@@bennynaus I'm glad to hear it Ben! I admit the title and thumb were to drag you in - many report they are happy with the MOFI of this title and I'm hard pressed to argue it doesn't work for most songs. 🤘
I have the 2016 Pink Floyd Records pressing, and for all it’s worth, it sounds fine to me. Yes the MFSL is the “Holy Grail” along with the original 1973 UK Harvest pressing, but however great they may be, the improvement “, if any, would come at such a steep price that it may best be to just enjoy the copy you already own and leave it at that. Besides, the 2003 remix and remaster came from the original source tapes whereas all previous versions even the MoFi came from dubs of dubs of dubs.
I purchased this album when it was first released I still have it also I have 6 other various copies on vinyl, Cds dvds and Blu ray and a few box sets. I've found after many years of chasing the highest quality recordings I stopped chasing I now just enjoy the music not the system that it's played on or the format.
I am about to get #4. Once I owned 2016 and 50th both of which cut by BG, also #2. Hope #4 will surpass these three through my system. Edit: Turns out #4 beats all the three I mentioned. Elegant soundstage and massive dynamics.
Got to admit. For me it's either sample 1, 4, 6 and 7. When sample 1 was the 30th Anniversary and 4 the UK Repress I was surprised there wasn't much of a difference, while sample 6 being an early MOFI pressing it was pleasing to my ears. About sample 7, it holds with the others I mentioned earlier and it's a bang for the buck IMO
Awesome video! My favorites were the 30th and UK repress, to me they're the most balanced when it comes to presence and clarity. There wasn't a single outright bad pressing shown in my opinion, the quadraphonic pressing which I've never heard before was very interesting. In my opinion though, the Pro-Use was somehow more veiled than the others were. And the Mofi is a great sounding record, but lacks the midrange of other pressings, however I can say it is certainly not veiled like the Pro-Use.
Love those comments and I agree with all that, especially that there isn’t a single outright ’bad’ copy. However I will say the Aussie Quad is a truly ‘interesting’ listen, with its wild swinging stereo fades from speaker to speaker, and it’s scalped bottom end. Maybe on a full Quad stereo system it grows another leg?
Great comparison! I have the following releases, UK 5th (Harry in the deadwax), 30th Anniversary, first MFSL, a German A-2/B-2, the 2016 BG cut and the MFSL UHQR box. There really isn't a bad one, just slightly different and I mean slightly. I prefer the UHQR when listening through my loudspeakers, it is dead quiet and has the largest soundstage of the releases I own. When listening on headphones, I like the 30th. I think the reason for this is that my hearing is a little bit sensitive to high frequencies. The 30th is slightly rolled off in the treble and with headphones, it works better for me. This is, of course, is personal preference for my ears, equipment and room. The 2016 is the best bang for the buck and if I had never heard the others, I could live with it easily. FYI, I received the UHQR box as a gift when it came out and wasn't even close to the price they go for now, I could not justify current pricing.
I wonder if there is some amount of variation in the pressings too. I have the "Original" original MOFI with the non-italic font, and the 2016 and I love both, but your 2003 sounded outstanding to me! Just when I thought I was done buying this record...
@joncandyfliprecords Great comparison video! This album was recorded so well that virtually almost any copy you get will sound incredible. I personally own the 1973 A3/B3 UK, 30th Anniversary, and the AUS Quad. Each have their strong points although I lean more towards the UK as its overall more dynamic and spacious. I'm glad that I was able to hear the MOFI as it was my second-best sounding in your video with the 77 U.K taking the top spot. Now I'll be on the hunt for the MOFI! Cheers my man 🍻
Took me a while to get around to this but I could easily live with copies 1,4,5,6,7 but seeing as i own version 5 I reckon im all good for this album. Thanks again for putting together such a professional shootout for this iconic piece of music.
I played the first track list over and over again and thought any of these I would happily have as my copy, except #8 (which I didn't like on any track) and as this was the Quad version maybe would have come out better with a Quad cartridge etc? But as "test" I picked sample 4 on tracks 1 & 3 and I picked sample 7 on all tracks as my preferences. I remember when this came out I had Relics, Saucer, Meddle and Obscured. When this came out I didn't listen to it as I was a snob wanting to be a music radical, it was so popular I kept a long distance from it for about 3 months. Oh well we all make mistakes, some bigger than others! I have the UK Quad, '73 US & SACD copies. So I might have to find the BG copy. Thanks for this comparison vid. ALL the best.
Hey - thanks for watching! There is not really a 'bad' copy of this album is there - and I think the 2016 will please a lot of casual listeners like you and I. The Quad is plain weird on a normal stereo setup, IMHO - totally scalped bottom end, and the mid is pretty absent too.
