Lou Reed – Transformer

I'm having trouble understanding the 'multiple cuts'...

- there is definitely a 1E/1E lacquer, but - for now - it's this one Lou Reed - Transformer,
- there are also a couple of 1L/1E like here but some people think there are probably 1Es in the end,
- there are also some 1C/2E like here Lou Reed - Transformer, which might also be 1E,
- there are multiple '2nd cut', when there are a lot of variants on multiple pressings bearing the 2E/1E matrixes like here Lou Reed - Transformer,
- on top of that you have 'weird' ones when you look at some of the Dynaflex & Shorepack pressings, which could lead to think there are even more cuts that same year.

So the 1st cut is the 1Es, right?
Are they better than the following ones or maybe the 2Es have been cut to correct something on the 1E?

I'm having trouble understanding the 'multiple cuts'...

- there is definitely a 1E/1E lacquer, but - for now - it's this one Lou Reed - Transformer not the one indicated in the comment,
- there are also a couple of 1L/1E like this one Lou Reed - Transformer but some people think there are probably 1Es in the end,
- there are also some 1C/2E like here Lou Reed - Transformer, which might also be 1E,
- the comment here leads to think this one is the only '2nd cut', when there are a lot of variants on multiple pressings bearing the 2E/1E matrixes like here Lou Reed - Transformer,
- on top of that you have 'weird' ones when you look at some of the Dynaflex & Shorepack pressings, which could lead to think there are more cuts that same year.

All in all, what's the real 1st cut? I assume the 1Es, right?
Are they better than the following ones or maybe the 2Es have been cut to correct something on the 1E?

Some tracks the bass is excessive - shame as otherwise its great

To be honest I think it’s quite a bad pressing. Not terrible, but probably the worst-sounding record I have. It actually sounds way better from a streaming service. I’ll replace it with another pressing when I get the chance.

Well balanced but not definitive. Its a less bassy and less expansive sounding press than the Speakers Corner. But Lou is more present and the instrumentation seems to all have equal footing. If this had a slightly airier and sweeter top end and a better soundstage it would be close to definitive. As it stands no single release of this classic is drfinitive so you have to try a bunch of editions and compromise on what suits you best overall. One thing i certainly dont approve of here is crappy paper only inners, threadbare build quality and a record that even when Degritter cleaned still looks like its been sliding around MPO's floor. At least its free of tics and pops etc but the overall noise floor doesnt get near the SC Pallas pressing.

Its good but its not definitive. The bass IS too thick and eq'd up too much which skewers the balance and on top of this Lou is too far in the background and lacks presence. The balance is just abit, well, wrong! Its still a good listen but its not a well balanced presentation. I actually think the more recent Lou approved remaster is better overall even if the packaging is not as nice as this and the pressing itself not as quiet. The problem ive got is no one single vinyl edition or CD ive heard gets everything right! So its a case of choosing the one that suits your own tastes

Great pressing, however, my sticker has the opposite in colour above... "Lou Reed" is in black, the background white (instead of black here).

Of all the LP's Lou released before he ed this one and The Blue Mask I wasn't so crazy about ... The Speakers Corner I haven't heard in years but the issue with most Speakers Corners releases was they didn't have the masters far from it but the vinyl is the best part of it which is Pallas but if you have a meodicre tape copy doesnt mean very much,,,, The copy that I first bought around 1989 and had the best sound I thought was this budget reissue ... I bought it sealed it wasn't the orange or beige copies although those are very good but many are very over played ... Was in fact this copy ... https://discogs.cinepelis.org/release/2257653-Lou-Reed-Transformer

Nice flat and quiet pressing but I feel Lou emphasizes the bass too much on this mix and Mick Ronson's guitar has been pushed back which spoils it for me...the original 72 UK pressing is much better in my opinion.... shouldn't mess with Mick's and David's production as it is what made this album so great in the first place, bit like Iggy's later mix of raw power but he took it the other way guitars too up
front. 😔 I buy new pressings because the old one is scratched too much and would like the original mix but if the original tape is not available I agree the digital mix most times will need remastering . Try listening to some Beatles on CD 🥴

There is too much bass in some songs. My copy is a little noisy in pauses, but otherwise everything is fine. The cover quality is quite average. The back of photos is a bit low resolution. The lettering on the cover is detailed, which definitely saves the day. Overall, this release is good, but if there was less bass and better printing, it would have no equal!