Whats on your turntable tonight?


For me its the first or very early LP's of:
Allman Brothers - "Allman Joys" "Idyllwild South"
Santana - "Santana" 200 g reissue
Emerson Lake and Palmer - "Emerson Lake and Palmer"
and,
Beethoven - "Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major" Rudolph Serkin/Ozawa/BSO
slipknot1

Showing 37 responses by mammothguy54

Spirit   'Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus'  I bought a reissue a few years ago (been listening to my original since it was first released).  MOV, Limited Edition on white vinyl, only 1,000 copies made.  Mine is #132.

Jeff Beck   'Blow By Blow'  Since this was a topic a couple of days ago.
Analog Productions/QRP 45RPM.  There is so much musical information on this masterpiece of music and on this issue.  I highly recommend for all fans of Jeff Beck.
Watched a movie last night so only a couple of albums before it was time for bed.  Since Dire Straits was being discussed a couple of days ago I figured that it should be a Dire Straits evening.

Love Over Gold   Original pressing, SQ is very good and vinyl is quiet.

Dire Straits S/T  AP 45 RPM.  An absolute masterpiece of a production.  I mean the music as well as the remastered issue.  When finished I was like, "holy crap, that was a hell of an experience".  I want more like that!
Regarding the Jeff Beck albums cited, the answer is absolutely YES, they are stunning.  I have the original pressings of both of those albums and they are fairly respectable SQ but both have rather noisy vinyl.  From when I first bought them to now my systems are very different, with the present system of a far greater resolution and very revealing.  I bought both on the AP 45 RPM and they are absolutely incredible.  I tend to think that Blow By Blow is a little better than Wired in overall SQ.  Most likely that is due to the original tape and how it was mixed.  AP remastered these albums so well that I sit in the sweet spot and find myself with jaw opened, in awe, at the 3-D imaging.  Especially for Blow By Blow, the imaging is spectacular.  If you  are a fan of Jeff Beck these two albums from AP in 45 RPM should most certainly be a part of your collection.  
@boxer12   Happy Birthday.  Wishing you good health on your next trip around the sun.😎

Emerson Lake & Palmer  S/T   Original pressing, I have had this all of these years.

Pat Metheney Group  'American Garage'  What a nice album.

Stevie Ray Vaughan   'The Sky Is Crying'  Analogue Productions/QRP.
Bad-a$$ album, outstanding pressing.
Yeah, that MoFi 45 RPM Dire Straits S/T album is really quite something special.  My copy is # 6538 so with 10,000+ and counting they must be selling very well, and rightfully so.  Indeed, the kick drum on Wild West End is like, wow, I just felt that big-time!!!  Water Of Love, I think I can fall right into the music and just keep going.  One of the best records I have acquired over the past year.
I have that Pat Metheney Group album.  So that means, I'll have to play it, maybe tomorrow.  Always get ideas of what to play from my collection when reading all of the posts here.  Yeah!

Got a couple of remasters, arrived today.

Fleetwood Mac   'Kiln House'  Awesome album!  My high school copy was thrashed and I made this purchase because, well, I just had to have it.  They did a fabulous job on this reissue.  And quiet vinyl, too.

Neil Young S/T  I bought this new in 1973 so it was a reissue at the time.  It is a terrible copy, very noisy.  This new remaster is outstanding!  This is at the level of the Buffalo Springfield Box Set.  I'll be getting the others now that I know how well they did them.  Man, this is great!
Leon Russell   'Will O' The Wisp'  Dayglow got me interested in this one today.  Very good SQ.

Sophia Pfister   S/T   Nice to listen to this one again.

Phoebe Snow   'Second Childhood'   So glad that I bought this many years ago.  A very nice album.
That looks like a real bad-boy subwoofer system.  It should be awesome, do enjoy it.

My hum problem is completely solved.  Yeah!!!  I also placed a set of 4 Symposium Acoustics Rollerblock Jr HDSE under my subwoofer.  It certainly did make a positive difference.  Tighter than ever.

Beth Hart   'Fire On The Floor'   Awesome album.

Alan Parsons Project   'I Robot'  MoFi UHQR limited edition from April, 1983.  I believe they made 5,000 copies.  Mine is # 664 pressed at the Victor Company of Japan in Yokohama.  I bought this in May, 1983.  Absolutely mind-blowing!!!