So I actually downloaded these to have a an even easier time switching between tracks instantly and here are my thoughts. Using Sample 1 as a benchmark will be easiest since its one of the better ones. Immediately I hear that 2 and 3 are indeed worse as on first impressions. They both lose high end and punchyness in the low end, 2 somewhat and 3 especially. 4 and 5 are extremely close, I have a hard time picking them apart on Money at least but both again losing a tiny bit of high end and punch compared to 1. Not much and it could easily just be considered smoother and therefore more pleasant to hear but my vote is still Nr 1. 6 is where 1 finally meets its match I feel, now these two are really close and the only thing I might give is that 1s drums and bass pop slightly more here but it it slight. On 7 its again really neck and neck and the reigning Nr 1 might finally be dethroned as 7 seems to thump a tiny bit more and highlight the left and right sounds just slightly better, a close fight. As for 8, lets not talk about it. I went through the other songs and over speakers instead of headphones but not much changes and my final verdict would be something like: 1. Sample 1 and 7 2. Sample 6 3. Sample 4 and 5 4. Sample 2 5. Sample 3 6. Sample 8 Now I will admit that I looked at the answers the first time around but I only remembered 1 being the 30th and 8 being the Quad, hard to forget that one especially. But so I went in without remembering most of them and Im quite surprised at some of the results and others not so much. The biggest shock is probably Sample 3 which is the Pro Use. Ive touted that press before as a great one and I must have been off my rockers or something because its really muffled here. What I remember most about it was how shrieking hot the guitars were on Time but that wasnt the case here, it must have been that it was just cut really loud and Im not surprised to see your copy also distorting on that solo, both the ones Ive tried do as well so I have to assume its cutting error. I was also surprised the 2016 Grundman did so well, it really sounds like a modern remaster but I do like that sometimes with the extra separation, highlighting and realism but I do see it getting fatiguing so the other pressings might fair better here. I thought it was the MFSL at first but its not far behind in my rankings. Im glad to know the Japanese 1st press is really close to the UK Harry cut, Ive been wondering which Japanese are good for a while and it seems its best to avoid those later ones. Looks like Ill be searching out that Kevin Gray cut more than ever now. Ive been wanting it for years and almost snagged one for 30£ a while back, one of my biggest regrets still. Once again great job with this, really helped out. I just worry you will have to redo it if a 50th pressing comes out ;^)
Great video Jon. The elephant in the room was that very nice Yamaha GT-2000. One of the best affordable super decks. I had this turntable previously and my 1980 Mofi DSOTM sound sublime. Looking forward to trying out a few different versions with my GT-2000X t.
I agree. I'm done with 'moving up the tree' - this turntable is end game for me personally. Cart upgrades would be the only improvement (besides amp and speakers, of course)
That was great fun. #6 and #7 consistently sounded better than the others. Perhaps because #8 came straight after it didn't appear to have as much dynamics as the others. I believe the 2016 certainly holds up well in the ring and more importantly it's much cheaper and still readily available. Thanks for putting this shootout together...would have been a lot of work. Much appreciated 👍🎸🎶🥁
Just purchased the 30th anniversary, your video confirmed to me this is the pressing for me . Next , purchase A3/ B/3 and the blue prism 1st pressing A2/B2
Well done sir. Listening with a Sennheiser on my laptop I can live with all of them exept number 8. This one sounds strange. But also it's very depending of the match with one's audio equipment and room acoustics. And it's very difficult to judge electrical instruments. Acoustical one's would make the job more easy. But that's not Pink Floyd.
It’s a toss up between #1 and #4 for me, which is funny since they’re the closest to the source material. I was surprised that I really liked the sound of the Mo-Fi pressing. I own a 2nd UK A3/B2 pressing (and I will protect it with my life 😆). Great vinyl comparison as always!!
Thank god 6 was mofi i dont have to seek out yet another dsom. It was between 1 - 4 and 6 for me with 6 having an edge. Already have 2 mofi and the 30th aniversary which also sounds great. Now just need to wait for the next rererelease
I did the blind test and thought 1 and 4 sounded that best. 6 didn’t sound bad to me. Was glad to see that sample 1 is the 30th as it’s the only copy I have 😃
i love those kind of blind tests 👍 the winners for me were 4 and 7.. and by far the worst was 8.. it just sounds wrong... i recently got a second german pressing for next to nothing and now my other copy i have (the 2016 remaster) will be a nice little present for my dad
Thanks so much Toen - you get it. These blind tests attempt to inject a little objective science into a field that is almost fully driven by subjective claims these days. To its detriment, I should add. Your Dad will appreciate the 2016 I’m sure. 🤗
To my ears, 1 and 7 were distinctly different than the rest. I like the warmth of 6. Though, sample 8 sounded really cool in that last loop, Any Colour You Like, for the swirling synth/organ effects. I found different ones stronger for different samples. Anyway, it's all DSOTM, so I'm a happy little git.
Sad to say, with these old ears that have suffered playing 50+ years in hard rock bands and have more tinnitus than common sense, they all sounded pretty much the same to me. But, through earphones, I recognized the Australian quad right away, simply because it was so sonically different in stereo.
I've been looking to pick up a reasonably priced copy of the 2003 reissue (and it definitely sounds great here), but I also came away thinking 3, 4 and 6 sounded really decent. None of the first 7 sounded bad for me, but I have to say I wasn't getting 8, but I'm guessing I'm not hearing it how it should really be heard.
The Aussie SQ is wild, huh? I guess in a QUAD setup you would hear the full power, but gosh it's really average on a normal setup, which is what 99% of the buyers of it have! Agreed it is hard to find a bad copy.
I chose a original 1973 UK second pressing matrix run-out A-3 / B-2 it sounds 99% as good as the 1973 UK first pressing matrix run-out A-2 / B-2 but is a lot cheaper 🙂 £200- against £2,000 😳
Thanks Jason and great to hear you're getting value out of these. That's why I do 'em: this more technical, scientific approach (short of just reading figures and graphs) is not for everyone I know, but I'm thrilled they connect with some like yourself. 🤟 'Quadrophenia' has not been on my radar to be honest, but as I come across some interesting pressings over the coming year, I'll keep it in mind.
My question is how expensive the stereo system should be to hear the difference??? Got a technics PL1200 ,a marantz amplifier, Magnat boxes worth 4000 euro and can’t hear any big difference
As best I could hear, from RUclips through my fairly capable desktop computer speakers, I preferred #6 best, followed by #4, then #7, which I own. The worst, for whatever reason, was easily #8. Dammit, I don’t want to end up likening the MoFi best, but it just had the best of everything, IMO.
