Hi, John, it's weird because I just got done entering my Sabbath into the database and this post is here...I don't have the NEMS Paranoid, but I do have the NEMS Master of Reality and the Warner Paranoid.
It looks to me like the NEMS covers are thinner and flimsier and the discs are thinner as well, compared to my Warner Sabbaths. This is my experience, anyway. Hope this helps...
Hey Richard - thanks for the response. That does help. In the meantime I did a bit of online research and what little bit I found seemed to indicate that as far as reissues go, the Rhino set is better than the NEMS. According to Rhino they used original master tapes, which I assume that if they were remastered, they were done using analog procedures rather than digital. Not sure about that. So my guess is that I should either hold out for NM quality original WB issues ($$$) or go with the Rhinos.
The original U.K. pressings, from the 1970's, were also the NEMS pressings to the best of my personal knowledge. I think the best original first NEMS pressings would be the ones from the U.K., as that is the original source for the master tapes, as far as the country they came from initially, and not the U.S. Warner's versions. However, the original NEMS pressings, more so than the original U.S. Warner's pressings, will cost you a mint for sure!
Although the original NEMS U.K. pressings would be the ideal ones to get, as being the original country source, again, in which the albums were created, John Bailes is right, stick to the Rhino reissues if you want good sound at an excellent price! I do own the original green label U.S. Warner's pressings, but hell if I would ever trade, or sell them. Forget that, unfortunately, it won't ever happen. You can count on that. I just happened to get lucky at a time when those records were still quite cheap to acquire back in the 80's & early 90's for like only $5-6.00 a pop. I personally can say that I think it is ridiculous what they go for now to be honest. But hey, they are in demand, and it is Sabbath, so what can I say, right?
Thanks for responding too VJ. I'm finding exactly what you are saying - any original pressing, beit Warner or NEMS, costs a fortune in anywhere from Excellent to Near Mint condition. I don't want to settle for a lesser condition either. So I'm going for the Rhino reissues for Black Sabbath, Paranoid and Master of Reality. I already own an original Warners Vol. 4 in Near Mint condition - a white label promo no less - and I'm not giving that one up!
well i have those nems pressings..paranoid,black sabbath,vol 4 and i
can say the sound is excellent..i think they cost about 15 - 20 bucks..
you can be assured the sound is as good as rhinos.. and about the same price
they probably used the master tapes also.. i know that the song Warning from
the 1st lp is simply awsome sounding..nice depth bass and clear..
Brian, have you compared the NEMS with the Rhino? Just curious to see what your opinion is on that.
On Saturday I picked up the Rhino pressing of Black Sabbath (they did not have Paranoid in stock). When I played it I was amazed at the sound quality. The sound of the opening thunderstorm filled the room. It sounded like I was in a real storm. An excellent pressing indeed!
Originally Posted By John Bailes: Brian, have you compared the NEMS with the Rhino? Just curious to see what your opinion is on that.
On Saturday I picked up the Rhino pressing of Black Sabbath (they did not have Paranoid in stock). When I played it I was amazed at the sound quality. The sound of the opening thunderstorm filled the room. It sounded like I was in a real storm. An excellent pressing indeed!
Hey John.. yes i compared the 2 ..
seems just about the same.. i hear ya on the first black sabbath its excellent..
i bought we sold our soul and mob rules,heavan and hell,dehuminizer,live evil all
only 15.00 each on the back to vinal issues..very nice sound especially hevan and hell
superb..it was so nice to hear it in a decent sound..i have the cd and its god awful..
sound low and shit.. just like rainbows long live rock n roll..i cant wait for a re issue of that..
anyways the nems,rhino,and back to vynil are good as well as the Earmark picture discs
i have master of reality and sabbath bloody sabbath.. and they sound great..
Thanks for the response Brian. It confirms something I saw in a blog earlier today. The guy did some comparisons between the NEMS and the Rhino and ended up that they were very close. He pointed out the the NEMS reissues were made from original UK Verigo tapes and the Rhino reissues were made from orginal US Warner tapes. He also pointed out that there were some minor flaws in the US Warner tapes. Primarily, some volume drops at the beginning of War Pigs and Iron Man. He also said that the NEMS vinyl was a bit less noisy than the Rhino which has some surface noise noticable in the quiet passages.
