@bkeske, @bdp24 , @slaw, I love Gilded Palace of Sin and Sweetheart of the Rodeo, I have them on PP and they sound fine. I’ll probably get that new GPOS (Thanks for the head’s up @bdp24 ) because my old one is pretty noisy. Although, speaking only for myself of course, I really don’t really think “audiophile” considerations are the most important things about Country Rock. Way down the list actually. And it can make guys like us who are semi-obsessed with SQ seem particularly weird. Maybe that’s inevitable….
I think I posted something awhile back about how truly crazy it is that we can sometimes concentrate on Country Rock as if it were Chopin or something. Maybe sort of like buying $350 Elton John hot stampers or super expensive Supertramp re-issues. Nothing wrong with these things of course, but to me kind of silly.
Sometimes when I listen to my High School and College era Eagles, Poco, Commander Cody, FBB, SoftheR, even Magnetic South, et. al. I can absolutely tear up with nostalgia. It’s music of a time and place.
Funny though, I do think that some records in the genre, maybe by Neil Young or say, Jackson Browne, are definitely worth throwing money at SQ. So, I suppose I’m pretty flaky.
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Crooked Still
Shaken By A Low Sound
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@slaw All Ryan Adams lps are great! I guess I should have known you’d say that. Will check it out. BTW, I think I have to (gently and respectfully) disagree. During the Napster era I downloaded his entire catalogue, including the output of all those different projects and I have to say although there has rarely been anybody so prolific it is a little uneven at times. I suppose that it didn’t all make it to vinyl. Should take that into consideration. |
Ryan Adams "S/T" 2014
Hell Yeah! |
Most LP’s in any and every genre are of less than "audiophile" sound quality. I have long felt audiophile reissues are of interest only if 1- the music is good enough to justify it, 2- the recording is of high enough quality to justify it, and 3- the original mastering and/or pressing can be significantly improved upon. The compromises the major labels made (make? ;-) in their LP productions are well known: rolling off the bass, adding compression and/or limiting (some is required, but it can easily be overdone), using tapes many generations-removed from the original as the source, using any-ol’ PVC (resulting in noisy LP’s), running their presses too fast, thus not allowing the LP’s to sufficiently cool before removing each from the press, resulting in a lot of warped records. And that’s ignoring the basic quality of the mastering chain itself: the cutting heads and amplifiers, the attention to set-up and maintenance, and on-and-on.
I gained a dislike of early-Mofi releases because of 1- their choice of albums to remaster and press, and 2- the eq Stan Rikter applied to the original tapes. His Beatles LP’s were not good (I had them all---along with UK originals, finally selling them when the Capitol mono boxset became available). Stan played upright bass, and often goosed the bass on his mastering jobs. When Music Direct bought MoFi, they hired Tim de Paracicini (EAR-Yoshino) to redo the electronics in their mastering chain. Current MoFi’s are REALLY good. Compare the original Reprise Ry Cooder LP’s (and for a major label, they were amongst the best) to the current MoFi’s. I don’t like spending thirty five bucks on an LP, but Ry’s worth it!
While MoFi’s offerings were still questionable, along came Chesky and Classic Records, who raised the bar significantly. The work being done now by a lot of the reissue companies is resulting in the best LP’s ever made. I pick and choose, spending the money only when all my criteria have been met. Ironically, with some really rare LP’s, the audiophile reissue is actually cheaper than a beat-up original! |
@bdp24,
I remember your posting years ago to a different tune . |
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The Yes Album
from the beautiful box of Steven Wilson remixes from Rhino
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Gravenhurst / Western lands |
Antonio Vivaldi The complete Concertos for Lute and Mandolin: Duetsche Grammphon
yes, Yessongs. |
Charles Lloyd & The Marvels
Vanished Gardens
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David Grubbs / Rickets & scurvy |
Grey DeLisle / Iron flowers |
@bdp24 +1 I agree with your assertation 100%. And, I also buy high quality reissues, with the same fervor you expressed. Absolutely, some of my very best sounding vinyl.
Speaking of, I should seek out a copy of The Yes Album, Steven Wilson remix. My original copy is quite good sounding, but too much vinyl noise. I anticipate that Steven Wilson made it a very worth while album to acquire. Good idea, spirit.
For today...
Boz Scaggs S/T I bought this new in 1973, first issue was 1969.
Steppenwolf "Monster" Ver good album and the SQ is fairly good, too.
Lee Michaels "Carnival Of Life". I was looking around for this over the past 2 years and found it at the LRS last week. M- condition, sounds pretty good, too. One of my favorites during high school. I saw Lee Michaels perform 5 times from 1970 through 1972. Loudest organ I have ever heard at a concert.
