It suffers from the same inconsistency as all their albums do - nobody would have missed songs like "Purple Stain" or "Right On Time" - but this is the closest they've come to a solid, consistent listen. The band’s Greatest Hits album contains a number of songs from Californication, (specifically “Parallel Universe”, “Scar Tissue”, “Otherside”, “Californication”, and “Road Trippin’”) and they have a bit higher dynamic range than their retail counterparts, and notably less distortion. Even “Californication”, which is 0.7dB quieter on Greatest Hits, has a lot less hiss than its previous release. (It should be noted though, that the Greatest Hits mix of “Californication” has organ in its first verse and runs through the first chorus twice.) The mastering process can enhance the quality and consistency of a recording or completely destroy it. There are many cases where heavy-handed compression was applied to classic records, where they were then resold as remastered and “improved” CDs. This process is, was, in my view, one of the greatest swindles the music industry has ever seen. Thankfully, thanks to normalized levels, we’re hopefully seeing an end to the days of louder is always better. They are the same as the original here ( https://www.discogs.com/Red-Hot-Chili-Peppers-Californication/release/9899740). The rest all have significant mixing and clipping issues and are generally hard to listen to from a songwriting angle as well.

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Californication (vinyl) : Target Red Hot Chili Peppers - Californication (vinyl) : Target

This differs from a later pressing that shows two pressing rings and some differences in lacquer cut etchings in runout as Red Hot Chili Peppers - Californication and also a pressing without noticeable rings here: Red Hot Chili Peppers - Californication. Vinyl, as a format, has often provided some sanctuary from the loudness war over the last couple of decades. Music that’s overcompressed doesn’t translate well to vinyl. That, and it takes considerable time and skill to master and cut a vinyl record properly. By purchasing music on vinyl, you significantly increase your chances of someone with considerable skill being behind the mastering process. This is the original 1999 US pressing. Please note there is a 2012 remaster which is externally quite similar to this. While I don’t hear the clipping distortion on the vinyl sections of the video, an assumption the video presents, that higher DR values (as determined by a program) means that the vinyl IS more dynamic, is a bit erroneous. The imperfections of vinyl can create the illusion of higher dynamics when in fact it is derived from the same compressed master. This is a great detailing of that concept (made by the same video creator, funnily enough).In an official aversion of Californication’s clipping, the 2012 vinyl release of the album (as well as the 2020 repress) does not seem to have the clipping distortion of its previous counterparts. This is generally viewed as the best version of the album for that reason. Mixes of “Californication” and “Easily” in these vinyl copies differ slightly from their original release, with the former having organ present in its first verse, and the latter having vocals on its final instrumental passage. I know we have been discussing this in the a RHCP thread but I thought it might be appropriate to start a new thread for those not following that one and to bring attention to this particular album title. These are sections of “Hurt” by Johnny Cash, “The Blister Exists” by Slipknot, and “The Day That Never Comes” by Metallica, respectively. This LP is a bit better - the vocals are a little more natural, and Flea's bass is a tad bit deeper. It has a slightly more natural feel to it. That's about it really, aside from some light EQ improvement which just could be the difference between my analog rig and my digital rig. The LP just isn't on the same level as something like "Unlimited Love," which sounds truly incredible on vinyl. (Then again, it also sounds decent on CD, as it isn't clipped to death - compressed and limited yes, but listenable!)

Different Mastering, Same Record - Californication Mastering Different Mastering, Same Record - Californication Mastering

I think this release has been bastardized over the years and that originally was a first pressing but manufactured at a different facility. My copy has the double rings like so many Warner Bros pressings of the time but has these matrices: I edited this album to fix up its clipping, and I was able to get its dynamic range from 5 to 12! I also edited the b-sides from the “Dani California”, “Tell Me Baby”, and “Snow (Hey Oh)” singles! The mastering process of a vinyl record can make or break the overall sound quality. The mix engineer can get everything right, from the initial microphone technique to the final mix, but if the mastering quality is poor, the record will fall at the final hurdle.Coming off the rough and odd production stylings of Californication and By the Way, Stadium Arcadium is absolutely a breath of fresh air. The instrumentation is finally given the room to finally bounce around without hogging up each other’s sonic space. That being said, Meller again clipped the album for its digital mastering, making every instrument unable to really reach their full potential. The clipping is, again, not as bad as Californication, but is still quite audible, such as on “Stadium Arcadium” and “Animal Bar”. The vinyl release, however, was mastered by audiophile-beloved Steve Hoffman, monarch of the Steve Hoffman Music Forums, and apparently sounds great, averting the clipping of the digital release! Oddly enough, John Frusciante remixed “Can’t Stop” and “Universally Speaking” for their single releases to bring the guitars and bass more to the forefront, and the vocals of “Can’t Stop” sound even MORE compressed 3 than they were in the album mix. The single mix of “Universally Speaking”, which was also used for the band’s Greatest Hits album, still has the vocal distortion present on the album mix. The 2014 remaster of By the Way is pretty much identical to its original release, except it has a slightly different mix of “Universally Speaking” that is missing a few guitar lines and plays at a very slightly slower speed. Growing up in America my only access to The Beatles were through the Capital Records releases. It wasn’t until later in life when I started also collecting the original Parlophone pressings that I realized just how poorly the Capital albums were mastered. You would be better off buying the Cd as it sounds much better and you receive a lyrical booklet which is not contained with the record.