Devo – Freedom Of Choice

I own an LA Promo of are we not men, so I have a similar era pressing of the same band to compare. The bass and definition are so much better on the rhino. The promo sounds nice, but everything is just tightened up a bit better. It's sorta like having -2/-2 eyes and putting on glasses for the first time. It's not going to be crazy different but you just notice everything is a bit sharper, better, and more well defined. Mine is in the 2300s

Whip it is a standout for improvement. This track fucking bangs on this pressing.

IGD is present. A bit odd, considering I have a stylus that combats it. If I had to knock one thing on this pressing it would be that.

Still available through Rhino. I received mine last week. #2870 of 5000. Oh yeah, and it sounds great ! I only hope that Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! And Duty Now for the Future gets the Rhino High Fidelity treatment.

Sounds great, but I have no other pressing to compare it to. Kevin Gray always does it right though, and I doubt if this album has ever sounded better. Doesn't hurt that Margouleff engineered/produced it.

Another recommendation from Mike at
In Groove and again confirms we have similar ears.
So far he's never steered me wrong in finding something truly special to listen to.
Mike is currently 8/8 for recommendations.
Also quite nostalgic for me since this was the first record I bought when I was 8 years old. Alongside Weird Al's "IN 3D" though I could never imagine that album getting an audiophile release.

Wow!

I was very happy with my pressing of Television's 'Marquee Moon' from this collection, so I treated myself to this baby.
It does not disappoint.
Get this while it's still available!

As usual, my copy has a damaged corner. It is beyond comprehension why, as a record label, you would invest so much in the sound quality, pressing and artwork, to then use crappy record mailers which are easily damaged in transit. Rhino - get your shit together. Leaving that issue aside, this is an epic-sounding release, courtesy of Kevin Gray. Pressing is dead-quiet, and the artwork looks spectacular. If you get a ding-free copy, it’s a winner. Note - no IGD, if people are reporting this then it is a cartridge set-up issue, not a pressing flaw.

Back to back after ultrasonic cleaning, I found this pressing to be superior to the 1980 Jacksonville press. Noiseless aside from slight IGD, especially apparent on the into/outro of Freedom of Choice, this press has much better separation, clarity and soundstage. 1980 vinyl was perceived to have slightly more immediately and impact (whip/drums) but I would take this release if chasing ultimate holistic fidelity.

Received my copy yesterday and it's a major audio improvement over the original US LP pressing cut by Ken Perry. Much better bass reproduction that was seriously lacking in the CD/LP pressings and dynamic range is excellent overall. Luckily, my copy does not have non-fill issues, which some people reported issues in the first song, Girl U Want, but there is a very slight warp on side B. But overall, it's a quiet pressing.

As for the art reproduction, it's not as good looking at the original US LP pressing as it looked darker with lesser contrast but the tip-on jacket is a very nice touch.

Needed a couple cleans to really shine, clicks free (though they were limited to first 2 songs of Side B). But shine it does even on my modest set up. Is another vinyl version better? No clue. But for any who like Devo or new wave in general, no hesitation in recommending this

I don't get the hype for this release. Is it a good master? Sure? Is it so much better than a first pressing that you can buy for five or ten bucks that it warrants a forty dollar price tag? Definitely not. And for what it's worth Rhino already did a series of Devo AAA remasters in the late 2000s and early 10s. I don't have FoC from that series but I have Duty Now and if that's consistent with the others from that time then those are better. That said the difference between this and an original pressing is marginal. This one has the slightest improvement in bass response but on the other hand is that much inferior in the high end (which again is marginal). I will also add that the disc itself isn't flat and I had to play it with a record clamp. That's kind of embarrassing if you're advertising this as a premium product. In summary, unless you REALLY need to hear a tiny improvement in bass response and money is no object then go ahead and buy this. But I personally will be sticking with my 1980 pressing and selling this one.