We audiophiles are living the good life. Never before have we had so many outstanding reissue opportunities. These reissues continue to amaze as they have consistently provided what most audiophiles clearly yearn for. This includes excellent packaging, pressing, and sound quality along with some very interesting if not wonderful title selections.
In the past, we could depend on elite reissues from the likes of Acoustic Sounds, Mofi, IMPEX, Intervention and a few more. We love these folks for saving the format during the toughest times, and for revitalizing it's future. Unfortunately, they have one huge disadvantage. They all have to negotiate and license the rights for their reissues. As we have learned, this is no small task. Yet, these labels continue to charge forward with great success and terrific customer satisfaction! We owe them a big thank you!
Warner Music Group (WMG) has now joined the party. They have pushed the envelope even further with two new audiophile labels. "Because Sound Matters" is focused on One-Step reissues and "Rhino High Fidelity" is focused on 33 RPM reissues. WMG is not a boutique record label. They own a huge catalog and have many classic titles to offer. They own the rights to their own titles, and it's a big advantage in their business model.
Now we have another major jumping in. Universal Music Group (UMG) has rolled out their "Vinylphile" series, and they have learned well from WMG and specifically the WMG Rhino High Fidelity series. Like WMG, they own the rights to an extensive catalog of classic albums that has most audiophiles absolutely salivating.
At $40 per album, the Vinylphile series has entered the race like a stallion in full gallop and with all four feet off the ground! All titles are pressed at RTI on super quiet 180 gram vinyl. I love the heavy weight glossy Tip-On gatefold album jackets and the archive quality poly inner sleeves. All include an OBI (a nice touch), along with new and interesting four panel liner notes. It seems that every box has been checked, even for the most discriminating collectors!
For the Vinylphile series, all reissues are cut by Joe Nino-Hernes at Sterling Sound, Nashville. If you have not heard about Joe before, please engage your search engine! His portfolio continues to grow and inspire. As a young mastering engineer on a roll, his reputation is sky rocketing!
I was especially impressed by his work on several of the recent Talking Heads reissues. In most cases, I thought the original pressings could not be surpassed in sound quality. Somehow, Joe managed to take them to a new level and they are now some of the best sounding vinyl in my collection! Keep an eye and ear out for Joe as we move forward in 2026!
Jellyfish, Spilt Milk (33 RPM, Double LP)
Spilt Milk was a fascinating and unexpected choice for this new series. The folks at Vinylphile deserve a big high five on this decision. Jellyfish was an American band from San Francisco in the late 1980s. Though the band membership did evolve over time, the key leaders of the group were songwriters Andy Sturmer on drums and vocals, and Roger Manning on keyboards and vocals.
Jellyfish was somewhat under the radar for most rock fans, but their second album Spilt Milk, which was released in 1993 on the Charisma label, is now considered an absolute masterpiece. My hope is that Vinylphile will also reissue their first album Bellybutton, which was released in 1990. The band broke up in 1994 after only two albums primarily due to poor record sales.
The music on Spilt Milk is an eclectic combination of classic rock, jazz and power pop. Many have claimed that you can hear elements of Queen, The Beach Boys, XTC, and even Supertramp throughout many of their compositions. These recordings are clearly big and bold statements with a focus on sweeping levels of orchestration and dense vocal harmonies.
I only have a CD for comparison, but I was also able to stream Spilt Milk on Qobuz at 24-bit/96kHz. I don't have the single LP 1993 UK original pressing mastered by Doug Sax, and for good reason. It is extremely rare with a Discogs median selling price of $290 and a high of $575. The 2012 US single LP reissue is said to be a sonic disaster.
It is important to note that the Vinylphile reissue is spread across three sides of two LPs, which will provide your cartridge and stylus much more room to breath and for the individual tracks to shine like never before. The fourth side of the reissue features an engraved handwritten message from Roger Manning.
On vinyl, the song "Joining a Fan Club" will pretty much slap you across the face as it begins. The CD and high resolution stream are impressive with fantastic detail and dynamics, but the vinyl just spreads across the entire listening room with an incredible wall to wall of separation and air. Vocals are nicely focused and layered—something digital cannot always provide properly. There is a weight and bloom to the mids and bass that just sounds so right!
