Quote from JohnLaidlaw on August 19, 2026, 1:03 pm

Was it yourself that was after the Talk Talk ..Sounds incredible 🙏

Quote from Drybonz on August 19, 2026, 2:45 pm

The Talk Talk sounds great... in fact all the new wave 80's stuff sounds fantastic, Smiths, Police, New Order, etc... I compared these to the Black Ice versions and they are more beefy... sounds like more low-mid range where the upper bass meets the lower guitar (I have no idea what I'm talking about).  I compared the T. Rex to the previous version last night as well and I thought it sounded more balanced all around (that may be the pressing?).  All the recent stuff sounds great to me.  What do you guys hear in these?

Also... I'm liking the semi-daily rip postings.  It's nice to have some new stuff to check out more frequently.  What do you all think?

Quote from JoePopenagen on August 19, 2026, 3:45 pm

What happens to me when I listen to everything that was done with these chains is that everything sounds more real, more organic, and much closer to how I actually know these records in my head — the records I’ve been listening to all my life. I’m a musician myself — I’ve recorded in studios, mixed records, and been present at mastering sessions with some very serious people — and I’m starting to move away from worrying about whether there are so many dB of this, or a certain frequency here or there. These days, I’m giving more importance to what my old ears are actually hearing.

I’ve never really liked Japanese editions. To me, it’s almost as if they’re missing a little salt; everything sounds so “audiophile,” and personally, that’s not something I enjoy.

On the other hand, the bass and the kick drum need to meet and live together. There needs to be punch, groove; the low end should get right into your chest and surround you. The guitars shouldn’t sound harsh or scream at you; they need to have that sweet spot. There should be a sense of soundstage and separation between the instruments. And all of these things I’m describing are what I found with these chains:

For my taste, this is my ranking of the best chains, in order:

1 - THE HOLY GRAIL REFLEKTOR SERIES (April 20, 2026)
2 - ANSWER TO THE DEFINITIVE RETURNS LINEAGE (2021–2024)
3 - THE HOLY GRAIL REFLEKTOR SERIES (2025) — VPI / Black Ice F159
4 - ANSWER TO THE DEFINITIVE RETURNS SERIES (2019–2021)
5 - DRESSED TO THE NINES (SUGARCUBE SC-2 ERA) SERIES — 2018
6 - DRESSED TO THE NINES SERIES — 2017
7 - VM760SLC SERIES

LED ZEPPELIN III (Plum) with the DRESSED TO THE NINES (SUGARCUBE SC-2 ERA) SERIES is simply fabulous. The track “Since I’ve Been Loving You” sounds exactly the way it should, and it gives me absolute happiness!

A big hug to everyone, and enjoy the magnificent work Pbthal does. I’m truly grateful for it.

((((Hugs))))

Joe.

Quote from bbk90125 on August 19, 2026, 4:27 pm

I disagree. The bass should be tight and controlled. If you want that warm and fuzzy feeling you can use the equalizer. In fact I find the bass in the current lineage (step-up) not tight enough. It is still too fat and and there is a some amount of bloat.

Quote from JoePopenagen on August 19, 2026, 5:35 pm

bbk90125.

it’s all a matter of taste; if you like controlled, audiophile-style bass, that’s great! To each their own—personally, I don’t use an equalizer; I listen to the audio exactly as it came out of the mix and mastering.

Quote from Drybonz on August 19, 2026, 5:45 pm

Quote from JoePopenagen on August 19, 2026, 5:35 pm

I don’t use an equalizer; I listen to the audio exactly as it came out of the mix and mastering.

If you play them in two different rooms, the same mix and master would sound different... how do you know the sound in your listening room is the right sound?

Quote from JoePopenagen on August 19, 2026, 6:05 pm

Well, by that logic, how do you know it actually sounds right on your setup versus your neighbor's? My point is that I don't like the "audiophile" concept—it doesn't interest me at all—and the setups I mentioned earlier are impressive; everything done with them sounds better to me than Last LineAge (I insist, it sounds better to me).

Let me run through my setup again so we have a basis for comparison.

A hard drive connected via USB cable to a HiFi Rose RS151 unit; the signal then goes to a PrimaLuna Evo 300 amplifier (featuring Brimar tubes in the preamp stage) and on to Wharfedale Elysian 4 floor-standing speakers—with the entire chain connected using AudioQuest cables.

Quote from Drybonz on August 19, 2026, 6:20 pm

Quote from JoePopenagen on August 19, 2026, 6:05 pm

Well, by that logic, how do you know it actually sounds right on your setup versus your neighbor's?

My point is that there is no right sound.  Some artists are known to have not liked the sound of their album, when it was finished.  Was that first pressing the "right" sound if the band wasn't happy with it?  Maybe they remaster it ten years later and the artist loves the remaster... is that the right sound?  We could ask a bunch of questions like that... but I'm suggesting there is no right sound.  Using an equalizer can balance the sound in a certain room to make the music sound more pleasing to you... why not use it?

Quote from JohnLaidlaw on August 19, 2026, 6:24 pm

You all should know that no one is right ..What we are getting is PB sound and I couldn't be more satisfied 😊

"Enjoy the music"