Orb* – U.F.Orb

Side numbered 2 is just a mess of pops and crackling. I've cleaned with a carbon fibre brush and with the Spincare record cleaning solution but I dont have an expensive machine to clean them with. Its one of my favourite albums of all time so a bit disappointing but side numbered 3-4 plays well with little crackling. Is the cheap Spincare record washing machine worth buying?

This remaster has grown on me over the years. Some people have commented that is a remaster disaster. The real disaster was the sound of the original release. So imo this was a tough remaster to take on. After listening to the remaster many times I have adjusted to the new sound. Are there some aspects that maybe over done, perhaps. I think if you give it a chance and put the original aside you will find this one is actually far superior than the original. It is most noticable on a hifi system. It is night and day. It depends on your set up. It is also better on headphones.

I had similar experience with the Gas remasters. At first I wasn't sure if I liked the remaster, but after listening many times I now enjoy them more than the original. I think a remaster of a poor quality recording is always a difficult task. Maybe one day they do third version with new tech, but for now this will do. The second disc is great with versions and more versions. Typical Orb style! Personally I love all the mixes and versions. I also remember reading that Alex wanted the albums to be remastered from an analog source. That could have also had something to do how the remaster turned out. Also the Orb use lots of dirty vinyl samples and sometimes is reflected in their sound. Take it all in and don't think too much. Listen and enjoy this great album. If you like the original, listen to that one instead.

Something else that is interesting is how much louder the German blue room single is than the original album. The original 40 minute version of Blue Room is louder and sounds quite a bit better than the album edit. That shows how much the album version is lacking. I imagine it is just how Island mixed and mastered the album. They should have let whoever did the Blue Room single handle sound on the album. That was a bad time for sound in general imo. The shift from analog to digital from mid 80's to early 90's was rough to say the least. There was some music amazing music to come out of that period. So enjoy the original or remastered version, which ever you prefer.

The Orb really went to town on this version, live album and some ?prints? included. Weird how at the time I didn't listen to it so much but sounds great today.

CD still sounds great decades later. No pops or skips a testament some not all music is better on this medium especially long play 40 minute tracks!

Looks great, sounds great. No issues at all with the pressing, excellent sound quality. Very happy to own this classic

I have an original of this excellent album but have noticed there’s a considerable amount of run out space/ dead wax on all sides. Just wondering if the same can be said for the reissue or do the sides run the entirety of the playing surface? Thanks in advance for any replies and responses.

This reissue, whilst sounding ok, doesn't really hold a candle to an original pressing. Sound quality is somewhat flatter. The insect chatter at the start of O.O.B.E sounds more buried in the mix unless you crank the volume right up, for example. Jah Wobble's möbius strip bassline on Blue Room is a bit muddy and booming, and just compare Miquette Giraudy's floating, ethereal, gossamer-like synth lines wisping through the same track. There's less crispness to the highs, weaker dynamics. and none of the widescreen sparkle of Kris Weston's production that you hear on the original. Sonically, a thin blanket has been thrown over the whole album. Not awful by any means....just lacks the lushness of the OG. Minimal surface noise during playback (apart from Blue Room which has a few pops n' clicks, along with some areas of non-fill). Discs are flat and centered.

If I sound overly critical it's because this masterpiece of an album (that I've listened to so much it's almost bonded to my DNA) deserved so much more in an anniversary reissue. It's a shame they didn't release something on par with the sublime-sounding 'Adventures Beyond The Ultraworld' 4xLP reissue from 2016. A gatefold sleeve with opaque turquoise vinyl to compliment the labels and cover art would've been just the ticket too, but that's a minor quibble.

If you can find an original pressing for a good price in decent condition, I'd recommend going for that, rather than this edition. Otherwise, this version is serviceable enough and the 'Ultra Blue' colour looks tasty and vivid on the turntable.

Fantastic pressing of a great album, sounds so good. Have had this on cd for eons, but on vinyl it's a totally different experience. Got this and the repress of Ultraworld on the same day, both wonderful records. The Orb in the early nineties were something very special and got me through many stressy/brainstorm/melt -down times, and as such they have a place close to my heart......and this still sounds amazing all these years later (but then can something so original sound dated? I think not). Top job. All I want now is a re-issue of Leftism and Orbitals brown album and I will be a happy chappy.

My pressing is flat and after a few brushes it sounds fantastic. The inner sleeves are scratchy but a mofi sleeve can fit in them. Some surface noise but to me it's minimal to me and disappears when the sounds pick up. The blue vinyl looks nice too. Love this album!

Mine is dead silent after a go around with a record brush. Rich sound, great pressing!