Vangelis "Spiral" I have had this for many years, saw it today and thought to give it a spin. Early generation electronic music. Interesting... |
James Toth / Waiting in vain
(James is the leader of the band "Wooden Wand") |
Whiskeytown
Strangers Almanac
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+1 for Whiskeytown
John Cale / Music for a new society |
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@noromance Sheik Yerbouti! Just a freakin’ awesome album! I’m a Dancin’ fool!
@spiritofradio- regarding Rolling Stone, I’m 100% with you. Never read it any more. But the NP story was excellent. Worth the read for sure. |
@mammothguy54 Steppenwolf "Monster" Ver good album and the SQ is fairly good, too. +1 Spun my copy not so long ago. Had not listened to it in a long long time. It actually surprised me how good the SQ was on that album. |
Chris so sorry for the belated response, yes Mazzy Star. |
Tedeschi Trucks - Made up Mind |
@noromance yes, the long lost art of local club live tunes...man do i miss it so.....hang on brothers... |
War Dept observed me packing about 100,LP,into the Panzerwagon for the trek North, I mumbled something about the rigors of keeping the turntable fleet humming....... |
"Psyco On Da' Bus" --Dr L and Tony Allen... (RIP Tony Allen) Amazing Dynamics ,Bass and details. I can crank it up pretty loud. If your turntable will let you turn it up loud without any nasties .. It is Freakin Amazing ..It is a Journey and or an Adventure Track #2 "Never Satisfied" is my Favorite track The Bass notes near the beginning of 2 out of the 3 "Time To Take A Rest Part 1 " ,
"Time To Take A Rest Part 2" and
"Time To Take A Rest Part 3 is so low and pronounced it Sounds like a "Great Sub" out of my Tekton Double Speakers playing without a SUB. This Recording IMO is one of the best recorded Albums that I have Ever came across. I use A McIntosh Mx151 Pre/with Lyngdorg Roomperfect Room Correction. . The MX151 has an excellent Phono Stage. Turntable is the Victor QL-A7 ..made in japan (100 Volt). Cartridge is the JVC Z1-S (MD-1025) cartridge with a needle from Jico . It is the SAS for the JVC Z1-*S with a Boron cantilever.. I also have the Stanton 681 EEE MKIII, the ADC MK. ADC XLM MKII Improved , and IMO the JVc Z1-S with the SAS from JICO is just as good as either of those . I should not say this , as I would not want to "Gamestop" the price of JVC-Z1-S I am also using the standard analog cables that came with the Victor QL-A7 but have connected a pair of Von Gaylord Chinchilla interconnects (1.5 or 2 meters in length) to the end of the analog cables on the QL-A7 extending their length. Also using a Belles 150A
Reference
V2 Stereo Amp. Sorry to be long winded , but I felt that I Need to Let you know the setup. It is playing a BIG ROLE in this Albums Excellent sound Since I know own the QL--A7 , I will say that IMO, it is one of the best vintage tables out there , for the money, and it plays Very Well with my setup
The SAS ( Super Analogue Stylus ) Designed to mimic as close as possible a record cutting head/cutting lathe for highest fidelity & lifespan usually fitted to a precision boron , sapphire , ruby or zirconium ultra light & rigid cantilever SAS -Natural single-crystal, nude-mounted octahedral diamond stylus tip , The stylus tip is of optimum height and a uniformly ultra-precision finish. The Super Analogue Stylus has a curvature with a smaller radius that was impossible with the Micro Ridge Stylus. As thin as a razor blade and machined with ultra precision, the stylus tip ensures unsurpassed fidelity. Polished finish that virtually preserves your record's grooves.World-class polishing technique is used on each stylus. This is designed to preserve the details of the record groove structure for a very long time — virtually for the life of the vinyl.
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@slaw, you have a very good memory ;-) . Yes, I recently saw that old post, and at that time felt most "Rock" albums weren't of sufficiently high recorded sound quality to justify an audiophile reissue. I still feel that way, but the qualifier "most" is the key.
Sometimes a reissue reveals recorded sound quality masked in the album's original version; Analogue Productions Beach Boys LP's are one such example. While not now sounding like a direct-to-disk LP, the AP LP's sound drastically better than the originals. I've been listening to Pet Sounds, Smiley Smile, and Sunflower since their original release (I was for many years obsessed with the unreleased Smile, and have multiple bootlegs of the recordings to prove it), which suffered from mediocre sq (terrible in the case of Smiley Smile). The AP BB LP's are well worth their price, and I'm very happy to have them.
