Iron Maiden upcoming vinyl reissues.

why do they have to be picture disc's??

https://www.ironmaiden.com/vinyl-picture-discs-coming-soon.html

 

That is interesting. I just purchased a nice copy of Somewhere in Time last week, and passed on a so-so copy of Powerslave over the weekend. I dumped all of my Maidn vinyl around 1988 or so, when the great digital revolution took over and I thought I'd never fire up the turntable again! Why would'nt I?

Used Maiden vinyl is pricey. I remember how good Live After Death sounded.

 

Yeah, just saw this on facebook and was thinking of starting a thread myself.

Dont quite understand the comment "heavyweight vinyl will be cut from the original album master tapes," if its on a picture disk. Is there any point in them doing this?

All I ever read is that picture disks arent really supposed to be played, more just a keepsake, but Maidens record company seem to suggest the opposite. Who is right on this point??

 

I really can't understand the obsession with Iron Maiden picture discs either. I'm guessing because they can display Maiden's gorgeous artwork. Put it inside the gatefold or printed inner sleeve, if you ask me. To my knowledge their last 5 releases with Bruce back on vocals have been released on picture disc only. Please don't quote me on that. Now they have the chance to re-release their first 8 and they do the same thing.
I have to agree with the poster above me. Why master these using the original album master tapes if the sound is going to be compromised by all the awful surface noise of a picture disc?

 

At one point I would have been all over this, but at this point I'm more interested in the music and sound quality rather than having pretty ornaments. If Maiden had instead licensed those albums to AF for them to master and release, then they would have gotten my hard earned $$!

Glad I still have my original vinyl, CDs and 1995 Castles!

 

I give up on their LP's after Life and Death. I don't like picture disc's. I have all their early albums either on US, Japan or UK pressings plus the two EMI 100th Anniversary albums. I don't have a need to buy them again as Pisture Disc's. However their albums would really be great as 45rpm audiophile pressings.

 

Yeah. Wish I still had my old copy of Killers. Only Powerslave survived my purge.

 

They had an opportunity to do something cool, like issuing a black vinyl album, along with a picture disc in the same package.

 

I have to say, I've come across some picture discs that sound great.
Quiet vinyl and very dynamic.
If they are able to do this with these releases, I will definitely bite.

 

That is good to know. I think I will buy one (probably Beast or Killers). If they are good... I may get another.. but I have to think at sometime they will release audiophile versions.

 

I wonder, if you are using heavy weight vinyl, then there would be more vinyl on either side of the sandwitched insert. This may obviate some of the compromises usually incurred in the picture disc manufacturing process.

Maybe someone inside the business can chime in?

Anyway, the last few Maiden picture discs I bought (not reissues), sound pretty good.

 

If they sound good, I might get them.

It could have been awesome to have them released on black vinyl, but if they are able to produce picture-discs that are quiet and dynamic, Im really interested.
For what I have bought on pic-vinyl, some of the sound good, some ok, some really lacking.
Im not really sure why Virtual IX (from year 1998) is the newest Maiden release on good old black vinyl.

But at the moment I have original pressings (from couple different contries) which sound good for these ears.

 

My daughter wanted me to get Lady Gaga on vinyl and I picked up "The Fame Monster" which is a picture disc and on my system it sounds great.

Very warm sound, flat vinyl and dead quiet.

It is heavier than most picture discs that I've owned, but with that being said - if the Iron Maiden releases are this good then no one will be disappointed with the quality.

 

Obviously, the sound quality of Iron Maiden's discography is less important to them than their artwork.

 

I will stick with my copies of the original vinyl (S/T to SIT). Never dissatisfied with those LP's in my collection.

 

Very interesting. So it is possible for a picture disk to sound decent? Can't say i've ever played one myself. I have several Maiden 12" single picture disks from the late 80's/early 90's but never actually played them.

Obviously there's a lot of people who say that the sound quality won't be anywhere near as good as black vinyl. I'm kind of intrigued to find out.

 

Interesting. I may have to pick up S/T, Killers and Live after Death. I have originals of all the others.

 

What is it about picture discs that causes them to sound bad? I've never played a picture disc so I really don't know much about them.

 

I have all my original Maiden LPs up to Seventh Son and they sound great so I'm not interested in these. It is too bad these are all picture discs. But if history is an indicator, all things Maiden and collectible sell really well.

I was surprised at how good Final Frontier sounded even though it's a picture disc. I recall reading that FF was a very good pressing before I bought it. I had sworn off picture discs after AMOLAD which is a disaster. It sounds like a tank rumbling down the street during any quiet parts and between songs. Although, given the album cover maybe that's what they were going for. If these picture discs are done as well as FF then I would say buy them and enjoy the look as well as the sound. If they are like AMOLAD then you are buying something only to look at or use as frisbee for your dog if you have a dog who enjoys catching frisbees. On second thought, you could hurt the dogs teeth so don't do that. Possible the LP could be used to serve crumpets with afternoon tea if you are into such thing. Ok, enough silliness.

With luck anyone thinking of buying the vinyl for listening will be able to get an idea of how it sounds before buying. If not, it's a roll of the dice. I only have 3 or 4 picture discs. I usually avoid them. Up until FF they all sounded like garbage. FF sounds as good as any other modern 180g LP I have. Let's hope all these reissues sound at least as good as FF.

 

Man, I hate picture discs. I even have a few that sound quite good. I don't care. Vinyl should be black.

 

This band must hold the record for the most released picture discs. I'm with the majority of Maiden fans...enough flippin picture discs!! Too bad the band (or EMI) could care less what fans think.

 

My first reaction to this news is to let out a primal scream of frustration.
But the bottom line is I need good copies of the first two lp's so I'll be on board at first - and we'll see how they sound.

The bad news is that because they are going back and doing this with the original masters I can't imagine they'll be doing it again (and correctly - sans pictures) anytime soon, if at all. So Maiden fans have to hope for the best.

Most of the pic discs I own are from friggin' Maiden and I've never loved the sound - but I do have one from Ghost that sounds really great (I think Metal Blade put it out) - so there is hope.

 

I have a Lady Gaga 7" picture disc that sounds amazing! Dead quiet.

 

I really, really hope they can pull this off. But will they sound equal to the originals, at the peak of vinyl mastering and cutting? Who will pull the trigger and let us know?

Edit: about Final Frontier - my copy, anyway, sounds OK but isn't great. I get some distortion on side 1, and general noise. MUCH better than Dance of Death but nowhere near many other new LP releases I have.

 

Since the releases are staggered I'll give the first 2 a shot. Will report once I get my hands on them and give them a spin.