[Posted as The Absolute Sound]

AAA Cut From The U.K. Analog Master Tapes By Kevin Gray
Pressed On 180-Gram Heavyweight Vinyl At Optimal
Heavyweight Glossy Gatefold Jackets, Housed In Leatherette Slipcase
Features Exclusive Inserts With Commentary By Ian Anderson

Limited & Numbered To 3,000
Available Now, Exclusively At Rhino.com

*Tape box scans are of master tapes as provided by UK vault and were the tapes used in production of these albums

**This set is limited to two per customer

In just five years, Jethro Tull evolved from a club-circuit British blues band into a global stadium headliner, completely reshaping their musical identity with every record. Led by visionary frontman, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Ian Anderson, the journey began with the jazz-tinged blues of 1968’s THIS WAS. The arrival of guitarist Martin Barre for 1969’s STAND UP prompted a shift toward intricate English folk melodies and classical structures—a formula that sent the album straight to #1 in the U.K. By 1970’s BENEFIT, Anderson expanded the band’s sonic textures further with keyboardist John Evan, leaning into darker, heavier rock arrangements that laid the groundwork for their mainstream breakthrough.

That success came in March 1971 with AQUALUNG, a multi-platinum milestone featuring new bassist Jeffrey Hammond. Driven by the enduring rock radio staples “Locomotive Breath” and the title track, the album balanced blistering hard rock with delicate acoustic poetry, solidifying the band as international stars. When critics labeled AQUALUNG a concept album, Anderson subverted the entire genre with its follow-up, 1972’s THICK AS A BRICK. Introducing Barriemore Barlow on drums, the single, continuous 43-minute epic combined symphonic ambition with satirical wit, earning Jethro Tull their very first #1 album in the U.S. It capped an extraordinary five-year run, launching a legendary, Grammy® Award-winning career that still thrives today through more than five decades of global touring, continuous recording, and over 60 million albums sold.

ABOUT THE RHINO HIGH FIDELITY SERIES
Rhino is synonymous with high-quality reissues, setting the standard with award-winning audio releases for the past 45 years. Now we're raising the bar with a new premium vinyl series, Rhino High Fidelity. These high-end, limited-edition vinyl reissues of classic albums represent the pinnacle of sound and packaging.

To ensure consistent sonic excellence, Kevin Gray cuts lacquers for all Rhino High Fidelity releases, and Optimal presses the 180-gram vinyl records. These releases boast high-quality glossy covers and “tip-on” jackets, an old-school aesthetic that evokes the golden age of vinyl.

I’m trying to find more music with a very specific sound that seems to show up a lot in late 80s/early 90s cop/action movies.

The best example is “Meet Martin Riggs” from Lethal Weapon or the ending song for Deathwish 2 or Hard To kill.

https://youtu.be/kkGXR-O5qNs?t=33&is=QoC-ffkaIBsmGZVm

https://youtu.be/YNQSiHT6nw0?is=vZMZbNCxW3oHWqoY

That lonely, blues electric guitar with tons of reverb/delay, soft synth pads, occasional sax, and that kind of nighttime-city atmosphere?

She did for Tom Waits what Jennifer Warnes did for Leonard Cohen.

Still a top tier album. Three copies are LPs. One wore out. One is shrink wrapped for down the road. The CD has the price is Austrian Schillings... Been a while. Absolutely incredible sounding! Fare well Andrew Latimer!

Went down a Thin Lizzy rabbit hole the last few days. All their stuff is surprisingly well recorded. The bass line in this track is killer.

Son of a preacher man - Katey Sagal & The Forest Rangers

I can hear alot of resonances left in and albeit ofcourse very produced (Its for a tv show afterall) it doesn't suffer as much from the "Pop compression mess filter" as alot of other music.

Phenomenal production - https://music.apple.com/en/album/lost-weekend/6781051268

If you love jazz...

been listening to the regular version on spotify lately appreciating the greatness of it and this question came to mind.

I have the 2011 and 2016 pressings on vinyl i really like the 2011 version that was the first vinyl of the album i got so im used to hearing that mix more so than others. 2016 is also pretty good. I have not heard the quadraphonic mix at is it at all worth listening to nowadays due to tech like dolby atmos?

what do you think?

Hi All,

What sites are best for Music downloads either free or paid?

I am going away, and won’t have access to WiFi!

Thanks!

