Black Friday / RSD 2017 Sound Quality / Review Thread

I always find these Threads helpful.

Figured I would get one up early in the hopes there will be something for me to read while I am standing in line, tomorrow.

What did you get? and mre importantly how does it sound?

 

I picked up the Studio One comp #1 Sound From the Vaults but I won't get to hear it until after Xmas as it was a present to myself.

I was considering the Blue Oyster Cult rarities collection but it didn't seem that appealing when I saw the songlist. I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't a repeat of all the bonus material off the Secret Treaties CD.

I briefly considered Tangerine Dream's Electronic Meditation but I would be highly unlikely to listen to it more than once.

 

Steve Earle El Corazon sounds pretty good. I haven't played the Gram Parsons, So Volt or Neil Young yet.

 

Greg Lake - 'I Believe In Father Christmas', 10" white vinyl.

The only thing I was interested in picking up. I don't usually have good luck with white vinyl but was pleasantly surprised this time. It's flat, centered and (for once) quiet. In fact while listening to side A, the original version, I didn't hear a single pop. Side B, the 2002 version does have maybe 5 minor pops.

My only grumble is that it was over-priced.

 

Isaac Hayes - The Spirit of Memphis 2 LP Set

Well, it's not the flattest vinyl I have ever bought. But it tracks, unclamped and you can't really tell unless you are staring at it. Side 2 is off-center. But, again. Inobtrusively so.

Sound is variable as this is a comp / retrospective. Some of the earlier tracks have some tape hiss. But, everything is there and the sonics just keep getting better the further you get into the set. By the time you get to side 3, you will be ensconsed in Isaak and his funky groovy soul. I like it.

One Side each : 1A - Singer, songwriter, producer 1B - Volt / Enterprise Singles 2A -Cover Man 2B - Jam Master (!)

The Gatefold is well laid out and well presented. Certainly not a corner cut in the whole set. Though I think it would benefit from a proper cleaning.

If you don't have a bunch of Isaac Hayes and would like some in your collection you could do much worse for $28.

 

I thought both the Autumn Defense Circles and Mike Watt’s Contemplating the Engine Room LPs sounded nice but unremarkable. Certainly no flaws, well done and all, just not revelatory.

I sampled the Complete Chris Bell box and found it to be a very good-sounding mastering and decent pressing. One disc had some pretty serious dimples all over the surface, but they didn’t seem to affect anything.

 

I picked up the Neil Young Harvest Moon LP. I have nothing with which to compare it, but I like the sound of it.

REALLY wanted the Sundays LP...but it was gone by the time I got to the store.

 

Son Volt - Ballymena 10" EP

This thing is a gem. Sounds gigantic. And while I prefer my Son Volt dirty and electric...this is undoubtedly one of the best sounding RSD 10" EPs I have bought to date.

 

It's been getting terrible reviews at Discogs, so don't feel too bad. The RSD reissue of "Blind" was also quite poor. What a shame.

 

I just dropped the needle on this one...I might be back in an hour to strongly disagree. My rig loves it so far!

 

As I have said before, this band's catalogue really deserves the MOFI (or other credible audiophile label) treatment.

 

I would even settle for Music on Vinyl - would surely be better than the existing reissues!

 

I agree that the Sundays Blind album was't perfect; had tape speed problems in parts.
The new Static & Silence ri-issue, however, is great. Clear vinyl and crystal clear sound; a tremendous improvement over the original American-issued CD. Worth every penny and then some.

Neil Young Harvest Moon.
Very Very pleasantly suprised how great this Sounds, given the reported digital source. Happy with this one too; well worth it.

The Doors, Absolutely Alive.
If Live at The Aquarius RSD is a 10, then this Absolutely Live is a solid 9.
Super quiet blue vinyl and seems to have a bit more richer/fuller sound than my original American pressing. A must have if you dig live Doors; if only for "Build Me A Woman" and "Gloria". Good stuff and totally worth it.

 

Uzn007, do you happen to have the name of the record store where you saw the Blue Oyster Cult, rairities collection, 2lp? I was looking for it here in the
Dallas Ft Worth area and it was all sold out. I would appreciate this information.

 

Pleased with the Grateful Dead box. Nifty 12 x 12 matte booklet with excellent liner and many relevant memorabilia to add to the text and music. Pressings (RTI?) seem cool and flat and as expected. I did not have these disks in my collection before today. Excellent job. And thank you.

PRODUCED BY GRATEFUL DEAD.

Box Set Produced for Release by David Lemieux.
Executive Producer: Mark Pinkus.
Associate Producers: Doran Tyson & Ivette Ramos.
Mastering by David Glasser at Airshow Mastering, Boulder, Colo.
Lacquers by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering, Hollywood, Calif.
Plangent Processes Wow & Flutter Removal by Jamie Howarth.
Box & Book Cover Art: Stanley Mouse.
Art Direction and Design: Steve Vance.
Liner note by Steve Brown.
Photos & Ephemera Courtesy of the Steve Brown Collection.
Tape Research: Michael Wesley Johnson.

Cat. no. R1 562255

 

My Neil Young has some small issues on side 2 (2 of 3 playing sides). It's a small recurrent grove noise buzz in the left channel, most prevalent in "War of Man" but occurring elsewhere too. It's not on every revolution...very strange. I actually thought it might be a tube going bad, but it recurs in the same spots on every play. Not horrendous but definitely a pressing issue.

 

Nice Price Books in Raleigh NC.

 

I question the indication that the liner notes to the box set, which I opened but didn't have time to play yet, indicate that Chris Bellman cut the lacquers. I don't see CB in the deadwax on any of the LPs (as I would have expected). In addition the only thing I did see other than the matrix numbers was a /i\ in the deadwax. I checked the web for deadwax inscriptions and couldn't find who this might be. Oh another variant I see in the deadwax in this set is "i" instead of the /i\.

And yes these are RTI pressings, but I find it strange CB wouldn't be in the deadwax if Chris Bellman did cut the lacquers. I'm not saying he didn't, but the usual indication he did is not there.

 

Sonny Carter Trio -

This one is a huge disappointment. It's as though they did everything right except pick a decent Pressing Plant.

The session /performance is flat out great.

The Vinyl is crap. Off center, noisy as hell and about as dirty as any new LP I have ever received.

 

I played Chris Bell 's " I Am The Cosmos" off the box set on headphones ( I prefer playing it open on my system) . Sounded really good which is a really good sign it will be great when I play it through my speakers.

 

Yep, that is why I passed on this one.
And, the Sonny Rollins on Impulse! actually says on the hype "Pressed on 180g black vinyl at United Pressing"...
Did I miss a memo?
Is United suddenly worth boasting about, because I left it behind purely because of this statement.
If it had said: QRP, RTI, Pallas, Furnace, etc., but "United"?
Nope.

 

Re Grateful Dead boxed set

I do not question it, nor do I see any reason to not give the Producer (David Lemieux) who assembled the package, including the credits list, the benefit of the doubt. For what it's worth, the finished product sounds like a Chris Bellman job to me. The hype sticker on the front says, "Newly Remastered on 180-gram vinyl by Grammy-winner David Glasser."

 

I just played Wake of the Flood from the new box, and it sounded exemplary. So yes it sounds like a quality product. I do have the MFSL Wake of the Flood, but did not make any comparisons, but I can say the Rhino Wake of the Flood was so good!!!

 

Re Wake of the Flood

That was my pick last night for first audition, too. Exemplary is the right word! P.S. Would like to read yr shoot-out opinions with MFSL should you be so inclined.

 

My copy has no indication of pressing plant. Strange. Boy, are they keeping BG busy....