I have a copy of this release, record is in condition NM/NM – 75 $.
Link to photo of the cover and record Google Disc:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1uGGu2dwZXXK4vqYLDnO73IWiOiUhtuN8?usp=drive_link

Variant 1— side 2 throughly trounces my 1st press monarch. I’ll be looking for a Variant 5 from now on.

Does anyone else get a bit of IGD/distortion on Light My Fire? All other tracks sound incredible but my turntable is struggling with that one

Quite a bit of gunk in the tracks, especially on side B. After cleaning the vinyl this album sounds, at least to my ears, excellent. I’m yet to listen to an original pressing, curious to hear if there’s a huge difference in quality.

This is definitely the best this album has ever sounded. It’s not exactly an audiophile album to begin with, but Kevin Gray was able to really squeeze everything he could out of the tape he had to work with, and it really presents this album in its best light. It’s still available on Rhino’s site as an unnumbered edition, and is really worth it in my opinion.

On this first Butterfly label (1971? No Warner W logo on rimtext) is the originally mix for The End: Jim's vocals at the song's climax are uncensored.

Love this 1st monarch pressing and the best way to hear the mono mix! I have a 1st stereo monarch as well but enjoy the punch and full sound of this mono. I don't hear the distortion in the mix others mention. Break on Thru, Soul Kitchen & Twentieth Century Fox kick ass on this pressing!

Ok, I'm split....with VMP going under i wanted to snag this 2nd hand before the VMP stuff skyrockets due to there never being another pressing.

What everyone below says is correct for me. The packaging is amazing and definitely a collectors item for "The Doors" fans. Now the record itself have a lot of distortion on the treble (no I do not have a Mono cart but am about to upgrade my table and will have dual tonearms and one will have a Mono cart for albums like this.)

I also have the AP 45rpm and Rhino Hi-Fi copies. Stereo is the way to go. BUUUT for some reason I kinda like the grit and crappiness in this sound....I don't know why but to me it adds a harshness and brashness that kinda works. I imagine back in the day playing this album on worn out needles, with half blown speakers in a basement, this is how it sounded.

So I guess my take is, if you want clarity, audiophile perfection, look elsewhere. If you want some grit and almost nostalgic roughness, get this. I don't know. I added this to my collection as I had always wanted it, fully well knowing it would sound bad, but crazily I like the "badness" of it. And who knows what a Mono cart is going to do. This is a pickle for me for sure. I expected to hate it, but i guess it more boils down to, I kinda hate how much I like it...

My beater copy has intentional pen scratches all up and down Side 1. With zero expectations, I was amazed that it played perfectly with ample punch and presence. I attribute that to (1) my A-T 33 mono cart and (2) the expert cut by Hagerty of this 1st mono Monarch. Long live the Lizard King!

Its april 2025 and The AP Doors 45rpms stand as follows:

LA Woman = Definitive/No equal
Strange Days = Definitive/No equal
Morrison Hotel = Definitive/No equal
Soft Parade = Definitive/No equal
Waiting for the Sun = Good but bettered
The Doors = What went wrong????

There is so much hyperbole online about the AP Doors reissues. I personally feel some is agreeable. Some is disagreeable. And some is downright moronic. Some of the wordage written about the eponymous debut on AP45 confuses me as ive tried two copies (to.make sure the first wasnt a dud/amazing looking counterfeit) and the SACD and concluded this is the dullest, most colourless, least expansive edition of this recording ive ever heard. The sound on the AP edition is akin to me getting the remote for my Oled TV, a set thats been meticulously calibrated to D65 and negative 3 delta error, going into the menu and turning the colour down by 50%, the contrast down by 50% and finally turning on the "eco mode" just to rub it in.

Yep... i feel this is worst sounding thing theyve ever put out. Something to do with a terrible low fi mix as the source im sure, but i would never have signed this one off.

Honestly.... the 2009 Bernie G 33rpm from Rhino is much richer sounding, alot more expansive front to back and side to side, actually has treble extension and even manages decent texture to the elements. Its everything the AP isnt.

Either that or my ears are completely ffffffffff.......