Been trying to find ways over the last few weeks to avoid reality, and one of them turned into an interesting 'test' if you will.
Now I stress that this is just my personal view, so I don't want any flames thanks, but I would be interested to see if anyone else has done this.
The test lineup:-
All DSOTM, in order of play.
1) MFSL Gold CD
2) MFSL Vinyl copy
3) Vinyl copy (mine) from the early 80's.
4) Standard CD (the wifes), early 90's.
5) SACD version
6) 1973 original (the wifes)
I didn't go to play in any order that's just how they panned out. I was looking to see what aspects each brought out, and in the end, again only my personal opinion mind, which sounded best.
1) Is a reasonable version, but it's never set me on fire (compared to some other MFSL CD's) and it didn't this time. For the money I expected a lot more, and perhaps this continues to colour my view of it. It's competent enough, but...........
2) A controversial one here. A lot of people list this as their all time favourite LP, or overall DSOTM, but after a few years of listening now, I'm not so sure. It has a terrific grip on the bass, but lacks the depth of bass of some of the earlier LP's. I'm also decreasingly convinced I can hear that much more detail from it compared to earlier versions.
3) Not bad, but it lacks the resolution of earlier copies and the MFSL version. It does however, as I listened to it back to back, sound much more dynamic and 'full' than the standard CD.
4).....which leads us on to that version. I have always been a little disappointed with this disc. Again perhaps the weight of expectation was too much, but for me it sounds thin and shut in compared to the vinyl versions. It lacks bass weight, and considering the higher resolution of CD, you should hear more detail as it controls the bass and allows high frequency detail to come through. But it doesn't.
5) Excellent. Far better than the CD's and the late vinyl copies. I'm not that convinced by the surround (I'm not convinced by it period), even though the album was designed for it originally. One of my better SACD's.
6)................but the biggest surprise was the 73' vinyl copy. I haven't played it for years, it's got some nasty clicks here and there, but no distortion caused by groove wear, and, *gulps*, I am forced to agree with some others on here, it is the best version of DSOTM there is - to me. It has the lot. Strong, but quality bass, good detail, and the overall sound is just perfect in a way none of the others managed. It was a revelation coming back to it after so many years.
So, there we have it. Not a definitive review, and I stress once again that this is just a personal listening test, and I'm not saying the results are in any way the 'truth'.
But doubtless someone will take umbrage.
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