Yes, you need all these wonderful Mobile Fidelity numbered Hybrid SACD reissues of VAN HALEN‘s classic albums. Here’s the iconic debut “Van Halen” – see what has to say about its absolute brilliant sound, presentation and more.
Van Halen did more than announce to the world the earthshaking arrival of a revolutionary guitarist. Performed by an enterprising California quartet that took its name from two of its principal members, the 1978 debut ripped headlines away from punk, injected fresh energy into a then-moribund rock ‘n’ roll scene, reimagined how heavy music and throwback pop could coexist, and invited everyone to experience the top-down pleasures of a beachfront Saturday night every day of the week no matter where they lived.
Sourced from the original analog master tapes and housed in mini-LP-style packaging, Mobile Fidelity’s numbered-edition hybrid SACD reissue allows fans to experience Van Halen’s original blend of raw power, Hollywood flair, and vaudeville fun for generations to come.
Playing with reference-setting sonics that elevate a 10-times-platinum landmark whose importance cannot be quantitatively measured, this definitive digital version provides a clear, clean, transparent, balanced, and turn-the-volume-up-to-11 view of an album that birthed entirely new styles.
Indeed, could a piece of music that transformed how countless guitarists approached their instrument be more fittingly named than “Eruption”? Likely not, and in just 102 seconds, Eddie Van Halen rewrote, reimagined, and reconfigured a vocabulary last significantly updated a decade earlier by fellow six-string wizard Jimi Hendrix.
There has really never been a consensus that the originally mastered first issue of the debut Van Halen album, had any issues, with regard to the sonic characteristics of the record. I seem to remember always feeling as if the original pressing sounded absolutely perfect.
So, how much better can a modern day version of this album be? More over, how much better than that, could a remastered version of the ‘original master recording’ be?
We have carefully chosen three (3) songs from the track-listing that contain the most differentiation with regard to their sonic signature and characteristics, in order to give a fair view of the overall enhanced sound of the entire remastered and reimagined recording.
“Little Dreamer” — the constant high-end tonal quality and its spaciality, makes this production a beautiful example for SACD digital sweetness. The song already sounds fantastic on just about every Redbook compact disc available, but hearing Alex’s constant high-hat ride, his cymbal swells and strikes, and Eddie’s heavy mid-range-mixed guitar on this UHR remastered MoFi disc, was like flicking on the light switch in a dimmed room. Roth’s voice also sounds more sharpened and poignant.
“I’m the One” — The crowded production, the unison vocal harmonies, and constant movement from every part of the composition made this a perfect canvass to test the separation properties of Mobile Fidelities remastering job. We immediately gravitated to noticing the harnessed background vocals. They evidently seemed to not only isolate themselves better from the lead, but they maintained just slightly more above the bed of instrumentation. There was a noticeable amount of general heightened sonic space between sounds, but the vocals were the real winners here; even the a-cappella vocal section—which is the bridge part after the guitar solo—had sort of a holographic sense to it, for a lack of better terms.
“Eruption” — This is the one track, out of the entire song sequence in which I have always self-debated, on whether or not I enjoy playing it back on a piercing and sharpened digital media format, or the weight and warmth of a vinyl record. It has been a decades-long undecided factor for me with regard to this album. The best thing about listening to “Eruption” on MoFi’s Ultra High Resolution Hybrid SACD, is that it actually made the final decision for me. The very best version of this song that I have ever heard in digital format lives right here on this compact disc.
Like every other Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab Hybrid SACD, their packaging has not gone through any significant changes, and you can count that as a good thing. The housing is a ‘no frills’ ultra high quality cardstock gatefold, in slight fashion of the very popular Japanese mini-LP style CD jackets.
The disc itself comes pressed cleanly and flawlessly, and is contained in an audiophile-grade meshed protective sleeve. As a Special Edition release, it comes uniquely numbered in gold foil lettering and numbering. It’s basically your classic MoFi packaging, and that’s something that will entice if you are considering pulling the trigger on this format of the album.
To conclude, there is nothing but pure and honest accolades that can be given to Mobile Fidelity, with regard to the job that they did reimagining this classic hard rock record.
The historic value of “Van Halen” has been heightened and brought to a new and fresh level, because MoFi saw the value in using their cutting edge technologies, and their unique engineering skills to take a classic and make it their own.
A MUST HAVE CLASSIC
Tracklist:
1. Runnin’ With The Devil 3:36
2. Eruption 1:42
3. You Really Got Me 2:38
4. Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love 3:49
5. I’m The One 3:46
6. Jamie’s Cryin’ 3:30
7. Atomic Punk 3:02
8. Feel Your Love Tonight 3:42
9. Little Dreamer 3:23
10. Ice Cream Man 3:20
11. On Fire 3:02
Van Halen – Van Halen (MFSL UltraDisc UHR SACD) – 2023, ISO+MP3+FLAC
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