Is the 2016 'The Wall' Picture Disc Reissue Worth It for Sound Quality?

If you’re buying the 2016 picture disc reissue of The Wall for its sound quality, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. Picture discs have always traded fidelity for visual appeal — the vinyl is thinner, the grooves are shallower, and you get a constant layer of surface noise. This pressing is no exception. Compared to the 2011 Immersion vinyl set (mastered by James Guthrie from the original tapes), the picture disc sounds flat, compressed, and noisy.

The 2011 Immersion vinyl is widely considered the definitive modern pressing — quiet, dynamic, and cut from the best source. The 2016 reissue is a collector’s piece first and foremost. If you want to hang it on the wall, go ahead. But if you want to hear Comfortably Numb without frying pan hiss, stick with the Immersion.