My wife had never heard of this band before. Rare is it that she sits through an entire listening and comparison session. She was so entranced, that she never left her seat once after the first needle drop! All of these Vinylphile titles are limited production and all will sell quickly. But, once the word hits the street on Spilt Milk, it will be gone before you know it. It's a killer! Highly recommended! Move quickly if you want a copy.
Peter Frampton, Frampton Comes Alive (33 RPM, 2 LPs)
Frampton Comes Alive is a true classic and is still considered one of the most important live albums of all time. Released in 1976 on A&M Records, it sold over 8,000,000 copies in the USA. It was also ranked No. 3 in a 2012 Rolling Stone poll of all-time favorite live albums. In 2020, Frampton Comes Alive was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Frampton Comes Alive was also somewhat of a coming out party for Peter Frampton as a singer songwriter. After his departure from Humble Pie, his four solo albums never achieved the attention and total sales that were predicted for him. However, along with the total sales and success of this live album, there were also three individual tracks that were released as singles that reached the top 15 on the US Billboard 100. This included "Show Me The Way," "Baby, I Love Your Way," and "Do You Feel Like We Do."
I remember that during my undergraduate years in the late 1970's at the University of Illinois in Champaign/Urbana, it seemed like you could not walk through the various dormitories and outdoor courtyards without hearing Frampton Comes Alive playing at full volume. This could happen at any time of the day or night. Quite often, the music was blaring through a pair of speakers that were barely hanging on for dear life as they faced the courtyard from one of the dormitory windows. Like a calculator and backpack, I always claimed that Frampton Comes Alive must have been a mandatory allocation/purchase for all students when they arrived on campus!
Original pressings are easy to find and fairly inexpensive, but good luck finding something in mint condition and with a jacket without ring wear. Mastered by Mike Reese at The Mastering Lab, I have a 1976 white label promo original pressing. I also have a very rare 1982 Sweet Thunder audiophile pressing. The Sweet Thunder has a median selling price of $90 and with a high of $299.
Despite its reputation, I have always found the Sweet Thunder somewhat veiled and dark, and this listening session confirmed it again. Comparing the OG and the Vinylphile was a closer call. On my system and in my listening room, the OG still has much to offer. I found the top end to be more open and expressive. Though bass and mids were nothing to sneer at, I still yearned for additional detail and weight. Both pressings have amazing dynamics with plenty of jump factor, but I still preferred the Vinylphile.
The track "(I'll Give You) Money," demonstrates why. Guitars seemed more crispy and immediate. Bass and mid bass had additional physicality and punch. Frampton's vocals are more clearly defined and upfront. On all of the tracks, the soundstage was distinctly more layered and revealing. Bottom line, the Vinylphile is now my go to copy.
By the way, if you ever find a clean 1971 OG of Humble Pie – Rockin' The Fillmore, don't hesitate. I put this right up there with Frampton Comes Alive as one of the all-time great live rock albums. Frampton was still in the band along with Steve Marriot. The 2002 Classic Records reissue cut by Bernie Grundman is a mind blower.
Velvet Underground, Velvet Underground & Nico (33 RPM)
Velvet Underground & Nico was Velvet Underground's first album and it was released in 1967 on the Verve label. Band members included Lou Reed on lead guitar and vocals, John Cale on viola, bass, keyboard and vocals, Sterling Morrison on bass and guitar, Moe Tucker on drums, and Nico on vocals. Andy Warhol was a key producer and mentor for the band. His record jacket design, which includes a large banana across the front cover (which can be peeled off and on), remains even today as one of the most recognizable album covers ever!
As the legend has grown, the famous quote by Brian Eno about this album is still something to marvel at: "The first Velvet Underground album only sold 30,000 copies, but everyone who bought one of those 30,000 copies started a band." Velvet's music was an interesting mix of minimalism, syncopated rhythms, and a considerable amount of avant-garde innovation.
Velvet Underground & Nico continues to be very influential today almost regardless of the rock sub-genre. This includes punk, art rock, indie rock, shoegaze, and several more categories. Much of the lyrical content was considered unconventional and controversial, as Lou Reed's vocals often centered on drug use, prostitution, and the many challenges of urban life in the 1960s.
