan to find a 50-yr old Lp that looks like the shrink was just taken off it, on heavyweight vinyl in a thick stock cover..on the contrary you could find a 70s U.S. press with original shrink on the cover, only to find the vinyl is full of crackles and pops..I totally accept your expert and experienced comparison of the audio characteristics of Japanese vs U.S...I think a bit of the disadvantage of the Japanese EQing is somewhat mitigated by the fact that it’s so much easier to find CLEAN vintage Japan pressings...
Interesting video, thank you for posting. I think generalisations are difficult. I have probably about 500 Japanese records, across the genres, from rock to jazz to classical. By my experience, without exception, the production values are through the roof - packaging is awesome, and throughout the '60's, '70's and '80's they took the view that "less is more", limiting most pressings to only 500 or 1000 records per stamper, so there is more detail and less noise. The vinyl is always much quieter. So far so good. The problem with Japanese pressings is the eq. Generally, they don't like bass but they do like the top end so there are Japanese pressings that sound "shrill" which you crank them up, rendering them unlistenable at louder volume - but this is not a rule, others sound "richer", more resonance without too much top end. Therefore, my advice to anyone thinking about buying Japanese would be to a.) stick to pressings made from about '68 onwards as this seems to be where the quality of the vinyl really kicks into another gear, b.) be prepared for disappointment once you play it, c.) but also don't be surprised if it sounds fantastic, and finally d.) persevere, as with records generally, especially recent pressings, it really is a a case of "suck it and see". Great video - your views carry weight - thank you for posting.
Low tube power amp with horn speaker are the norm in Japan. Maybe that why the used the low bass high treble eq curve.
Hi I'm a big Elvis Presley fan and I had a UK copy of Today and just recently bought the Japanese pressing cause it was in mint condition plus it had cool photos on the back from the Hawaii concert.😎
You should do a video on mofi. I feel you have a similar opinion to Japanese pressing. What’s your overall thoughts on the label. Which pressings do you like (if any?)
He’s already said in a previous video that some of their all analog press releases are amongst his favourite for those titles. A whole video would be cool though. Some of the CDs are excellent too, the ultra discs in particular.
We basically get tons of Japanese jazz imports here in China. I have a lot of 70’s Japanese jazz records and they are in great condition.
Nice fart at 15:51 LOL
Hi,Japanese records almost always sound very good to my ears
I have a 1971 Japanese pressing of In The Court of the Crimson King and a 1976 pressing of A Trick of the Tail and they both sound very good.
what’s your take on Japanese SACD Blue Note releases?… in fact APO has a whole subsection of BLUENOTE..which are only Japanese releases.
thanks for your thoughts
Purely coincidental. I’m listening to a Japanese pressing of Blue Train on Blue Note. And it sounds awesome. In fairness, I don’t have another pressing to compare it to. But I can’t imagine it sounding any better. Admittedly, I’m relatively new to jazz. But I think I know what sounds good. My 1 cent.
I own a few Japanese pressings and sold a few. You are spot on for the majority of LPs from Japan. That said, I also agree, there are exceptions. I bought a few Billie Holiday albums, pressed in Japan. These are late 70s reissues of the old mono 10" Clef / Verve series of records she recorded in the mid to late 50s. They are some of the best sounding LPs I own. I actually use them as test records, they are that good. So, yes, there are those occasional gems that seem to pop up every now and then. I also have a nice, late 70s Sonny Clark "Leapin' And Lopin'" Blue Note Japanese press and an original '63 Japanese press of Coltrane's "A Love Supreme". both sound fantastic. Love the channel. Very informative. And I'll be ordering some records from you soon. Cheers from Springfield, MA!
I've seen photographs of Japanese rooms not following Marie Kondo's orders, er.. advice, ( enough space for 2 tatami mats though) but where do they find the space in their homes?
I thought that's why they went big into CDs & minidiscs ( or was that an untruth?)...Do they just have a regular purge & chuck out like how they demolish their houses regularly?
I sold all Japanese LPs, flat, lots of highs, lots of bass, neglected midrange. German pressing 70´, 80´years is good, very good.
Jason Alexander is a smart cookie...
I heard about this with Michael Fremer long time ago.
I think in the old days the difference was that they used virgin vinyl and not many nummer of pressings pr master
Yes
The grass is always greener..or maybe not?
Dutch Pressings are good as well!
I lived in China for a long time several years ago, about 18 years ago or so tonnes and tonnes of Japanese records came pouring into China, along with CD's. The story was that this stuff was sold as trash to China for recycling, to be melted down or something like that. I bought a lot of 70's and 80's Japanese classic America jazz reissue titles. They sound great. I only bought a few rock LP's, not because of the sound quality but because the sellers wanted more money for stuff they knew. This was before so much info was easily found online. Sometimes I'd find a rare record and I even have some test pressings on red vinyl. It seems some of these records came from Japanese labels cleaning house. One record that surprised me was finding Black Cat Bones, Barbed Wire Sandwich on the PIP label mixed in with a bunch of Japanese lps. I also bought several classical records pressed in Japan. The vinyl is great but the EQ-ing is often soulless.
