I just want to express my appreciation for the way these shootouts/reviews of yours provide these charts of quantitative scores on various sonic dimensions- granted, there's always a subjective quality to how one scores these things, but to me (and others, I'm sure) this approach (using these interval scales) provides more clarity in a relativistic sense. Keep up the great work!!

Great shootout, Thanks! 😎 I shot out 3 different copies - the new Rhino, a Greenie artisan & UK WWA (w/ Vertigo matrix) pressings.. It's tough to pick a winner, as I liked them all, but I guess I tended to prefer the Greenie overall, though on certain songs, the Rhino is king, bringing out a lot of much-needed clarity. I agree, the cymbals can be a bit fatiguing on the Rhino at times. The WWA also sounds great too, but I'd be pleased with _any_ of these really, if I could only have 1. Can't go wrong with any of the 3. I should probably redo my shootout though since thanks to you, I've upgraded my VM540ML by buying a RigB body and just got that installed... Unfortunately I haven't had much time to listen to it yet, but I'll definitely be doing so with the long holiday weekend. 🍻

And the hits keep coming. Another masterpiece David. Thanks so much.

so glad rhino did this one for me and everyone else that wanted a quality copy that didn't have an early US press or vertigo rhino reasonable price!

Great review! Very helpful as to potential upgrade decisions. Many thanks for that and also for saving me the money for the Rhino which is so expensive and awkward to get in Europe. Gladly sticking with what I already have. Keep it coming, please.

Thanks for your great review ✌️ so cool to see all those pressings together behind you there also

Also remember using the same master source but on better cutting equipment will enhance areas of the groove too which could have a beneficial effect, it’s just cut better now 🙂

Even though it means nothing to me, as i bought 1 copy and will never sell it… 5000 copies of a very important and popular album is nothing. I can only imagine what the Rhino hifi will be going for in a few years time, let alone 10 years from now. It will skyrocket in value no doubt. I’m so glad I got one and it sounds absolutely phenomenal to my ears.

I have an unusually clean copy of the US WB green label that I picked up about 20 years ago. I always considered it one of the best sounding records I own, or have heard, period. Maybe I got lucky and it’s a hot stamper 😮

The Australian Fontana pressing will make your testicles tingle. All shootouts and audio comparisons should be done without knowing what's playing, knowing which pressing you're listening to introduces bias

I’m fortunate to have owned a VG+ OG US green label Warner/Artisan for a few years. If I didn’t already own that, I’d be super happy with the Rhino HiFi I ordered. The OG, even with more background noise, just has more grit and power, IMO.

Thanks for your great Reviews, love that noise or silence is important to you because it is most important to me too. Nobody brought me to more new bands (for me) then you 🙏

Hello David Most of what you describe (bass definition, soundstage detail etc) is VTA alignments between pressings and your stylus. Your stylus seems sensitive(a good thing) to this all important parameter. What cartridge do you use? Can you adjust VTA on your arm? When the mastering engineers produced these pressings initially, I’m sure on their monitor tables they achieved similarly satisfying aural results that devolve to these divergent pressings in production with the cutter head styli and the vinyl weight along with our home systems’ individual styli aligning or not. Good job as always Thank you, Tony

I own multiple pressings of the UK 🇬🇧 USA 🇺🇸 pressings and of cause the allusive Rhino pressing. Sound wise the Rhino smacking the OG copies dynamic in the way the vinyl being dead silent Soundstage vastly improved overall quality of vocals & instruments being magnificent 👌 Although I must say my USA 🇺🇸 pressing has something other's don't possess. Rhino/Kevin Gray knocked it out the park the topend resolution with cleaner bass detailed vocals has tweaked this album in a way I like very much. Great break down btw David much the way I found this on my monster system @ 80db 😊🦻🇦🇺

I have a "Greenie".

My mint US OG “greenie” (Hate that word, lol), is the Only pressing I’ll ever need. Best sounding pressing imo. Rhino really didn’t need to do this one

The Rhino Hi Sabbath are sold out many weeks ago. A US greeny artisan is hard to find for under $100 in VG+ condition. I just figured, why bother and how much do I like the album that I need to hunt for it- forget it. So for the average person this late review of Black Sabbath might make some think to act on FOMO (ltd edition vinyl) and buy while they can.

Sober review. Rare in these days! Thanks!

Missed the Rhino but immediately found a great greeny on eBay. Ultrasonically cleaned it and it was fantastic. My later palm tree Warner bro. Black Sabbath don’t sound as good as my two greenies. Sounds like the first US press is more cohesive.

Question for you. Which one would you be most likely to crank up on your system and jam?

In the end, I appreciated my US Original Green Label over the new Rhino Hi-Fi. As you say...a touch more "mojo" and overall presence and "grit" in the mix for me than the very clean, accurate Rhino. I sold mine on last week for $125 on Discogs. Cheers

I definitely appreciate this video. Ive been trying to listen to all these comparison videos . Any chance you could link us to Jasons side by side comparison?

People like the green and vertigo because it is compressed. It is fatter. It has 2-3 less DR. The rhino hifi is about 13-14 (avg). The OGs are more in the 10-11 zone. This is why you guys like it! We all love compression when done right. But my go to will Rhino Hifi. I love the balance and clarity. But I love em both.

Have you checked out the 2010 Rhino release, using the original type green WB labels? The lacquers were cut by Ron McMasters at Capitol and pressed by Rainbo. It has some very positive reviews. I have my suspicions that the OG promo copy was pressed at Columbia, Santa Maria, so the vinyl should be quiet. It is marked ARTISAN. Do you realize that is where Kevin Gray cut his teeth? The green label OG may have been pressed at one of Columbia's other plants, which didn't use as high quality of vinyl as the CSM plant.

lim to 5000 is an insult to all record collectors .. thats not even enough für 1% of die hard sabbath fans .. just imagon how many people bought the record with out owning a turn tabel and there are people who just bought it to sell it on discogs ... ... this is pure disappointment

Thanks David, cool shootout

Please no more vinyl comparisons on this album!!!!! Let’s all please move forward!!! It’s a metal album record that was recorded in 2 days and never meant as an audiophiles dream! Too much fretting about this in the VC