The Smile (5) – Wall Of Eyes

I somehow lucked out. My pressing, purchased in the US, seems to be a newer variant of the EU / Optimal version, and it is one of the quietest, bests sounding Radiohead / Smile LPs I own. My copy is dead quiet, no surface noise whatsoever, and sounds quite good.

The whole package is quite cool, but my copy unfortunately has plenty of noise, huge let down

It's a clean pressing, but it lacks the wider dynamics I'd expect to hear in a vinyl record. If it would not be for the great artwork - including the choice of cardboard and the varnished parts - I'd get the cd version. Same for the other albums, by the way.

To wash vinyl - must. Yes, it's a bit claustrophobic, but still listenable and enjoyable. And yes I was waiting for Teleharmonic.

Optimal pressing. Flat, clean vinyl, only dry brushed and it played without surface noise.
Mix is a little flat as described. Not however the sh**show (QC or Mix) I expected from other reviews.

Luxman T/T, amp, Focal headphones.
Record brought from Te Awa JB hifi

Looks like I’ve lucked out. I got a nice pressing with barely any surface noise. The mix is a little flat but sounds better at louder volume. I wet cleaned mine before playing.

After 27 years of collecting their crappy releases, the Radiohead crew never ceases to amaze me...

The frisbee I've received is a cracks-fest!
Even after numerous runs in my ultrasonic machine, i still get an annoying amount of them...

Also, as other have pointed out, the mastering is unprofessional at best.
This thing lacks details, imaging, punch... you name it!

To add insult to injury, Thom can't fathom a world where his artist-buddy (and himself) stops giving us artworks a 5-years-old could have made (easy one but I'm pissed at so much amateur shit).
And because they are so proud of their 'art', they want us to enjoy it on an useless/takes-too-much-space/waste-of-flimsy-cardboard gatefold!

And, obviously, they sell this short album & cheap product almost around 30€.
For that money, you'd get - for example - one of those magnificent 'Acoustic Sound Series' which are AAA, mastered by one of the best mastering-engineers, pressed in one of the best plant in the world & printed on a Stoughton tip-on jacket...

This hobby is slowly killing meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Quite allot of crackle/pops, especially on song 1 (after multiple wet/dry cleans). Mixing sounds fine. A little disappointing for $68 AUD but not bad enough to return.

My copy sounds amazing. Upgrade your equipment yo! I'm using Audioengine A5+, Audioengine S8 sub, Audio Technica: AT-LP60XBT

Très bel album avec une super pochette, le son est bon même si ça manque de punch c'est plutôt plat mais ça s'écouter super bien !