Vinyl has turned into a rich man’s hobby

received the Geffen version on release day and for $30< I think it sounds great. For $150 it better be perfection to the ears. I've not seen one review or comment yet that reflected much of anything positive. There may be a supply of these sitting unsold at some point.

Steve you should have given a bit more clarity, you said Bernie supplied the master for both, from my understanding the UHQRs are cut from the original analog tape and the UME versions are cut from a digital file supplied by Bernie Grundman.

I have the uhqr and did not open it for a week because of all the noise from a lot of people on KZfaq I played it last week some of what they say dose stand but glad I got it very happy not as bad as they are making out buy it 👍

Hey Steve. I have an OG of the SD Greatest Hit’s with 4 tracks from that record, including Rikki, and I have the new UMG (non-UHQR) and 100% agree with you. Seems very similar experience. Much more presence in the minds and high’s. Vocals may even be a little too hot at times, but on the whole, the older copies are more enjoyable, IMO. More life to them. I’m using an RP-6 with an Ania-Pro (purchased at the HiFi Centre :) to track them. Thanks for doing these videos. Cheers.

Thanks for this Steve. I do not have the UHQR's but agree with your views on the UMG pressings. They sound good to my ears. I have OG's across the catalogue and they also sound very good. The pressure on the AJA release is now growing. As this record is a desert island disc for me, I will pull the trigger on the UHQR and UMG but will the UHQR reissue be able to top the OG AB-1006 - which can still be found for a reasonable price?

Thanks for the video Steve, I had that exact question . Hey, I would like to be considered if you decide to do a A Love Supreme round table, I got APs 45rpm, got the Acoustic Sound Series 33rpm and just ordered the UHQR version and would love to give my impressions once my UHQR arrives . Keep the awesome work man

Well we already knew this considering the versions sound different.

So to roll of the top was executive decision and not Bernie losing his hearing. I’ve worried for a second there.

My overall analysis was the UHQR too smooth. Not the bite and attack I like. Ty for another informative discussion. Good about AJA...too many records coming too fast.

Hey Steve, where was that interview with Chad where he talked about the EQ choices? I hope he didn’t make another decision like that for upcoming SD UHQR’s, do you know?

I will probably never hear the UHQR. I have the hires digital files, various cd’s plus “original” vinyl and I still feel cheated and I got my hires copies gratis. 😂 these new remasters are so bad that there must be something that the public is not being told because the tapes used up to this point were fine and it would be hard to mess them up with his bad.

Funny...less is MORE. AND costs alot More.

Mastering for 45 and 33 are two different things. Not sure how it’s the same master.

Very confusing….what is the digital step on the UMG?

I always thought the "master" was the actual lacquer. So if the two releases are different speeds, they cannot be the same master. This is confusing. So when we say "master" what the heck are we talking about? The tape? The lacquer? Can someone clear this up?

man, save your cash and just buy the Ampex cassette 70s release.

Digital master, yes?

Thanks Steve, so what's the point of buying the UHQR at $150 instead of the $25 UMG if the mastering is the same by Bernie Grundman? Beats me....

To cut the top out of the frequency range kills it for me. I need a record sounding as bright as is reasonable, but way short of the old transistor radio sound. I prefer my QS quadraphonic LP's. They even sound good to me when played back in stereo.

How can it be the same mastering if the UHQR is done AAA at 45 and the UMG is a digitally sourced 33 cut? Makes no sense. They’re different mastering jobs, Bernie probably just did a flat digital transfer of the tapes and sent it off to someone else.

So Chad made a decision that affected this release in a negative way? I predict a lawsuit!

I have all 3 UMG's. The first 2 were great. Pretzel Logic is awful - for me. Sounds like there's a blanket over the mix.