@mammothguy54: I love Carnival Of Life! That was the first Lee Michaels album I heard, and subsequently went to see him live at The San Jose Civic Auditorium in the Summer of '68. He was the opening act for Steppenwolf, just he and drummer Frosty. Lee had a row of Vox Super Beatle amps all across the back of the stage, and his B3 sounded awesome! Unfortunately, after the first song a roadie came out with a cup of water (I assumed ;-) and set it on the organ. The cup immediately tipped over, the water pouring down into the organ's electronics, shorting them out. That was the end of Lee's set! :-(
My friend and I stayed for Steppenwolf, and for the first and last time at a live show fell asleep. Not a good live band. |
@grey9hound Great Post! I understand your enthusiasm, I really do. Will check out that music - it’s not familiar. Great post. |
Speaking of The Yes Album, I have the Friday Music 45 rpm box and it sounds great! There's bass on that lp I never knew before. |
Rock of Ages, I just recently acquired the RL pressing of this record. It has everything on it you would expect from him. I have a another original pressing, no comparison. It is one of those records where their were a lot of chef’s in the sound kitchen. You just need to spend the time to find the right one. I spent a long time looking for the two Led Zeppelin records he mastered, finally found them a couple of years ago. A sonic revelation, actually had bass. |
Various Artists - FM. I picked up a replacement for this because I dropped it and scuffed up side 4 pretty badly. The other 3 sides are NM. 3 out of 4 ain't bad? |
@slaw Yes! Chris Squire’s Bass my principal focus on this last listen. Such great tone. Much has been documented about how he got that tone. Such a great bass player. |
Peg ’O My Heart Columbia CS 8437
Sweet listening on old LP’s with US cleaning and Vessel SV.
Like plowing virgin black soil.
Like a concertina on a gondola. |
caught Lyle Lovett and Jason Isbell in virtual performance last eve, $10 as much a rambling conversation about songs, songwriters, guitars, influences, etc as music. highly recommended if you like either, especially if you love both.... |
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James,
For some reason, watching Steven Wilsons' unbagging, I had a feeling he was going to pull out "Sign O The Times". |
@slaw Ha! You nailed it. Didn’t realize it was big as a Volkswagen.... glad you are enjoying it. Not a bad endorsement when SW says he likes something.
I’ve been thinking all day about his comments about CD vs. Vinyl. He knows how to master using digital equipment for vinyl, of that there is no doubt. Brilliant guy. I think his mention of piano recordings is telling. They are tough for anybody to get that good sound. |
Psyco On Da' Bus
Eponymous
w Dr L and Tony Allen, et. al.
2001 (Digital)
This is indeed a kick. Thanks
@grey9hound The sound is really interesting, it’s heavily compressed and the left-right knob is applied to a level reaching affectation. (Almost like using it as reverb). Sounds pretty cool though. Unique. |
Wooden Wand / Gipsy freedom |
Beethoven
Violin Concerto In D Major, Op. 61
Hilary Hahn, violin
David Zinman and the
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Sony Classical 1999 (Digital) |
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Wynder K Frog, Out of the frying Pan.
Roxy Music, Siren
Sturgill Simpson, Sound & Fury
CCR Green River. |
Bardo Pond / Bufo alvarius |
Patty Griffin - Silver Bell
love the layers and smoky yet driving intensity.....Desert Island disc for me....would that she sailed along....ha |
Miriam Makeba-ST Side 2 SQ 4.4
Carpenters-Horizon Side 1 SQ 4.3
Fishbone-It's A Wonderful Life(EP) Side 1&2 SQ 4
Jerry Reed-Live Side A SQ 4.2
Bob Seger-Stranger in Town Side 1 SQ 4.2
Sally Rogers-Love Will Guide Us Side 2 SQ 4.4
Chicago-Hot Streets Side 1 SQ 4.2
Victoria De Los Angeles-In Concert(Angel SZ 37546) Side 1 SQ 4 |
Jimmy Heath - Love Letter |
John Moreland
Big Bad Luv
4AD 2017
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Brother Steve introduced me to this fine fellow’s music and I am forever grateful.
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Dub Narcotic / Sideways soul |
@tomic601 At the end of my last semester as a professor we transitioned to online because of covid and I'd just post lectures for them to view at their leisure and then sit around on zoom during class time in case anyone had questions. Teaching 100 mostly freshmen who just got sent home, they didn't come to ask anything and so I started spending that class time posting a bunch of live performances as a form "stress relief" for anyone who wanted to take a break. I played that live version of MS's Fade from Shoreline in 1994. It's burned into my brain. She gives a powerful performance for a shoe-gazer... https://youtu.be/o4m5jQy5A2U |
sticking with Patty - Patty Griffin - “ River “.... |
i will check it out Chris - thank you !!!!when i get to Seattle, let’s collaborate on getting you a functional stereo.... |
