Hi, Massive Queen fan just getting into vinyl your videos are fantastic I have the black complete works set which I have been listening to and I think these blow cd's out of the water I'm going to start collecting first pressings as you say they sound even better, my first vinyl experience was Night at the Opera too back in the 80's as a kid for me the first 6 albums were the best so most wanted is them and live at the rainbow.
Two of the gems in my Queen collection are test pressings of Day At The Races and Hot Space. Races sounds so full, it will blow you out of your seat!! And it's very loud... but not in a modern digital sort of way. All of the dynamics are there and unfortunately I will no longer play the test pressing... because it's a test pressing!!! Hot Space also sounds absolutely amazing, but the very cool thing about the test pressings for the album is that they still have the original version of Cool Cat with all of the David Bowie vocal bits. David didn't like his parts and asked the band to use a different take for the actual album. So for that reason, it's interesting, as you have a different version of a known album track!
Great content. I am a huge Queen fan, but I have to admit that many of the original US pressings do not impress me when I compare them to any one of my Dire Straights albums. I will give a UK pressing a try. Thanks!
I have a lot of Elektra/US pressings of Queen. The Elektras of Flash Gordon, and A Night At The Opera and at a push Queen I are pretty good for me. I want to point out Sheer Heart Attack being mastered in the US (The Mastering Lab - an audiophile mastering studio). I believe the country that mastered the album will have the best possible version. So what if we hear the original 1974 Elektra pressing of Sheer Heart Attack compared to the UK one?
Thanks for your response! An interesting theory! But I’m afraid the country of mastering is not immediately the country with the best pressing. For example, in this particular case; the US pressing of Sheer Heart Attack does not use the mastering of TML. It uses a mastering by the Elektra Sound Recorders, mastered by Terry Dunavan. This pressing get’s a lot of criticism for a lack of bass, as a matter of fact al lot of Queen pre-The Game pressings in the US get a lot of criticism for a lack of bass. I see this with other pressings too; Sticky Fingers was mastered by Doug Sax for TML but the best pressing of this mastering was done in Germany. The vinyl-quality of a country, the pressing quality of the plant and the politics which decide what mastering to use all have an influence on a pressing. A recordseller in Amsterdam told me he noticed a new trend amongst a lot of Japanese collectors. They hunt down Dutch pressings of US records with the US stampers. For example Artone did a lot of that. So I bought a Dutch pressing of Saxophone Colossus by Sonny Rollins. Pressed at artone in The Netherlands with the original stampers by Rudy van Gelder; it is one of the most amazing pressings I own.
@@bpabustan I agree! It is strange. My guess is; it had to do with music industry politics. It makes me think about the Led Zeppelin II US pressing. The manager of Led Zeppelin pulled some strings to get one of the best mastering engineers (Bob Ludwig) to make the most dynamic mastering and get it pressed from the best vinyl quality (the quality that was usually used for classical music). It is a spectacular pressing with great dynamics. When the Atlantic Recorders CEO’s daughter played the pressing on her cheap recordplayer the needle jumped out. Too much bass. So he ordered the Bob Ludwig pressings to be withdrawn and to release a compressed/equalized pressing so it would play well on cheap recordplayers. Perhaps some big companies ordered for compressed pressings when they thought the demography of a certain band would mostly have cheap recordplayers. The bigger the release; the less risk they are willing to take with the product.
Great shootout , how can I find uk first pressings easily in Discogs? Do I need to look into each vinyl information or is there a more general quarrying method. Again thank you an love your channel 🙏
I have many Queen albums too. The best ones are definitely UK pressings, try to find the Blair Rules. Japanese pressings are IMO very boring and flat, but they’re absolutely the best in terms of presentation. Covers, inserts and no surface sound is amazing, just look at the Japanese Live Killers.
I have the 1st pressing of Night of the opera with Blair’s on the both side , I think a little muddy on the high end. I have the French pressing with Blair’s on the first side and I prefer it than uk. The French has more définition on high, like in the hi hat or cymbal. Do you have this feeling on the uk pressing lack of crisp on the sound ?
Good question! In this particular case; I wouldn’t know. I’m rather positive about my Sheer Heart Attack Japanese pressing but it does not top a 1st UK. As a matter of fact I am not much of a fan of Japanese pressings. Indeed; their vinyl-quality is brilliant but I rarely hear a really good mastering on them. Not that I wouldn’t mind getting one, but I’m not into paying the high prices people sometimes ask for them.
Good question! I believe Innuendo is a tough one to dive into; the original vinyl release has cuts to make it all fit into one disc (horrible idea). So I bought myself the 2 vinyl remaster which is from the recent (dynamic less, flat) remasters. So… not an awesome vinyl but the only option if you want to have the full album on vinyl.
Want to know what the 5 best Queen live albums are? Check here: czcams.com/video/CP25GwSIojU/video.htmlsi=IueMzhGks1HH11uU
Hi, Massive Queen fan just getting into vinyl your videos are fantastic I have the black complete works set which I have been listening to and I think these blow cd's out of the water I'm going to start collecting first pressings as you say they sound even better, my first vinyl experience was Night at the Opera too back in the 80's as a kid for me the first 6 albums were the best so most wanted is them and live at the rainbow.
Those records were made mid 80s, they probably come from the same masters of the first run of CDs.
Imagine assuming vinyl is analog.
Queen in the 1970s is boss.
Jazz-UK-sounds superb. Great production. Not my fav Queen album but the best sounding...
Nice video! I am a great fan of Queen and collecting all their vinyls and in particular UK and Japanese first press.