Thank you so much for this. Very informative. 1,4,6 and 7 sounded the best to me on most tracks but on the first track you used they all sounded pretty ok, except the Australian quadrophonic (of which i also have a copy and am a big fan of), which sounded very odd on some tracks. Not sure why this is the case, as it sounds pretty damn good on my setup. Perhaps being quadrophonic it likes some carts and dislikes others? 2 and 3 sounded pretty damn poor on some tracks, especially Time. I have the A3/B3 2nd UK, one of the US MFSLs, a South African, the same 5th UK as you, an early US, and a German pressing from ‘78. I’d have to say the German pressing i have competes very well indeed with some of the highly rated ones. It’s the one i use the most as it won’t cost a fortune to replace. The SA one is piss-poor in comparison, and the US one is not that great.
Well this was fantastic! I own copies of the 30th Japanese 1st Japanese 3rd Uk 3rd Aussie Quad I don’t teach for the Quad very often. The Aussie stereo is superior I think. The 30th is cut so hot that it’s hard not to find a copy that’s a little noisy. It’s a special listen though. I prefer the Japanese 3rd to the Japanese 1st. It’s just better balanced. Now… the UK 3rd. It’s just wonderful. The only other that compares is the 30th anniversary. I think you can tell a lot of love went into that pressing. And into your video Jon. Loved it, as always. Now that MOFI… I thought it sounded fantastic. What was your favourite?
Cheers Stephen! Always great to hear your thoughts. I’m happy with the 2016 remaster. For the few times I reach for this title over ‘WYWH’, or ‘Animals’, or ‘Final Cut’, or ‘The Wall’, it is more than adequate. 👍
I didn't waste my time listening for differences over the internet. These kind of comparisons never work for me. I've owned several copies all purchased new by me including both MOFI pressings plus the MOFI UHQR that are were pressed over minutes each, not the few seconds of the standard pressings that result in a copy with no pre-echo, a form of distortion from the groove just ahead of the groove playing back, something like that. The UHQR has much better bass than the standard MOFI's. And I take advice from a few people that I trust there ears for kinda like the person I trust at one of my local spirits purveyors for recommendations of Single-Malt Scotch(we're on the same page taste wise). Outside of an original EMI/Harvest A2 B2, the thirtieth anniversary edition is the one to get. It is clearly better than the MOFI's by quite a bit in every aspect. I also own a half dozen CDs and the first Harvest Japanese mastering, better than the ultradisc though that one is also fine. For the money, the Harvest Japanese mastering CD with code; CDP 7 46001 2 is a very affordable choice compared to the LPs.
I need a closer listen but in a quick blind test the ones that stook out as markedly "worse" than the others were 2, 3 and 8. Good job level matching these though, many forget that.
Thanks Leon - yes I was first taught that by a member of the Steve Hoffman forums who gently suggested we were not considering like objects if they didn’t come from the same volume levels. Well learned and now applied everytime. It certainly revolutionised my understanding of relative sound quality between pressings.
@@joncandyfliprecords Indeed, I wish more took care in doing this as so many fall prey to the " louder is better" trap, especially prevalent in 33 vs 45 comparisons. Do you have a particular method? I used to just Normalize in audacity but it doesnt quite do the job and I now use a plug in called ReplayGain which is almost flawless, almost always feel its spot on even though it doesnt change any data.
DSOTM, as the saying goes, really has never had a “bad” version. After all it is one of the greatest recorded/produced albums of all time. In all honesty at first I went for 3 and 6, the souped up sound nearly betrayed my “the UK is the holy grail” sensibilities. Then after going back and listening to all the samples several times, I chose number 1. Which is the Kevin Gray and Doug Sax version. They hit some magic there didnt they? The perfect balance of detail/clarity with a bit of tubiness thrown in. I didnt find the japanese pressings to be bad at all, except for the Pro-Use. The latter is a bit of a tubey bloated mess imo. The old MFSL had some more clarity than the Pro-Use but it still has that “audiophile” artificial eq sound to it. Whatever that means. Just does not sound natural. The big elephant in the room is the Harry cut. That is the one I am suppose to choose but did not. After the reveal I do hear what it is that makes the UK good but I am not sure it outshines the 2003. The quad to me is an apples vs oranges thing. Has some interesting and fun things that are cool to hear, but as a musically cohesive, coherent sound for the album, I really had to dismiss it. The mix is just so different than the others. Still a fun listen though. 1)2003 2)one of the japanese, though I cannot recalll which. I think it was the one without the fancy red and black OBI. 3) The Harry Then the rest are not in the running. Thanks! Just discovered your channel. I love these comparison sample challenges!
My thoughts were that 6 and 7 were the best. Couldn't really separate them. I have number 7 and this all confirms to me that a lot of MOFI's are a waste of money. They sound great but probably not worth the extra spend for minimal improvement. It also makes 7 a readily available bargain.
I’ve been going nuts testing some of the pressings in this video. To me the 30th Ann isn’t spectacular compared to any early UK pressing or the the japanese first pressing. When I want to put a DSOTM pressing to a stress test I play the last 3 songs: Any colour you like, Brain Damage and Elipse. And here’s where the 30th starts to crumble down. It all gets muddy compared to the other pressings, starting with Gilmour’s guitar with the uni-vibe effect during Any Colour you like which is a lot more alive in the other pressings. The magnificent choir that goes in crecendo in Brain Damage after minute 1:15 is super muddy in the 30th, the same with Eclipse starting at 00:25 To me that’s a total #Fail, so I dismissed this pressing. Not to mention that my 30th was noiser than my 50 year old UK second pressing, very noisy runins and occasional pops and tics. Ended up selling the overhyped 30th Ann for the current high price.
