[fiz]

Is it just not there in the first place? I have two boxed sets of their stuff along with various other remastered albums and I am very unimpressed with their recording quality. I love their music so it is bearable but what are some of your guys opinions of their recording quality? Are there any copies of their albums that are known to sound good (without clipping of Plant's voice, etc), or am I out of luck?

 

[Redo]

The consensus is if you haven't heard Zeppelin on Vinyl, you haven't heard a good master of Zeppelin. I'm going to be picking up the Vinyl's myself, but digitally transferring them to 24/96 (as I don't personally own a Turntable).

Here's some sneak previews of what good Bonham drums can sound like:

http://www.saladrecords.com/bonhamfiles.htm

 

[markl]

Go back to the original unremastered versions, they sound better. That said, there's one major artist's catalogue that really needs the Steve Hoffman or Mobile Fidelity touch.

 

[eduj]

Although the original CDs sound decent nothing available can beat the original UK Led Zep vynils

 

[Kilane]

I stand by the FIRST to CD. The first publications of whatever were mostly un-messed with at least from what I've heard. My copy of Led Zepp 2 (which I have since lost) sounded much closer to what I remember of the vinyl than the box sets. But it's been a few years.

 

[Jerome G]

"How The West Was Won" sounds good to me

 

[Publius]

I have quite a bit of original LZ vinyl. It's not any better. Stick with the CDs. I have the box set too and yes, it doesn't sound especially awesome.. but few other popular rock groups in that era did. (Dark Side of the Moon, anybody?)

 

[regal]

There is a rumor that Kevin Shirley is remixing the Zep catalog.

 

[John D.]

The Crop Circle box set sounds about the best to me.
Jimmy Page was involved with the remastering, he was happy
with the outcome

JD

 

[LFF]

The best versions to get are the mofi test pressings of all the albums. Good luck.

 

[J-Pak]

The West German Targets sound great (and don't go for over a thousand bucks

)

 

[markl]

Quote:

The Crop Circle box set sounds about the best to me. Jimmy Page was involved with the remastering, he was happy with the outcome

Yes, but he probably has very little hearing left after playing at 120db blaring into his ear drums for 30 years. Most people really dislike the remasters he was involved in. IMO, the original CDs sound better.

Quote:

The West German Targets sound great (and don't go for over a thousand bucks

Yes, these are fine (around $50-$60 each), but it's the same mastering as the the rest of the subsequent unremastered versions. Still, I recommend getting better quuality early pressings such as the targets.

 

[J-Pak]

The casual LZ fan might be fine with the remasters. According to the big thread at SH a lot of people like certain albums in the remastered box set, which is pretty cheap, I believe $70 at yourmusic.com

I have most of the Targets, but collecting them was a pain.

 

[Dr.Love]

Led Zep is over rated. Don't get me wrong they had some talent, it's just who wants to listen to some dude whine about squeezing his lemmons, and Dungeons and Dragons all album?

 

[Night Surfer]

Dungeons & Dragons?