Why Audiophiles Are Paying $1,000 for This Man’s Vinyl
- Thread starter Steve williams
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I've never heard one and likely never will, but naturephoto1 (Rich) has several and is a big supporter.
This is some room!
I don't think I have ever seen wires elevated to the top of the speakers this way.
I don't think I have ever seen wires elevated to the top of the speakers this way.
Tom Port has been hawking his 'hot stampers' for ages. IMHO, he has a strange attitude to most a'phile pressings. He seems to strongly believe that his generic pressing will always out-shine a a'phile re-issue IF that same generic pressing can be found in the 'hot stamper'. Personally, I believe that he has a point, BUT only in rare circumstances. For example, my 10s10s LSC 2446 of Scheherazade is 'slightly' more realistic sounding in the string sections than any of the a'phile pressings that I own. But, one cannot say this for most of the other 'hot stampers' on most of the other shaded dogs or Merc's that I also own. So, I believe that is a little bit of a gimmick with Mr.Port....his pricing is another matter entirely.
I'm not a vinyl fan or a gear head, but what the heck is this the deal with guy's odd choice in amplification? Maybe he's trying to match the age of the vinyl, to what a typical listener would have used back in the day.
By the standards of your stereotypical tube-loving, power-junkie audiophile, the amp Port uses as the hub of his Shootout machine is shockingly ordinary: a 1970s Japanese integrated transistor amp rated at a feeble 30 watts per channel, a typical thrift-store find. “I use a low-power, solid state amp because it doesn’t color the music,” he explains. “Tubes make everything sound warm and add distortion. That can sound nice, but I need accuracy.”
By the standards of your stereotypical tube-loving, power-junkie audiophile, the amp Port uses as the hub of his Shootout machine is shockingly ordinary: a 1970s Japanese integrated transistor amp rated at a feeble 30 watts per channel, a typical thrift-store find. “I use a low-power, solid state amp because it doesn’t color the music,” he explains. “Tubes make everything sound warm and add distortion. That can sound nice, but I need accuracy.”
Wouldn't be surprised if that amp has capacitor coupled output and hence insufficient bass. And then he hooks it up to those monster speakers?
Fascinating. We now have 3 stratospherically priced mediums - hot stamper vinyl, glass cd and 15ips reel to reel, all in the $300-$1k price category.
It would be fascinating to do a shootout on the best versions of these media on a particular title.
Just a TAD too far into beyond-OCD territory.
It would be fascinating to do a shootout on the best versions of these media on a particular title.
Just a TAD too far into beyond-OCD territory.
And the guy doesn't want any tubey warmth, but uses a Triplanar, one of the warmer arms out there?
And if we're talking uber worship of lp's, shouldn't he really be going linear tracking, THE WAY THESE VINYL GEMS WERE ORIGINALLY CUT?
And he's only grabbing a selection of vinyl out there, and selling the best - does that mean if you buy Sgt Pepper for $1k, another better one may come along, and you'll be compelled to give up yr current copy?
I do agree that modern remasterings/200g lps are often really poor compared to originals or just Plain Jane copies sold originally in the 60s/70s/80s.
For me, my Holy Grail on vinyl is the many Japanese pressings that would have had limited stamper runs. LZ 111 is a revelation.
And if we're talking uber worship of lp's, shouldn't he really be going linear tracking, THE WAY THESE VINYL GEMS WERE ORIGINALLY CUT?
And he's only grabbing a selection of vinyl out there, and selling the best - does that mean if you buy Sgt Pepper for $1k, another better one may come along, and you'll be compelled to give up yr current copy?
I do agree that modern remasterings/200g lps are often really poor compared to originals or just Plain Jane copies sold originally in the 60s/70s/80s.
For me, my Holy Grail on vinyl is the many Japanese pressings that would have had limited stamper runs. LZ 111 is a revelation.
I have a few good friends who swear by Port's so-called Hot Stampers. I have heard 1 in my system being compared to my own copy (Famous Blue Raincoat) and I have heard another 'shoot-out' in another guy's house between a hot stamper Discovered Again and a non- HS copy. In both cases, yes, I heard more focus, and detail, but for me it doesn't warrant a several hundreds of dollars premium over the regular LP. If Port can buy dozens upon dozens of the same album and choose the best sounding one, so can a very patient man. So far I have done so for a few titles and I have actually come out with the best sounding of say 4-5 same records (not dozens btw) and call it my own hot stamper. 