Thanks John. There has *never* been a better time to sell those 'audiophile' records you know longer rate or want. I'd agree the 30th is nothing special - perhaps it's the packaging?
@@joncandyfliprecords I even lost some because I paid more for it than my selling price Ohh yes, the packaging is super!, sturdy jacket and an extra poster, but what about the barcode that ruins the nice jacket 😱 The original vintage UK jackets are flimsy in comparison.
I think #1, #3, #4 sounded best to me. Those sound the same with the punchier bass than rest. Mofi sounds good too, very balanced. 2016 sounds a bit weak , drums seem more muted. #8 a little too bright
For all three samples, I consistently ranked them as the following: 7 > 1 > 6 > 5 > 4 > 2 > 3 > 8. As I suspected, the 30th anniversary pressing performed very well, as did the 2016 Bernie Grundman reissue. I was shocked to see that the Japanese Pro-Use performed very poorly, and even worse than the 1974 Japanese reissue, considering it's supposed to be an "audiophile" pressing. I have copies of the three pressings mentioned (albeit my 30th is pretty worn) and I thought they all sounded great. I was also surprised to see the original 1973 Japanese pressing performing really well. I got ahold of the MoFi CD and cassette versions of DSotM, and now I just need the vinyl to complete the quasi-collection. The Australian pressing uses the quadraphonic mix and therefore should've been left out of the equation. And as for #5, I would say that if you were to acquire an earlier UK pressing (up to A3/B3, or even a solid blue triangle) it would sound better than the later cut.
Hey Mitchell - I often include ‘different’ vinyl pressings for reference. In this case, the Oz Quad is very highly collected and extremely common in Australia ( it’s the #1 secondhand DSOTM pressing that most Aussies own). Very very few of those Quads are played on a proper Quad systems, so I wanted to show just what it is most Australian’s who ‘big that pressing up’, are actually listening to. 🤗
My 67 year old ears could not tell the difference between 1-7 tho 6 and 7 seemed slightly slower to me. All would be pleasing to listen to. 8 was not pleasing to listen to.
The 1973 UK pressing done at EMI studios (now Abbey Road) is the best version. I have the MOFI version and to be honest it's not as good and in my opinion a wast of money.
I love my uk first press the best. My mofi is a strong second. I also have a pro-use copy and do not like it very much. Very bright with not much midrange. The solo in time will make your ears bleed.
Hopefully one of these sounds great to you, and you can lay your hands on a copy easily.
The question is, which one would you be most happy with? 🌒
Hey John - I have the mofi pressing from this video. I am very happy with it :)
@@bennynaus I'm glad to hear it Ben!
I admit the title and thumb were to drag you in - many report they are happy with the MOFI of this title and I'm hard pressed to argue it doesn't work for most songs. 🤘
I have the 2016 Pink Floyd Records pressing, and for all it’s worth, it sounds fine to me. Yes the MFSL is the “Holy Grail” along with the original 1973 UK Harvest pressing, but however great they may be, the improvement “, if any, would come at such a steep price that it may best be to just enjoy the copy you already own and leave it at that. Besides, the 2003 remix and remaster came from the original source tapes whereas all previous versions even the MoFi came from dubs of dubs of dubs.
The 2016 does a great job Manolo 🤘🏽
What a great video! This was super helpful for me as I am looking to buy a copy.
Hey thanks Jeff for commenting - I'm really glad this might have assisted you.
I purchased this album when it was first released I still have it also I have 6 other various copies on vinyl, Cds dvds and Blu ray and a few box sets. I've found after many years of chasing the highest quality recordings I stopped chasing I now just enjoy the music not the system that it's played on or the format.
Absolutely Brenton!
The truth is, this is a brilliantly constructed and recorded album and just about ANY version will give you satisfaction.
I am about to get #4.
Once I owned 2016 and 50th both of which cut by BG, also #2. Hope #4 will surpass these three through my system.
Edit: Turns out #4 beats all the three I mentioned. Elegant soundstage and massive dynamics.
Good choice!
Got to admit. For me it's either sample 1, 4, 6 and 7. When sample 1 was the 30th Anniversary and 4 the UK Repress I was surprised there wasn't much of a difference, while sample 6 being an early MOFI pressing it was pleasing to my ears. About sample 7, it holds with the others I mentioned earlier and it's a bang for the buck IMO
I agree completely 🏆
@@joncandyfliprecords klq
Awesome video! My favorites were the 30th and UK repress, to me they're the most balanced when it comes to presence and clarity. There wasn't a single outright bad pressing shown in my opinion, the quadraphonic pressing which I've never heard before was very interesting. In my opinion though, the Pro-Use was somehow more veiled than the others were. And the Mofi is a great sounding record, but lacks the midrange of other pressings, however I can say it is certainly not veiled like the Pro-Use.
Love those comments and I agree with all that, especially that there isn’t a single outright ’bad’ copy. However I will say the Aussie Quad is a truly ‘interesting’ listen, with its wild swinging stereo fades from speaker to speaker, and it’s scalped bottom end. Maybe on a full Quad stereo system it grows another leg?
