SH Spotlight FLEETWOOD MAC Rumours, heard it 1000 times, still love it! Our WB 45 & 33 1/3 RPM vinyl coming now!

I don't think anyone can say "US original" with any certainty regarding exactly what mastering they are talking about, considering how many cuts and recuts of the vinyl there were, each with varying amounts of reverb and compression and also oddities regarding which versions of songs were used. If you had an original pressing of the promo cut of the album, I guess you can specify which version of the album you are talking about. Otherwise, you'd have to compare matrix numbers with other people and given the plethora of different cuttings, I'm not even sure how useful that would be for comparison purposes!

 

Outside of the 45RPM version that is the only one I play, and will be the only one I play forever more, I have a Japanese black obi that is a great novelty and nice to have for aesthetics. I am not sure I have ever owned any others.

 

On the back cover of the Nautilus "Rumours" LP it says:

"We would like to thank Fleetwood Mac and Ken Caillat for their personal involvement with this project thereby assuring the highest quality possible."

So my question is: What are the reasons that this edition still isn't deemed good enough?

 

I cannot speak to the quality of the Nautilus obviously, but can I be so bold as to ask if you have heard Steve Hoffmans version?

 

No, haven't heard it yet, but I tend to claim even if I had, I'd ask the same question because I think when the band members themselves and the executive producer himself approve a reissue, they know what they do and why they do it.

 

And I would have to agree with that, but I doubt any of those folks would make the erroneous mistake of dismissing the magnificence of Steve's work on this classic. You have got to hear it. It has to be one of the greatest pieces of mastering in the history of mastering itself.

 

Agreed!

 

The line before that saying "Digitally Remastered." And this was late '70s digital technology since this came out in 1980.

 

If anyone cares, the promo is F15/F17.

 

This is one of the best-sounding albums I’ve ever bought. Never was interested in it back in the day. My views have changed, and wow, I’m so glad I picked up the 45rpm of this.

Just magnificent - in the future people will be talking about this album, and the subject will come up - “Has anyone heard the Hoffman/Gray mastering of this?” And a hush will come over the room should someone say “yes.” And they will listen breathlessly as the one who has heard it recounts the experience.

Okay, maybe not that reverently, but close!

 

I remember waiting what seemed like years from Steve's announcement to the release. It was well worth the wait!

 

After reading Ken Callait’s outstanding book on recording this classic (and imo required reading if you hang out here more than thirty seconds a week) I finally put the 45rpm version back on. I dare anyone to read Ken’s book and not have the album spinning while you read about it. He even gives time codes so you can reference certain elements he discusses. I found that I was only using the 45 when I was in the mood to really concentrate and listen to something that sounded as good as vinyl could sound. And yes, this does imo. Since my lazy butt doesn’t want to get up and change an album every ten minutes, I just bought a 33 1/3 version as a companion and now I find Rumours is back in my rotation again! It was much harder tracking one down now, so anyone that is late to the party and is reading this, and still on the fence (!), now is the time. The 45 versions are still out there but the 33 is getting harder to find. One other critical thing to remember: you must get the right pressing or it won’t be Steve’s. If you can verify it is a Pallas presssing, you’re golden (there should be a gold sticker on the shrink designating as such). Not only is it very likely to be a perfect, quiet pressing, but it will be mastered by Steve. Since this post started, perhaps it’s been repressed elsewhere and someone can chime in, but barring that insist on a Pallas pressing. Another came out around the same time and it is far inferior. If you can’t locate the 33 1/3, get the 45 which is supposed to sound a bit better. I only got the 33 1/3 so I can hear it in the running order I’m used to, with no interrpution, but I haven’t listened to the two of them close enough together to decide if there is really a difference in SQ. Being an iconic album, I really feel if you love the music and have a good vinyl set up, having both is pretty essential.

Oh...and thanks Steve! This is one of those special albums that will remain in my collection until I’m gone. That has to make you feel like what you do is worthwhile!

 

I have Steve's 45rpm lp. He also did a 33-1/3 l.p. version cut from same mastering, and also pressed at Pallas?

 

Best Rumours pressing.... enjoy listening my copy, mastered by KG/SH.

 

Late to the party. Where can I find a 33 1/3 cut?

 

I own the 45 and the 33 1/3.......and I recommend both. Thanks, you make loving vinyl fun

 

I just scored a NM copy of the 33 1/3 version for $4 a few weeks ago at the Leon Russell estate sale, of all places! It was lodged in the middle of a bin with a few hundred much older albums, mostly gospel and country from the 50s and 60s. The sale staff assured me that the records were from Leon's personal collection and that he did spin records from his collection up until his death.

 

Was this in Hendersonville ? Congratulations by the way.
.

 

A new S.H. remaster of "Future Games" would be so cool.

 

My local store has one in CO; happy to help out a forum member and pick it up for you if you like. However, I found one just a bit cheaper from a dealer on eBay about two weeks ago, so they are out there but drying up. I think it was only about $24. Get it fast...it does look like there are plenty of 45’s around though. They ran out of both initially and there were a lot of bummed people. However, it appears they far overpressed the reissued 45rpm version. I thought I was being so smart when out of the blue, after they had been gone a while, there were three sitting at my local store. I bought them all, thinking I would hang onto them and then sell them later (isn’t that lovely...I hate it now that people are doing that and I won’t again) but that didn’t exactly work out as they are all over the place! I traded them back in for far less than I paid....got tired of storing them. Had I known I was going to get like $15 for them, still sealed, I would have just sold them here.

 

Is the 33 rpm version with the Pallas sticker with rounded corners on the sticker Steve's pressing?

When I bought my 45rpm pressing it wasn't Steve's pressing. I now see the 33rpm's version mentioned above and will buy it if it is the correct one.

I never play the 45rpm version I have due to poor sound? It doesn't say pressed at pallas. Album number on the hype sticker for the 45rpm version I have is 4362 49793 4. I am in Canada and looked all over at the time for a pallas 45rpm version.

The 33rpm's pallas version will do fine if it is Steve's pressing.