So he gave a preference for the NEMS vinyl. The Rhino has the original gatefold artwork but the NEMS does not. So if that's an issue for anyone it could tilt the scales back to the Rhino. This guy, like you, has both versions.
Almost all of the classic Rainbow classics have been reissued on vinyl. The record label, for example that has reissued, "Long Live Rock And Roll", is a record label called: Rock Classics. In fact, if I am not mistaken, you can also purchase all of the other reissues from Rainbow that are possibly on the Rock Classics record label.
Anyway, they cost like basically 25 bucks a pop. I am not sure, but they quite possibly might be imports, hence the price. But hey, I am sure they are also legit. Again, if you don't like that unappealing price, you can usually find originals easily for under 8 bucks at one of your local record shops.
VJ thanks for the info..i will probably be able to get those rainbows for
about 20 bucks..my store always has reasonble price for new presses..dont think
ive ever seen anything over 22.00 ill find out if he can HAVE Them..im pretty sure..
John..good point..i noticed any rhino has a tad surface noise and can be
noticed on quiet parts..plus the nems are having the gatefold glossy cover..
i noticed Sabotage always has a crappy begining with the sound its low at the begining..
same with born again trashed ..the sound is shit at the begining..and gets adusted
as the song progresses..
I have the NEMS pressing. Just got it a little while ago. Excellent. My original was about the same - originally. This pressing is high quality and almost NIL noise.
I was apprehensive about buying a re-release because some of the other new releases I've bought recently from other manufacturers ( Supertramp Crime of the Century was one ) sounded like a teenager used them for an air hockey puck they suck so much that I went online to buy second hand original releases of them.
I will have no problem buying NEMS releases as a result of how good this one is.
Hi Guys
Here in the UK i have always regarded the Original Vertigo Black Sabbath 1st Pressings as
having a much better sound quality than than the later Nems pressings. To me the Nems sounded a
bit thinner in sound.
I will second the Earmark reissues. They are 180gm, gatefolds when they had them (Sabotage is gatefold on their press), they were released at the same time as the Sanctuary CD reissues in the 90's. I have 4 of the 1st 6 Sabbath albums (no S/T or Master, yet) as Earmark copies, they are from the original masters and I haven't paid more than $15 for any of them. I can tell you that the Rhino 180gm Van Morrison Astral Weeks is amazing, but I haven't heard the Sabbath Rhino, original Warners should be fine, as long as you don't pay more than $10 for them. Original Vertigo, naturally would be ideal.
I picked up the Rhino pressing as well so now I have the Rhino and the NEMS. They are both excellent but I think the NEMS may have a little edge over the Rhino simply because of the volumne drop on the Rhino at the beginning of War Pigs that I mentioned earlier. The song starts at a low volumne and stays low for about 3 minutes then jumps up in volumne as though the engineer decided to tweak the knob a bit. This is an occurance from the original US master tapes that does not occur on the original British masters. Not sure that I'll ever find a Vertigo pressing that I can afford but I'll keep an eye out.
ere goes for my first post on this forum slightly of topic i have recently been buying some of the 180g re issues of the sabbath albums. here is my thoughts on them my first buy it was mob rules on Rhino 180g re issue i was very impressed by the quality of the packaging and quality of the vinyl .. The sound is amazing i have not heard Mob Rules sound so good makes the CD copy of mine sound abit flat so well impressed.
So my next purchase was the Nems 180g reissue of vol 4 Not so impressed record jumps a couple times on track.. snowblind so i took it back to store .. packaging not as good as Rhino issue. So my third purchase is Live Evil 180g Rhino.. sound is exellent ..BUT..both vinyls are very badly warped so this will also be going back to store. not sure if i have been just unlucky so far. but it amazes me that i can pull out one of my early first press vinyls some of these are up to 40 year old & play perfectly and are totally true and not warped. it seems everything you buy today is total shit reguardless of what rhino claim to be high quaulity as stated on the label.. My copy of live evil should never have left the factory as so badly warped the chap in the record shop will be well pissed of with me tomorrow but he has had enough of money lol i think from now on i will be looking to buy early or older pressings as they will play fine an hold their money better
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