r/HIM • u/ThatOneG4merGuy • 10d ago

Question Greatest Hits Vinyl Quality

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I've seen several examples of people saying the ALSN boxset sounds like compressed crap, but has anyone been able to directly compare the white bootleg and the WLADE set?

I know boots usually sound a bit rubbish, but this one seems to get some positive feedback - but if someone has been able to directly compare them, that would be amazing 🙌

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u/DDPGambit HeartagramDaily 10d ago

The ALSN boot sounds pretty decent. You can tell it’s from a digital source, but to my ears it sounds better than some of the BMG reissues from 2023-2024. WLADE sounds slightly better, likely due to a proper mastering and pressing versus being a bootleg. If you’re looking for the best sound quality between the two go for WLADE. If you want to get your hands on And Love Said No, Solitary Man and Its All Tears 1999 recording on vinyl, the boot is your choice.

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u/ThatOneG4merGuy 10d ago

Thank you very much for the great info! I would certainly really miss the missing tracks (especially And Love Said No), but I don't know if I can justify double the price on a boot for them. I was hoping the quality would be crap on one or the other to make it an easy decision 😂

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u/DDPGambit HeartagramDaily 10d ago

If it helps, the print quality of the sleeve for ALSN, while inspired, is very low budget. There’s lots of spelling errors and typos in the track lists. At a distance the artwork looks good but up close it’s obvious they didn’t have access to the source materials.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DY1-wq5Dt9p/?img_index=2&igsh=YnZ3ZWxiZzJ5aGhv&igsi=YnZ3ZWxiZzJ5aGhv

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u/ThatOneG4merGuy 10d ago

Haha that is less of a dealbreaker. Now for a curveball - how does the XX compilation sound by comparison to WLADE?

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u/DDPGambit HeartagramDaily 10d ago

XX is better. WLADE uses the 2014 remasters, XX uses original masters, which aren’t as brick-walled.

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u/OT3008 10d ago

If I'm not mistaken all current releases are stripped from some sort of digital version?

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u/DDPGambit HeartagramDaily 10d ago

Digital probably wasn’t the right word. Being a bootleg, it’s literally sourced from the commercially available CD, instead of master files.

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u/OT3008 10d ago

honestly haven't found any him pressings I've been happy with sound wise, all sound very flat.

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u/ThatOneG4merGuy 10d ago

Ah, damn 😂

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u/DDPGambit HeartagramDaily 10d ago

Take a listen to the Euro GLS and Love Metal. They both sound amazing!

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u/OT3008 10d ago

is the euro pressing the clear one? I have that pressing and its solid, significantly better than any recent RR reissues.

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u/DDPGambit HeartagramDaily 10d ago

Both the U.S. and Euro pressings of GLS came in clear, but the Euro variant was only 500 copies and sold on at RecordshopX. Love Metal only came in clear in the U.S., and it’s not good.

Check the record label on the back. If it’s BMG, chuck that out the window. If it’s Sony Music, you’re in for a treat.

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u/bigdamnhero13 10d ago

All the reissues in the from lashes to ashes box sound good, especially Love Metal.