King Crimson - Red (200 gram vinyl/released 2013)

I didn't think it was brilliant either, especially given the immaculate "In The Court Of..." vinyl transfer. It would put me off paying £££ for an original pressing if that's what they sound like. Still, it would've been oil crisis-era vinyl; maybe the transfer is just an accurate reflection of that.

 

I've started buying vinyl fr amazon because they seem to have finally got their act together as regards packaging. Maybe it's because you'r e overseas, Bjorn?

 

You would think Fripp had a decent pressing lying around. Sort of feel like I need to buy the 30th anniversary CD, even though I'll mainly listen on vinyl.

 

First copy I received from Amazon UK had a gash in the sleeve like someone put a stanley knife through it. Second copy slight seam split under the wrap. Both copies had slight warping and some surface noise - kept the quietest. Soundwise think this is not as good as the other releases but that may be the recording. Anyway don't think there is as big a gap between vinyl and DVDA version's SQ as with the earlier titles.

LP mastering as with other titles is by John Dent at Loud Mastering (Taunton, Somerset, UK). I find all his work to be excellent. Mastering is from tapes approved by Robert Fripp which leaves some room for speculation. However SQ wise they could have been cut straight from the original master - no obvious loss of quality and in fact improved quality when I compared COTCK with my pink rim copy.

 

I've bought 2 copies (one from Amazon UK which is badly warped & another from a Sydney record store, warped but not quite as bad) and both have an identical very loud pop in the left channel, 1:26sec into Fallen Angel between the words 'switch' and 'blade'. Obviously a fault on the stamper, just wondering if everyone else has the same fault? Aside from this and the warps the vinyl is quiet and imo the sound is very good, easily beats my AU Polydor pressing & I won't be pulling out the DVDA again. A pain now having to find a copy without the loud pop

 

I ordered from Amazon US. The first copy was dished and unplayable midway through side one, the replacement was dished (not as bad but still hitting the tonearm but playable on side one), second replacement was flat and perfect. David, one (or both) of the dished copies I sent back had that loud pop on Fallen Angel.

 

Someone might have dropped the ball with QC, faulty stamper and warps, ashame

 

Just listened to my flat copy, and yep the pop is there.

 

The vinyl on my copy is atrocious. It has skips pops and some whomping type of sound.

 

I'd like to purchase one. I'll be pleased to get some more opinions from you all.
Faulty stamper, skips? Really?

 

Just now spinning this reissue. I ordered it last week from Burning Shed. Loud pops and clicks throughout Fallen Angel, otherwise flat and good.

What's Burning Shed's replacement policy like for US residents?

 

Just curious why you didn't order it from a US based company - just in case of QC issues.

 

Because Burning Shed was able to confirm there was a repress.

 

Can anyone confirm the pressing issues have been corrected with this one now? From the above it reads like the re-press isn't great either.

 

I'm afraid it might be not HI-rez. Previous DVD-A release had audio in 44.1 or 48 kHz while it was stated to be 96 kHz. If the source is digital, there is a big chance it wasn't hi-rez.

 

I would expect a 200g vinyl record to be sturdier than a regular one but most posts about the condition of the record they received report them being warped. What a waste of vinyl! I'm not buying it.

BTW, doesn't a turntable need to be adjusted specifically for 200g records to play them perfectly?

 

I don't adjust for album thickness, but some "perfectionists" do.

 

Bought this recently. Brought it back as side 2 is a joke. 2nd copy, same problem again. Off centre a bit but...the amount of noise at the beginning of Providence (even after cleaning) is unacceptable imo. I for one, am sick of the "vinyl revival". Quality control has all but disappeared. I am returning easily 50% of what I buy due to serious faults :-(