Great comparison! I have the following releases, UK 5th (Harry in the deadwax), 30th Anniversary, first MFSL, a German A-2/B-2, the 2016 BG cut and the MFSL UHQR box. There really isn't a bad one, just slightly different and I mean slightly. I prefer the UHQR when listening through my loudspeakers, it is dead quiet and has the largest soundstage of the releases I own. When listening on headphones, I like the 30th. I think the reason for this is that my hearing is a little bit sensitive to high frequencies. The 30th is slightly rolled off in the treble and with headphones, it works better for me. This is, of course, is personal preference for my ears, equipment and room. The 2016 is the best bang for the buck and if I had never heard the others, I could live with it easily. FYI, I received the UHQR box as a gift when it came out and wasn't even close to the price they go for now, I could not justify current pricing.
I wonder if there is some amount of variation in the pressings too. I have the "Original" original MOFI with the non-italic font, and the 2016 and I love both, but your 2003 sounded outstanding to me! Just when I thought I was done buying this record...
4 and 6 have extra dimension. I’m surprised 7 sounds pretty solid as well. With the right setup 8 would be killer too
Great video Jon. Absolutely love this album so it was a real treat. Learning so much from watching your videos :)
Hey mate - thanks for watching.
I hope you don't touch that Aussie Quad copy anytime soon!
@@joncandyfliprecords That one was a flat as my ass after sitting filming videos for two hours 😂
@joncandyfliprecords Great comparison video! This album was recorded so well that virtually almost any copy you get will sound incredible. I personally own the 1973 A3/B3 UK, 30th Anniversary, and the AUS Quad. Each have their strong points although I lean more towards the UK as its overall more dynamic and spacious. I'm glad that I was able to hear the MOFI as it was my second-best sounding in your video with the 77 U.K taking the top spot. Now I'll be on the hunt for the MOFI! Cheers my man 🍻
You are very welcome sir.
Took me a while to get around to this but I could easily live with copies 1,4,5,6,7 but seeing as i own version 5 I reckon im all good for this album. Thanks again for putting together such a professional shootout for this iconic piece of music.
That’s right Doug, and now the test is done, we better reunite you with your copy!
Thanks again for the loan to allow this matchup to happen. 🏆
Man I got the same order from best to least best
People say the Mofi release isn't so great but I love my copy none the less and glad to hear it hold its own against the other pressings here. 👍
Happy days.
I have the 2016 version but i am waiting for the 50th aniversery edition ..i hope with the empire pool 74 concert greetz from Hamburg
Thanks Bernd!
I played the first track list over and over again and thought any of these I would happily have as my copy, except #8 (which I didn't like on any track) and as this was the Quad version maybe would have come out better with a Quad cartridge etc? But as "test" I picked sample 4 on tracks 1 & 3 and I picked sample 7 on all tracks as my preferences. I remember when this came out I had Relics, Saucer, Meddle and Obscured. When this came out I didn't listen to it as I was a snob wanting to be a music radical, it was so popular I kept a long distance from it for about 3 months. Oh well we all make mistakes, some bigger than others! I have the UK Quad, '73 US & SACD copies. So I might have to find the BG copy. Thanks for this comparison vid. ALL the best.
Hey - thanks for watching!
There is not really a 'bad' copy of this album is there - and I think the 2016 will please a lot of casual listeners like you and I.
The Quad is plain weird on a normal stereo setup, IMHO - totally scalped bottom end, and the mid is pretty absent too.
So I actually downloaded these to have a an even easier time switching between tracks instantly and here are my thoughts.
Using Sample 1 as a benchmark will be easiest since its one of the better ones. Immediately I hear that 2 and 3 are indeed worse as on first impressions. They both lose high end and punchyness in the low end, 2 somewhat and 3 especially.
4 and 5 are extremely close, I have a hard time picking them apart on Money at least but both again losing a tiny bit of high end and punch compared to 1. Not much and it could easily just be considered smoother and therefore more pleasant to hear but my vote is still Nr 1.
6 is where 1 finally meets its match I feel, now these two are really close and the only thing I might give is that 1s drums and bass pop slightly more here but it it slight.
On 7 its again really neck and neck and the reigning Nr 1 might finally be dethroned as 7 seems to thump a tiny bit more and highlight the left and right sounds just slightly better, a close fight.
As for 8, lets not talk about it.
I went through the other songs and over speakers instead of headphones but not much changes and my final verdict would be something like:
1. Sample 1 and 7
2. Sample 6
3. Sample 4 and 5
4. Sample 2
5. Sample 3
6. Sample 8
Now I will admit that I looked at the answers the first time around but I only remembered 1 being the 30th and 8 being the Quad, hard to forget that one especially. But so I went in without remembering most of them and Im quite surprised at some of the results and others not so much.
The biggest shock is probably Sample 3 which is the Pro Use. Ive touted that press before as a great one and I must have been off my rockers or something because its really muffled here. What I remember most about it was how shrieking hot the guitars were on Time but that wasnt the case here, it must have been that it was just cut really loud and Im not surprised to see your copy also distorting on that solo, both the ones Ive tried do as well so I have to assume its cutting error.
I was also surprised the 2016 Grundman did so well, it really sounds like a modern remaster but I do like that sometimes with the extra separation, highlighting and realism but I do see it getting fatiguing so the other pressings might fair better here. I thought it was the MFSL at first but its not far behind in my rankings.
Im glad to know the Japanese 1st press is really close to the UK Harry cut, Ive been wondering which Japanese are good for a while and it seems its best to avoid those later ones.
Looks like Ill be searching out that Kevin Gray cut more than ever now. Ive been wanting it for years and almost snagged one for 30£ a while back, one of my biggest regrets still.
