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The comment feature is back up. For now, it's the slower format we attempted to replace with something faster, which created a problem. So please post comments. However, hit the button once and wait for it to post rather than hitting it repeatedly, which will repeatedly post your comment.

Thanks! The photo shows the first Mobile Fidelity reissue of Music From Big Pink (MFSL 1-039) mastered 1/2 speed by the late Stan Ricker on the Ortofon cutting system, released in 1982. The image was chosen because side two opens with "We Can Talk". But you already knew that!

By the way: the original Capitol edition had the bass emasculated by someone doing the lacquer cutting who just couldn't be bothered trying to put what's on the tape onto the disc. It's not worth buying, not even a "hot stamper" version. Instead, get this, or get the digitally remixed version or get the more recent Mo-Fi version even if it's cut from a DSD file. It has bass!

Comments

2023-08-13 03:25:36 AM

MrGneiss wrote:

Testing, testing!! :-D

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2023-08-15 11:06:15 AM

brunofromparis wrote:

So the MFSL version is the best sounding "Music from Big Pink" ? The original Capitol is really that bad? Which vinyl version would you recommend?

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- 2023-08-16 01:19:29 PM
  
  bwb wrote:
  
  I can't speak to "the best" but the I have an early Capitol and it is anemic, The MoFi I have is much better
  
  Reply
2023-08-16 09:19:05 PM

AnalogJ wrote:

I have an early Capitol copy that a friend bought for me that was supposedly mastered with the bass intact. I'll have to dig it out, play it, and report back.

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- 2023-08-16 11:38:02 PM
  
  AnalogJ wrote:
  
  I looked in my records and saw that I also have the digitally remixed 45rpm as well as the recent MoFi. I might have to have a shootout. Thanks Robbie Robertson. RIP.
  
  Reply
2023-08-17 08:08:39 PM

AnalogJ wrote:

I played the original US Capitol, the recent MoFi, and the 59th Anniversary 45rpm back to back to back today. (I had to do it for Robbie).

Yup, the US is really anemic. The MoFi has some bass where there was none. More importantly, it had focus and 3-dimensionality to instruments and vocals. Vinyl noise floor wasn't the lowest, but images were rich and the music grounded with the deeper bass. And highs were liquid and smooth.

Then came the 50th Anniversary edition cut at 45rpm. As is often the case with albums cut at 45rpm, the sound was bigger, and more expansive. There also seemed to be more energy to the music.

But this came at the expense of some aspects of tonality. Images were a bit less focused, and the top end was brighter. There seemed to be a bit more reverb. So the images in the soundstage seemed less specific in their own space and, in a way, more artificial.

As I mentioned, though, the music seemed more alive and more spacious. I wish the 50th was a bit less bright. I prefer the tonality on the MoFi, but the added life to the 50th.

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2023-08-17 10:14:02 PM

Andrew wrote:

Is there a Facebook group or website where people who own multiple versions of albums compare their varieties for people like me, who don't own the record yet, and would like to make an informed buying decision? Thanks

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