Just found your channel.. Well thought out rig! You've got me looking at the Tekton subs (even with the controversy)

Nice ! What brand of cables do you use ?

Dude that room and system is phenomenal!!! I subbed, you really thought this out.

Very nice room im guessing its the basement. We don't have many houses with basements so ive got a room in the middle which looks more like a studio.

No property acoustic treatment done professionally. Don't seem like properly acoustics treatment can increase your system quality by huge upgrade without spending too muck. A dedicated system should be kept in a dedicated music room. Don't get me wrong. Your gears are good

Great vid. The MoFi is truly the winner for me as well. Now I’m waiting for the rest of the VH catalog to drop.

Enjoy the video, would love to hear some audio

Damn, Rich! Now, that was an accurate comparison. Changing the VTA….Bravo, sir! Love that record. It’s an amazing part of the history of music. Yup, soundstage and imaging are hugely important to me. The phantom center image is kinda like a magic trick…lol. A lot of people really don’t care and just wanna hear the music, Killer vid, man. Very cool the new Bellman sounds good and is readily available 👍🎶😊

Great information. Obviously you are a real audiophile and vinyl lover but I would like to know if you have an opinion about the CD versions of the first six Van Halen albums? I am curious if the 2015 remastered versions of the CDs sound better than the original releases?

🌸 Promo_SM

Compression isn’t necessarily a bad thing, especially for an album like this

Mediacore gear at best , yawn!

I got my reissue via Revolver magazine, and I'm disappointed with it. The overall sound of the vinyl appears a bit flat, thin, and over-compressed, and lacking a bit in the volume department - I've got to turn my turntable's volume up to around 80% to enjoy, as opposed to other records. In addition, the tracks on side 2, whale and Wasp, and Don't Follow, my favorite song on the album, have some noise disturbances (a bit too much crackling and popping for a new pressing, despite it being cleaned). It just honestly feels off, and it seems to me like a lot of the magic of the music was lost in this pressing. it's a real shame because this is one of my favorite records, and it just doesn't hit as it should. I agree with you on Whale and Wasp; flipping the vinyl to side 2, immediately beginning with that instrumental, is a bit jarring and hurts the experience, this definitely should have been placed at the end of side 1.

(Much like Kevin Gray) I (too) had not really listened to this album before purchasing this pressing and it sounds awesome. 'Balanced' is the first word that came to mine during the 1st listen; everything in its place...my understanding is that OGs can present guitar forward and it is nice to hear solos / riffs sonically in line with the backbeat. My copy is flat, deadly quiet, and centered...have had zero issues with the Rhino Hi-Fidelity series and I am here for what they bring next. Excellent review...fun to learn about the other pressings! Sidenote: both of the Cars' releases & this release all arrived with zero issues (yes the Cars self titled packaging was a bit 'meh' but mine was actually secure).

STP's Core A-75 is a HURRICANE of a pressing. Vocals, backbeat, and guitars separation and detail was surprising...was used to years of a more "crunchy" digital cd reproduction sonically throughout most of my college years. This presents much more like they sounded live, especially during the tours for Core...the harder I pushed the amp, the more detail was revealed with this pressing (reminded me of when I have pushed my Dad's old pecko Led Zep 4...the louder the better lol). Excellent review...subscribed!

Nice vid. Thank you. I am just picked up copy of 30th Anniversary. Quite basic. I would put some pics as on CD version.

I’ve owned both the MOV and the Pallas 30th pressings and, while I prefer the MOV packaging, there really isn’t that much difference imo. I sold the MOV for a few hundred and would definitely not undo that transaction to have it back. The only thing that would move the needle on this would be a AAA pressing by one of the audiophile labels. I’d love a RKS/CB cut pressed by QRP/RTI.

Thanks very cool vidéo i love it

Not a fair comparison since the MOV contains "Sap"

I would say the EU version is probably better. I have that version and it’s a Pallas pressing cut by Daniel Krieger. The US press is cut by Wes Garland and pressed at United. I’ve never liked much of Wes Garland’s output unfortunately…

lovely setup

Rich, your system is beautiful, man. Very well thought out too. Love the Pass Labs stuff, and Nelson’s First Watt stuff is amazing too. Eric is such a good guy. I called up Tekton about 5 yrs ago and spoke to him about the DI’s. We spoke for about an hour, and in that time, he actually ended up down selling me on the Pendragons for like $1K less. They are still my main speakers. Who else in the audio world would do that? 🤷‍♂️😂 Anyway, again, absolutely stunning system, Rich. It was a pleasure having you go through it.

