Press Release: Studio Collection (Coloured Vinyl Box Set)

True. These sets will be expensive, even when used, because it is such a great and solid product. I'm glad to see that the set will be available for more Queen fans. You won't see these sets in every house, because even if vinyl is popular right now, the vinyl people is a small part of the population. And this big box set is unlikely to be found in every house because of the size of the product. So it is limited in that context as well.

I didn't get round to buying this in the end - money is a serious issue at the moment. It's a gorgeous set, though.

That said, a lot of the audiophiles over on the Steve Hoffman forums were quite critical of it and are rather insistent the quality is inferior to the original vinyl - especially on the later material. Any thoughts on this? I'm not quite that antsy about dynamics and so on, so it wouldn't have put me off, but I'm curious as the thoughts of any QOL audiophiles.

Ultimately, I'm quite happy with the original UK pressings - enough so that I never really felt compelled enough to buy it.

On that note, did anyone grab the Queen-themed Rega turntable? How's that?

About sound quality: You can compare the vinyls with the 2011 CD Remasters by Bob Ludwig. They have the same quality. Personally I think the 2011 Remasters sound way better than the first digital remasters from the 90s. I tried to listen to both vinyl and CD, and I think they sound very similar. The later records like Innuendo and Made In Heaven sound pretty awesome too. If I remember correctly Innuendo was originally released on 1 LP. The Studio Collection version comes as a 2LP set. As a rule the sound will usually be better when done properly on a double LP because of less compression.
This set is also 180g vinyls, done half speed at Abbey Road studios, so there is no doubt that this is a high quality product.

http://www.analogplanet.com/content/bob ... VkHVMrG.97

When it comes to first press vinyls in general (the original Queen vinyls from the 70s), it is true that these will sound very good (if undamaged and in mint condition), because of course they were made 100% analogue, from the recording process to the final product. This was also the period when people knew how to produce good quality vinyls. Vinyl was the thing back then. But the first press ones were NOT 180g vinyl though. They were much thinner and does not feel as solid as the new ones.

So what to buy? For me there was no question really, I wanted brand new LPs, and I liked the idea of the box set complete with a book describing album by album from Queen to Made In Heaven. I also like the color vinyls over simply black. It is a piece of artwork. But some prefer black and originals. As with most things, it is a question of what you prefer. You won't go wrong with a first press vinyl, but mint ones are getting rare, and I am not taking a chance buying used ones on eBay. But I bought Live Magic, as the cover art on this one is pretty cool, featuring a giant photo of the last Queen concert at Knebworth 1986. The sound quality on Live Magic is also one of the best from Queen according to a site judging sound dynamics:

http://dr.loudness-war.info/album/list? ... ive+Magic+

Some Queen fans criticised Live Magic for cutting away half of BohRhap and some other songs, but the sound is excellent.

A bit off topic with Live Magic, but I forgot to mention the cover artworks. In The Studio Collection 3 albums are more outstanding than any other Queen records, that is Queen II, ANATO and Innuendo. Queen II is especially beautiful with a stunning high resolution photo in glossy finish. The other covers in this collection is just average, nothing special. The cardboard is good quality though and better than the originals.

On that note, did anyone grab the Queen-themed Rega turntable? How's that?

I got a standard edition Rega (the same as the Queen one but without their branding), as I needed a new turntable to replace my worn out old one.

Sent it back after a few hours - it was bloody rubbish. Switched to a TEAC-TN300 and that was the right choice!

I would like to see any photo of the records in the new stock.. Do you think they changed The Game, which obviously caused a lot of discussing last time?

phpBB [video]

Another great unboxing video.

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A look at the black vinyl from the studio collection 2015 :

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Has anyone seen the new batch of the collection? Do the vinyls look the same as the first one?

http://www.audioappraisal.com/queen-stu ... et-review/

A brand new review

New Review, May 2016. In depth review of The Studio Collection:

PART 1:
http://www.theaudiophileman.com/#!queen ... -set/c1f1u


PART 2:
http://www.theaudiophileman.com/#!queen ... rt-2/c1nki


The best and most detailed review I have seen so far!

If I did not know Queen music, and wondered which are the most important albums, I could from looking through the records in this box set conclude that there are 4 exclusive ones:

Queen II
A Night At The Opera
Innuendo
Made In Heaven

These albums have gotten a special treatment.. 3 of them double LPs, but the finish of the covers are also special, glossy and fine.. So maybe they are what the band have chosen as their the favourite ones .. I don't disagree with that.

[Kes]

Don't know what's so exclusive about ANATO, compared to the original French or Dutch white vinyl.

The other three are however exclusive in that they were never originally issued as double vinyl albums.

I suppose A Night At The Opera will forever be the Queen album that people remember, simply because of Bohemian Rhapsody and God Save The Queen. In addition the cover has a rough surface with an embossed crest. Special enough to stand out from the other Queen albums, even if it was like that on earlier releases. (Yes, I know Jazz also has an embossed title).

Apart from that, I have had problems choosing their best albums, because each album is unique.
But I guess all the double albums in this collection are on the top 5 list.

Personally, I think Queen II, Jazz and Innuendo have the coolest features in the box. Jazz, because of that big poster, and special pink vinyl. Queen II looks amazing, so does Innuendo.

My favourite album is Queen II though.



Besides, the poll of the queenonline forum also places Queen II, ANATO and Innuendo in the TOP 5... :

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=7275

Don't know what's so exclusive about ANATO, compared to the original French or Dutch white vinyl.

The other three are however exclusive in that they were never originally issued as double vinyl albums.

Compared to the old white vinyls this new one comes in a sleeve that isn't faded and split down each bloody side. I guess that's kind of exclusive

On that note, did anyone grab the Queen-themed Rega turntable? How's that?

I got a standard edition Rega (the same as the Queen one but without their branding), as I needed a new turntable to replace my worn out old one.

Sent it back after a few hours - it was bloody rubbish. Switched to a TEAC-TN300 and that was the right choice!

Really???

Doesn't sound like a Rega turntable to me. Sent it back to where?

I'm still working my way through the box set and I haven't read all 32 pages of this forum but has anyone noticed any anomalies to the originals?
for starters
The inner sleeve of Hot Space is not the same as my original copy.
It is less 'varnished' for a start.
I also have NOTW without the robot in the centre sleeve and I bought that on release day 77
The Queen 2 logo is lower down on the front cover.