I do not have an original 1967 stereo pressing which has a median selling price on Discogs of $420 and a high of $2100. After many years of buying various reissues, I happened to fall upon a mint 1973 stereo Japanese pressing in a $5 bin back in the late 1990s. That was pure luck as CD's were still hot. This Japanese pressing now has a Discogs median selling price of $59 and a high selling price of $225. I had maybe a half dozen different stereo reissues at the time, and this pressing smoked all the others—no contest. I immediately sold off all the others and I have been a very happy camper ever since.
Velvet Underground & Nico was never intended to be an audiophile delight. Slightly veiled, noisy, and distorted, the basic character of this recording has always remained the same regardless of the pressing. Raw and edgy and with plenty of crunch, many would not want it any other way. My Japanese recording has this in spades, but the high quality and virtually noise free Japanese vinyl does make a difference. The vocals and the instruments are so much easier to differentiate and appreciate. Like many Japanese pressings, the bass presentation was somewhat lean and the low end quality does vary from track to track.
The Vinylphile reissue is simply amazing. There might be a few arguments about "artist's intent," but I found that the presentation was much more fun to listen to and it was so much easier to make an emotional connection. You still get the crunch, but transparency and presence are up a few notches, even over the Japanese reissue. Super quiet vinyl also made a huge difference once again.
The track "Venus in Furs" is a perfect example. Like the other Vinylphile reissues, there is something about the tone and heft in the mids and bass that had me smiling from ear to ear. Moe Tucker on drums just pops out of the soundstage with a depth and dynamic punch that drives the song forward like never before. Lou Reed on vocals floats nicely above the soundstage with a wonderful sense of air and energy. You will never confuse this pressing with the sonics of a Steely Dan recording. Obviously I have not heard all of the available Velvet Underground & Nico reissues over the years, but if you don't have the OG, I feel strongly that this is the one to have!
The Band, Northern Lights - Southern Cross (33 RPM)
Released in 1975 on the Capital Records label, Northern Lights - Southern Cross was the sixth studio album by the Canadian/American group The Band. Considered one of the true hidden gems in the group's discography, all the songs were written by Robbie Robertson and produced by Robbie Robertson. Not a huge commercial success, it did reach number 26 in the USA, and the single "Ophelia" reached 62 on the Billboard 100.
The original band was still in tact at this point, though the release was the first studio album in four years since Cahoots in 1971. Band members included Robbie Robertson on lead guitar, Rick Danko on bass, Garth Hudson on organ, Levon Helm on drums, and Richard Manual on keyboards.
Helm, Dank, and Robertson provided the lead vocals, but each band member also contributed an endless number of other types of instrumentation, much too long to list here. This variety was one of their biggest strengths in the studio and the end results were so much more complex and interesting than their live albums (in my humble opinion). This was one hell of a talented band!
Much of The Band's music was a combination of rock, blues, traditional folk and possibly a little country thrown in. Along with the multi-instrumentation and soulful harmonics, one might describe the end result as "Americana," which is a relatively new term or genre that is now being used by the music mainstream. It is also interesting how the flavor slightly changed depending on which of the three lead vocalists was at the helm. I always had a thing for Levon Helm at the microphone. His voice was so heartfelt and sincere. You could real feel the emotion and authenticity.
I have a fairly deep collection of all the albums by The Band. From a sound perspective, the Robert Ludwig mastered OG's for some of the first few albums are hard to beat for transparency and superb dynamics. My two favorites are the self titled The Band, and Rock of Ages. I also love all the Mofi pressings of the very same titles. You can find pages and pages of discussion for which has the best sound in the Hoffman Forum.
I have a 1975 Winchester first pressing of Northern Lights - Southern Cross. The vinyl quality is noisy and the sound is slightly compressed and almost dull. I have never been able to verify the mastering engineer, but I have always been very disappointed, especially after listening to those early Robert Ludwig OG's. For this review, I was so frustrated, that I reached out to some audio buddies and borrowed both a 1975 Jacksonville and a 1975 Indianapolis original pressing. Same story. Muddy and congested. A clean dynamic OG might be out there, but I have never been able to find it.
The Vinylphile reissue is a different story. Somehow mastering engineer Joe Nino-Hernes managed to throw a little magic dust on this pressing. There is no comparison. Who knew how well this album was originally recorded. This was a fantastic surprise! Again we have that additional transparency and a locked in expansive soundstage that all Vinylphile reissue seem to consistently deliver. Mids and especially the vocals have a palpability and harmonic density that just charms the senses.
