1988 Geffen Records
DMM (Direct Metal Master)
Mastered at Sterling by George Marino
Clarity: 3.8
Dynamics: 4
Tonality/Balance: 3.5
Soundstage/Image: 4
Pressing: 3.5
I've spun this twice back-to-back to get a solid feel for the fidelity here, especially after reading the other reviews. Others experience brightness and sibilance, but I can only state that on my gear this sounds fucking fantastic! From the needle drop, you hear the tight fluid bass and spacious soundstage with vocals crystal clear. The detail is extraordinary! Now, Edie's voice is warm like a fuzzy blanket one moment then strident the next, so a setup that leans towards brightness may seem harsh. My old NAD amp was like that, a bit harsh on the top end! I also hear no distortion on the acoustic guitar on Circle (but it is hot and pushed forward in the mix, which I love) or IGD, just a great mastered and pressed album. But mileage may vary depending on gear! It's not an expensive OG to take a chance on. I almost passed this by in my local shop's used section after reading these reviews but glad I didn't.
Final Grade: 3.76