I figure the factor of vinyl wear will come in, so a worn record (though shinny and clean) will sound inferior to a brand new or sealed record of the same title, imo. Now, finding 12 copies of sealed original pressings of one album and choosing a hot stamper from that would be certainly interesting.
I figure the factor of vinyl wear will come in, so a worn record (though shinny and clean) will sound inferior to a brand new or sealed record of the same title, imo. Now, finding 12 copies of sealed original pressings of one album and choosing a hot stamper from that would be certainly interesting.
It is generally believed and agreed upon that the original UK Harvest A3/B3 pressing is the Holy Grail of all Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon pressings. Mr. Port has a copy of this album for $349.00, but nowhere does he mention the pressing he used to create his Hot Stamper. He omits this info on every other LP I looked at. If the A3/B3 pressing was not used then I seriously doubt he has a better record on his hands.
I have a few good friends who swear by Port's so-called Hot Stampers. I have heard 1 in my system being compared to my own copy (Famous Blue Raincoat) and I have heard another 'shoot-out' in another guy's house between a hot stamper Discovered Again and a non- HS copy. In both cases, yes, I heard more focus, and detail, but for me it doesn't warrant a several hundreds of dollars premium over the regular LP. If Port can buy dozens upon dozens of the same album and choose the best sounding one, so can a very patient man. So far I have done so for a few titles and I have actually come out with the best sounding of say 4-5 same records (not dozens btw) and call it my own hot stamper.
Ditto. Probably the same friend Phil. "Hot Stamper" Basia Time and Tide vs my "plain jane don't know why I even bought it since the album was dead horse beaten on the radio" copy. The "Hot Stamper" was clearer and more dynamic, cleaner sounding too but in the end, no, I'm not a Tom Port fan. I just find the whole exercise a little too weird for me besides when I looked at what he seeks out, it's mostly stuff I have a minor interest in music wise anyway. Stuff I wouldn't hunker down and really give full attention to. Too much school days nostalgia.
This is some room!
I don't think I have ever seen wires elevated to the top of the speakers this way.
Pierre Sprey is a professional music recordist for Mapleshade Studio. His techniques are unique. And his setups all have the cables (interconnects) and speaker wires suspended.
...Not up to the ceiling like in the picture above though.
But google Mapleshade studio (music) and learn about the man behind...Pierre Sprey.
I have some of his music recordings (CDs) and they sound superb...with spooky presence and attack.
I don't know if he sells albums...but I guess so.
Anyway, it's the big "wire act" here (that picture above, with high suspended wires) that reminded me right away of Pierre Sprey's own stereo system setups...and also of his studio music recording techniques.
<<>> As for the albums that the gentleman is selling...they are worth what his customers are willing to pay...irrelevant of the numbers (prices).
We are all different...and we all put different values to things in life...albums...and rarities...and unique quality pressings.
Rare vinyls can fetch north of $30,000-60,000 for a single album. ...An investment of course.
As for sound quality...there are few threads right here where good discussions from real listening tests were performed...crystal SACD/CDs ($1,600/piece) versus first pressing albums (LPs - @ 45rpm) versus open-reel tapes (@ 15 and 30ips - 2") versus ultra hi-res digital music recordings. The unanimous conclusion: music tapes.
...Mike Lavigne (ultra hi-end "audio-philanthropist" - 'phile), Gary (Genesis loudspeakers - designer), Bruce (pro music recordist), ...were among the participants.
? The line between the best sound quality and the monetary value is one of incommensurate disproportion in the ears of only the others...figure of speech (humor touch).
What we have is only the best when compared to what we don't have...another figure of speech.
And last, we put much more emphasis on what we own than who we are.
The music ? is the essence, the music is what we create, the music is the message of the soul.
We all are fortunate, very.
I will admit to buying a few "hot stampers" from Tom of some perfectly ordinary pop albums just to hear how they sound and how they compare to other versions of those albums.
Right, Jack. I'm more of a believer of 'promo' and 'demonstration' copies. I have done some comparisons against my regular pressings, and I feel they give me the same effects as those hot stampers I've heard so far, at a fraction of the price of the HS.
I "get" why some people would rely on Tom Port only because there are huge differences in various pressings. You can do this yourself, and have a good deal of fun but it takes time. I like a lot of hard rock/prog/folk these days, some of it big selling stuff made at multiple plants simultaneously and sorting through various early pressings alone is a task, let alone comparing them to later reissues and various audiophile remasters. For the most part, and this is a somewhat gross generalization, but often true: the remasters seem to be brighter. Whether that is a function of the mastering engineer's taste, solid state v tube gear in the mastering chain, or other factors, I don't know.