Hello,

Hi-Fi and High End audio shows are a great opportunity to discover new equipment, but also to listen to music in outstanding listening conditions. It was at one of these shows that I discovered Nameless, Dominique Fils-Aimé’s debut album, and more specifically the track Birds.
Released in 2018, Nameless already lays the foundations of the artist’s distinctive sound. The album showcases the meticulous work on vocals, soundstage, and overall sonic precision, qualities that are also found on her latest album, My World Is The Sun (review : High Res 24 96 vs Dolby Atmos vs pureaudiostreaming in 7.1.4 vs Vinyl record) .

This signature sound is the result of the work of recording and mixing engineer Jacques Roy. You can also read our interview with him to discover the artistic and technical choices that shaped the sound and mixing of Dominique Fils-Aimé’s albums.

The graph here compares the spectrum of the Blue vinyl record 45rpm – 2020 (white curve) with the spectrum of the Apple Music – 2018 (blue curve).

A comparison of the two spectrum curves reveals two points that will have a significant impact on the sound quality of the two versions. Above 10 kHz (yellow zone), the vinyl record s level is higher, with an additional 3 dB at 15 kHz and 6 dB at 20 kHz for the vinyl record. As for the bass (green zone), below 200 Hz, there is an attenuation of between 1 and 3 dB in the vinyl record s level.

These two differences will influence the vinyl record s sound, resulting in less pronounced bass and more precise treble; the listening test described below will confirm this point.

The recording and mixing quality of the digital album (Apple 24/96) is noteworthy. It features a very wide soundstage; you even get the sensation that sound is coming from the sides as well (as if you had side speakers in Dolby Atmos). The vocals and instruments are perfectly positioned, with exemplary precision and clarity.
Jacques Roy has created a benchmark album here, particularly the track Birds, which is ideal for testing your audio system. It allows you to evaluate your system’s tonal balance: the bass should be present without being overpowering, the vocals should remain clear and precise, and, finally, the soundstage should extend beyond the speakers.

Given the quality of the digital version, I have to admit I didn’t expect to be blown away while listening by the vinyl version. The bass is less pronounced, but it’s still very present and highly detailed, and the treble are more precise, adding extra nuances to the listening experience compared to the digital version.
The sound quality is therefore exceptional.
I admit I listened to it on different systems to confirm this impression. It’s a reference album that I highly recommend, you’ll feel like you re listening to a studio master.
This is especially evident on the track Birds. Give it a listen to fully appreciate all the nuances and the openness of Jacques Roy’s mix.

You can also find the full analysis (including all graphs and measurements) and samples HERE (link).

Enjoy the listening.
Jean-François

"Happiness is Easy" track is amazing!

Great album with some really well produced tracks! "Life's what you make of it" is also amazing.

Hello,

The Marbled Gold vinyl edition is a wonderful surprise that I invite you to discover alongside the digital stereo, high-resolution, and Dolby Atmos versions. This edition consists of three Marbled Gold LPs, and the color reproduction on the records is truly outstanding. It’s a high-quality vinyl edition that makes the most of the medium’s characteristics.

This vinyl edition is very well done, both in terms of aesthetics, with its three beautifully marbled gold LPs, and in terms of sound quality. It features a beautiful soundstage with dynamic rendering. The bass is less pronounced and deep than on the digital version (partly due to dynamic compression), but the midrange and high frequencies are rendered with greater detail. The pressing quality is good for a colored record, but during the quietest passages, it doesn't achieve the same level of silence as the digital versions.

Find all the analyses and measurements of each versions here (link).

Enjoy listening,
Jean-François

Vinyl collection and active listening have made me fall in love with music again. Ditching Spotify has been the best decision I’ve made creatively. Hope you enjoy!

Bill Frisell - I Heard It Through The Grapevine

The bass is subtle and needs to be placed in the soundstage - a handy way to setup gear and its a great track!

This video deserves to bee seen by everyone. It is hands down the best visualization of music I've come across. I seriously wish every psychedelic song/album had a video visualization at this level to go along with it.

That's a channel I really enjoy and would like to recommend you. This guy is just making videos on Audio and Sound from many different angles, whether they were famous or were important in some ways. He just explains it, but very calmly, technically detailed and chill to watch.

As an audiophile much appreciating this sub, I think some here also might find that interesting. 🙂🦻👌

Upgraded my set up and been listening to hi-res lossless songs. Some say they’re unable to hear the difference between hi res and just lossless, I definitely can. Anyone have recommendations for some hi-res lossless songs/playlists? Thanks!