I have to echo the comments about pride of ownership, I relocated from the UK to the US and have found in several areas when buying used such as vinyl, audio equipment and vehicles you just don’t see the pride of ownership here in the US like you do in the UK. Just my own experience 😉. The description MINT also seems extremely misused here in the US too 😂
I have four Japanese records and yes the sound on them is ok. I'm keepin them though. Was that a fart at 15:49 in this video? 😂 Great informative video.
I bought some japanese Blue Notes, they have enough bass at least for me, they are quiet, solid cover, they sound great to me and I like them more than the old Mono Originals. Hate me for this, i am a musician all my live, I know a little, japanese Jazz versions are great. Don't ask me about all the other styles, only talking about Jazz.
Fully agree, jazz records are clean, some mono and sound fantastic
I agree with your take on Japanese pressings. The quality of the covers, inserts, obi strips and extras are nice, and the vinyl itself is very quiet and high quality. But I totally agree with your opinion of the sound quality compared to other pressings. For example, Rush's "Moving Pictures" is very quiet and sounds really clean, but compared to the UK version, it is missing a lot of detail... same thing with "The Wall" Japanese pressing. I have noticed the lack of bass and the brightness to the Japanese vinyl.
There seems to be a point in time where there was a cutoff in quality. I'm not sure why but I have some older Japanese pressings that sound great (early 70's) but later pressings from the 1980's sound terrible. Here are a couple examples: The Rush RJ Series (which include the first six studio albums starting from RJ-7012 etc..with the blue Mercury labels and/or the white label "sample" promos) sound Amazing, better than any other pressings from different countries. But after the RJ series, the sound changed dramatically to the stereotypical low bass high treble (and lack of detail). So I would conclude that the older Japanese records can sound really good (ie: Fleetwood Mac "Rumors").
Regarding the original RJ-1st six Rush albums, the re-issues (with the 25 3..Catalog numbers) and Epic labels sound pretty crappy, even from the seventh album on up. Wonder why this happened? I just wanted to share my opinion. By the way, if I'm ever in the Phoenix area I'll stop in The In Groove! Take Care
Where can I get that wallpaper?
As you've mentioned. They are meticulous at packaging, it shows the cultural part of them. It's impressive. I have Ben Webster 45 rpm 2 play, Guess what? I received 2 LPs. 2,pcs of side1&2, no side 3&4. I still have it.
Grass is greener on both sides
Try Japanese cartridges like Nagaoka, Sumiko, Hana etc. They are great for Japanese pressings, being less clinical.
Great episode. I often wondered about them because I don't have many myself and often wanted to pay the extra to have some in my collection. I'm new to your channel and just subscribed. It's the first time I've ever seen one of your videos. Glad RUclips suggested this video for me.
I dont know how abundant Canadian pressings are in the US, but here in Canada 90% of used records from the 70 and 80s are Canadian... with the odd US here and there. It's not until now with new pressings and reissues where they are pretty much mostly coming from the states.. curious peoples opinion on Canadian vs US pressings...
I agree with what has largely been said here - most LPs from Japan don't match-up well (sound-wise) to other US, UK or EU pressings. The only thing Japanese pressings REALLY have going for them is their quiet vinyl. I dunno what vinyl formulation they used, but I so wish that modern pressings today had this same quality. Hell, forget the quiet surface...I'd settle for a record that is nicely centered these days!
Is this EQ "remastering" also applies to Japanese CD's?
I also found this in SACDs or HiRes Blue Rays :-(
@@SunnyAustria Thanks for replying. At first, I was really keen on getting Japanese versions of my favorites. But after watching this, I think just stick to the US pressing. I'll just buy a Japanese version if it's a original Japanese release or artist.
@@maris4137 There are SHM CD's that have a remastered EQ.
@@michaelhorgan9525 Thanks for info.
Yeah this completely explains why they always add a bonus track to the end of Japanese albums to try and get the local public to buy the Japanese copy. I mean my favourite band put two albums out last year and of course each one had a japanese bonus track tacked on at the end, and everyone on the forums was pissed that 'why does Japan still get these bonus tracks, it's 2021!'
Can't speak to rock but as far as jazz records are concerned, the quality of the vinyl / mastering used by Japanese manufacturer Toshiba EMI seems to have declined from the '90s onwards, where these statements about the mastering and dynamic range are definitely true.
However the early '70s Japanese releases of Wes Montgomery titles and the late '70s Blue Notes under King Records (i.e. Soul Station, Moanin') are some of the best-sounding versions of those albums released on vinyl in my view. You'd be hard-pressed to find a U.S. copy of "Incredible Jazz Guitar" that sounds as good as the original Japanese (~$50) for under $500
Great to hear your views on this. Love the backdrop of records
Do you think Genesis "Trick of the Tail" japanese pressing would be better quality sounding than an American pressing similarly to "Wish you were here"?
Really nice video! I think Japanese Vinyl and brand new vinyl releases are great for new vinyl listeners who have been listening to cd's or digital music. It's real clean sounding and those people may initially get turned off by the slightest non musical artifact. I always cringe when I see a youngster go to the beat up dollar bin. They are likely to take it home and get turned off to vinyl. After they get into it for a while, they will hear the difference and learn more as they go along.
