Nirvana ‎- Nevermind - LP Review And Comparison What Version Is The Best 

Nice to see that Krist Novaselic is helping us find the best sounding Nevermind album

Yes! I'm very happy that Mike is doing the pressing comparisons again. It's been much too long.

I don't even have a record player but this shit is interesting to me.

I love the pressing comparison videos, I've watched everyone you've done before and I'm so happy to see another!

I've got the Pallas press. One of the best 'bang for your buck' records I own. Thunderous.

We're really lucky with Nirvana right now. The newer BG Nevermind, and Albini remastered In Utero sound ridiculously good on vinyl. And both are fairly inexpensive right now.

Great video, Mike! I've seen all of your shoot-outs, and this is EASILY the most enthusiastic one! Haha.

Yes! I haven’t purchased this album because I wasn’t sure what to get. I’m sure I’ll know by the time I finish the video. Thanks Mike!

Great shootout Mike. I was scared there when you pulled out the ORG halfway through the video. But you were just talkative, which we love. You’re getting loose on your videos. Fantastic. If I’m ever passing through Phoenix, would love to hear this original pressing if that would be at all possible. I’ll stay content with ORG unless my crypto blast off. Thanks!

Ordered in Utero and Petty's Greatest from U last week. Seen its been shipped!! Hope it shows up today!! Thanks for what u do. It's entertaining. By the way those speakers are INSANE!! AWESOME

Mike, great video, I really enjoy your LP review and best sounding version comparison videos. I checked my collection and found I have the Mobile Fidelity and an original US release I bought at a record show in the nineties for about $5.00. It is opened and still has the shrink wrap. The vinyl appears to be in mint like condition. I will play it tonight to see how it sounds!

loving your videos. watched loads of them this weekend.

I have the Pallas pressing and have never heard any other one, so good to know it's regarded as highly as it is. I just know I love mine.

Great review on a great lp! I have and been listening to a copy of the Mofi version and I thought it was really good and the only version I had at the time. Took your advise Mike and sought out a first pressing. Found one on the internet and 4 days later and after a good cleaning on my Loricraft PRC machine it was on my turntable. The sound is incredible and incomparable to my Mofi and I now own a piece of history! Thanks again Mike on a most excellent review!

It's been too long. About time we see Mike take an expensive record like that Japanese press and shit all over it extensively and in detail. Also, to see him give the MFSL press an honest review and not rank it on price or reputation. Video did not disappoint.

Thanks for the review. Based on your recommendation, I’ve got the Universal (Back-to-Black) edition, here in Europe. It has a BG stamp and says made in the E.U. but I’m not sure which pressing it is. Anyhow, it sounds great, which is what matters. 😁

Thank you for going into detail. I’ve told people for years the Bernie cut on the Universal Pallas reissue is the best deal in new vinyl. Astounding for the price. I’ve often wondered about an original pressing. My wallet isn’t happy about the news about an original pressing!🤣

Sweet! Thanks for doing this, Mike! I know you were after a 1st pressing for a while now, so glad it worked out eventually. I have the recent Target edition on silver wax, also cut by BG and pressed at Pallas, so I should be in good hands. 😎

I knew about that Pallas press for a while now but after watching this I finally pulled the trigger. Thanks Mike!

Thank you Mike! always valuable information.

Thanks for this comparison and your other videos as well, I find them very helpful. I just got the Tone Poet reissue of Dexter Gordon - One Flight Up and was blown away by the sound. I think it’s fantastic but I would be curious to know what and expert like yourself with such an impressive sound system thought about this particular record in comparison to other version... so maybe you could do a shootout of that record some time?

Hello Mike, Great video as always! I own the BG at Pallas 180g the one Mike said was the second best after the OG to my ears it sounds perfect but I'm no expert like Mike. I do have a question for Mike, ORG put out In Utero pressed at Pallas 45rpm is that a good pressing? They are asking like 140.00 and up on eBay.

Great video Mike as always..thanks

Love these videos . . . have you done one on the best pressing of 'Thriller'? Curious on the sound differences between the original '80s pressings vs Half Speed vs Japan pressing vs remastered pressing. Cheers!

