SOUND QUALITY SHOOTOUT: Metallica's Black Album

[@CliveBarnesMusic]

I love these videos, many thanks. There's a few issues though. Dave Mustaine never sang for Metallica, he was their guitarist. Metallica tried to release a No Life Till Leather boxset before the Kill Em All box but Dave Mustaine blocked it. Eventually a replica tape of the original demo was released for one of the Record Store Days instead. I have al these boxset and really love them. Amazing value compared to other boxsets I've bought.

[@trueaudiofiles8453]

Huh, I could of sworn I heard Mustaine singing on that RSD cassette release but maybe not. Thanks for info.

[@CliveBarnesMusic]

@@trueaudiofiles8453 no, but as I said, I love these videos. Thanks for doing them..!

[@trueaudiofiles8453]

@@CliveBarnesMusic thanks for watching them!

[@WonHakWoon]

I have 4 out of the 5 box sets, as the MOP one will be the one I will never get my hands on (sold on eBay for prices between $5000 and $10.000). This box set was the first I purchased and I was amazed by how much stuff this box set comes with. I paid $306 (that's with shipping included), but it's worth every single penny.

[@kurtzcol]

i see them going for about 1500 on ebay and discogs

[@jackiepuppet9289]

I picked up the wal mart exclusive a few months back which I think is that Bellman remaster and the same remaster that’s in this new deluxe box set. I thought it sounded really good because it must be digital source given when this album was recorded. It had a nice soundstage with good separation. I’ve never heard that 45 rpm so perhaps that blows it away. I’ll probably never know because they are selling for $200+ and that’s just way more than I’d want to spend

[@trueaudiofiles8453]

The album was actually recorded on analog tape. I can’t say for sure how it was mixed but I would assume it was analog as well given there are 24/96 digital versions of the album out there. That being said as mentioned in the video all of these remasters sound good…. until you hear earlier versions like the 45RPM in this case. It looks like if your patient you can get the 45RPM version for just a little more than $100. I’m not sure it’s worth that much more than the current release even though it does sound better. That is always a personal choice.

[@jackiepuppet9289]

@@trueaudiofiles8453 good to know! You ever hear a first pressing of it by chance?

[@trueaudiofiles8453]

@@jackiepuppet9289 no they are pretty rare as they didn’t press many. I would imagine it would be pretty similar to the 45RPM though.

[@jackiepuppet9289]

@@trueaudiofiles8453 ok. Well if the 45 rpm got down to around $100 I would consider purchasing. I’ll keep an eye out. Thanks for the tips. Love these shoot out videos, they are very informative !

[@trueaudiofiles8453]

@@jackiepuppet9289 I am glad you enjoy them and find them informative. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@jasonhoffer9017]

Interesting to hear the differences of opinions on this release - Michael from 45 RPM - compared/equated it to a one-step. Not drawing and conclusions or wanting a battle of channels or anything - just find peoples differences of opinions fascinating. Mood, time of day, your bias of the music going into a listening session all play a factor. Personally, this album reminds me too much of kids in high school that I didn't like so much playing it all the time (so it will be a hard pass for me). That said, another great video!

[@trueaudiofiles8453]

The 45RPM version is very close to a One Step minus the pressing process and the higher quality vinyl. It’s definitely the best version of the Black Album (analog or digital) that I have heard.

[@brentpietrok4758]

Still on the fence with buying the boxset. I have MOP and AJFA boxsets but I’m just not into cd’s anymore.

[@trueaudiofiles8453]

I get it. I just rip them to my HD and listen that way. I would say a lot if it may be a listen once thing but if you are in to live stuff it’s definitely got lots of that on CD and DVD.

[@brentpietrok4758]

@@trueaudiofiles8453 yeah, but those DVD’s and LP’s looks great though. Thanks for the vid!

[@Aurla-R2-D2]

Hi :) Thanks for your review! Does the remastered CD sound noticeably better than the original? Cheers ^_^

[@trueaudiofiles8453]

No

[@Aurla-R2-D2]

@@trueaudiofiles8453 ~ Thanks for the short but sweet reply! 😄 You have saved me a tenner! ☺

[@vibingwithvinyl]

I have the original 1991 Dutch pressing of the black album, and to me it souds great. Have you heard it and what are your thoughts about it if you have?

[@trueaudiofiles8453]

@@vibingwithvinyl I haven’t. I can’t imagine it sounds much different (if any different) then the original US pressing. It likely may not sound as good but that is subjective and I can’t speak to that as I have never heard it.

[@mikexlr8]

How does the 2008 Warner Bros, 33 RPM Because Sound Matters 2 LP compare to any of these or the new Blackened remasters?

[@trueaudiofiles8453]

I haven’t listened to that one. In general the new remasters are less dynamic so I can assume the 2008 33 1/3 will sound better but it all depends on how well it was cut and pressed. I know some of those 2008 33 1/3s were very poorly pressed and were very noisy.

[@mikexlr8]

@@trueaudiofiles8453 the one I’m referring to was cut by Bernie Grundman and pressed by Pallas in Germany so I’d assume it sounds good. Also has the hype sticker saying it was cut from the original analog master tapes.

[@trueaudiofiles8453]

@@mikexlr8 then it probably sounds similar to the 45 RPM that I have and talked about in the video as it was cut by Bernie and pressed at Pallas as well.

[@mikexlr8]

@@trueaudiofiles8453 in that case I’m going to buy it. Thanks!

[@federalisticnewyorkians4470]

I had the oppritunity to buy one in mint condition for just 47 dollars and passed it up, one of my biggest musical regrets ever.

[@trueaudiofiles8453]

@@federalisticnewyorkians4470 I don’t remember what website it was but that is about what I paid for my 45RPM on clearance.

[@federalisticnewyorkians4470]

@@trueaudiofiles8453 I’m talking about a 1st Spanish pressing.

[@Albee213]

I see these box albums as what happened after the album was released. So its fair not to include anything before Kill'em All was released. Dave was not in the band at the time, why would they include it?

[@trueaudiofiles8453]

But they aren’t. They contain demos, early riff tapes etc. also. They all have several CDs worth of this kind of thing so why exclude anything that would be early versions if they are including so many CDs worth of that especially something as important as that? They released it for Record Store Day on cassette, why wasn’t included in the pricey box set?

[@memyselfmyvinyl894]

Is this the same remaster as the ones that came out at Walmart? I bought some of those and now I have this boxset. I might be having some buyers remorse.

[@trueaudiofiles8453]

That is my understanding yes.

[@jstechgaming7294]

sadly youtube compeess video and audio vinyl in person is nice tho

[@MrGIJuu]

2021 has horrible sibilance on Nothing Else Matters.

[@trueaudiofiles8453]

I didn’t experience that fortunately.

[@Ad.Dd.James.]

All these Metallica vinyl reissues are remastered for loudness quality only. There’s nothing special or unique going on in relation to sound value.

[@trueaudiofiles8453]

Well they’re unique in the fact that they don’t sound like the other reissues. They are far from the loudest remasters out there. These actually sound pretty good given the circumstances.

[@demarcusp359]

you clearly haven’t listened to the remastered versions

[@trueaudiofiles8453]

@@demarcusp359 who are you responding to?

[@demarcusp359]

the op