Once again great job with this, really helped out. I just worry you will have to redo it if a 50th pressing comes out ;^)
And I am certainly willing to have another crack when it does Leon! 🤑
Great to hear your well reasoned thoughts.
Great video Jon. The elephant in the room was that very nice Yamaha GT-2000. One of the best affordable super decks. I had this turntable previously and my 1980 Mofi DSOTM sound sublime. Looking forward to trying out a few different versions with my GT-2000X t.
I agree. I'm done with 'moving up the tree' - this turntable is end game for me personally.
Cart upgrades would be the only improvement (besides amp and speakers, of course)
That was great fun. #6 and #7 consistently sounded better than the others. Perhaps because #8 came straight after it didn't appear to have as much dynamics as the others. I believe the 2016 certainly holds up well in the ring and more importantly it's much cheaper and still readily available.
Thanks for putting this shootout together...would have been a lot of work. Much appreciated 👍🎸🎶🥁
Thank you Steve for watching and commenting. Always appreciated. 🏆
Just purchased the 30th anniversary, your video confirmed to me this is the pressing for me . Next , purchase A3/ B/3 and the blue prism 1st pressing A2/B2
My search is done - I have a decent copy and that’s all I need for this title. Glad the video assisted you. 🫡
Well done sir. Listening with a Sennheiser on my laptop I can live with all of them exept number 8. This one sounds strange. But also it's very depending of the match with one's audio equipment and room acoustics. And it's very difficult to judge electrical instruments. Acoustical one's would make the job more easy. But that's not Pink Floyd.
Loving your videos!
Cheers David - great to have you around. More on the way!
It’s a toss up between #1 and #4 for me, which is funny since they’re the closest to the source material. I was surprised that I really liked the sound of the Mo-Fi pressing. I own a 2nd UK A3/B2 pressing (and I will protect it with my life 😆). Great vinyl comparison as always!!
Thanks Bentendo!
Enjoy that UK press.
I know this is a vinyl comparison, but I have the Mofi Ultradisc CD version and it sounds amazing! Just as dynamic as the vinyl Mofi in my opinion.
Thanks for the info!
Note, the MFSL just doesn't have it in the bottom end I am afraid.😳
Agree with that comment, just compare the opening heartbeat on the Mo-Fi to a British A5/B5 pressing.
Thank god 6 was mofi i dont have to seek out yet another dsom. It was between 1 - 4 and 6 for me with 6 having an edge. Already have 2 mofi and the 30th aniversary which also sounds great. Now just need to wait for the next rererelease
Good stuff
I did the blind test and thought 1 and 4 sounded that best. 6 didn’t sound bad to me. Was glad to see that sample 1 is the 30th as it’s the only copy I have 😃
Awesome Charles.
How about that Aussie Quad eh? 😜
Hey, I thought the same thing! Glad I have a copy of the 30th, now to track down a Harry Moss press
Yes that quad was the surprise of the bunch , I can only imagine how much better it would sound with quad equipment, from what I read
i love those kind of blind tests 👍 the winners for me were 4 and 7.. and by far the worst was 8.. it just sounds wrong...
i recently got a second german pressing for next to nothing and now my other copy i have (the 2016 remaster) will be a nice little present for my dad
Thanks so much Toen - you get it.
These blind tests attempt to inject a little objective science into a field that is almost fully driven by subjective claims these days. To its detriment, I should add.
Your Dad will appreciate the 2016 I’m sure. 🤗
Being Honest my favourite ones are all draw, but the 2016 and 2003 were my favourites, so i don't need another copy of DSOTM... yet
yet ;)
#4 was fantastic
To my ears, 1 and 7 were distinctly different than the rest. I like the warmth of 6. Though, sample 8 sounded really cool in that last loop, Any Colour You Like, for the swirling synth/organ effects. I found different ones stronger for different samples. Anyway, it's all DSOTM, so I'm a happy little git.
ya, they're all great, although #8 hurts my ears and senses. ;)
Sad to say, with these old ears that have suffered playing 50+ years in hard rock bands and have more tinnitus than common sense, they all sounded pretty much the same to me. But, through earphones, I recognized the Australian quad right away, simply because it was so sonically different in stereo.
Yessir, it is a trip!
It would never be my choice, but I know some have it and regard it favourably.
I've been looking to pick up a reasonably priced copy of the 2003 reissue (and it definitely sounds great here), but I also came away thinking 3, 4 and 6 sounded really decent. None of the first 7 sounded bad for me, but I have to say I wasn't getting 8, but I'm guessing I'm not hearing it how it should really be heard.
The Aussie SQ is wild, huh?
I guess in a QUAD setup you would hear the full power, but gosh it's really average on a normal setup, which is what 99% of the buyers of it have!
Agreed it is hard to find a bad copy.
I chose a original 1973 UK second pressing matrix run-out A-3 / B-2 it sounds 99% as good as the 1973 UK first pressing matrix run-out A-2 / B-2 but is a lot cheaper 🙂 £200- against £2,000 😳
Love these! New subscriber! Hey…any chance you can do a Quadrophenia shoot out? I find your methodology to be the best for my tastes. Thanks!!
Thanks Jason and great to hear you're getting value out of these. That's why I do 'em: this more technical, scientific approach (short of just reading figures and graphs) is not for everyone I know, but I'm thrilled they connect with some like yourself. 🤟
'Quadrophenia' has not been on my radar to be honest, but as I come across some interesting pressings over the coming year, I'll keep it in mind.
I have a mofi, but Japanese pressing! Any significant difference between that and the pressing viewed here?
The MOFI, though a US release, has the record itself pressed in Japan on 'virgin vinyl' and the labels state that - is that what you mean?
