Peter Gabriel – I/O

Lived with the double CD for 12 months before purchasing the DS version. Frankly the BS version is not for me & IMO the CD of the BS is awful & is too brickwalled. Luckily my copy plays flawlessly & the only blemish is a slight scuffing to the top of the sleeve which I can live with.
Totally worth it to appreciate the artwork in all its glory & on my equipment & in my room the vinyl smokes the CD as far as dynamics are concerned.

brilliant all around. dead silent pressing, great soundstage, high quality packaging with the booklet and everything too. i usually don’t appreciate double albums with 3 songs per side but this one is worth it

The vinyl was cut from exactly the same compressed master used to produce the digital formats.

The vinyl does sound less in your face and more dynamic but of course this is all essentially analogue “distortion” and the limitations of vinyl.

It’s a nicer listen of course but…..

Clean, quiet, flat pressing. Atmospheric soundscapes and intricate rhythms. The production is immaculate, with the bright mix bringing out the depth and clarity of every instrument and vocal layer. Gabriel’s voice remains as captivating as ever, delivering profound lyrics with a timeless sincerity. Lossless download from Bandcamp, something I wish were standard for all new release vinyl.

Someone who can say something about differences in soundstage/width, warmth and more nuanced instruments between the dark-version and the bright vinyl?

If there are differences in the two versions about these points it would help me for a decision...Don't wanna buy both versions and can't find any helpful reviews about it.

Beautifully written and played by the musicians surrounding Peter. He keeps putting out amazing art. His voice sounds so good.
The lp’s sound incredible in the sounds coming through my speakers. The bass is clear and the mix doesn’t over power PG’s vocals. Loving this box set and the artwork outside and inside. So much to enjoy.

I purchased a copy of Bright-Side Mix and it has lots of surface noise, pops and crackle and in some parts really bad. I cleaned with a Project cleaning machine but didn’t make any difference. I must have a bad pressing but looking on other comments it seems hit and miss if you get a good copy.

I purchased a copy of Bright-Side and it has lots of noise and pops in places on all four sides. Cleaned on a Project Cleaning machine but made no difference at all. It must be a bad pressing.

Boy do I disagree with the reviews below - I waited for the box set to come out before buying the vinyl, and the Dark Side vinyl in particular is full of distortion and sibilance - and that's after a wet clean. I have a good stylus and a decent system. I would say 80% of the new pressings I buy have issues like this - very frustrating quality control isn't what it was in the 70s and 80s.
Onkyo thx-840 amp
Pioneer sp-fs52 floor standing
Pioneer Pro DJ PLX-1000 Direct Drive
Ortofon 2m Bronze cartridge
Sennheiser HD 560 over ear audiophile headphones

This deluxe box set is incredible. Very well packaged. The 4 vinyl are quiet and amazing. But the Blu-ray Dolby Atmos mix is absolutely out of this world. I haven’t got to the CDs yet. I saw Peter on his 2023 i/o tour and really didn’t get into the i/o songs. But after listening to this album several times, I’m hooked. It made the wait for new PG music worth the wait! Don’t hesitate to buy the box set, especially if you have a high end system.