World's best Vinyl reissue's?

[DaveyF]

In the new Absolute Sound, there is a minor review by Mark Lehman of the UK LP re-issue company: "The Electric Recording company". On their web page (http://www.theelectricrecordingco.com/media) is this marvelous video about the process that they are taking to bring back some of the old mono and stereo UK and French classical treasures. Also, they will be releasing some of the great jazz pieces. Looking at their presentation, it would seem that these will indeed be the best Vinyl reissues so far. BTW, IF you have to ask the price, don't go to the web page
Nonetheless, I suspect that these LP's will be the most collectable a'phile LP's ever!! Anyone placed their order yet?

 

[rockitman]

Wow, Mozart 7 lp set...$4000.00 ? They had better be the best....

 

[Asamel]

But you can see the Edition # when you order.

 

[jazdoc]

Wow, for that price you could ALMOST buy a mint original hank Mobley Blue Note 1568

 

[mep]

If anyone has read the articles about this endeavor, you can appreciate how much time, labor, love, and money went into recreating the playback/cutting chain of gear that was used to cut the original LPs in order to re-release the LPs they plan on issuing to the market. If you spend $10K plus on a power cord, you shouldn't sneeze at the prices these LPs are going to sell for.

 

[DaveyF]

If anyone has read the articles about this endeavor, you can appreciate how much time, labor, love, and money went into recreating the playback/cutting chain of gear that was used to cut the original LPs in order to re-release the LPs they plan on issuing to the market. If you spend $10K plus on a power cord, you shouldn't sneeze at the prices these LPs are going to sell for.

I agree with Mark. These re-releases are going to be very limited editions and I'm sure they will be superb.

 

[rockitman]

I agree with Mark. These re-releases are going to be very limited editions and I'm sure they will be superb.

at this price, give me the tapes....

 

[mep]

at this price, give me the tapes....

Christian-Of course thinking you could buy tapes made from the original master tape of these LPs is wishful thinking. You do have to nod your head in approval that they actually have the real deal master tapes in their possession and that they are cutting the master stampers to make the LPs from these precious master tapes.

 

[DaveyF]

Plus, trying to find the original LP of these is also extremely difficult. Have you seen what price they fetch when and if one comes available!

 

[Bill Hart]

There were some articles early this year about the sourcing and rebuilding of the mastering gear for these reissues. I don't have any of the original Martzy EMIs, I gather they are some of the priciest records in all of vinyl-dom, apart from the odd collectible. I'd settle for a Starker Kodaly Unaccompanied Cello on Period.

 

[DaveyF]

I had one of the Martzy EMI's several years back, for some reason I let go of it....kickin' myself now.

 

[astrotoy]

I've been a close observer to the project for about four years. The first time I was at Pete's studio, all the equipment was in pieces and they were just starting the process of rebuilding everything. I heard the test pressing of one of the Martzy discs at Pete's partner Dave Parson's place a year or two ago. I had brought along a copy of the Martzy done by Glenn Armstrong (Coup d'Archet) and Dave also had an original. (I think he was selling it for 1200GBP.) Anyway, the bottom line was that we both liked the Electric Company's pressing the best. The Coup d'Archet was a little dark, although quite good - and at the price, about 30GBP in the set (the green box) it was all that almost anyone would be likely to listen to. The original was definitely brighter - my best guess is that it was recorded with a non RIAA EQ and could be tamed with the proper EQ. I asked Pete and Dave about purchasing a tape copy of the three Martzy's - I would have been willing to pay the same price as the vinyl (about $1500US for the three tapes). Pete was in the process of investigating this for me and a few others with the same idea. However, the big blowup of EMI starting in 2011 and culminating this year with the sales of most of EMI to Universal and the classical part to Warner has thrown that, probably forever, out the window. Dave told me on my trip in June that they are confident that their agreement with EMI for the other issues - there are quite a few that they have picked out but not done yet, is OK even after the merger. I heard a test pressing of the first stereo release they are doing - the Kogan Beethoven Violin Concerto. Very nice. An original of that one is about the same price as a Martzy Bach Sonata and Partita album. There is a Testament reissue of this as well as an EMI Classics for Pleasure. I have both of those, but not an original. Pete has taken a lot of care with these reissues. I don't doubt they are the best ever done. I saw the samples of the letterpress covers that they rejected - and also the various test pressings from different companies. I even saw one of the original master tapes (one of the Martzy's) in Pete's studio. I'm not certain, but I believe that EMI was not allowing the other companies who are doing reissues to take the original tapes out of the EMI studios and vaults.

Larry

 

[DaveyF]

Thanks, Larry. That's VERY interesting. Do you have any idea as to when and which jazz pieces they are planning on releasing? I'm VERY tempted to buy one of the Martzy's. The Mozart box look fantastic, BUT so is the price..

 

[astrotoy]

I'm not a jazz fan, so I don't know the situation there. I do have a list that Dave gave me a couple of years ago of the classical selections they had chosen. Dave is the expert here - picking recordings that have both musical value, but especially collectable value. In that way, the reissue is significantly cheaper than an original, but still at a price where if they sell a reasonable number of copies they can make back their considerable investment in equipment and time. From what I understand, most of the copies they have sold (mostly through Dave's on line shop) have gone to the Asian market. Next time I contact Dave I'll ask about the jazz stuff. He hadn't mentioned anything about it, but also knows that I have little interest or knowledge about it. BTW, an original of the Mozart a Paris box goes for 5 figures in Euros.

Larry

 

[rockitman]

In the new Absolute Sound, there is a minor review by Mark Lehman of the UK LP re-issue company: "The Electric Recording company". On their web page (http://www.theelectricrecordingco.com/media) is this marvelous video about the process that they are taking to bring back some of the old mono and stereo UK and French classical treasures. Also, they will be releasing some of the great jazz pieces. Looking at their presentation, it would seem that these will indeed be the best Vinyl reissues so far. BTW, IF you have to ask the price, don't go to the web page
Nonetheless, I suspect that these LP's will be the most collectable a'phile LP's ever!! Anyone placed their order yet?

Really ? Overpriced jack I'm afraid.

http://www.theaudiobeat.com/blog/martzy.htm

 

[Suteetat]

The only problem though is how good a condition the master tape is in? Even kept in an ideal storage, master tape will deteriorate over time. Fremer has reviewed some of these LPs on his website and recently mentioned that the Tchaikovsky violin concerto sounds much better than Testament's reissue which was also remastered from the studio's master tape (whether it is the same tape or not is not clear to me though). I did order a couple of LPs through local dealer but definitely will skip the Mozart's box and not a big fan of Debussy preludes that is coming out but looking forward to hear the Beethoven violin concerto.