Welcome, Scottie!

I like the 2002 ABKCO DSD remasters I've purchased. They are not aggressively marketed as SACD's, but they also play as remastered cd's that sound very good.

Amazon has practically the whole catalog. Most are around $13. Or you can "win" used ones on eBay for much more $$.

Seconded, the ABKCO remasters are excellent!

They are getting hard to find from what I ahve seen.

The packaging does not state that they are SACD/CD hybrids. Just look for "abkco" on the back and on the spine.

While the ABKCO remasters are very worthwhile, Exile On Main Street was not part of that reissue series since it was not originally released by ABKCO but rather on the Stones own record label, whose name escapes me at the moment.

As for the available CD reissues of Exile, the very first CD issue, which for some reason or other, was on Columbia (at least in the US) is absolutely terrible. There are a few seconds during "Sweet Virginia" where the sound drops in level by something like 30 db. A fine example of a really bad early CD issue. The Virgin Records CD, which featured a faithful, if somewhat scaled down, recreation of the cover of the original LP release, complete with these ridiculous tiny little postcards. More like postage stamps instead of postcards. However, the sound was excellent.

There may be one or two additional reisses, including one by Mobil Fidelity. The MoFi sounds pretty damn close to the original LP release. I have a pretty well preserved copy of the original LPs. I said "pretty well preserved" considering that this is my all time favorite and perhaps the best Stones album and, therefore, it's had more than it's fair share of playing time.

The song I use for sound demos between the various LP and CD issues is "Loving Cup" - The first few raps of Charlie Watts' drums combined with Bill Wyman's rumbling bass really pushes one's system's low end up a few notches. If the sound holds together instead of falling apart, then you know you have quality recording.

Impressive knowledge, Jazzfan!

A classical music nerd like myself needs people like you around when we travel off into uncharted waters.

Thanks Elk I'm happy to be of assistance. The funny thing is that there is a ton of information around about "Exile" since this recording is considered by many people to be the Stones finest record. I'm one of those people and I have been since the record was released way back in 1972.

I can remember arguing with some friends of mine back in the early 1970's about how good I thought "Exile" was. I said that 25 years from now tons of people would remember "Exile" while nobody would remember Iron Butterfly's "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida". I still enjoy "Exile" to this day. It's been my favorite workout music since god know when.

I have a funny feeling that Buddha might have story or two to tell us about good old "Exile".

Uh oh.

I remember "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida".

I had not even heard of the Stones' record until someone explained that Exile in Guyville, Liz Phair's 1993 debut, was her commentary on Exile on Main Street.

I am educable however.

Exile on Main street is the difinitive stones album, is also one people like to borrow and never return. I am on my fourth copy.