Fleetwood Mac – Rumours 45 RPM Vinyl

One of the bestselling popular rock albums of all time, Fleetwood Mac's Rumours has certainly been reissued many times over the years. Originally released in 1977, Rumours holds a special place for me as one of the first records I have a very clear recollection of purchasing at or near the time of release and over the years, I have acquired it more than a few times on vinyl and compact disc.

This 45 RPM two record audiophile set was originally released as a 2011 Record Store Day exclusive--and was limited to 4,000 copies worldwide. At the time, both 33 RPM and 45 RPM versions were released and most expected the 45 RPM set to go out of print and the 33 RPM version to remain in print.  However, when the 45 RPM set sold out immediately, Warner decided to do an additional pressing and given continued demand, in a boon to audiophiles, it remains in print to this day. 

The Packaging
The laminated gatefold cover, is made of heavy cardstock and feels like a premium offering should. The 180 gram double vinyl was originally pressed at the Pallas facility in Germany (and as of 2025 is now pressed at Furnace) and housed inside poly-lined paper sleeves. It plays absolutely silently on every side. Contained inside the gatefold, is the original photo collage of the band. The lyric sheet is also included as a double-sided single page insert.

The Sound  
While almost everyone interested in vinyl has a copy of this record in their collection, it has been re-pressed so many times that sound quality can vary widely, with some copies coming from sources other than the original tapes. In preparation for this review, I listened to several vinyl versions--including original Ken Perry-mastered Capitol pressings, a later Eighties Robert Ludwig-mastered vinyl reissue, and the deluxe edition compact disc. 

Mastered from the original analog tapes by the veteran team of Steve Hoffman and Kevin Gray, and cut at 45 RPM, this deluxe two-record set contains all of the hallmarks of a typical Hoffman mastering, with increased dynamics, full bass and lower-mids, and smooth, somewhat restrained upper-mids and highs. With this 45 RPM cutting, however, comes even more dynamics, utterly silent surfaces, quicker transients and more low-level detail.

While sound quality of earlier pressings of this album has undoubtedly varied depending upon the cutting, I've always thought the better sounding versions to be quite good--until I dropped the needle on this 45 RPM version. Even the best sounding original pressings sound compressed in comparison, with lesser versions sounding drenched in reverb, and possessing thinner vocals shrouded by echo and a splashy cymbal sound. 

In contrast to all of the earlier incarnations, this Hoffman/Gray mastering features much bigger bass, allowing the drums and bass to come forward, yet also manages to present more nuanced vocals, with individual backing vocals occupying their own spaces within the mix.

(John McVie, Christine McVie, Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks, Mick Fleetwood)

 In a treat to fans, presumably for re-buying this album for the umpteenth time, Hoffman includes an alternate "countdown" beginning to Gold Dust Woman, which also features some of the most realistic dobro I've ever heard recorded to wax, and an remarkably wide dynamic range, with swings of over 20 decibels throughout the song. There isn't a hint of compression or limiting anywhere on the record.

While virtually every song is a delight, Dreams is nothing short of intoxicating, with big drums that come to life and a bassline from John McVie that up to now remained dormant. Stevie Nicks' vocal is dead center and sounds so incredibly real--almost angelic at times. 


This 45 RPM version is so good--that it literally shattered my long-held belief that Rumours was a good sounding record. This set is nothing short of demo quality--and I am so pleased that it is still available to every audiophile.

Very Highly Recommended 

Standout tracks: “Dreams,” “Go Your Own Way,” “The Chain.”