More 70's Music on Vinyl- Original or Early Pressings

DaveyF

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Jul 31, 2010
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I listened to my Vertigo copy of Paranoid today. I agree with you Christian, it is rolled off on the top. NOT objectionably so, IMO. The music in some ways seems to be served by this, however, rolled off it is.
 

jazdoc

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Aug 7, 2010
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British pressing of 10cc's first LP has great sonics, UK Records, UKS 53105
 

Johnny Vinyl

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Art Garfunkel - Breakaway (Columbia USA 1975) - Produced by Art Garfunkel, Paul Simon and Phil Ramone. Mastered by Doug Sax at The Mastering Lab.

Art Garfunkel - Breakaway.jpg

Gorgeous record all the way through. Very well recorded, produced and mastered. The pressing itself is still super quiet after all these years.
 

Mike Lavigne

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Art Garfunkel - Breakaway (Columbia USA 1975) - Produced by Art Garfunkel, Paul Simon and Phil Ramone. Mastered by Doug Sax at The Mastering Lab.

View attachment 21990

Gorgeous record all the way through. Very well recorded, produced and mastered. The pressing itself is still super quiet after all these years.

listened to the Redbook file all the way through this morning; great music!

I have the Lp which is very good too.
 

Johnny Vinyl

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listened to the Redbook file all the way through this morning; great music!

I have the Lp which is very good too.

I have a feeling I'll be discovering some more as I play through my stash that was boxed up for a decade or more. I'm a big fan of audiophile reissues (mostly), but it brings me great pleasure to discover high-quality domestic releases.
 

Recordsguy

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Sep 6, 2015
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From the Manhattans[There's No Good In Goodbye]very nice one from the late seventies, with the underrated[Goodbye Is The Saddest Word].
 

Bill Hart

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May 11, 2012
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I have 2 copies of UK 1st issue Paranoid. Both copies lack some treble but play pretty well. I also have Vol.4 that I got two months ago and plays close to NM. I'm not sure I want to try getting another copy of Paranoid in search of non-rolled treble or not. Was Paranoid's treble rolled a bit or do you think it's a wear issue....anyone ?
I have, I think three copies- all pretty much sound the same. You guys really should buy the 1970 Annual- it usually fetches about $100 and gives you a taste of some of the more obscure stuff in the early Vertigo catalog. The recording quality varies- the May Blitz track is really good-(and remember, this is a compilation so the actual May Blitz album is even more immediate and punchy). Cressida is lovely if you like prog, but you don't want to buy that album for what it fetches today. Uriah Heep cut is fun, etc. Two album set for around $100 as an original swirl sampler with swirl inners (make sure you get a UK pressing of it). Best bang for the Vertigo buck. Plus, Patto's first album- buy the US Vertigo- way cheaper than the UK and less 'polite.' Another relative (in Vertigo land) cheapy- say $75? Some of the ex-UKs are very good, but it is hit and miss. (e.g. a New Zealand pressing of Affinity is comparable to the UK and far cheaper if you can find one).
 

TBone

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Nov 15, 2012
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iirc ... the original Paranoid CD's (33dp japan) were considered "flat" transfers which many claimed sounded too "dull", noting a lacking treble. Subsequent early pressings (23dp) added eq to the mix. The orig. LP (if you can find one in good shape) is considered the grail recording, and also a flat-transfer (hence the dullness), while the orig CD pressing(33) and the Teichiku 23893 are often sited as the best CDs. Later remasters added much eq+compression.
 

Recordsguy

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Sep 6, 2015
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When You Hear Lou, You've Heard It All...one of his many great LP's from the seventies-of course I'm talking about the great Lou Rawls.
 

rockitman

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Sep 20, 2011
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I have, I think three copies- all pretty much sound the same. You guys really should buy the 1970 Annual- it usually fetches about $100 and gives you a taste of some of the more obscure stuff in the early Vertigo catalog. The recording quality varies- the May Blitz track is really good-(and remember, this is a compilation so the actual May Blitz album is even more immediate and punchy). Cressida is lovely if you like prog, but you don't want to buy that album for what it fetches today. Uriah Heep cut is fun, etc. Two album set for around $100 as an original swirl sampler with swirl inners (make sure you get a UK pressing of it). Best bang for the Vertigo buck. Plus, Patto's first album- buy the US Vertigo- way cheaper than the UK and less 'polite.' Another relative (in Vertigo land) cheapy- say $75? Some of the ex-UKs are very good, but it is hit and miss. (e.g. a New Zealand pressing of Affinity is comparable to the UK and far cheaper if you can find one).