LA Clippers game in an hour, then several high quality albums for the evening.  My wife is gone for the night so it's just me and the dog.  Nobody to tell me "turn it down".  Ha!!!
I just finished installing my new power cable, Audioquest Blizzard, 3 Meter.  I had the same cable in 2 Meter length but it fell short of reach to the Niagara 3000 power conditioner I added a few months ago.  The woofer had to connect to a different circuit than the system and that made for a low level of 60 cycle hum (must be a different phase than the Niagara 3000 is on).  Now to warm up the tubes and spin a few LPs.  The hum should be gone now. 🤞  I will be moving out of the 2 Meter Blizzard power cable, if anyone here is interested.  Just contact me, if so.
I have that Ry Cooder album.  I had always thought that is sounded a little "bright" and, thus, digital.  But still, a solid production and entertaining.  Yes Steve, 'The Nightfly' is also a bit tilted up on the top-end, but is so solid everywhere else that it holds well with most folks.  High quality and well done processing can very well lead to a good end result.  I hope that is not taken as blasphemy...

The best done analog still can not be beat.  For example, Jennifer Warnes 'Famous Blue Raincoat' on Impex, or Patricia Barber 'Cafe' Blue' also on Impex, and the recently noted Dire Straits S/T from MFSL, and so many other great examples.  A fully analog production is still the best, no doubt!
Steely Dan   'Countdown To Ecstasy'  An early copy from when it was first released.  SQ is just so-so, but the music is wonderful.

Donald Fagen   'The Nightfly'  I got this when it first was released.  Excellent SQ...why don't they make all of the regular release albums sound this good?  What a great album, such good music.
@bkeske  Yes indeed, sometimes the system just seems to sound better on some play sessions than others.  Don't know why, but it seems to be the case.  Puts a smile on your face, for sure.😊

Jade Warrior   'Floating World'
Jade Warrior   'Waves'
A couple of albums I got when living on campus, back in 1976.  Weird stuff, haven't listened to it in many years.  But still fun, and good memories.

And I agree so much.  The Dire Straits S/T on MFSL 45 RPM is phenomenal.  It's really something special.  My original copy doesn't even come close.  It's a real treat listening to the MFSL issue.
As stated previously, I played 'Aja' that I have a NM copy of from MFSL.  Since last playing this album I have made several upgrades to my system.  I have never heard it this good, it was amazing!  What an excellent album of music and it's production quality.  The best of both worlds.

Sophia Pfister EP  Mine arrived a couple of days ago and also was signed in nice gold ink.  My favorite song on the EP is Faded Tattoo.  It's a very good album and is available for a very low price.  Well recommended.
big_greg  got it right.  The level of engineering put into Can't Buy A Thrill was nowhere near the level that was put into later releases from Steely Dan.  No matter the copy, it can only sound to a certain (limited) level of quality.  It's still good and certainly listenable, just not great.  The music is certainly great, though. 

My copy of Gaucho sounds great.  My copy of Aja by MFSL is much better than my original copy.  The original is a bit dull, but still good.  The MFSL is one of their better issues (not a smiley curve) and sounds wonderful.  I was fortunate to find the MFSL copy last year, in NM condition, for $90 (the lowest price I could find).  I really didn't want to pay $90 but knew that at a later date I would regret passing on it...so I made the purchase.  And I am really glad that I did.  In fact, I'm going to listen to it later today.  Yeah, good idea!  
I have the original 'Can't Buy A Thrill' ABCX-758 and it is good sounding but doesn't qualify as audiophile.  ABC was sold to MCA (or something like that) and rumor has it that the Steely Dan albums were less sounding from that point forward.  I can't say that I have done an A/B test.  My guess is they both sound quite similar.  Nevertheless, good sound quality but not audiophile for this album.  Later releases were done much better.  Particularly so was greater SQ for 'Gaucho' and 'Aja'.   

