Using AI to select Album Versions


The better the 3 legged stool of my system becomes - Vinyl, CD, Streamer - the more important it is that I have the best version of an album.  I have started using AI to help narrow down the hundreds of versions of any given album. 

I listen to streaming to determine if I want to own a particular record and buy the CD if it is something I then want to own and then Vinyl if it is something I want in my collection.  I cannot afford to have several versions of an album just to find the best.

I can ask AI "What is the Best Version of The White Album" and it gives me a solid breakdown across several categories.  Best Original vinyl pressing for collectors.  Best re-issue or re-mastering on CD.  Best Audiophile reissue regardless of price. Best audio quality if on a budget.  It even references who engineered it and where it was pressed and how it was cut.  Very helpful.....

maam522a

AI is most likely using most feedback on albums from most reviews, all social media and some sources I have not thought of. This is what make it so powerful. It references nearly everything written about it, as opposed to some simple algorithm.   

You can request it list sources... so you can see where it got information from. 

@limomangus @ghdprentice 

Try it on something you are familiar with.  I have no way of knowing, but it does not talk about sales volumes.  AI actually talks about different versions and pressings and even tells you where the crazy money is such as the original UK pressing of Dark Side of the Moon and then what is the second best across the re-releases and remasters.  Below is an example...

  • Best on Vinyl (Audiophile): The 1973 UK First Pressing (A-2/B-2) or the 2003 30th Anniversary Edition mastered by Doug Sax and James Guthrie. Both offer incredible dynamic range straight from the original analog tapes. [1, 2, 3]
  • Best on Vinyl (Modern & Accessible): The 2016 or 2023 Remasters. They are widely available, affordable, and deliver a clean, punchy sound. [1]
  • Best on CD: The 1983 Japanese "Black Triangle" mastering (Harvest/Toshiba-EMI) is considered the holy grail of digital clarity. If that’s out of your budget, the CD layer of the 2003 SACD (Super Audio CD) is highly praised for its flat, balanced EQ. [1, 2, 3, 4]
  • Best for Surround Sound: The 2003 SACD 5.1 Mix or the Blu-ray included in the 2011 Immersion Box Set. [, 2]
  • Best Live Version: Pulse (1995). The extended, soaring guitar solos and crisp 90s production make this a legendary live performance. [1]