Seeker_UK
Feelin' nearly faded as my jeans
With the Japanese ‘black triangle’ DSOTM you need to read the matrix on the inner silver label next to the label, if the letters ‘TO’ are there it is a later issue and has a totally different mastering (same as the black text on silver disk UK issue). I have one of these and it’s only worth £30 or so. It is not a great mastering (rather bright).
PS I’m pretty sure there isn’t a ‘black triangle’ of WYWH. The early Japanese copies were CBS and a 35dp catalogue so black disk with a silver left side. I found the J for EU ‘black face’ of WYWH next to the DSOTM I mentioned above and that is another truly superb sounding CD. It is why my Analogue Productions SACD is in the pfm shop right now!
Unless Japan used different source tapes for mastering, the value of an early DSOTM is, IMHO, just because it's a 35DP / Black Triangle. All early releases were not from the master tapes but from a 15ips Dolby copy. It could be the case as "TO" versions have "Ticket to Ride" at the end and the "non-TO" doesn't.
AIUI, the "TO" / "non-TO" relates to black face Harvest 'Japan for Europe' discs. All black triangles were pressed at Toshiba and were not the 'bright' version.
As for WYWH, no black triangle, just the boggo CBS 1/5 silver (gold on the first press), 4/5 black, and as early as you can get CD-wise (1982 ). £1300 will get you a copy. Not worth it, IMHO.