You don't listen to the jacket, but it still should be good qualtfor the money new vinyl goes for

When you invite your family and friends do they have to sit in floor? Or do they all tile on the ONE chair?

Thanks for the shootout! I have the new AiC website exclusive "tri-color" pressing, but _really_ wish I had the MoV, simply because it includes Sap. That, and I hear it sounds the best, as you confirmed. 🤘

Hey Rich... Nice job on this !!!!

I only have the new 30th pressing, and wished i had an OG or the MOV to compare, but I'm happy with this one. Great video, thanks for comparing!

Man! I wish you had an OG pressing to compare with the other 2. I just picked up a demo copy of the original absolutely mint - BUT it cost me $350. Totally worth it to me though, as like you, I have a deep personal connection with this album from my Jr. High days. Walking to school with this cassette tape in my Sony Walkman ❤

My copy of the 30th Anniversary press shipped; I can't wait for it to get here! Great video!

What kind of discs are on the streamer and preamp?

Awesome system and room tour!

Vinyl in the 90's was terrible quality its great to see this album reissued along with many others from that era

the mofi for me is way to bright and low dynamic range

Some lovely current gear. You know your own synergy. Great room.

Very nice system Sir. 👍

Great story on buying your Wilson speakers. I kinda did the same thing. Drove from Detroit into 🇨🇦 and headed east to Toronto. 4 hrs there, demo’d a pair of Meridian speakers. Quickly grab some food and headed home. The customs officer at the border asked me why I drove all the way to Toronto to buy some speakers. I had to explain that you can’t just go to Best Buy and pickup a pair. After some back and forth and having me pull off to the inspection area, then to customs to view my bill of sale, they said I was free to go. 🤭.

I got the MOVLP version and think it sounds pretty great. I will compare my A75 when it arrivees. If you have ability to play DSD I will send you a link

Thank you for also calling out the now deliberate/confirmed choice by AS to not laminate the jacket. Personally, the anniversary edition of “Core” has been the best I’d listened to until this AS one (some prefer the MOV release - it’s just ok for me). I did love the “made from analog” logo on the back of the outer. Wonder if that’s their own creation (the logo). Between this and your VH comparison, keep ‘em coming, Rich!

I’m hoping Purple will beat the pants off of Core in terms of sound quality when it comes out later this year. -Russ

i have the version that walmart, version sold,i think you have to turn the volume up, the vocals werent as loud

Thanks Rich for the review of Core. I have the same Walmart pressing and also the 2 lp boxset that came out that has JJ Golden (John Golden’s son who works with him at his studio) as cutting it. I thought the boxet version bested the Walmart pressing so I am assuming the AP 2lp 75th will even sound better. Maybe not as big a difference as the Walmart vs the 75th but enough for me to give it a go as this is one of my favorite hard rock albums of the 90s. Did your Walmart version have CB (Chris Bellman) in the runout groove areas? There are two different runs in which some do and some dont (probably a euro vs us thing as the matrices are completely different) But both are the same year and same splatter vinyl. Kind of weird. My Walmart is a CB cut. Still the John Golden boxset I felt won by a bit as far as sound quality so I never searched out the non CB. Not a “blown away” situation however with the boxset. Anyway, thanks for the review and I will most likely grab the 75th at some point soon. Im pretty use to what the AP stuff turns out and Im not surprised it sounds the way you describe. Matches up with what I would usually describe their output to characteristically sound like. Which is a good thing. And I have no idea what you are talking about concerning “impulse issues” and vinyl collecting and Id appreciate it if you would not stare at my 12 copies of DSOTM with raised eyebrow. Ha. Thanks for the effort and review video, always helpful 👍🏻

I was 18 years old in 1986. So I made that transition from hair band to grunge rock. Soundgarden and Pearl jam were my two favorite grunge band. I thought Stone Temple pilots was a copycat band. And it wasn't until later that I started to enjoy them.

Awesome. Can't wait to hear it! I have the 2020 deluxe boxset version and also the 2022 splatter like you have.. I hear this is the definitive pressing of this album now, so I'm stoked to have one, as I'm sure it'll sell out quickly and will probably be expensive on the secondhand market. 👍

Thx Rich very nice !

You’re room and set up looks great and it’s nice you can afford the price of all this Because being an audiophile isn’t cheap these days is it??

Next on your list should be: - the iFi SilentPower Supanova power cables. I have 2 (for the dac, amp). - Cardas Clear or Clear Beyond interconnect cables (my system is lower than yours so I have the lower line Cardas Parsec)

Excellent video Rich, amazing setup.

Nice Tokai guitar hanging on the wall there!

Your time was well spent. Beautiful system!

nice gear, mate