This weeks Audiophile collectables at eil.com, includes Black Sabbath, Pink Floyd, Blind Faith & more

For anyone who collects vinyl, we 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 its 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.

Here at eil.com we have a nice range of Audiophile pressings to suit everyone’s taste and pockets.

PINK FLOYD The Endless River (2014 UK 18-track double LP pressed on 180gram vinyl, devised from music that came from the 1993 Division Bell sessions, when David Gilmour, Rick Wright & Nick Mason played freely together at Britannia Row & Astoria studios. This was the first time they had done so since the Wish You Were Here sessions in the 70s. Those sessions resulted in The Division Bell, the band’s last studio album. In 2013 David Gilmour and Nick Mason revisited the music from those sessions and decided that the tracks should be made available as part of the Pink Floyd repertoire. Housed in a luxurious matt deluxe gatefold sleeve with illustrated inners and 24 page booklet featuring unseen photographs from the 1993 sessions. This copy shows minimal shelfwear with the discs remaining barely played).

DAVID BOWIE Live Santa Monica ’72 (2016 UK/EU limited edition 18-track audiophile double LP, pressed on Heavyweight Vinyl. In 1972, David set out on his first US tour; for almost four decades this historic recording has only been occasionally available as a bootleg. Features a setlist compiled primarily from the ‘Hunky Dory’ & ‘Ziggy Stardust’ albums, plus covers of ‘My Death’ & ‘Waiting For The Man’, alongside ‘The Man Who Sold The World’ centrepiece, ‘The Width Of A Circle’ [a ten & a half minute sonic assault], & much more. Housed in a single pocket picture sleeve. The sleeve does show some edgewear and light storage marks, but the vinyl appears near as new – a great play copy offered at an advantageous price).

BLIND FAITH Blind Faith (2012 Japanese exclusive 100% Pure Audiophile issue of the classic 1969 6-track LP pressed on 180gram Clear Vinyl, featuring the psychedelic blues of Eric Clapton, the soulful vocals & keys of Steve Winwood plus Ginger Baker on drumming duties & Rick Grech on bass. The top-opening sleeve comes with a wraparound ‘100% Pure’ obi-strip & is housed in a clear PVC envelope style sleeve UIJY-75001).

THE BYRDS Sanctuary IV (2002 US exclusive limited edition 11-track LP pressed on Audiophile Quality High Definition Virgin Vinyl – the ‘Sanctuary’ spotlight shifts with volume IV to the Nashville sessions for the Byrds’ landmark 1968 album ‘Sweetheart of the Rodeo’. Spurred on by new member Gram Parsons [formerly of the International Submarine Band], the Byrds travelled to Nashville to fashion the innovative country/rock blend that’s been part of American culture ever since. ‘Sanctuary IV’ collects all of Parsons’ vocal takes for the first time, as well as other outtakes and rehearsals which document the creation of an album unlike any other, with all cuts making their first vinyl appearance! Sealed & stickered picture sleeve with annotation by Roger McGuinn, Chris Hillman and Kevin Kelley).

BLACK SABBATH Black Sabbath (2015 UK issue of the classic 1970 7-track LP pressed on Audiophile quality 180gram Heavyweight Vinyl, their eponymous debut studio album including the single Evil Woman. The vinyl is UNPLAYED housed in the sealed gatefold picture sleeve BMGRM053LP).

For all our latest Audiophile arrivals please see our dedicated Collectors Store.

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