Best vinyl you've ever heard

[IndigoRock2001]

What is the best vinyl record you've ever heard/own? This can be the best pressing or the best recording because of dynamic range or engineering. Please mention year, pressing and label if possible so other members may have a chance of acquiring a copy.

Mine is my recently acquired Sgt. Peppers on red vinyl from 1966 on Parlaphone. It's a great pressing. My roommate and I sat blown away as we both heard actual instruments we'd never heard before on this very familiar recording. It's far and away the best record pressing I've ever heard, to the extent that for weeks after all of my other records sounded like anemic ghosts. Unusual also because it's on red vinyl, which in the 60's still had a well deserved reputation for sounding bad.
indi

[billshurv]

This is a hard question, because the better the recording and pressing generally the less you would actually want to listen to the music. I have a load of direct to disk recordings that sound amazing but you only play to show off to friends.

[Japi Roelofs]

Mine is my recently acquired Sgt. Peppers on red vinyl from 1966 on Parlaphone.

I'm not a Beatles expert, but this album was released in 1967. Also, I think red vinyl wasn't available until 1978.

If the label says Porlaphone instead of Parlophone, it's probably a bootleg. Perhaps this one?

[GyroSE]

This is a hard question, because the better the recording and pressing generally the less you would actually want to listen to the music. I have a load of direct to disk recordings that sound amazing but you only play to show off to friends.

I fully agree. I've quite many direct-to-disc records- they all do sound amazing but only a few contain really engaging music. Some of the titles from the Sheffield Labs label are good in both areas IMHO.

One album that do sound good and that contains good music is Roger Waters album "Amused to Death"- it's not a direct-to-disc recording but it nevertheless is very good sounding.

[michaelrandrews]

Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy - Elton John - Original pressing
Folk Singer - Muddy Waters - Analog Productions
In a Silent Way - Miles Davis - MOFI

[philbrown]

Lots of choices but if I had to pick it would be:
Graceland original DMM mastering
Nightfly Original DMM mastering
Bop Till You Drop original mastering by yours truly
Phil Brown

[Roberto C2H3]

Brothers in arms first us pressing 8)

[analogaudio]

Beethoven piano sonatas, played by Brendel, Philips recording and pressing, until I heard this I didn't know how good LP quality could be.

Steely Dan, almost everything, Gaucho may be my favorite.

GO PHIL :-) I bought BTYD when it came out, love it. How were things with that 3M digital system?

[philbrown]

Brothers in arms first us pressing 8)

OFF TOPIC: I love Brothers In Arms but the engineer in me is bothered by the amount of noise from the console. You can really hear it in the intro of Ride Across The River.
Phil Brown

[philbrown]

GO PHIL :-) I bought BTYD when it came out, love it. How were things with that 3M digital system?

It was fine. I used it a lot, multi track and mixdown. But it, and all the tape based systems, were only stopgaps until full computer recording.
But it had a problem with compatibility between machines which yours truly discovered. I was the first person to try to play back a tape recorded on a different machine.
And the tape, recorded at the Townhouse, wouldn't play back on our machine at Warmer Bros.
And as they say, hilarity ensued.
Phil Brownj

[The Blue Panther]

All the Santana albums I have sound good but Santana 3 (also known as Man with an Outstretched Hand ) is exceptional. It was made in Holland, and the cover has "Santana 3" printed on the front unlike the original.

[billshurv]

Whilst on Dire Straits where do people rate 'love over gold'?

Keeping the audiophile extravaganzas to one side I often use TalkTalk the colour of money as one with (to my ears) superb sound.

Another one I use a lot is Eurythmics Touch. Mainly because, the way it was mixed the tracks (on a good system) are laid out like a patchwork quilt. If you can listen into the mix with this things are heading in the right direction.

[Analogger51]

My original pressing of Traffic's "The Low Spark of High Heel Boys" still shocks me with its immediacy and presence. Ditto my Jimi Hendrix's 2nd posthumous release "Rainbow Bridge". I have an import reissue of Rod Stewart's "Gasoline Alley" packaged with "Every Picture Tells a Story" from Polydor that's amazing. Original pressing of Arlo Guthrie's "Hobo's Lullaby" and NGDB'cs classic "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" set.
I love my Paul Butterfield's "Better Days" LP and Van Morrison's "Band and Street Choir". These are all great musically and sonically.

[Sterling1]

Lady Gaga's Fame, not a single snap, crackle, or pop, not one.

[AsOriginallyRecorded]

A best of copy of The Police's Synchronicity, and Tom Petty's Burning Down the Plantation. Both reveal nuances in the vocals and instruments not heard in other formats. Excellent.