Any idea if they are also using the Bernie Grundman ORG metals for current In Utero pressings?

Used to shop at your store often. Pretty cool to find you on RU-vid.

Nice video… glad I picked up my first press nevermind years ago, think I picked it up for $200, crazy it’s shot up in price so much!

I just want to say, your assessment is spot on. I have 2 original copies because I was never fully happy with the BG copy, although it's miles better than any other pressings around. You can't beat 25 dollars for an excellent pressing at Pallas.

Great video! I have the same thought on Superunknown orig pressing (orange). Any other pressings of that album I should consider?

Mike, great shoot out. A related though off topic question about CRC. The CRC of this record was cut in the same year but different matrix #s and as you put it, sucks.. I am considering a Led Zepelin II "RL" cut on both sides record that is also a CRC.. are CRC versions to be avoided or is this related to just this record and would not be the case with the zeppelin?

Thank for all the great video’s Mike. What about the 180 grams reprint? Do you have Any listening experience on that version? Thanks, Mark

Fascinating how things have turned around. My local record shop stopped selling vinyl in the 90s. Just got rid of it. It always pained the owner but he could no longer justify the space for it. Now, it's all back. He can barely sell the CDs that were so dominant then. I bought Nevermind on CD when it first came out. I don't recall even seeing the vinyl, only the discs and cassettes. I recently picked up Mike's second best pick at Walmart of all places. $22. Only copy they had.

Mike could you please comment a link for the second to last pressing you talked about here? The $25 one that still sounds good and uses the BG mastering? Would really appreciate it. Thanks!

I completely agree with your assessment here. I have the Original Vinyl Pressing ripped at DSD 256, it is better (slightly) to the Bernie pressing. It is raw and it's F'N amazing!

Just ordered a Back to Black copy. Hope I get lucky with it. Great comparison Mike. Waited a while for this one... any ideas who may be next??

“Some of the Back to Black pressings” Any way to tell which B2B pressing was cut from the BG work without looking at the dead wax? My local shop has a copy but seems kinda like a roll of the dice after your comment

Any thoughts on the silver Walmart pressing? It’s also a BG master and sounds pretty decent, in my opinion. I’m no audiophile though, nor do I have another pressing to compare it to.

Hey Mike, great vid man. I have a Euro original of Nevermind, which sounds absolutely damn awesome. Is it comparable and/or as good as the US original pressing for sound quality?

Jesus Mike! Finally! The shoot out we’ve been waiting for!

I just picked up a copy of the original press for €100 on a record fair. 1991 print but it was printed in Germany and not the US. So what do these ones go for that are from Europe does anyone know?

Mike what brand of jacket sleeves do you use as they are pretty noisy. But want to know your preference and on your inner sleeves. I believe I already know you use the mobile fidelity inner but if you could let me know I would appreciate it. Man would love to hear what your system sounds like. Thanks

Anyone knows if the masterdisk original US version is all analogue or not?

Just got the newest Bernie Grundman Pallas pressing because of your recommendation. It sounds AMAZING! Thanks Mike!

Points for the subtle I Love Lucy reference. Your references are sick, bro. 🤣

Wow 1,500 for a record that went for sixty to a hundred dollars in 2015. I bought a mint to mint minus original 1st press 90s Nirvana lp lot minus Bleach from an Ebay seller for 230.00 USD. I was so excited and amazed when i looked at the albums when they arrived. They all sound fantastic. Awesome they got the sound right on the 1st pressing. I have that one and it does sound great a keeper for sure. Have you heard the Simply Vinyl edition of Nevermind? Simply Vinyl one sounds pretty good to me. Great comparison video!

MIKE....YOU ARE THE MAN....Wow....BG HOT MIX....What a special pleasure it is to listen to this album properly mastered. What an amazing difference over the mfsl. Sincerely dude, Thank You Again !!!!!

Kurt wanted this album to sound like a mix of a beatles and black sabbath album, and that 320 german pressing (from 2001 as far as I know) sounds that way ! my original vertigo german pressing of paranoid from 1970 by sabbath has 320 written in the dead wax, too, assuming that it was pressed in the same pressing plant. my favorite version I own is the first german pressing from 1991. sounds absolutely fantastic.

