Portishead – Dummy

Awesome copy - highly recommend it from the extra soundstage and overall sound. A definite step up from my 1994 Australasian CD copy and anything available through Qobuz/tidal. Bass on Numb and It Could be Sweet has real nuance I couldn’t hear before.

I believe I have this version but can anyone confirm if the runout grooves on side A are off centre and the second part of side B matrix no. is half covered by the label? Mine are & this seems like it would be a misprint but can't find any info.

I have had three copies of this album.

I had both the 2017 Pallas and later GZ reissue. There’s no difference between these two as they are from the same master file (or at least I couldn’t hear any differences with my setup). They both were cut at low volume, sounded flat and lacked “oomph.” Also the vocals had sibilance and bass sounded bloated. When I did a volume matched A/B test with Spotify and Qobuz, no audible differences.

Now I own this 320 pressing. Dynamic range is higher, richer bass tone, stronger drums kick, natural vocal sound and more lush guitar, piano and scratch disc sounds. The sound stage also seems to be wider. The difference is not evident immediately, but as I listened through the entire record, I was more immersed vs the newer reissues.

Get this if you are contemplating.

Also all around happy customer with this press. Flat and a little on the quiet side. I back to back compared it to Spotify version and it clearly sounds more vivid, more separated and the vocal high frequencies sound softer on vinyl. Good version! (Needed anti-static brushing tho)

Ps. I thought “Glory Box” had a few loud pops till I realized it’s part of the recording/sample and also very present on digital versions.

For everyone who is looking for this particular pressing.
There are three similar pressings from 2017.
One is gatefold and has a dark blue back cover. That's not this one.
The other two have almost identical covers and are not gatefold.
The rear covers are both creamy white.
You need to look at the text directly under the side B tracklist.
The RC mastered copy spells Dave Mc Donald with a gap in his surname.
This version (Miles Showell) spells Dave McDonald with no gap.
I think this is the only way to tell without opening any shrink-wrap etc.
Hope this helps.

Now that Roseland has been issued in full, Dummy now also needs to be reissued - remastered across 2 LPs with Its A Fire added as 49 mins with the standard 10 tracks on a single LP is just too long for this kind of music to sound its best.

Edit: Since I wrote this review, I had the chance to get the 320 German pressing of this album.

Dynamic range is higher, richer bass tone, stronger drums kick, natural vocal sound and more lush guitar, piano and scratch disc sounds. The sound stage also seems to be wider. The difference is not evident immediately, but as I listened through the entire record, I was more immersed vs the newer reissues.

Get this 320 cut if you want to get a richer sonic experience.

- - - - -

I initially had the GZ pressing and then got this Pallas pressing. I am quite sure they have the exact master file as I couldn’t spot any differences in how they both sounded.

Overall it’s a disappointing sounding record. I am okay to adjust my volume knob for how inconsistent the volume levels are throughout the album and I am also okay to crank my system to make up for how quiet the vinyl is cut, but what bothers me is how the mastering is flat and a bit lifeless.

It has a heavy low end but the mids and highs are not present enough to make it a well balanced/EQ’d record. The overall soundstage is quite in the middle instead of being wide. The vocals sounds choked.

I understand this record was a lofi production but I have so many records that have even more lofi production with much better mastering. When I did an A/B with streaming (Qobuz and Spotify), I couldn’t spot any differences.

Disc was flat and noise-free.

This is a good sounding record but it definitely has the potential to be mastered much better. If you are used to listening to this on streaming (or CD), you won’t hear any sonic revelation on this (which is one of the main reasons I collect - to get a more dynamic mastered version of my favorite albums).

I'm confused by my copy of this pressing -- along with the stamped #s mine also has a "Miles Abbey Road. Rm 30" handwritten etching. Assuming that means it was Mastered by this guy -- Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios, https://www.abbeyroad.com/engineer/miles-showell .

Anyone, else?

This pressing sounds INSANELY good in my opinion! The jacket feels tip-on, glossy cover image on a matte-like background. VERY nice.

Bought from a seller on Amazon.

Great vinyl experience; bass is deep and full, very atmospheric recording. Highly enjoyable.

Just listened to this for the first time on my vinyl and I it's easily the noisiest record I have as of now - not only the traditional sharp clicks and crackles and whatnot (sorry, English is not my mother's tongue), but also whoosh sound between the tracks that can be heard. But I read that they did it noisy on purpose, so I'll accept that as is and ask for more - check the album wiki page for more info on that.

It's pressed at rather low volume so you must turn your system quite up, making noises that more apparent. Also - some inconsistencies in volumes and bass volumes can be heard across the album - side B sounds louder.

All that said - best experience I had with this album, sounds very inviting and has good dynamics.

Album: 5/5
Pressing: 5/5
Packaging: 4/5

Ivo