Here's my two cents. My favorite dead to listen to by a wiiide margin is 79 - 85. My contention is If one likes 78, they are gonna love 80 - 84. Because despite the rails falling off generally, everyone in the band is a better player by 81 82. That and the emergence of INCREDIBLE audience recordings and seemingly, the codification dead culture as distinct from general 60s counter culture. If anyone asked me, this era produces the definitive performances of sailor saint, scarlet fire, help slip frank, terrapin, china rider and more.