The original also has ‘MASTERDISK’ stamped in the dead wax. My copy has a gold promo stamp over the bar code on the back cover. I’ve had it since it was released, as I used to work in rock radio.

Hey Mike, nice shootout! Looks like they did it right first time as you say on the US pressing, do you have a copy of the first EU pressing, that goes for around £100 at the moment, so wondered if it sounds as good? I have the Back To Black reissue that uses the Bernie cut and pressed at Pallas after you said in was still available in one of your weekly updates, that was a no-brainer to get. Cheers Dean

Any chance you'll do a "Selling England By The Pound" episode? That's a tricky one (many don't like the Classic Records one)

This was helpful! I’m glad my Palace pressing ranks high in the list. Lol. It’s sounds amazing!

Later Pallas pressings still have BG in the deadwax, but doesn’t say ORG, so it’s likely a recut. Do you know if this recut was still all analog? More importantly, does it sound as good as the ORG?

Can’t wait for them to start repressing In Utero again. Can anyone tell me if the “back on black” pressing is any good?

Heh, Bro this was amazing! I was hoping from the beginning, do you suppose his 'best' one is actually going to be the 1st pressing. And, YEP! Wow... I've been collection vinyl for over 40 years, just for what I like and up until very recently not really caring about the monetary value at all. Well... When I saw this on Discogs going for $1200 I sat there in shock! I thought, OMG I think I have one of those... I checked... Yep, I bought it when it came out 😊 Whooda thought? AWESOME shootout man, those are my VERY favourites, when you do that. Glad you are there man doing what you do! 👍

Makes me feel older(er), I was a senior when this came out. VH1 played SLTS every day at the same time. I would run home for lunch every day to see the video

I was in my 20's when the lp came out, wasn't a fan right away as I was into other things. The Unplugged thing hooked me a few years later. RE Pallas pressing is the one I own. Had a 1992 German copy but it was scratchy and crackly. $25 record all day long for me.

Well thanks mike for inflating the price of the original press even more, every time you do a shootout my purchase price just doubled

Mike great video! I went out and bought the Bernie/Pallas press for $25 and was blown away! Have you considered doing a shoot out of Pearl Jam’s Ten? That would be a great video.

Excellent video. Would love to see an In Utero shoot out.

Keep up the good work Mike!!

Are you familiar with Simply Vinyl reissues? Have you listened to them? Thoughts?

How can the 2009 pressing be cut from the original master when it was confirmed destroyed in the 2008 Universal Vault fire? Krist Novaselic stated as much.

You’re definitely right about the 90’s not caring about vinyl. Although that’s not true for the very early 90’s, as there were fantastic sounding albums. One that comes to mind is Toad the Wet Sprocket’s first album, Bread and Circus. It was mastered by Brian Gardner at Bernie Grundman Mastering. It’s actually one of my favorite sounding vinyl albums, and I have a lot of audiophile recordings. The same can be said for their second and third. Their third was mastered by Grundman himself. So there is some good 90’s vinyl just not much. It’s also incredibly expensive because they’re rare as well.

Funny how in an older video you said the NM Mofi was one of the most sought after mobile fidelity records and it sounded amazing?

I have the German firstpress since 1991 and despite I played the crap out of it over the past three decades, I have never thought about getting any other version. Then I watched that video last night at 3am and ordered the Pallas pressing in a friggin' heartbeat. Can't wait.

What outer sleeves do you use for your records?

Is Mike looking the size of Jimmy Carter in this image or are those speakers just REALLY big? :)

I am surp[rised you didn't include the MFSL vinyl copy nor the original German pressing. I have both of those as well as the ORG.

what about the Sonopress with the bass Clef on side 2? how does that stack up against US first press?

What's the best record to get some low-end for - Metallica "And Justice for All" ???

I have an original CD, original LP and the ORG ... all fantastic. The original LP is king of the hill. Great sonics and kicks you in the groin like Mike said. The original cd ain’t too shabby either. That’s what I grew up on.

Any thoughts on the first Euro pressing? It was the first pressing I found at Wax Trax in Denver the week it came out. Still mastered by Howie, but pressed in the Netherlands. I assume it’s comparable.

