[sniks7]

Hmm. I've done it again. I've ordered a record of 180gsm valve-recorded vinyl in a genre I'm not sure I like.

Small company, does the odd bit of D2D, some CD digital interweb sort of stuff and one or two LPs.

And it doesn't get much of a mention on headfi.. Ha. I shall let you know what it's like when it turns up..

 

[scott_d_m]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geoff Rymer /img/forum/go_quote.gif Any particular pressing? I wouldn't mind this.

MUSICDIRECT - PIXIES - DOOLITTLE

Also, look out in the future for this as well MUSICDIRECT - PIXIES - SURFER ROSA (NUMBERED LIMITED EDITION 180g LP)

 

[hayste]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimJo /img/forum/go_quote.gif As noted in an earlier post, the one exception to this advice is the Jimi Hendrix - Axis: Bold As Love. This was the only pressing so far in the Back To Black series that is a brand new mastering, and all analog using the original source tape. See post #7 for more info...

Oops, yeah I forgot about that one. Might pick it up if I see it in store somewhere.

 

[sniks7]

Louis Armstrong plays W C Handy, Pure Pleasure Records. A magnificent pair

of LPs. I tend to moan about having to get up and change the record every five minutes on these high grade audiophile cuttings that have to be kept in a chilled vacuum cabinet with low lighting and which can only be played when the moon is in a certain phase and even then you'd better be wearing silk gloves and genuflecting...

But sometimes there's a massive bonus to trying to stick a couple of minutes (I joke) of original album onto four sides: you get to stay away from the centre of the disc and you have to pad the last side out with whatever came to hand.

In this case what came to hand is a rehearsal sequence: Louis and Velma having a bit of back-chat, the band cracking up at a joke, George Tiddley-Pom (the producer) telling people to keep away from the drums, otherwise they won't record right. Priceless.

And Louis Armstrong telling you a story from his childhood in your sitting room? It's a pity I used the word priceless already. Damn. Sublime? And quite funny too.

Sound quality is excellent - there's even a touch of the room and the playing is fantastic, tight and assured. It was recorded in 1954. I think quality mattered then.

The rest of the LPs contain some fantastic songs among them St Louis Blues and Long Gone - all with Armstrong's inimitable vocals.

If you think Armstrong may not be your thing when you get home at seven in the morning after a night of Infected Mushroom (pity they don't do vinyl) then get this, put your silk gloves on and kneel. At worst you'll fall asleep with a happy smile on your face.

 

[juniperlater]

Cat Power - Jukebox is flawless. Just amazing.

 

[Geoff Rymer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sniks7 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Louis Armstrong plays W C Handy, Pure Pleasure Records. A magnificent pair of LPs. I tend to moan about having to get up and change the record every five minutes on these high grade audiophile cuttings that have to be kept in a chilled vacuum cabinet with low lighting and which can only be played when the moon is in a certain phase and even then you'd better be wearing silk gloves and genuflecting... But sometimes there's a massive bonus to trying to stick a couple of minutes (I joke) of original album onto four sides: you get to stay away from the centre of the disc and you have to pad the last side out with whatever came to hand. In this case what came to hand is a rehearsal sequence: Louis and Velma having a bit of back-chat, the band cracking up at a joke, George Tiddley-Pom (the producer) telling people to keep away from the drums, otherwise they won't record right. Priceless. And Louis Armstrong telling you a story from his childhood in your sitting room? It's a pity I used the word priceless already. Damn. Sublime? And quite funny too. Sound quality is excellent - there's even a touch of the room and the playing is fantastic, tight and assured. It was recorded in 1954. I think quality mattered then. The rest of the LPs contain some fantastic songs among them St Louis Blues and Long Gone - all with Armstrong's inimitable vocals. If you think Armstrong may not be your thing when you get home at seven in the morning after a night of Infected Mushroom (pity they don't do vinyl) then get this, put your silk gloves on and kneel. At worst you'll fall asleep with a happy smile on your face.

Ordered. With a writeup like that, how could I not? Added Doolittle and OK Computer into the mix too. Call it an early Christmas present to myself. Thanks for the thread guys.

 

[jsaliga]

[size=small]The Who - Quadrophenia[/size]

This reissue from Classic Records is the best this album has ever sounded. Presented on two 180 gram long players, the mastering is simply stunning. In addition to Pete Townshend's songwriting, John Entwistle's bass and Keth Moon's drumming are the stars of Quadrophenia. And these LPs provide a great showcase for the bandmember's respective talents. The synthesizers shine as well. I remember the first time I heard Who's Next...I became concerned that the Who's guitar-driven rock would give way to keyboards. While Quadrophenia does integrate more electronic keyboard work into its musical framework, it fits well and the album never loses its edge, thanks mostly to Entwistle and Moon.

