Van Halen's best-sounding albums

[Tokyo Joe]

What is the best sound Van Halen album with Roth and with Hagar?

[KS 5150]

What is the best sound Van Halen album with Roth and with Hagar?

I would personally say that the best-sounding Dave album is '1984' and the best sounding Sammy album is 'Balance', although I love the drum sound of 'FUCK'.

[mannyroth]

To my ears, the first two Roth albums are perfection.

[Brett]

I would personally say that the best-sounding Dave album is '1984' and the best sounding Sammy album is 'Balance', although I love the drum sound of 'FUCK'.

Yes on 1984 and Balance.

[Van Squalen]

Fair Warning. Balance.

[MF5150]

WACF and Balance.


Tokyo Dome gets an obvious honourable mention, of course……………

[Little Intruder]

For the Dave years, the debut is my fave. Just so live and raw! Balance is probably their peak for the Sam years. Still hate the cover though...

[VH1986]

Balance and 1984.

[Greenpaw]

Yes on 1984 and Balance.

+1

AL has a booming drum sound on Balance and Ed on 1984 is tops for me.

[Jedi McFly]

+1 to Fair Warning and Balance. Sonic peaks of each era.

[Naked Wake]

Fair Warning and FUCK for me.

[Heisenberg]

Balance is probably their peak for the Sam years. Still hate the cover though...

It’s funny to see you dislike the album cover because I too initially thought it was absolutely atrocious….until recently about a year or so ago when I noticed a listing of the Balance Cardboard Record Store Promotional Display. It was a fairly large 3D Cardboard Display with the Children separated up front with the background in the back giving it the 3D look. There’s probably pictures online that show it.

Seeing the background picture without the children in the listing photos gave me a new perspective and appreciation for the artwork. I thought it looked sensational. The whole atmosphere & color scheme seemed almost surreal to me. I realized my initial perception was wrong and now think it’s an absolutely brilliant album cover. It’s very unconventional & abstract. The photo of the egg on the guitar neck is kinda neat too.

[Jamie M]

1984 and Balance

[Van Hampshire]

I'm consistently blown away by 1984 as it the first album recorded at 5150 and it sounds amazing. Of course most of that is because Donn Landee is a genius but from what I have read over the years, the place was pretty much a ghetto studio compared to a place like Sunset Sound or Amigo. It has been documented that the board was pretty old and wired up by Donn whereas he was the only one who really knew how to run it. It makes sense why Ted and even Sammy later on were not really keen on working there. Donn did one hell of a job getting sounds and mixing that thing though. Those songs sound incredible.

[Mama's Fool]

Fair Warning and Balance

I can see why Ed and Al think VHI is slick. It also lacks bass. 1984 sound good but doesn't have the bottom end like Fair Warning does. 1984 also is slick sounding. Fair Warning just sounds raw even though it isn't.