My question is how expensive the stereo system should be to hear the difference??? Got a technics PL1200 ,a marantz amplifier, Magnat boxes worth 4000 euro and can’t hear any big difference
Do you mean the Technics SL-1200 perhaps?
What cartridge are you using?
What model Marantz amp?
Which Magnat speakers?
While that MOFI from 1981 sounded great, I really really liked the 2016. I kept gravitating to #7 which was the 2016.
Fair enough - your ears prefer the modern mastering, which a few people do.
Still nice and cheap. :)
As best I could hear, from RUclips through my fairly capable desktop computer speakers, I preferred #6 best, followed by #4, then #7, which I own. The worst, for whatever reason, was easily #8. Dammit, I don’t want to end up likening the MoFi best, but it just had the best of everything, IMO.
Fair call - the Aussie Quad is definitely a ‘challenge’. 🤣
Thank you so much for this. Very informative. 1,4,6 and 7 sounded the best to me on most tracks but on the first track you used they all sounded pretty ok, except the Australian quadrophonic (of which i also have a copy and am a big fan of), which sounded very odd on some tracks. Not sure why this is the case, as it sounds pretty damn good on my setup. Perhaps being quadrophonic it likes some carts and dislikes others? 2 and 3 sounded pretty damn poor on some tracks, especially Time.
I have the A3/B3 2nd UK, one of the US MFSLs, a South African, the same 5th UK as you, an early US, and a German pressing from ‘78. I’d have to say the German pressing i have competes very well indeed with some of the highly rated ones. It’s the one i use the most as it won’t cost a fortune to replace. The SA one is piss-poor in comparison, and the US one is not that great.
thanks for adding the colour I couldn't!
Well this was fantastic!
I own copies of the
30th
Japanese 1st
Japanese 3rd
Uk 3rd
Aussie Quad
I don’t teach for the Quad very often. The Aussie stereo is superior I think.
The 30th is cut so hot that it’s hard not to find a copy that’s a little noisy. It’s a special listen though.
I prefer the Japanese 3rd to the Japanese 1st. It’s just better balanced.
Now… the UK 3rd. It’s just wonderful. The only other that compares is the 30th anniversary. I think you can tell a lot of love went into that pressing.
And into your video Jon. Loved it, as always.
Now that MOFI… I thought it sounded fantastic.
What was your favourite?
Cheers Stephen!
Always great to hear your thoughts.
I’m happy with the 2016 remaster.
For the few times I reach for this title over ‘WYWH’, or ‘Animals’, or ‘Final Cut’, or ‘The Wall’, it is more than adequate. 👍
#2 sounded like more old vinyl, I liked it. Also liked #4
I didn't waste my time listening for differences over the internet. These kind of comparisons never work for me. I've owned several copies all purchased new by me including both MOFI pressings plus the MOFI UHQR that are were pressed over minutes each, not the few seconds of the standard pressings that result in a copy with no pre-echo, a form of distortion from the groove just ahead of the groove playing back, something like that. The UHQR has much better bass than the standard MOFI's. And I take advice from a few people that I trust there ears for kinda like the person I trust at one of my local spirits purveyors for recommendations of Single-Malt Scotch(we're on the same page taste wise). Outside of an original EMI/Harvest A2 B2, the thirtieth anniversary edition is the one to get. It is clearly better than the MOFI's by quite a bit in every aspect. I also own a half dozen CDs and the first Harvest Japanese mastering, better than the ultradisc though that one is also fine. For the money, the Harvest Japanese mastering CD with code; CDP 7 46001 2 is a very affordable choice compared to the LPs.
Mofi to me
I need a closer listen but in a quick blind test the ones that stook out as markedly "worse" than the others were 2, 3 and 8.
Good job level matching these though, many forget that.
Thanks Leon - yes I was first taught that by a member of the Steve Hoffman forums who gently suggested we were not considering like objects if they didn’t come from the same volume levels. Well learned and now applied everytime. It certainly revolutionised my understanding of relative sound quality between pressings.
@@joncandyfliprecords Indeed, I wish more took care in doing this as so many fall prey to the " louder is better" trap, especially prevalent in 33 vs 45 comparisons.
Do you have a particular method?
I used to just Normalize in audacity but it doesnt quite do the job and I now use a plug in called ReplayGain which is almost flawless, almost always feel its spot on even though it doesnt change any data.
Yes Leon that’s exactly how I do it: details in the video description. 🤘🏽
DSOTM, as the saying goes, really has never had a “bad” version. After all it is one of the greatest recorded/produced albums of all time.
In all honesty at first I went for 3 and 6, the souped up sound nearly betrayed my “the UK is the holy grail” sensibilities. Then after going back and listening to all the samples several times, I chose number 1. Which is the Kevin Gray and Doug Sax version. They hit some magic there didnt they? The perfect balance of detail/clarity with a bit of tubiness thrown in. I didnt find the japanese pressings to be bad at all, except for the Pro-Use. The latter is a bit of a tubey bloated mess imo. The old MFSL had some more clarity than the Pro-Use but it still has that “audiophile” artificial eq sound to it. Whatever that means. Just does not sound natural. The big elephant in the room is the Harry cut. That is the one I am suppose to choose but did not. After the reveal I do hear what it is that makes the UK good but I am not sure it outshines the 2003. The quad to me is an apples vs oranges thing. Has some interesting and fun things that are cool to hear, but as a musically cohesive, coherent sound for the album, I really had to dismiss it. The mix is just so different than the others. Still a fun listen though.
