"Better Records" website and their business practices as they apply to our hobby*

Kind of puts in perspective how sometime a reviewer might not see (or hear rather) it the same way as the engineer, having not heard the master tapes.

 

Well he's only going to critique Bernie cranking the treble when its on a 180g record. Looks like Tom lets it get personal, even going so far as to revise his opinion of DCC stuff that he previously recommended. Surprised to see a "Better Records" ad on Fremer's site today after all the fuming he's done about Fremer. The handful of Reprise copies I've heard of "Blue" were on the noisy side and sounded too solid statey, maybe there's good ones somewhere. I like the Rhino "Blue", The DCC "Court and Spark" (CD) as well, wish I had gotten the DCC "Blue".

 

I would like to know what "loud" means to Tom. He says things like it is silly to play this record at 70 db, etc. Since volume is one of the few things that can be quantified, he could he say exactly how loud things get before he has to back off.

"Our system, and why you shouldn't care" is one of the links on the site. I agree that what you do with the equipment you have is more important than having the same equipment as Tom.

I recognize the problem of, "I must have a hot stamper if I can play my copy at that volume." That person is willingly uninformed about the other qualities of a hot stamper, all of which are stated many times over, and not the least of which is having at least 15, (up from 5 in years past) copies to do a proper shootout.

Here's a question. If none of your copies can be played at ___db, would you be more interested in finding or purchasing a hot stamper if the record is one of your favorites?

 

Great stuff. I got a good chuckle out of this tidbit from his "cleaning process" hype:
Step 3-Use Steam from Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs PURE Water to clean the vinyl grooves-3 rotations each side. Use DAK Brush to get steam into the grooves.

That MFSL water must be some stuff-- it remains steam until he can brush it into the grooves

 

I just saw this:


Super Hot Stamper
The Byrds
Mr. Tambourine Man
(Item #: byrdsmrtam_1408_1)

Our Price: $199.99

• Super Hot on side two - lots of space and good energy throughout
• Side one is nearly as good - the second track is rich, tubey and clear
• This Red Label reissue plays fairly quietly, it's even still in the shrink
• AMG 5 Stars: "One of the greatest debuts in the history of rock..."

How is a record that plays "fairly quietly" worth $199.99?

 

If the brush doesn't work, hold the playing surface above the spout of an Analogue Productions Tube Kettle filled with MFSL H2O to finish the job.

 

Has anyone tried a magic candelabra? I am most anxious to hear a user review.

 

I've exchanged a few emails with TP. I had to have gotten the email from his site.

 

There are a few where I wondered if it was the new reissue, and thought I would be a tad angry.

 

Perhaps, but the only email address anywhere on there now is "upgrades@" for existing customers.

 

What were those candleabra looking things he sold? Soundfield generators or something? They were like 2000 bucks. He used to have a blurb on his site somewhere where he pretty much said He can hear things you (meaning all of us, I'd assume) can't hear. So if I can't hear it anyway, what's the point of buying records from him?

 

Doubtful, what he tends to do if he can is put stuff up in "Hot Stamper" form of titles that have been recently reissued in "Audiophile vinyl" form. He's done it with Joni Mitchell "Blue", Linda Rondstat "Heart Like a Wheel", Steely Dan "Aja", Little Feat "Dixie Chicken", and many others. Re: his refund policy- He gives refunds.

 

it looks like the new Beatles mono reissues are going to hurt some business :

http://www.dccblowout.com/

not serious to claim what he is claiming without listening to the new reissues

 

I love how all these sellers on eBay and such are already claiming their originals beat the reissues before it's even out (they've been doing it for weeks now). Insecurity much?

 

Elton John - Honky Chateau 'White Hot Stamper' - $599.99 - Come on!!! Surely there's no way people are shelling out this kind of money? This is beyond ridiculous IMO...

 

This man will stop at nothing to sell a record for a fortune.

This is what happens when we rub shoulders with a parallel universe.

 

I'm more surprised that there isn't any information anywhere about matrix numbers and (IMO more important) country of release . This guy can trumpet all he want about how good his records are, but without this basic information the whole thing looks like a scam.

 

Nononono, no scam sir! Endless hours of sessions painstakingly comparing different versions......we finally settled for a 2nd Mexican press. You won't regret this, sir!
And even better news: next year we have revised our opinion again and will proof once and for all that the 1st Yugoslavian press is the one to beat! Plus we figured out how to properly set up our new turntable....

 

Sounds like it's probably the Nice Price reissue from the late '70s/early '80s. A $2 LP all day long. Unless it's a $200 LP.

 

Before you bash Greg too hard, I would add several things......

I've had him clearn records for me that were my own and took them from pretty horrid afer my own repeated nitty gritty cleanings to damn near back NM. For me, spending $6.50 on a double RL Houses of the Holy that I paid $10 for because of all the crackle to the point where its unbelivably quiet is a VERY good investment....

As for the records he sells, I've bought 2 from him.... Rush - Exit Stage Left and Queen - News of the World. I felt they were fairly priced and DEAD silent.

 

I can't wait for the 'hot stamper' Beatles Mono box priced at $5000

 

Pre-ordered!...from bETTER rECORDS.

 

Tom usually sells stereo Beatles. Not sure why he'd think that his stereo lps would beat the mono reissues. Funny.

 

Because he doesn't like the mono mixes.