ABBA – The Album

The album itself is great. The sound is excellent, no crackling. Good remastering. It's also flat, but covered with extensive surface scratches on both sides. I don't know if this actually happened because of the simple paper sleeves. The good news is that you can't hear any noise.

The inner envelope has the band photo and lyrics printed. It is made of paper with no antistatic foil inside. After opening, the record had a huge static adhesion, it was extremely difficult to take the record out of the envelope, so there are lots of small paper scratches on the vinyl surface. And the record needed immediate washing before its first replay. Doesn't look good, seems to be a 40 years old... But, on the turntable there are no other sounds but the music. No complains regarding sound quality. The vinyl is dead quiet. No distortions, skipping, clicks or whatever. So it is real shame - you buy an audiophile 180g edition for 20 euros and they are skimping 10 cents for antistatic envelope...

I think this sounds just like the big wonderful journey that it should. I’m listening on Hifiman Arya Stealth headphones. Micro Line stylus. The detail from top to bottom is insane. I like the balance that’s been chosen here. It’s an epic listen. On this kit it sounded dynamic and alive. “I’m a Marionette” was especially grand. 🤯

The bass stands proud. Plus these headphones are naturally a bit weak in the low and mid bass. So, if it sounds not too bad on these then it possibly could sound overpowering on something that’s a bit more bassy already.

I have added Super Trouper on Digiton here:
https://www.discogs.sitioby.com/release/32667819-ABBA-Super-Trouper
I have a copy to sell

Reviewing every record in my collection;

My copy of this vinyl is really beaten up (bought it at a fair for a few dollars a couple of years ago) and it still somehow delivers. I have a little suspicion that it's taken from a cassette tape due to a background noise that's present throughout the whole album, but even still, I like the sound of it. Still, I'd like to own a better pressing of this MARVELOUS album, but for the moment, this one's a nice placeholder

My copy has the matrix run out CDP 105 M4C11
Anyone else have this version.?

Agree with the below reviews - there’s a lot to like here. It’s not as bloated as the Abbey Rd 1/2 speed, and the mid / highs are a little clearer. It’s not a day / night difference, just better controlled. If you want an OG, then purchase either this release, or the US Atlantic - mastered by George Piros. If you want a modern pressing, then stick with the Abbey Rd.

I threw this half speed mastered ABBA album in the bin along with all the other half-speed mastered ABBA albums from Abbey Road as none of them were of any value at all to me by the time I had heard them on my turntable. Frankly the CD copies are vastly better and the original vinyl records are even better still. The regular ABBA Gold album sounds wonderful too but the original UK pressing of the The Singles The First Ten Years sounds even better still.

There are three vinyl releases out of Japan, all with the same matrix codes. Having purchased and listened to the UK, US, Norway & the recent Abbey Rd half-speed edition, this pressing is definitely the clear winner. Soundstage is wide, mastering is warm but still detailed. Pressing is dead-quiet, and the artwork on-point. Abbey Rd comes in second, mainly due to its bloated mastering in the bottom-end.

Your description of the sound quality on this release is absolutely accurate. It’s an extremely dull affair and a waste of money.