Yesterday afternoon...
Steely Dan   'Can't Buy A Thrill'
Rickie Lee Jones   'Pirates'
Traffic   'The Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys'
I too have a copy of Can't Buy A Thrill that I purchased in early 1973.  I'm shocked that somehow it has a scratch on side 1, first song ('Do It Again').  Otherwise, in perfect condition.   A long cleaning in the ultra sonic machine, hope for the best, and I will play it later today.  Good suggestion!
@dayglow   If you can get your hands on the reissue of Blow By Blow (Acoustic Sounds/QRP 45 RPM) it is well beyond the SQ 4.2 rating you gave to the standard issue.  In fact, it's fantastic!  I have both and if you are into Jeff Beck then I suggest buying it, the QRP 45 RPM issue is well worth the expense.

The Who   'The Who Sell Out'  Bought this new in 1973 so it has to be a repress.  SQ is so-so but the music is wonderful.  Ultra Sonic cleaning did wonders for noise, but again, the SQ is just so-so.

That Elvis Presley '24 Karat Hits' I got as a gift is awesome.  Elvis is in the room, singing to me... Dead center, holographic!  
+1 for Avalon.  Great choice MC.  It's one of my favorites for ending a late night session.  Just float into bed after Avalon.
My cousin came over for the weekend and brought me a couple of gifts.  These will be played tonight!

Alice Cooper   'Welcome To My Nightmare' MFSL and using JVC Super Vinyl, in NM condition.  Looks like it has never been played.  I also have an original I purchased when first released.  It will be fun to compare the SQ between the two discs.

Elvis Presley  'Elvis 24 Karat Hits'  Analog Productions/QRP 45 RPM 3 Disc set.  "RCA Living Stereo Miracle Surface"  This is a real treat and very welcomed to my vinyl collection.
@bkeske
Brian, I have that album and my copy is also rather poor SQ.  For me, it sounded better on a lesser system in years past.  My system today is such a high resolution that I hear the poor SQ that much more so.  Either way, it's a wonderful album of music and I hope that you can enjoy it better than you have in the past.  Now that Fragile has been reissued as a UD-1S and The Yes Album is forthcoming in a 45 RPM high quality reissue from Friday Music (I have it on pre-order, scheduled to ship in early April) I am hoping that Close To The Edge will also follow in a high quality reissue.  
We shall see.  Enjoy what you have, and probably the Hagerman Trumpet does play a role in that.😊
R.E.M.  'Murmur'  I'm glad this group was mentioned a couple of days ago.  I forgot I had this album.  Good vinyl, very good SQ, and quite a good album of music, too.

Phoebe Snow  'Second Childhood'  What a great album. Really good SQ.

Paul Simon  'There Goes Rhymin' Simon'  I have had this since it first was released.  Perfect condition and it sounds great.  Love Paul Simon.

Yeah Jim, Percocet works very well.  I have had multiple injuries/surgeries and know that stuff all too well.  Drink a lot of prune juice, if you know what I mean...  
@tomic601   Jim, so sorry to hear of your incident.  Very wise to use a helmet.  They are lifesavers, for sure.  A helmet saved my life about 7 years ago, too. I hope that your pain is short lived and you get back to full health, quickly.

You'll be back on your bike, just as soon as you are able.  I wish you well.  Take care and enjoy some music.
I found an REM album that my wife bought new in 1983 -- 'Murmur'
I don't believe it has ever been played.  I'll clean it and check it out.
That's part of what's fun in this thread, getting ideas for music.
There is so much you guys list that I am unfamiliar with and that I will likely get ahold of some of them (which I already have this past 6 months but need more).  Cool!
The Motels  'All Four One'  Really good SQ and Martha Davis has such a wonderful voice.

Joni Mitchell  'Don Juan's Reckless Daughter'  (Brian's favorite!)  Japanese pressing, super quiet vinyl and killer SQ.

My rig seemed to be sounding exceptional today.  Maybe it is the air pressure or something.  I know, today is my 67th trip around the sun. That's why...  Time for dinner now.
I saw Arlo Guthrie in, I think it was 1971.  He was the opening act.  Next up was Linda Ronstadt (before she became uber-famous).  Next up was Dave Mason.  What a great concert!

My wife has to go to bed early tonight.  No music for me.  
To be continued...
Yes indeed, that is just what I found when adding two of the MyMat.  Bass lines were easier to follow and I also discovered some little nuances of musical information that I had not heard before (on a number of albums).  Really great!  Then I got the Degritter US RCM and that added another level to everything.  This sure is a fun hobby.

