To be honest I don't think I have bought a new pressing (excluding Japanese ones) that wasn't a real disappointment, and that was in spite of paying £20 or more for them while the corresponding Cd's would be about £7. I even bought one (Third, Portishead) that had fingerprints *in* the vinyl!
It's not usually the sound quality, records tend to be cut by the few craftsmen left. It's clicks pops and general noise, just simple poor handling by people who patently don't know what they are doing. You accept pressings that you would certainly have rejected in the 70's and 80's because that's all there is.
I end up buying most Lp's on eBay, obviously not anything new that way. For instance I now have the complete back catalogue of Roxy Music and Bryan Ferry that I never had the first time around :-)
Of course it's a risky proposition they are often not as 'mint' as they are claimed to be, I now have three original copies of the wonderful Shirley Bassey (before you get any funny ideas this particular album has some absolutely cracking tracks) all look fine but are totally worn out and mistracked having been played on early 60's Dansettes, and I can't seem to get a decent copy of Pink Floyd's Wish you were here to save my life.
But oh, when you get a good copy of something, the sheer quality, involvement, space and imaging will take your breath away. I'm sorry, I'm a dinosaur, I don't download, digital leaves me cold (even though I will use CD because I have to) for sheer *communication* for that moment when your breath catches and you forget where you are *nothing* beats dragging a diamond through a wiggly groove.
I love my older vinyls, too. I have very few CDs; just not particularly interested in the format and would rather save the money.
ReplyDeleteI have pulled a few old LP's that were recorded in the FLAC format - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Lossless_Audio_Codec
ReplyDeleteMy ears are *not* what they were 20 years ago, but my understanding is that FLAC is as good as the original minus the equipment. Meaning, that if the original is dubbed from high quality equipment, it will be almost exactly like the original.
hey, I wanted to mention a couple of things.
ReplyDelete1. I dunno if you're into Paul McCartney, but his latest album is not only released on vinyl, but has flac files for your enjoyment.
2. I have 'Wish you were here' in flac format.
Hey Graham - I read your post and took a look through my old vinyl. The only thing I have is the Soundtrack from the film MORE, by Pink Floyd. I don't know what year - it has numbers written on it and also engraved. I've got a bunch of other stuff.
ReplyDeleteIf you want them, you can have them.