Pearl Jam – Vs.

THIS is the pressing. Sliding in to compare it to the 2011, which I bought before a buddy let me know that THIS is the one to get - it's everything this album was always meant to be—big, bold, and brimming with raw energy. Every note punches through with clarity, and Eddie’s voice sounds like it SHOULD. If this pressing is a Michelin-starred dish, the 2011 is a stale piece of bread with molded cheese. Lifeless, compressed, and flat as a parking lot. This isn’t a comparison between apples and oranges. It’s apples and Cadillacs. Apples and Cadillacs, people. Apples and Cadillacs.

This is definitely a great sounding record, but I was expecting a bit more given how this was cut at 45 RPM. Almost all my 45 RPM 12 inch records are audiophile grade for example: Radiohead In Rainbows, A Tribe Called Quest Low End Theory, Porcupine Tree Closure/Continuation, Foo Fighters Wasting Light and Nirvana - In Utero (2013 Remix). None of these are from audiophile labels like MoFi or Analog Production yet they sound super dynamic. This pressing, while sounds great, doesn’t sound as dynamic as any of the albums I mentioned above.

It is cut well from a hi-res master and I am sure the dynamic compression was already in there. When volume matched properly with Qobuz, they sound quite similar. Everything sounds clear and seemingly punchy but lacks body. This doesn’t mean the record sounds bad, in fact it sounds good but I was just expecting more.

This is my favorite Pearl Jam record both in of production (Brendan O’ Brien is one of my favorite 90s producers) and the compositions.

Great sounding pressing. The price was right, that's for sure.. $26.98 from Amazon for a double 45rpm album. Can't beat it! 👍

Sounds great, beats out my crummy 2011 reissue. This pressing is quite as well, thanks to RTI. If you can’t afford the original, this one is the next one to get.

This is a great example of when a (presumably) digital cut record sounds better than its hi res streaming counterpart. The version on Qobuz doesn’t sound as full as this and sounds tinny by comparison. Might just be a matter of EQing choices in the mastering stage. Picked this up for $23!

Went through 2 copies bought from Amazon. Both were pressed off centre and sounded awfully distorted. Sigh. Probably bad luck.

Easily one of my best sounding records, 45rpm, flat and round, everything you want in an excellent pressing. Found mine in the wild at Walmart for 35 bones. No ragrets.

Can anybody write something qualitative about how this pressing sounds compared to the 2011 press? "Makes it sound like garbage" and "obliterates it" doesn't actually say anything at all. My 2011 pressing sounds good and plays flawlessly, and makes me doubt all the negative reviews on it.

Finally had a chance to sit down and give this a proper listen. Sounds phenomenal. Will want to compare against my original someday (this feels a bit heavier on bass, IIRC), but no complaints at all. Full and clear sound. Good separation. Quality all around.

Wow. Audiophile pressing cut at 45rpm.
I had to listen to all sides twice on my 1st listen. One with cans the 2nd with speakers. Great dynamics wide Soundstage. To boot I scored this album at Walmart. If you see it. Buy it!