For anyone who collects vinyl, we all know that some of the most highly wanted pressings tend to be those classed as Audiophile.
Those with the best hi-fi equipment will always want the best quality sounding pressing available, be that high quality 180 gram or heavier vinyl, CD’s, Super Audio CD’s, SHM-CD’s, DVD-Audio Discs and more, from companies like DCC, Mobile Fidelity, Nautilus, Nexus, Simply Vinyl or Nimbus.
AUDIOPHILE VINYL
‘True Fidelity’ vinyl is perhaps the ultimate format for the audiophile. Issues are taken from original master tapes for pure ‘as intended sound’, and production techniques such as half-speed mastering, quadraphonic sound and special formulated virgin vinyl are common in most audiophile releases.
There are many labels who issue audiophile recordings, but only a few specialize in it. Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab (MFSL) have a variety of series including ‘Original Master Recordings’
[OMR] and ‘Ultra High Quality Recordings’ [UHQR]. Other important audiophile labels include Nautilus, Direct-Disk Labs, Sheffield Lab and Wilson Audio.
AUDIOPHILE COMPACT DISCS
With the development of the compact disc so typically came the development of it’s audiophile counterpart. Again there are specialist labels, there are varying techniques (gold discs, layered discs, high-density discs) and there are varying opinions on the listening pleasure! But we’re here to bring all those quandaries together.
The truth is some recordings are better than others, in the same way some artists are better than others and some music is better than others! We will look unbiased at them all…
Here at eil.com we have a nice range of Audiophile pressings to suit everyone’s taste and pockets.
PETER GABRIEL Us (2016 UK 10-track limited edition album 10-track double LP pressed on 180 gram vinyl – a 33 1/3 RPM half-Speed remastered issue of the 1992 album. Housed in a wide-spined picture sleeve with Hi-Res Download code – stillsealed in its hype stickered shrinkwrap PGLPR7).
HUMAN LEAGUE Travelogue (Test Pressing for the 2016 UK issue of the 1980 10-track LP, fully remastered for the first time on 180 gram Vinyl, with custom white labels stickered by Universal with the client details and housed in an annotated plain die-cut sleeve. Only a small select handful of these would have been made, never intended for sale to the general public).
ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK Marnie (Sealed 2019 UK 47-track double LP pressed on 180 GRAM Scarlet Vinyl; Bernard Herrmann’s soundtrack to the 1964 Alfred Hitchcock psychological thriller starring Sean Connery and Tippi Hedren, cut at 45 RPM and mastered at Abbey Road Studios by Sean Magee. Also included in the set is an exclusive 2-track 7″ featuring Nat King Cole singing the main theme, as well as an expanded 51-track CD of the album in a replica gatefoldsleeve and 24-bit WAV & 320KPS MP3 download of both the LP and CD. If that wasn’t enough there is also a 30″ x 40″ UK quad poster designed by L&B of London. The gatefold picture sleeve features a stunning close up of Tippi Hedren, which was unwittingly taken from The Birds from the previous year; this has caused this version to be swiftly withdrawn from sale and it is due to be re-issued later this year with corrected cover art, making this version an already sought-after collectable by aficianados. This copy is still sealed in its double hype-stickered shrinkwrap with the obi-strip still in place and the contents Mint and unplayed – a fantastic deluxe rarity STLP8696).
THE DOORS LA Woman (1992 US 12-track 24 karat GOLD remastered audiophile CD issue of the classic 1971 album, manufactured in Japan for the US market, picture sleeve reproducing the original bevelled corner LP sleeve with clear plastic picture printed window & inner sleeve GZS-1034).
For all our latest Audiophile arrivals please see our dedicated Collectors Store.
Explore eil.com… the world’s best online store for rare, collectable and out of print Vinyl Records, CDs & Music memorabilia since 1987.
Be the first to comment