Bon Iver - "For Emma..." vinyl quality

I find it unlikely they have their own pressing machines. Not a lot of these left anywhere in working order.

 

Probably going to trade my copy in. Maybe someday we can get a proper press.

 

I've always felt the Bon Iver albums were prime candidates for the Music On Vinyl remaster-and-repress-in-Germany treatment. Their master and pressing of Broken Bells was an amazing example of this.

 

I'll pile on. I got this for my wife for XMas and the second side has a horrible swoosh sound in the right channel only. Then there is that static on the high notes. After we listened to it, I told her "let me put something else on so you can hear what a good album should sound like". Miles Davis: Sketches of Spain.

 

I heard the negatives but bought it anyway. Mine sounds superb. Could it be Hifi system related?

 

I agree that both Domino (drag City) and Jaghaguwsr are the worst pressers. I think they just press onto old Neil Diamond records

 

I noticed that there are UK pressings of both Bon Iver albums by 4AD, available from Amazon UK. I might give one of those a shot.

 

Definitely not. I have hundreds of other LPs that play without issue. Given the sound I'm hearing, I would guess that it is an off-center pressing.

 

It's ridicules how noisy my lp is (i have the KG mastering), it's VG at best, did they use recycled vinyl or what?, i really don't get it...

 

I sold my OK Computer Capitol press and this for 12 bucks.

 

Funny that this thread of mine got bumped. I actually just played this LP the other day and apparently my problems were from my old system, because since upgrading to a Pro-Ject Debut Carbon this album sounds just fine!

Weird thing though is that this is the only LP in my collection I've come across so far where it sounded messed up on my old TT and fine on my new one.

As an aside, I didn't initially realize that Kevin Gray cut this, but now that I know what his signature looks like I noticed he did.

 

My Capitol press is outstanding

 

As to my earlier quote, mine sounds amazing, no duff sound at all. I put off getting the LP for three years because of the reviews. Having almost played the CD to death, I just went for the LP it is great. As is the sound on the second one.

 

What were you upgrading from? And is it the stock stylus on the Carbon? I'd be interested to try to understand what made the difference. I have two TTs at home (well, three, but the third is only for flea market finds), and it sounds like junk on both.

 

I have a

rega RP6 with a blue ortofon.. sounds brilliant. just on now.

 

I upgraded from an old Pioneer PL-400 that I literally found on the street. It was equipped with an Audio Technica AT-88E cart. Not exactly top of the line (to put it mildly), but it played everything else I threw at it fine, all things considered.

And yes, my Carbon has the stock Ortofon 2M Red equipped.

 

I have a Debut III with the stock Ortofon OM-5E cartridge. An upgrade is due, so I'll comment if I see an improvement after that. Tahnks for sharing your info, and glad you like the Carbon. I've been quite happy with my Debut.

 

I purchased a second copy of this album hoping that the first copy i owned (bought used) was an anomaly. I'm listening to the second copy now and it has the same stupid swoosh sound on most of the tracks on side 2. so annoying. Both copies have the exact same issue. and it sounds like more people here have that issue as well, black or clear, doesn't matter. WTF?

So then it must be the master that is defective? For sure different stampers should have been used between the time they pressed the black copies and the clear ones... the clear was a Newbury exclusive right?

I love this album to death but never played it because of the side 2 issue. Now i've got two copies that i'll never play.
ugh.

 

I recently went through this with Sufjan Steven's Carrie & Lowell. One track had a bad problem, that felt like a defect/pressing error/etc. I bought a different copy, this time one of the first 10K copies that were pressed on clear vinyl. Identical problem in the identical place. I'd wager there isn't a single copy in circulation without the problem. Such an easy quality control problem to spot and fix if anybody cared to do so.

 

Clear from Newburyport was mastered at Sterling. It sounds much better than the original black I had. I'll listen to side two tonight to see if I can detect any wooshing sound.

 

I picked up both Newbury colored presses for Emma and Bon Iver. Not the quietest vinyl by a long shot, but the occasional surface noise isn't distracting. I don't have issues with non fill or IGD or swooshing like others. This is a case where an audiophile reissue would be welcome, but given the horror stories I was pleasantly surprised that these sounded decent for a cheap price.

My horror story with Bon Iver vinyl? Picked up the 12" of Beth/Rest that had some of the worst distortion I've ever heard on a new record. After that I decided that digital was fine for the B-sides....

 

It's really a shame that two of the best records of the past ten years have had bad sounding vinyl releases

 

what's the other one?

 

My jagjaguwhatever pressing of Emma seems fine. No issues.

 

I have

never been to happy with my clear Carrie either but then it is a bit of a dull album isn't it.