I cringe more when I see youngsters taking home a clean vintage artifact that, chances are, will be ruined. When I was first diving into vinyl my ear definitely wasn’t as fine tuned to its (many) defects as it is now. In the beginning people tend to be very charmed by the whole experience, charmed by the defects, and DO NOT know how to take proper care of a record.
Those early years of endless digging through thrift stores, flea markets, and dollar bins were a good education, I had a great time listening to records that I would now consider trash, and learned how to take better care of them along the way. It worked out.
Anyone know what the albums to the right of his head are? The black spines with the yellow and red on them? Looks like a set. Very cool.
I have two Beatles japan press vinyl and i can't hear the vocals from some of the songs. Others have vocals and some have none. Maybe can you help me or what could be the problem?
obi strips are cool & the Japanese pressing usually have exclusive extra tracks.
On vinyl? I know that to be true with CD's but not vinyl.
@@bertroost1675 they do have obi strips and are usually high quality audio
@@iaincowell9747 Sorry, I was only referring to the extra tracks not the OBI or audio quality.
It's funny you should mention the fact that Japanese pressings lack low end and I agree with you. I listen to all kinds of music but my heart is the 70's and 80's funk and I used to buy them on US import because much wasn't available in Europe but some were and they sounded dreadful and had no life because of the fact that I think they made a copy of the mastertape and sent it to europe where they EQ'ed it so wrong and without low end. I had heard about it but never knew until I bought an American pressing of Donal Byrd & the 125th Street NYC: Words, Sounds, Colors & Shapes. I played the US pressing and was blown away, not only did it have much more low end but also 3 dimensionality like there was a hole through the sound and since then I always bought pressings according to where the 1 st. original master tape was made and I also have to say that things like Pink Floyd: DSOTM has to be the U.K first press and NOT the American press because the original master tape is in the U:K. Keep up the good work and yes those Tone Poet Series are fanfuckingtastic and I hope Don Was will keep them coming.
Fascinating discussion , this perspective makes sense.
The Japanese music listener is so familiar with high pitched instruments. The instrumentation of a lot of Japanese music involves strings. Japanese music in general has little or no bass. This must influence the eq'ing they do boost, cut etc.. it has to. How well do those Japanese mastering engineers know a Pink Floyd album or the way it should sound. Most Japanese pressings were not made where some mastering engineer had the original or safety master tapes. In most cases the US, UK etc. record labels would send the press plates for the jacket, inserts and vinyl press plates. They were not sent the tapes that could be remastered for the most part.
Possibly the only exception to this are the early bluenotes that were never released in the u.s. originally. Case in point was bobby hutcherson's oblique album that was only released in japan.The bass of albert stinson had alot of bottom end. It was released on the french heavenly blue series (sounds like a digital master)but does not compare to the japanese issue. Iam not aware if it was ever released in the u.s. on vinyl. It would be nice if tone poet would release it. I wonder if the japanese recieved the original master tapes?....the lawrence marable quartet (with james clay on tenor) was originally released in 1956 on the jazzwest label which had a reputation of inferior vinyl (much like the score label) the japanese released it a few years back from original master tapes (so they said and am not sure if it was a tape copy) the reissue is excellent sonically and certainly better than the original u.s. release which i had. There were exceptions and some japanese reissues were better.
Alan Senzaki Yeah, in general all the King pressings of Blue Notes have been consistently great in my experience. Also, the Three Blind Mice albums are some of the sonically best I’ve ever heard.
For me personally, if I can locate Japanese pressing of a particular album that would be my first choice, then European (German and Dutch), UK and US.
Have been into vinyl for over 30 years.
Is a first US pressing of Animals a good sounding record or is it worth it to pay for a UK version?
ABSOLUTELY WELL SAID!
Best Japanese pressing i own is Jeff Beck Blow by Blow
Plays so good as my double 45rpm by Analogue Productions
Does that fart ship media or first class?
me, who knows nothing about eq and audio but I turn treble to max on my amp cause it makes the guitars on metal records super loud, looks like I gotta buy more Japanese pressings lol
There are no rules to this hobby. Just trust your ears
In my experience Japanese and UK pressings sound great , worst and Australian and nz pressings . You can feel the weight difference and certainly sounds can vary so much
US pressings sound the worst to me. Loud as hell, and everything sounds like mud. Australian and NZ pressings are very soft, which might be why you dislike them, but I find them the clearest in hearing the softer more minute sounds. You're right about the weight though, they're very light and feel cheap.
Its Australian > Japanese > UK >>> US for me
Thank you for an interesting video! You certainly have given this some thought. Just listen to what sounds good to your ears.. that's a start. I don't think you can generalise across the board when it comes to pressings in any country - too many factors come into play. And also you cannot hold onto that it is a matter of the gear used when you are going to determine whether or not a certain pressing is "good or bad" - as long as you're not using a totally crappy system. Yes, you can get more out of the grooves - to a certain degree - when you use better gear - but a badly made pressing with a careless mastering will always sound mediocre.
Take care - cheers from Copenhagen, Denmark!