Rlawry is correct:
I have many Japanese pressings, the 60's Jazz Verve and other jazz are very good, whereas the pop/progressive have very quiet vinyl formula, 2nd generation master tapes are used and the pressing lacks the spacial detail found in, say, the original UK pressing. Example: Yes Fragile: the U.S. pressing is noisy, distorted, harsh. the Japanese version, while quieter, has a flat sterile presentation and inner groove distortion. The original UK pressing has no distortion, lots of spacial information, warm, detailed, non-fatiguing. I have the exact same experience with almost all UK prog. rock recordings.
I have many Japanese pressings, the 60's Jazz Verve and other jazz are very good, whereas the pop/progressive have very quiet vinyl formula, 2nd generation master tapes are used and the pressing lacks the spacial detail found in, say, the original UK pressing. Example: Yes Fragile: the U.S. pressing is noisy, distorted, harsh. the Japanese version, while quieter, has a flat sterile presentation and inner groove distortion. The original UK pressing has no distortion, lots of spacial information, warm, detailed, non-fatiguing. I have the exact same experience with almost all UK prog. rock recordings.