How do I find out which is the Bernie Grundman release when buying online or in store without opening it?

I had a Simply Vinyl pressing bit I did not like it and sold it years ago. I like the 320 I have now and it's a very thick pressing, B2B issue, just like my In Utero 320 (which also has the all Albini mix). I did buy my 21 year old son a Pallas BG re-issue and watching this video I may now pick up one myself.

Thanks for filming and posting, I'd be interested in hearing your opinion of how the first European pressing compares to the first US pressing if you ever get a copy of the former, thanks!

Yes thanks for doing this Mike

Mike, if your a big enough fan and have several copies of Meddle or Headhunters, I'd love to see a comparison video of those titles.

Great review. I have an original US first press that I bought new in 91. I might just buy the Universal BG copy so I can preserve my original copy.

How would your original EU copy that you got from the record fair compare with these?

I just got my first copy of this on lp. The pallis Grundman press from my local Walmart for $23! Good enough for me.

Really glad my impressions of different pressings (although I only checked the comparison on YT by Russian vinyl enthusiast Valeron, whose ranking also went similar to what Michael told here) are pretty close to those presented in the video. I'll just add a couple bits just for information: - the original early 2000s (I bet 2001) 320 pressings that were released in Germany by Universal had a sticker that the master tape was used (Discogs has some photos on those entries) and at that factory in Hannover, to which 320 refers as noted by collectors, tapes were the usual starting point as late Willem Makkee mentioned in an interview. - interesting thing for me was that both the original pressing and ORG/BG cut had much more details in the midrange in comparison even to MFSL. I remember some SHF members noted that ORG sounds bright in their systems, but that's probably because the midrange was a bit bumped overall, but not to an unbearable extent. Regardless, I felt that after ORG/BG the original seems to be a bit "V-shaped", but still better then other pressings. Would've been interesting though to see Simply Vinyl copy in the shoutout as well (even though it's said that it doesn't sound as good as other pressings). Anyway, another great review which really covered I guess most of the important versions of this album.

I picked up a red vinyl version (bootleg) today from a local store to me, sounds pretty good can't find much about it online.

I have the 2013 release which is a Pallas release and has BG and ORG in the dead wax. I have often looked to pick up the MFSL press but haven't, and honestly I can't imagine the album sounding any better than what I have, outside the original of course. Glad to hear the MFSL copy isn't worth picking up.

Stumbled across this. Finally someone with ears. Well done Mike. I own the original US pressing and totally agree. It's the best sounding Nevermind album and it kicks arsse. Cremes the mofi version I own.

Please do more pressing comparisons!

Mike, what was that about your one and only record made by Bernie Grundman? Did you have a band? More details, please. I would interested to hear your music.

I agree with you on your ordering of these pressings. The OG is king

Again, much appreciated video, CEO of saving people's time and money with unfiltered no-bs pressing comparisons.

So is the Pallas pressing that's 2nd in your list the 2013 Pallas German pressing?

What a gorgeous Wilson/VTL setup!

Thx, you are an important adviser.

Believe it or not I don't have a single copy of this on vinyl.Looking for the cut that is current but it shows as sold out at the site. Thanks for the intimate review.

30th box set (assuming it's the same as the 30th/7 inch) sounds solid, for those wondering

I would like to see your thoughts on the newly pressed 30th Anniversary pressing

awesome video. i just hope the price of the music doesn't jump too high after this.

Thanks Mike! Do you have an opinion on the 1st European pressing vs the U.S one?

That setup is savage af!

Lisltess and un-poop-ular (LOL) - I love it, AND I agree wholeheartedly. I got my club edition from Columbia Rip-off Club at the height of Nevermind's pop - - poopularity, and I think it was buy one, get the other half off, or something like that. C-Fuckin'-RC were so cheap with everything, no custom inner sleeve, the grooves were not as wide as on a different pressing I picked up later. Now I have the 180G thing and it comes with inner sleeve intact, etc., and it's the best I've ever had of it. Now I'm going back to enjoy the rest of your video.

Can you do a video comparing the different versions of the album horizon by the carpenters.

How does the European first pressing compare to the US one in your opinion?