Brian, enjoy that phono stage.  And yes, after 80 to 100 hours those tubes will "bloom" into a more holographic presentation of the music.  Dependent on the recording, of course, but always will deliver better than you had previously heard the given album.

Peter Nero  'Summer of 42'  Great music and I have had this album since 1974.  Not the SQ that I remember, though.  Maybe my higher resolution system of today revealed what I could not hear on my first hi-fi system.

Atlanta Rhythm Section  'Champagne Jam'  I enjoyed that last week so played it again last night.

Love  'Forever Changes'  Rhino reissue, made in Germany.  Had this in 8th grade but that became thrashed.  Bought the well-reviewed reissue and, wow, what a great job they did.  Such memories...

A food club... yes, the Traeger is perfect for a tri-tip with a good rubb.
Awesome for any kind of fish, too.  That's what I really bought it for.

Play list for tonight...
John Mayall  'Turning Point'
Fleetwood Mac  'Then Play On'
Atlanta Rhythm Section  'Champagne Jam'  Saw you guys talking about that earlier this week so pulled it out for tonight.
Cloudy and cold night here, seems perfect to play all 4 sides of
Pink Floyd   'The Division Bell'  I saw that concert shortly after the album was released.  At the Rose Bowl, free tickets and really good seats👍
I'm going to bed now, with a few tears.  Damn!
Take care you guys...

I have so many memories, too.
Music can be a good cure for the soul.  To be continued, tomorrow night.

I have only been salmon fishing once, in Alaska. Got a 30 lb Chinook.

I typically go tuna and yellowtail fishing.  My personal best is a 150 lb bluefin tuna, 3 years ago.  That fish kicked my butt, but I did win; freezer stuffed!  I am now fully vaccinated.  Looking forward to pulling up from the ocean some nice tuna, yellowtail, and dorado this Summer.

Albert King   'Blues For Elvis'
Steve, I feel for you.  I went through that with my mother and it is a very difficult part of life.  It is life, though, and much better to lose a parent than the other way around.  Remember all of the wonderful times, they will always be with you.
Eric Clapton  'Unplugged'   You guys got me going on that one the other day.  I only have it on CD so had to get it on vinyl.  Excellent live recording.  Wonderful music, I have always love that album.

Moody Blues   'In Search of the Lost Chord'   My, how the Degritter makes that better than ever.  Ultra Sonic cleaning is bad-ass.
@dhite71  and @slaw   Indeed, I fully agree.  I have the AP 45 RPM of In Step and it is very quiet and excellent SQ.  I am about to order the AP 45 RPM of Sky Is Crying and anticipate the same level of quality.  UD1S may be slightly better, but the price difference is far greater than that.
The Who  'Live at Leeds'    Deluxe 3 LP Half-Speed Master
I did get that after great reviews of it, here.  It is the best quality of any release of that album.  Rather impressive SQ for a live concert.  And oh, what a concert!

Robert Plant  'Shakin "N" Stirred'  What a great album.

Moody Blues   'To Our Children's Children's Children'  The Moody Blues never really had the best SQ on any of their albums but I have always loved their music.  This particular copy, however, is fairly good.  Cleaned it on the Degritter and I get better details with blacker background than ever before.  I saw them three times, back in the day.  Awesome concerts!
@big_greg   Thank you for the clarification.  I will place my order ASAP.
Finally, an audiophile grade copy of that album (whenever it will ship).

And yes, this thread is definitely a bank account draining rabbit hole.  I have participated in that situation very effectively.  

As well is fishing, I agree with tomic601 a million percent.  Due to COVID I didn't go out on open party boats this past summer.  I used that budget toward new hi-fi gear.  Different rabbit hole, same issue.😂
Thank you for the good word on preorders of UD1S via calling Music Direct.  I am hoping the Crosby Stills & Nash is the first album, S/T, on the couch on the front porch.  The original pressing all sound terrible, like a blanket over your speakers.  My copy was trashed years ago and I can not find a respectable sounding copy anywhere.  On UD1S I imagine they sourced the original tapes and mastered it perfectly and then produced on the UD1S entire process.  I want to buy this album!