I have to go back to giving anything pressed by RTI qualified recommendations. I hate to have to do this, but I have had such a lousy experience with the quality of their pressings that it doesn't make it possible for me to do otherwise. See my next post for more information.

--Jerome

 

[jsaliga]

I am going to put this in a seperate post.

I love music, as we all do. And I also love vinyl, as anyone who is posting in this thread does. So if this appears to be a thread crap or too far off topic, then a moderator can delete it. I promise I won't mind.

RANT

I have really had a love/hate relationship with RTI, and most of the time it's the latter. I fall into pattern that goes like this....I buy a lot of albums from labels that have their vinyl pressed by RTI: mainly Classic Records and Analogue Productions (but I have had problems with Cisco and Rhino LPs from them as well). An inordinately large number of them turn up defective. I send a lot of them back at my expense, get them replaced, and then hope for the best. Sometimes it has worked out, but more often than not the replacements are defective too. Then I stay away from RTI for a while and then do it all over again. The lure of some of these records is just too strong I guess.

I had an order of 20 audiophile LPs arrive today. Out of the entire lot, 5 albums were pressed by RTI: Classic Records (4), Analogue Productions (1). Of those, three of them are defective.

Here are some of the issues...

Scratched and gouged records are the most common problem

Note the section in the square...it is somewhat hard to make out but that is a deep gouge right in the middle of the vinyl on a Muddy Waters 200g Classic Records album. I have sent back as many as 30 of them for scratches and scuffs so bad that they affect play. As far as I am concerned these problems are caused by careless/incompetent handling at the record pressing plant. I have had too many of them show up scratched right out of the sleeve from different dealers to blame the problem on dealers.

A lot of records show up with discolored vinyl like this 180g copy of Waltz for Debby from Analogue Productions.

Now, a little discolored vinyl doesn't really bother me. But more often than not these records show up with a lot of excessive surface noise and clicks. If the album were a noisy indie rock LP perhaps I wouldn't notice. But the noise just destroys a quiet recording like this.

The most fitting word that I can think of to describe RTI's operations, based on my personal experience with their pressings, is amateurish. I have over 70 180g albums from Speakers Corner (Germany) and I have only had to send ONE back, and its replacement was perfect. I also own about 20 200g vinyl pressings from Universal Japan and never had an issue with any of those. So other companies are pressing high quality low noise 180g and 200g vinyl, why can't RTI?

Anyway, I am always enthusiastic about the music...a bit less so about RTI.

/RANT

--Jerome

 

[hayste]

I'm with you, but I think this applies to most new vinyl nowadays. It's a real shame, and turns off those who are buying into the 'vinyl resurgence' but are constantly being disappointed with bad pressings (myself included).

The worst problem I've come across is small white marks/dots lined along the groves of the record, that produce a weird electronic buzz/harsh noise. I had this problem on a John Coltrane - Giant Steps atlantic pressing, and it lasted 2 tracks on 1 side. I didn't manage to return it so I'm stuck with it. It was also a problem on the Sigur Ros - In a Frozen Sea boxset, out of 7 LPs in the set, 2 had this problem (4 sides with constant loud, harsh bursts noise).

Obviously quality control is to blame, but noisy vinyl is a problem too, so not just visible defects. I have mint condition vinyl from the 70s-80s that, aside from better mastering, is indistinguishable from a CD - dead silent. But most new vinyl I buy has a constant surface noise, I'd rate them VG at best. Unacceptable for new vinyl.

Hope this isn't derailing the thread, but new vinyl isn't all good these days, so people should be aware, and should persist with taking back defective/noisy vinyl and getting replacements/refunds.

 

[TimJo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsaliga /img/forum/go_quote.gif [size=small]The Who - Quadrophenia[/size] This reissue from Classic Records is the best this album has ever sounded.

I agree with you on this as well Jerome. Somehow Classic must have got a good set of stampers and the folks working the line when they pressed these must have been wearing gloves and in a good mood, because my copy sounds great as well.

 

[omegaman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimJo /img/forum/go_quote.gif I agree with you on this as well Jerome. Somehow Classic must have got a good set of stampers and the folks working the line when they pressed these must have been wearing gloves and in a good mood, because my copy sounds great as well.

Have to agree also, I bought the 200g version when classic first released it. It sounds fantastic !!!!! I had an issue with my copy, The centre label had about a quarter missing. Classic replaced it. ( Don't want to turn this into a classic bashing thread, we already have one of those !!!! )

Simply this is a fantastic LP that sounds great and should be in everyone's collection. It helps when it is also one of your favorite LPs of all time

Classics re-issue of Who's next is also worth a listen, another great piece of the black round stuff we all love

I also think this thread may be catching on, I've been following it with interest and ordered a few of the recomendations. 2 out of 4 are on back-order so we must be getting the message out.

