Ben Folds Five - Whatever and Ever Amen (LP)
- LP
- 1 piece(s)
- 1997
- 12 tracks
- 49 min
Whatever and Ever AmenCheapest atstore.acousticsounds.com
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Average of 20 reviews
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I'm really happy to have this fantastic sounding record in my collection.
After finally getting my hands on the 1997 European original and giving the 2024 version a spin, here's what I think: the '97 release takes the cake. Even without giving it a proper clean, the noise floor is noticeably lower on the older one. That said, both are loud enough that the noise floor isn't a big deal. My new copy was super staticky out of the sleeve, but a few brushes with a carbon fibre brush sorted it out. No crazy pops or anything. The '97 version has a more balanced soundstage and EQ. It's not a huge difference, but it adds up to a livelier, sharper sound. The drums are clearer, especially the cymbals, and the high end in general is better. Ben's vocals are more present and less distorted. On tracks like "One Angry Dwarf," the panned radio vocals just sound more natural on the original. They're weirder and shriller on the new one. I think the extra drum clarity in the original comes from it being less compressed. Interestingly, despite the original having much closer inner grooves, I didn't notice any more inner groove distortion (IGD) on it than the reissue. I expected bad IGD on the original because of the small deadwax space, but it's actually more noticeable on the reissue, which doesn't have the vocal and drum definition of the original to make up for it. The difference is noticeable, but not enough to justify spending an extra $100. The reissue is cheap, especially by 2025 standards, and it's respectable and competitive. The returns just aren't worth the extra cost. If you can find an original for just $10-$20 more than the new edition, it's worth it. But good luck finding one. Also, remember that the original CD is going to be clearer overall because it doesn't have vinyl distortion, noise, or wow and flutter. If sound quality is important to you, the few extra dollars for the CD are worth it. The original CD isn't over-compressed at all. Of course, vinyl is about the big art, the ritual, and the turntable. It's a shame they couldn't get closer to the original master's clarity. Those late '90s pressings weren't made to crazy audiophile standards, but they were better than today's vinyl manufacturing industry. I guess that's what happens when a few remaining pressing plants are under so much strain. 1997 CD = 1997 LP > 2024 LP (but not by $100). Oh, and the 1997 European version has the banter before "Song for the Dumped," while the 2024 one doesn't. If that's a dealbreaker, stick with the CD.
Another fantastic album, as expected. Top-notch packaging by ORG music and excellent pressing from GZ. Absolutely brilliant!
Alright, not bad. It generally sounds good but my version has some loud crackling you can hear on Cigarette and Steven’s Last Night.
The quality varies from one song to another. The first track, A1, was so muffled that I initially thought I'd made a bad choice. However, the following songs improved. Then, Kate on side B really stood out with its powerful and intense sound. Perhaps the original recordings weren't the best because the concept was still new. Overall, I'm really happy with the pressing. It's definitely worth getting if you're looking for a copy.
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| Date | Lowest price | Average price |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 30, 2025 | $26.95 | €28.38 |
| Jan 31, 2026 | $26.95 | €28.78 |
| Feb 27, 2026 | $26.98 | €29.23 |
| Mar 7, 2026 | $26.98 | €29.23 |