MCA's Hendrix 8LP set

You can buy Dylans, "Love and Theft" lp with confidence. I own both the cd and lp and the lp sounds fantastic. Usually there is no comparison, the lp sounding way better than the cd but in this case the cd is closer than usual. However, I still prefer the lp. This is more a compliment to the cd than a pan on the album. Both are very fine recordings.

email tom port at better records, and get on his mailing list. he sells good original stock, along with new audiophile stuff. he produces good catalog flyers and is blunt in his reviews and very trustworthy. he is at tomport@earthlink.net

Haven't heard the Hendrix box set so I can't comment on it per se. The last two weekends I sat in on comparison trials concering Hendrix Band Of Gypys (original Track, Japanese Nippon pressing, Classic reissue and original Capitol) Original Track version hands down. In comparison the Classic Records sounded a tad slow.
Led Zepplin II original US pressing, original German MOFI VS Classic result: MOFI wins above all. The remaining three tied. Finding an original US pressing in clean shape might be tough.
DCC Doors Strange Days VS original Elektra. Tie. Both are fine None of the panel could agree. Referenced Tracking Angle article and we suspect DCC or Bruce Botnick turned over digital transfer. Article was vague concerning source material.
Allman Bros At The Fillmore. Original Capricorn WLP, Nautilus 1/2 speed, pink label Capricorn. All good execpt Nautilus was mastered at lower level. Crank it.
As for the Dylan titles, I have originals of Freewheelin, Bringing It All Back Home and Highway 61 mono and stereo's. The Sundazed are very respectable. Well worth the money.
As for the Blues (my specialty):ifyou already have the MOFI Folksinger,the Classic to my mind isn't worth another $30. If you don't have a copy of Folksinger go for it but you could be adding something different altogether to your collection lie Classic's Ann Arbor Blues Festival lp,an original you're not likely to find or like if you do. One thing Classic has going for it is clean pressings. Deal with a dealer as opposed to direct with Classic as quality control is spotty. But when they do it right it's right. Straghtening out any defects directly with Classic is likely to drive you to the nearest used CD store. A major frustrating experience. Let the dealers deal with them, keep your sanity and money.
Frankly, Blues is not represented well in audioland. And to make matters worse, the reissue companies lack of taste has historically been to their detriment. You might experiement with record care more than going after audiophile recordings. With the advent of cleaning machines and the Disc Doctor Record solutions ( I use a combination of the two) plus the flourishment of internet auction houses etc, this is the time to collect records. Originals are plentiful and cheap if you work at it. In thelast few months I have added to my most of Hendrix Track labels, two pink Island Tea Fr The Tillerman's (you'll toss all others after you hear this issue)Stones British Decca's Beggars Banquet(mono pressing) and many others. When truley clean,the original pressings are almost always better than any reissue. And collector shows are loosening the good stuff. I pride myself on getting cheap, I completed my Living Mercury Presence Classical collection. Three of the rarests for total of $10. I was the only one even looking at them But I go the other way unfortunately at times as well. Last weekend I found one of blues' holy grail: Muddy Waters Sings Big Bill (Broonzy),an original black label Chess (1444) mint and mono.$300, worth every cent. As I write it's Wednesday and I've played it daily since Sunday afternoon.
The audiophile reissue companies (Who's left?)are analogous to making SOTA buggy whips after the start of the automobile era. Market is constantly shrinking for various reasons. But the collector playing field is leveling. Play ball.

rec
albert king's born under a bad sign from sundazed is already in my small library, good stuff, i agree.
keep the recommendations a comin'

The Hendrix box set is excellent with exceptional packaging. The Classic Records Muddy Waters is also excellent with dead quiet vinyl and extended dynamic range. The Dylan pressing of Love and Theft is on standard viny but is also very good. I agree, go with the Sundazed mono version of Another Side of Dylan. I have both the orginal and the Classic Records versions of the Led Zeppelin catalog and I prefer the Classic Records. You can find some excellent recording on vinyl of John Lee Hooker(a personal favorite) and Sundazed has a great pressing of Albert King. Good luck.

djohn
thanks, i needed a little encouragement before i plunk my dough down on the hendrix set. i have the dylan on order from sundazed already based upon a trusted friends recommendation, but was unsure about columbias pressings. i have love & theft on cd but would like a copy on vinyl. is columbia the only label pressing it? is it that bad?

Welcome back to Vinyl. IMHO, from what I have read, and own; Buy the Hendrix, the Dylan's but make sure also that you buy the Sundazed Mono Re-Issues (Not the Columbia's), stay away from the Classic Led Zep's but find clean copies of the US used, Classic Genesis - Selling England By The Pound, DCC The Doors all of them, and of course Neil Young look for original US pressings.

Buy or search for a label discography for Neil Young. I spent many a five dollar bill before I finally landed the originals.

David

I can not recommend enough the Classic reissue of Muddy Water's "Folk Singer" It is FANTASTIC.

IV