 

[jsaliga]

[size=small]Count Basie - April in Paris[/size]

This Universal Records Japan 200g pressing of April in Paris is great ear candy pure and simple. It can be hard to recommend that someone pay $50 for a single record, especially since this particular title is out on a Verve Master Edition CD that, honestly, sounds pretty good. There is also a MFSL (Japan) pressing of this on 180g vinyl that is out of print (I also have it). And lastly there is the Count Basie Complete 1950s Verve Sessions 8 CD boxed set from Mosaic for about $120 (that I also have) that has this and everything else the Basie band recorded for Verve during he Eisenhower era. And most people familiar with Mosaic also know that they usually deliver top shelf mastering.

Still, this UCJ pressing is extremely impressive. This low noise, ultra quiet LP is probably the best this album has ever sounded on vinyl, and might even edge out the very nice Mosaic issue. Nice, crisp and clean sounding horns and that big Basie rhythm section propelling the music forward. Incredible! This is also how 200g vinyl should be done. Very nice, clean, professional appearance on beautiful vinyl with a heavy duty jacket that will probably never wear out. I own a fair number of UCJ 200g pressings and while there is no denying their high cost, they have always met or exceeded my very high expectations of what an audiophile record should be.

Highly recommended for any jazz fan or those looking for a reference quality LP.

--Jerome

 

[jsaliga]

[size=small]Jacintha - Here's to Ben: A Vocal Tribute to Ben Webster[/size]

Before last week I have never heard of Jacintha. I stumbled upon her while browsing the Acoustic Sounds website shopping for vinyl. This recording is presented on two 180 gram 45 rpm LPs, and as one might expect the sound quality is simply astounding. The production values on this set are extremely high. While most of the time I am somewhat jaded about the tendency to over-produce contemporary jazz recordings, the high gloss really serves the music well in this instance.

As far as Jacintha's singing and instrumental accompaniment...it is very accessible straight ahead vocal interpretations of 10 songs that Ben Webster performed at some point in his career. But that is really where the association ends as Jacintha's voice is polished, smooth, and in no way resembles Webster's throaty, breathy tenor sax playing. That is not to say this isn't good music. I found the entire affair to be a very enjoyable and pleasant listen that is exceptionally well recorded and mixed. All said and done it would qualify as a reference recording and will make for mind-numbing demo material if you really want to impress a guest with how truely amazing vinyl can sound. It will probably be enough to get them to run for the CD exit sign. And at $34.99 for a pair of 45 rpm long players, what's not to like?

This offering is from Groove Note records, which means these are pressed by RTI. While the pair of LPs that I have played just fine, both had slight discoloration to a somewhat lesser degree than that shown in the photo above.

Still highly recommended.

--Jerome

 

[sniks7]

Sara K, Water Falls, stockfish-records.de

Stockfish seem to be a small German studio/label/thing who produce high-grade recordings. I would say more, but my sleeve notes are in German and I can't be bothered to go to the web-site.

However this record is direct metal master cut, which may mean something to a Japanese knife maker, but leaves me rather in the dark. Nothwithstanding, the vinyl is quiet, the sound quality excellent with a palpable feel to the instruments: beautifully recorded and with a lot of detail.

Sara K's USP seems to be a four string guitar. Good grief, whatever next? Louis Armstrong on a chocolate trombone? The songs are touching, if not my usual fare, and heartfelt. I did pick up a little mush on her voice on some of the louder passages which could be the mike position, it could be my tracking and it could be my valves.

It could be something else entirely and that uncertainty is part of the huge pleasure in owning vinyl. Or so I'm told..

You can get a preview of the music on the website, so check before you buy, but this is another good high resolution double 180gsm that you can use to impress people with late at night. I do't love it, but I do like it alot.

 

[Geoff Rymer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geoff Rymer /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ordered. With a writeup like that, how could I not? Added Doolittle and OK Computer into the mix too. Call it an early Christmas present to myself. Thanks for the thread guys.

These showed up today. Listened to Doolittle first and was impressed. OK Computer was good in terms of SQ, but unfortunately is a bit noisier than I would like. Crackles can be heard over even quite loud parts. Electioneering still sounds wonderful though.

I have to say though, huge thanks to sniks7 for the Louis Armstrong plays W.C. Handy recommendation. I am admittedly not particularly experienced with audiophile vinyl releases (I have a couple, some have been better than others, but I don't have many), but my mind has just been blown. It is awesome! I cannot believe it was recorded in 1954 and has basically just blown everything else I own (any format) out of the water.