I don't have that one, but quite a lot of the Australian Pink Floyd vinyl was pressed from UK derived stampers. If you're familiar with the EMI UK font it's easy enough to spot. As you also mention that it sounds great, it's almost certain to be the UK mastering.
cool and thanks - The EMI font just looks like Helvetica Caps to me maybe? Not in the familar logo that I would recognise - just in written in text - is that what you meant? Cheers again
Just check out the letters and numbers stamped in the vinyl in the dead wax near the label. They are smaller and more defined (when compared with the later Australian pressings) if UK stampers were used - it's pretty obvious when you've seen a couple! Early Australian copies used UK mastering and sound pretty good. Hope this helps a bit. Cheers
Ok - they do look quite tiny and well defined - I'll have to skip round to the record shop and find a later Aussie one so I can do the comparison be sure. It does say "Made in Australia" Thanks for the heads up! ;D
i got an A2 B1 quad uk pressing and im in love with it. i really love multichannel and Hi-res but this vinyl is better than the sacd. i was glad to hear this is 2nd on some of your guys list. p.s i like the quad mix better than the regular
Thats cool - so i'm not the only one to like it then haha - cheers does yours have "the glitch"? What is a "Glitch" anyway and where can I get one lol
"Made in Australia" just means that the record was pressed in Australia. If you have a UK Beatles LP, check the dead wax matrix of that against your Australian Quad DSOTM. If they have the same font, yours is probably from the same lacquer as my UK Quad original. It sounds great (but it is a remix). Also, regarding the questions on the "glitch" on "Money", I have never heard a UK solid blue triangle first pressing and cannot tell you from my own listening experience. The UK vinyl experts, however, seem to know where in the song the glitch occurs. Otherwise, I would suspect that a UK solid blue triangle (with its earlier dead wax matrices and earlier lacquers) would sound fresher than my A//3, B//3.
Looks like you answered your own question with the words "cheap standard cart." Seems to me that the 30th Anniversary edition was cut with bigger boy cartridges in mind. It sounded bad with my old Shure M97Xe (inner groove distortion and sibilance in many spots), better but not 100% right with the Audio Techinica 440 Mla, but with the Audio Technica 150 MLX it all comes together and sounds great without a trace of sibilance or inner groove distortion. Of course your results may vary.
I have to say that the 30th anniversary is dead quiet, a little bright but very warm as well. I received it as a Father's Day gift, but my copy was defective (weird groove distortion). My shop allowed me to exchange it and now, almost a month later, it is spinning (and quite loudly I must say). I find the electric guitars on this pressing have a certain clarity I haven't heard on other versions, CD or vinyl. The Pro-Use I have NOT heard btw. I enjoy this album, but it is not in my top ten, however this pressing is very imPRESSive. The Wally cut is good but the vinyl quality is questionable. For $30 this is the best deal for this record.
Great - but could you describe a little more of what you referred to as "weird groove distortion" on your first copy of the 30th? Inner grooves only? Off-center pressing? Or the whole lp? Just curious.
I have yet to play it but I found an (original? or early) Italian LP pressing... Though I doubt it will rival my MFSL LP (which is phenomenal) sound wise, I thought it was just too cool to pass up (and it was only $12 or so in VG+++ condition). Nice heavy cover. Just recently wet-vacuum cleaned it -- I'll give it a spin soon: “DARK SIDE OF THE MOON” ITALIAN PRESSING # 3C 064-05249 STAMPERS: A: 05249-A - 12-5-73 II B: 05249-B - 11-9-73 II Anyone else have this one? Thoughts (if you do)? .
Kind of strange when you look at the dates of the stampers that side one was done in May and side two in September. Makes me wonder if this is a first pressing or a second pressing?
Any Thoughts on the German first pressing Title: The Dark Side Of The Moon Record Company: EMI / Harvest Records Catalog Numbers: Cover: 1C 062-05 249 D Label: 1C 062-05 249 Matrix Information: (side 1 / side 2) 1) 05249A-1 / 05249B-1 (both stamped) Release Date: 1973 Release Information: Original issue. Mispressing: Some issues of this release were mispressed with two side ones. Description: Gatefold cover Front Cover: Black with prism. Glossy. Back Cover: Black with prism. In the upper right corner is the catalog number 1C 062-05 249 D. There is a star in front of the number. Inside Cover: Heartbeat, tracklisting and lyrics. Printed in Germany. Cover Sticker: Issued with a black sticker that says "PINK FLOYD THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON." Inserts: 1) A blue pyramid poster with "1 C 062-05 249" in the bottom right corner. 2) A six-pane group shot poster in landscape style with "1 C 062-05 249" in the bottom right corner. 3) Two small Pink Floyd graphic inserts, one yellow and one brown, printed on thin pieces of paper. The yellow insert has "1 C 062-05 249" in the bottom right corner. The brown insert has "1 C 062-05 249" in the bottom right corner. Label: Black with light blue prism. GEMA. Made in Germany.
I have this one, and while the vinyl nice and quiet, the mastering sounds a bit harsh/pinched/midrangey compared to the uk a3/b3 and the 30th anniversary. But these are small nuances, it's still a mighty fine sounding recording
Thanks. I wonder if the second pressing of this the none D version sounds the same as well. I ask because the Matrix Information: (side 1 / side 2) 1) 05249-A4 4 / 05 249 B-2 6. (both stamped) is different than the first pressing
Funny you asked because I have never come across a double-sided Wly pressing in all six years of collecting records. Until yesterday. Finally, Wly on both sides and in VG++ condition. And then, as luck would have it, I walked out of the record store and into a thrift to find a 1st press sealed copy of DSOTM. So, I guess to answer your question...they're out there but I would say it is slightly difficult to find. Best of luck to you though. -Mike
I found a UK -A2/-B2 pressing of Dark Side at the KUSF Rock 'n Swap a couple of weeks ago for $20. Sounds fantastic! Blows my US double "Wally" and the MFSL away. later, chris
How noisy is your A2/B2? All the early UK copies I've heard are noisy, maybe made from less than ideal vinyl. Even experienced sellers on Ebay will routinely list these defects: They all crackle 1) at the start of side one 2) noticeably during the vocal of "Breathe" 3) during the piano intro of "Great Gig in the Sky" 4) during the first minute or so of "Us and Them". My A3/B3 has the best tone and clarity of any DSOTM I've heard, but the crackles keep me from fully enjoying it. I have one A5/B5 (cheap and plentiful BTW) that's about 95% as wonderful sounding as the A3, but has fairly quiet backgrounds and is my "go to" copy. It it worth it to search for an A2/B2 or A3/B3 copy that plays without crackle? Do they exist?