The ballad "It Makes No Difference" is my favorite track on the album. It might be one of The Band's best ever. Rick Danko on lead vocals displays a passion and sincerity that just does not come through on the OG. Robbie Robertson on lead guitar and Garth Hudson on saxophone offer up some wailing solos on each instrument that will make your heart sing. Both are so clearly defined with a timbral purity and realistic tone that elevates the song even further. Bottom line. Looks like I will be selling another OG!
Heart, Dreamboat Annie (33 RPM)
Originally released in 1975 on the Canadian Mushroom label, Dreamboat Annie was the debut album by the American/Canadian group Heart. It was then released in the United States in 1976 through the USA subsidiary of Mushroom Records in Los Angeles. This is important to note when seeking out first pressings and associated sound quality.
The album peaked at number 20 on RPM's Top Album chart and reached number 7 on the Billboard 200. It also had tremendous success on the singles charts. Those included "Crazy On You," "Magic Man," and "Dreamboat Annie." When driving around with my crew as a teen in the 1970s, it seemed like every other song on the radio was something off the Dreamboat Annie album.
There are over a dozen musicians who contributed on this album. The key players are the two sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson who front the band, along with lead guitarist Roger Fisher. Ann played electric guitar, acoustic guitar and provided backup vocals. Nancy was lead vocalist and also played acoustic guitar. Ann and Nancy were also the primary song writers, which included the three hit singles mentioned above.
Heart continues to tour even today. Their music is a combination of rock, pop, folk, and on occasion something even close to heavy metal. They are very capable of performing within almost any sub-genre. Along with other musicians including Dave Growl, check out the cover of "Stairway to Heaven" at the 2012 Kennedy Center Honors ceremony for Led Zeppelin (HERE). They had all three remaining members of Led Zeppelin in tears after the performance.
I have the 1975 Canadian Mushroom first pressing. At one time I also had the 1976 USA Mushroom first pressing, but I preferred the Canadian and sold the USA. It was a close shootout at the time, but that decision on its own deserves its own article. I also have the highly acclaimed 1979 Nautilus ½ Speed Superdisc pressing. I do not have the 2025 Mofi 45 RPM reissue. You should be able to find a clean copy of either the Canadian or USA OG in the $20 range, though some mint copies have sold for up to $200 on Discogs. The Nautilus has a median selling price of $40 and a high selling price of $165 on Discogs.
The Candian Mushroom OG has always been my benchmark. Like the USA Mushroom OG, there has been many outstanding reissues that have come and gone after a comparison. The Canadian OG just has a more open and lively sound. "Fresh" is the word that continues to come up in my notes. The low end has plenty of wallop and the dynamics are to kill for. The Nautilus has all of the above and possibly a slight amount of additional inner detail and depth. I found the Nautilus to be somewhat analytical compared to the Canadian OG. It can even sound a shade bleached depending on the system.
Again, most every pressing that I have heard of Dreamboat Annie sounds excellent if not outstanding. The original recordings and tapes by engineer Mike Flicker and mastering engineer Patrick Collins at Kendun Reorders must be first rate. For this new pressing, the folks at Vinylphile were able to get those original analog tapes from the Can-Base Studios in Vancouver, Canada. This is probably a very important factor when considering the final results. With all of this competition, when I say that the Vinylphile stands alone on top, that says a bunch.
The track "Crazy On You" brings it all to the forefront. Nancy Wilson's intro on acoustic guitar shimmers with all the sonic flare and visceral impact of the very best rock recordings. Roger Fisher on lead electric guitar is instantly more recognizable as his guitar now soars across the soundstage. Nancy on lead vocals belts out her lyrics with a full bodied physicality and blunt power unlike any other pressing that I have heard. There are several celebrated options out there on vinyl, but I would give the nod to the Vinylphile if you really want the very best!
Proper Perspective And Caveats
It cannot be overstated that system synergy and personal taste are critical when evaluating high-end audio products and music. These reviews are based on my subjective listening priorities, my specific system configuration, and my specific listening room. This combination is only one data point of many that exist out there for my components and the music that is played. Please consider my comments and analysis appropriately.
Review System
I have included a comprehensive list of all my components and a description of my listening room. Please click on my name in red above if this information is needed for reference and comparison purposes.
