There's nothing like owning discs--special-sounding discs--from another country. In addition to the sheer satisfaction, there's the fact that almost all import pressings sound better than their U.S. counterparts. There's a hierarchy here--the Japanese almost always have the best-sounding pressings, with special UK or European Union editions coming next. Almost any edition sounds better than those issued in the U.S.--with the possible exceptions of specialty houses such as Audio Fidelity, MFSL, etc.
True, you pay for what you get. The Japanese pressings can run as high as twice (or more) the price of the U.S. issues...but the difference in quality is worth it, both where sound and packaging is concerned. However, you have to hear the difference before you'll be willing to buy. I know I did.
The standard Japanese pressing sounds about as good as a U.S. HDCD version, and the SHM-CD issues are simply fantastic. Take a listen to some of these. Compare them with the standard versions from the U.S. and look through the artwork. Let me know what you think.
Let's start out with the second album from Rush, FLY BY NIGHT, but the first album with Neil Peart on drums--and from this point on, Rush would never be what one would call a normal hard rock band. Philosophy, politics, science fiction, fantasy and brilliant musicianship combined to make a whole no other band has been able to approach.
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