I need to hear my copies again it's been over a year since I heard them. TBone could be onto something regarding the first vertigo issue playing very flat with very punchy bass but not a lot of treble extension.
 

TBone

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Nov 15, 2012
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I need to hear my copies again it's been over a year since I heard them. TBone could be onto something regarding the first vertigo issue playing very flat with very punchy bass but not a lot of treble extension.

Christian, not certain if the limited info (following data) helps, but as per my earlier post ...

ex: track #1, War Pigs.

CD DP33 ...
firsttrack004.jpg
window-Frequency Analysis-000.png

CD DP23 ...
firsttrack005.jpg
window-Frequency Analysis-001.png

CD TECP23893 ...
firsttrack006.jpg
(Freq.plot omitted (limit 5 attachments) however it (TECP) looks very much like above DP33 plot).

DR rating (dB)
DP33=L12.7 R12.5
DP23=L14.9 R13.1
23893=L12.8 R12.8

Three different CD versions, not had a chance to rip/compare my vinyl copies yet.
 

Bill Hart

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May 11, 2012
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Christian, not certain if the limited info (following data) helps, but as per my earlier post ...

ex: track #1, War Pigs.

CD DP33 ...
View attachment 27205
View attachment 27202

CD DP23 ...
View attachment 27206
View attachment 27203

CD TECP23893 ...
View attachment 27207
(Freq.plot omitted (limit 5 attachments) however it (TECP) looks very much like above DP33 plot).

DR rating (dB)
DP33=L12.7 R12.5
DP23=L14.9 R13.1
23893=L12.8 R12.8

Three different CD versions, not had a chance to rip/compare my vinyl copies yet.

Are some of the CDs flat transfers from the UK Vertigo tapes?
 

TBone

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Nov 15, 2012
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Are some of the CDs flat transfers from the UK Vertigo tapes?

these were generated from my archived CD to computer rips, unfortunately lacking the required metadata ... I'll need check the CDs to confirm (perhaps later).
 

TBone

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Nov 15, 2012
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Interesting. Thanks TBone !

those three CDs above are all very early Japanese versions, however, Ive located a friend has two different early UK pressings (don't no the sku# as yet) he'll rip for me ... will need some time to compile and compare, if still interested?
 

rockitman

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Sep 20, 2011
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those three CDs above are all very early Japanese versions, however, Ive located a friend has two different early UK pressings (don't no the sku# as yet) he'll rip for me ... will need some time to compile and compare, if still interested?

Sure...I would be interested. Thanks.
 

TBone

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Nov 15, 2012
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Sure...I would be interested. Thanks.

k ... so much interest over just one 1 album, must really like it :D ...

LPs will have to wait till I rip 'em; could be a while ... digital is relatively easy to figure, so hopefully these CDs may find some interest:

Track #1, War Pigs.

UK ESM302 (1996 remaster)...
firsttrack010.jpg

(no sense posting the freq.plot, these remasters typically sound like they look & measure, LOUDER & compressed. Perfect for a party, campfire/boombox)
DR.dB L9.6 R8.4

I highly suspect the UK originals (NELCD6003 & CLACD 197) offer less compression; much like the orig. below.

WG.Vertigo 832701 (orig pressing)...
firsttrack011.jpg
window-Frequency Analysis-004.png
DR.dB L13.7 R13.6

(note: prior posted dr values. some early Jap.CDs inc. pre-emphasis which may result in an incorrect dr value.)
 

Simon Moon

Well-Known Member
Apr 24, 2015
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A label I haven't seen mentioned yet, is the German "Brain" label.

This label specialized in prog, electronic, Kraut rock, jazz rock and related genres. Records on this label were universally dead quiet, dynamic, clear and detailed.

Some artists on this label are:

Neu! - offshoot of Kraftwerk
Guru Guru - kind of a free jazz rock band with Zappa, Pink Floyd influences
Grobschnitt - early on, some of the best space rock around, later a bit more prog. Always had a lot of humor in their music.
Klaus Schulz - one of the best electronic artists, ever.
Release Music Orchestra - world class fusion. With some similarities to Weather Report
Embryo - eclectic, energetic, jazz rock with some world music
Novalis - classic symphonic prog rock with King Crimson influence and some folk
Schicke, Führs & Fröhling. Prog, jazz, avant-garde. 2 of the members, Fuhrs and Frohling recorded an album called "Amerland" with some haunting and beautiful music.


Another thing to look for, is not specifically releases on the Brain label, but almost any recording by Engineer, Conny Plank, in his studio.

 
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