1)2003
2)one of the japanese, though I cannot recalll which. I think it was the one without the fancy red and black OBI.
3) The Harry
Then the rest are not in the running.
Thanks! Just discovered your channel. I love these comparison sample challenges!
And I LOVE having you here - thanks for coming.
Those are the two that stood out to me as well. Now I'm going to have to go back and listen again.
My thoughts were that 6 and 7 were the best. Couldn't really separate them. I have number 7 and this all confirms to me that a lot of MOFI's are a waste of money. They sound great but probably not worth the extra spend for minimal improvement. It also makes 7 a readily available bargain.
Yessir 🏆
2 and 4 for me.
To me the best sounding TDSOTM is UK A3/B3, than Swedish 1st pressing.
Cheers Dan.
I’ve been going nuts testing some of the pressings in this video. To me the 30th Ann isn’t spectacular compared to any early UK pressing or the the japanese first pressing. When I want to put a DSOTM pressing to a stress test I play the last 3 songs: Any colour you like, Brain Damage and Elipse. And here’s where the 30th starts to crumble down. It all gets muddy compared to the other pressings, starting with Gilmour’s guitar with the uni-vibe effect during Any Colour you like which is a lot more alive in the other pressings. The magnificent choir that goes in crecendo in Brain Damage after minute 1:15 is super muddy in the 30th, the same with Eclipse starting at 00:25
To me that’s a total #Fail, so I dismissed this pressing. Not to mention that my 30th was noiser than my 50 year old UK second pressing, very noisy runins and occasional pops and tics. Ended up selling the overhyped 30th Ann for the current high price.
Thanks John.
There has *never* been a better time to sell those 'audiophile' records you know longer rate or want.
I'd agree the 30th is nothing special - perhaps it's the packaging?
@@joncandyfliprecords I even lost some because I paid more for it than my selling price Ohh yes, the packaging is super!, sturdy jacket and an extra poster, but what about the barcode that ruins the nice jacket 😱
The original vintage UK jackets are flimsy in comparison.
30th anniversary sounded best imo. Most surprising the Japan 3rd pressing and the 2016 cut
thank you for dropping in Justin.
I think number one sounded best I couldn't tell the difference until number 8 that had lower volume
All of these samples are volume-matched before publishing, so if you heard a difference, it's in the mastering for that record..
#3 and #7 to me.
Nice picks.
Wish you were here is their best album imo, how about you?
Yes, for me, and you.
MoFi, definitely.
Interesting, thank you.
I think #1, #3, #4 sounded best to me. Those sound the same with the punchier bass than rest. Mofi sounds good too, very balanced. 2016 sounds a bit weak , drums seem more muted. #8 a little too bright
Cheers Tim - which one do you/ will you own?
@@joncandyfliprecords I own the 2016 copy. I want the 2003 or Mofi
@@papoosee a big step up in price, as we know.
For all three samples, I consistently ranked them as the following: 7 > 1 > 6 > 5 > 4 > 2 > 3 > 8.
As I suspected, the 30th anniversary pressing performed very well, as did the 2016 Bernie Grundman reissue. I was shocked to see that the Japanese Pro-Use performed very poorly, and even worse than the 1974 Japanese reissue, considering it's supposed to be an "audiophile" pressing. I have copies of the three pressings mentioned (albeit my 30th is pretty worn) and I thought they all sounded great. I was also surprised to see the original 1973 Japanese pressing performing really well. I got ahold of the MoFi CD and cassette versions of DSotM, and now I just need the vinyl to complete the quasi-collection. The Australian pressing uses the quadraphonic mix and therefore should've been left out of the equation. And as for #5, I would say that if you were to acquire an earlier UK pressing (up to A3/B3, or even a solid blue triangle) it would sound better than the later cut.
Hey Mitchell - I often include ‘different’ vinyl pressings for reference. In this case, the Oz Quad is very highly collected and extremely common in Australia ( it’s the #1 secondhand DSOTM pressing that most Aussies own). Very very few of those Quads are played on a proper Quad systems, so I wanted to show just what it is most Australian’s who ‘big that pressing up’, are actually listening to. 🤗
Well, I must be weird because I prefer sample 2.
A lot of judges prefer this one to the later Japanese copies, realising the Pro Use is a 4th pressing. So not so strange my friend. 👍
I have the gold cd mfsl never ever lent it out it is the best cd period!
Saw a sealed copy the other day for AUS$350 - was a bit tempted I must say.
8 sample sounds OSUM!
LOL - great feedback, thanks!
1, 4, 6 and 7 are all excellent, 4 just has the edge for me, followed by 6 (The Mofi). 8 is in a league of its own - awful.
Mofi
My 67 year old ears could not tell the difference between 1-7 tho 6 and 7 seemed slightly slower to me. All would be pleasing to listen to. 8 was not pleasing to listen to.
I have to agree Andy - #8 is certainly not pleasant to my ears!
The 1973 UK pressing done at EMI studios (now Abbey Road) is the best version. I have the MOFI version and to be honest it's not as good and in my opinion a wast of money.
I tend to agree.
The best is the A2B2 , A3B2, A3B3.
OK, thanks Tim!
6 or 7 but definitely not the quad (8)
I’m with you there David! 😜
Mfsl is totally overrated. 2003 issue or one of the early uk issues are the best imho
Hard to argue against. :)
Do we really need any more versions of this?
I'd say a firm 'no'.
I love my uk first press the best. My mofi is a strong second. I also have a pro-use copy and do not like it very much. Very bright with not much midrange. The solo in time will make your ears bleed.
There are many many who will agree with that choice!
No
I agree.