I buy a considerable number of old records, from the multi-platinum hits to obscure stuff. Learning a little about the differences in different pressings and masterings is enlightening, and doesn't necessarily cost much. For example, buy an early Harvest Neil Young mastered by Lee Hulko, a copy with the textured cover- not expensive, and the re-do (which is very good, by Chris Bellman). You'll hear a difference. You might decide- forget it, I'm not going to bother searching for that old Hulko mastered copy given condition, noise, etc. when you can buy the new slab at Amazon prices (the Bellman re-do is a standard label reissue, not anything fancy). I prefer the Hulko- it is a little more 'organic' sounding, and less analytical, but the Bellman is very good. In other cases, the differences may be much more pronounced.
It may ultimately come down to sonic preference and system, e.g. preferring the sound of the Classic Records LZ 1 cut at 45 rpm to the old standard issue '74 Piros remaster pressed at Monarch (which is the best one I've heard and not nearly as expensive as the Classic, which is hard to get). I'll sometimes buy a remaster as a place holder and there are occasions when it betters the original (the Steve Wilson re-do's of Tull's Benefit and Aqualung are way better in my estimation than any other copy I've heard, and I've heard a lot of different copies of those records). The Wilson is $20 a pop. I guess where I come out is case by case. But, the old pressings can be fun, and are sometimes really impressive sounding. You obviously need to have an effective cleaning regime, and yes, old records can be misgraded if you are buying on the open market. Some dealers are known for impeccable used vinyl, but you'll pay a premium.
The Japanese stuff is often made better, the vinyl quality is higher, but the EQ tends to be a bit brighter. It really is case by case. Port, i think, goes further, and purports to pick the best sounding copy among what are arguably identical records, same mastering, same pressing plant, etc. No doubt those differences exist, and that is arguably what you are paying for. The only downside of doing it yourself, apart from time (and some cost if it is a collectible record) is that you wind up having a lot of records! I have been getting rid of more than I have been buying for the past 3 years, but space is still an issue. Have fun, do some comparisons of different pressings; don't assume the 'new out of the box' from the audiophile label is necessarily the best sounding. It may be, but it also may not be the best sounding copy. (I've never done business with Tom Port so I'm not passing judgment one way or the other on his business).
I buy a considerable number of old records, from the multi-platinum hits to obscure stuff. Learning a little about the differences in different pressings and masterings is enlightening, and doesn't necessarily cost much. For example, buy an early Harvest Neil Young mastered by Lee Hulko, a copy with the textured cover- not expensive, and the re-do (which is very good, by Chris Bellman). You'll hear a difference. You might decide- forget it, I'm not going to bother searching for that old Hulko mastered copy given condition, noise, etc. when you can buy the new slab at Amazon prices (the Bellman re-do is a standard label reissue, not anything fancy). I prefer the Hulko- it is a little more 'organic' sounding, and less analytical, but the Bellman is very good. In other cases, the differences may be much more pronounced.
It may ultimately come down to sonic preference and system, e.g. preferring the sound of the Classic Records LZ 1 cut at 45 rpm to the old standard issue '74 Piros remaster pressed at Monarch (which is the best one I've heard and not nearly as expensive as the Classic, which is hard to get). I'll sometimes buy a remaster as a place holder and there are occasions when it betters the original (the Steve Wilson re-do's of Tull's Benefit and Aqualung are way better in my estimation than any other copy I've heard, and I've heard a lot of different copies of those records). The Wilson is $20 a pop. I guess where I come out is case by case. But, the old pressings can be fun, and are sometimes really impressive sounding. You obviously need to have an effective cleaning regime, and yes, old records can be misgraded if you are buying on the open market. Some dealers are known for impeccable used vinyl, but you'll pay a premium.
The Japanese stuff is often made better, the vinyl quality is higher, but the EQ tends to be a bit brighter. It really is case by case. Port, i think, goes further, and purports to pick the best sounding copy among what are arguably identical records, same mastering, same pressing plant, etc. No doubt those differences exist, and that is arguably what you are paying for. The only downside of doing it yourself, apart from time (and some cost if it is a collectible record) is that you wind up having a lot of records! I have been getting rid of more than I have been buying for the past 3 years, but space is still an issue. Have fun, do some comparisons of different pressings; don't assume the 'new out of the box' from the audiophile label is necessarily the best sounding. It may be, but it also may not be the best sounding copy. (I've never done business with Tom Port so I'm not passing judgment one way or the other on his business).
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