Two of the gems in my Queen collection are test pressings of Day At The Races and Hot Space. Races sounds so full, it will blow you out of your seat!! And it's very loud... but not in a modern digital sort of way. All of the dynamics are there and unfortunately I will no longer play the test pressing... because it's a test pressing!!! Hot Space also sounds absolutely amazing, but the very cool thing about the test pressings for the album is that they still have the original version of Cool Cat with all of the David Bowie vocal bits. David didn't like his parts and asked the band to use a different take for the actual album. So for that reason, it's interesting, as you have a different version of a known album track!
Great content. I am a huge Queen fan, but I have to admit that many of the original US pressings do not impress me when I compare them to any one of my Dire Straights albums. I will give a UK pressing a try. Thanks!
You will love it! I hope they are not too hard to find!
I have a lot of Elektra/US pressings of Queen. The Elektras of Flash Gordon, and A Night At The Opera and at a push Queen I are pretty good for me. I want to point out Sheer Heart Attack being mastered in the US (The Mastering Lab - an audiophile mastering studio). I believe the country that mastered the album will have the best possible version. So what if we hear the original 1974 Elektra pressing of Sheer Heart Attack compared to the UK one?
Thanks for your response! An interesting theory! But I’m afraid the country of mastering is not immediately the country with the best pressing. For example, in this particular case; the US pressing of Sheer Heart Attack does not use the mastering of TML. It uses a mastering by the Elektra Sound Recorders, mastered by Terry Dunavan. This pressing get’s a lot of criticism for a lack of bass, as a matter of fact al lot of Queen pre-The Game pressings in the US get a lot of criticism for a lack of bass.
I see this with other pressings too; Sticky Fingers was mastered by Doug Sax for TML but the best pressing of this mastering was done in Germany. The vinyl-quality of a country, the pressing quality of the plant and the politics which decide what mastering to use all have an influence on a pressing. A recordseller in Amsterdam told me he noticed a new trend amongst a lot of Japanese collectors. They hunt down Dutch pressings of US records with the US stampers. For example Artone did a lot of that. So I bought a Dutch pressing of Saxophone Colossus by Sonny Rollins. Pressed at artone in The Netherlands with the original stampers by Rudy van Gelder; it is one of the most amazing pressings I own.
@@top5records796 now this is interesting, something mastered in the US is not used by the country of origin. Hhhhmmmm...
@@bpabustan I agree! It is strange. My guess is; it had to do with music industry politics. It makes me think about the Led Zeppelin II US pressing. The manager of Led Zeppelin pulled some strings to get one of the best mastering engineers (Bob Ludwig) to make the most dynamic mastering and get it pressed from the best vinyl quality (the quality that was usually used for classical music). It is a spectacular pressing with great dynamics. When the Atlantic Recorders CEO’s daughter played the pressing on her cheap recordplayer the needle jumped out. Too much bass. So he ordered the Bob Ludwig pressings to be withdrawn and to release a compressed/equalized pressing so it would play well on cheap recordplayers.
Perhaps some big companies ordered for compressed pressings when they thought the demography of a certain band would mostly have cheap recordplayers. The bigger the release; the less risk they are willing to take with the product.
@@top5records796 the Bob Ludwig hot cut is now a high ticket collectors' items. The Lee Hulko master is really dull.
Hey man, love your videos. I'm on the hunt for the best sounding Queen II pressing. I'm just wondering if your first UK is a Blair's cut?
Thank you! It is indeed a Blair one! Just saying ‘Blair’ not Mr. Blair.
@@top5records796 Sweet, thank you so much. Gonna start hunting for a copy now.
Blair Rules! Best sounding albums.
1st US of Hot space is godly!
Thanks! I’ll keep my eyes open for one. I love that album!
Great shootout , how can I find uk first pressings easily in Discogs? Do I need to look into each vinyl information or is there a more general quarrying method. Again thank you an love your channel 🙏
Thank you! I would simply compare the matrix numbers of the UK pressings of the first year of release on discogs.
@@top5records796 Currently sounds like Chinese to me , but I'll look more into it. Thanks 😊
I have many Queen albums too. The best ones are definitely UK pressings, try to find the Blair Rules. Japanese pressings are IMO very boring and flat, but they’re absolutely the best in terms of presentation. Covers, inserts and no surface sound is amazing, just look at the Japanese Live Killers.
I have the 1st pressing of Night of the opera with Blair’s on the both side , I think a little muddy on the high end. I have the French pressing with Blair’s on the first side and I prefer it than uk. The French has more définition on high, like in the hi hat or cymbal. Do you have this feeling on the uk pressing lack of crisp on the sound ?
the early UK albums 1st pressings come with cardboard inners causing surface scratching in many cases, be careful of this when buying.
the early Queen UK 1st pressings come in cardboard inners causing surface scratches so be careful of this when buying.
hi, is queen I 1st japanese worth getting?
Good question! In this particular case; I wouldn’t know. I’m rather positive about my Sheer Heart Attack Japanese pressing but it does not top a 1st UK. As a matter of fact I am not much of a fan of Japanese pressings. Indeed; their vinyl-quality is brilliant but I rarely hear a really good mastering on them. Not that I wouldn’t mind getting one, but I’m not into paying the high prices people sometimes ask for them.
Where's Innuendo⁉🤹♂
Good question! I believe Innuendo is a tough one to dive into; the original vinyl release has cuts to make it all fit into one disc (horrible idea). So I bought myself the 2 vinyl remaster which is from the recent (dynamic less, flat) remasters. So… not an awesome vinyl but the only option if you want to have the full album on vinyl.
Also check this of the first queen album comparisons!
czcams.com/video/1V0zAPIqW_E/video.html