jethro tull BENEFIT U.S. pressing error....can someone detail exactly what was wrong?

is it possible that only ones cut at certain plants had the phase issues?

 

I suppose its possible... but frankly, I've never heard any US pressing that sounds as clean as the UK. I've had a number of them too.

I mentioned before - the US in my opinion is really not problematic. It has a different track listing. Both the US and UK are similar in that the album does not have much low end (like Aqualung). For any fan of this LP both versions are worth having.

 

which UK pressing should i look for?

don't want to break the bank, but would like a good UK pressing that sounds decent with the original order, etc

 

Any green UK Chrysalis. The originals were cut by Polydor and use the standard A// B// matrices. The label also had the island label white 'i' logo at 12 o'clock.

The second cuttings were cut for EMI and use a #U matrix - but have no 'i' just the green butterfly label. They sound extremely close. Later mid 70's UK Chrysalis copies have hand scribed matrices and sound great too. The sonics present with a little less 'weight' than the first two aforementioned cuttings but are for otherwise hard to distinguish sonically.

This is not an audiophile album no matter what. The average joe on the street would probably not recognize much difference between any of these, US or UK. Just us nerds.

 

cool, thanks raunch. I love this album so much that a country of origin first pressing wouldn't be out of the question at a reasonable price

 

Here's a few clips from my Reprise copy:

side 1 - deadwax shows 31051-1, with the Artisan stamp

track 1: DivShare File - JT_B_track1.flac
track 2: DivShare File - JT_B_track2.flac
track 3: DivShare File - JT_B_track3.flac

Listening to this closely today, the only track that seems to have any phase issues is track 2 - and it's very slight. I'm only hearing the slightest error when folding to mono. Everything else on this side sounds dead-on.

Of course, this doesn't speak to the overall sound quality. I've never heard a proper UK vinyl copy to compare against, but this thread has piqued my curiosity. This record is an old favorite of mine - perhaps I should get used to the UK track sequence.

 

is that a tan reprise copy?

 

Orange/tan - "2-tone" style label.

 

what are you listening for when folding to mono?

i want to try this, and compare my WLP to my solid tan copy, and then my green chrysalis US copy.

what's a good song and what part of that song?

 

I'd pick any track from side one of the Reprise version, as this is the side reported to have the phase issue...

I'm assuming that the "phase issues" mentioned in this thread are referring to a playback misalignment from the master tape. The tell-tale signs of this would be an overall loss of high frequency definition, made noticeably more severe when played in mono (out-of-phase signals canceling each other out).

Pay close attention to sonic elements mixed to the center - particularly high frequency details: cymbals, vocal sibilants, acoustic guitars etc. Then compare the same musical passage when folded to mono. If there's a playback misalignment during mastering, the highs will sound distinctly muted and "off" sounding.

The easiest way to check for this is to use your amp's mono/stereo switch, and alternate between modes while the track is playing (unfortunately most modern equipment no longer has such a switch). So, your results may vary of course...

 

cool
my marantz has a mono/stereo switch, i'm gonna compare my 3 copies

 

Hi, new here and I know this is an old thread, but I just purchased "Benefit" from Half Price Books for $3.99. I have it already, but my previously purchased copy was pretty rough, so I bought this one. It's Chrysalis version. I played side Side 1 before work today, it sounded very clean. When I got home from work I flipped it and as I walked away expecting to hear "To Cry You A Song" I heard something else altogether. I was like HUH? I used SoundHound and identified what was playing as Paul Williams. For a moment I thought 2 records might be stuck together, but that is not the case. The label says Jethro Tull - Benefit Side 2, but it sure isn't.

Has anyone ever run across this?! I have never experienced something like this. So weird.

 

Pressing error. Happens now and then (for instance, we had a thread here about someone buying a copy of Dark Side Of The Moon where the music on side one was Kenny Rogers) although I have yet to come across one.

 

EW! That would have been an even more tragic circumstance. I guess someone was asleep at the conveyor belt.

 

An oddity, but not unknown. Every now and then a wrong stamper got installed and a few finished records slipped out undetected.

 

I just found a copy of a white label promo with the Artisan stampers described earlier. Only had the chance to listen to it briefly last night, but it does not seem to have the phase problem (while my other non-Artisan Reprise copy certainly does). Next question is how many stock copies exist with the Artisan stampers.

 

I have seen a few Artisan stock Reprise copies over the last few months, bought one today and can confirm side one is fine.

The other stock Reprise I own (which I believe was pressed at Columbia's Terre Haute plant judging from the "T" in both sides matrix, and does not have the Artisan symbol) has the bad side one.

 

RE "jethro tull BENEFIT U.S. pressing error....can someone detail exactly what was wrong?"

The biplane on the back cover was printed upside down

 

How does the UK pressing compare to last hear's RSD release? I bought one that day and wondered if I'd even G&T a copy and here we are five months out and I still see copies in stores. I misunderstood the number of interested buyers and it was my first JT album I heard and subsequently owned. Some days it's even my favorite album by the band.
Usually the day I'm playing it.

 

I don't know why, but I find this to be quite hilarious.

 

Album covers can be fun too. I once saw someone advertize a Copy of Buckingham/Nicks'
'S/T' LP with the Gatefold Cover. Inside the Gatefold was a Amazingly Pristine Picture of...
Richard and Karen Carpenter.

 

Not sure how to dig up the photo someone posted here, but you can tell from looking at the vinyl that side one is a very different album from Dark Side!

 

I have the Tan US Reprise (one colour) and I yes, did a comparison with my Green Island Chrysalis A2/B1 - Ian's voice is dead centre on the UK, whereas it's hard to pinpoint on the US - tends to float towards the left. Saying that, the US Reprise isn't that bad sounding (it's not a great sounding record anyway). The US also has an alternative track 3 to the UK on side one (Inside, as this track is on side 2 of the UK LP instead of 'Teacher' - the US is missing 'Alive and Well and Living In') - overall however, the Green UK Chrysalis is a better listen - better bass and a more balanced sound overall, the US reprise is a little lightweight in comparison.

 

Exactly.

 

Sounds like you have one of the bad Columbia/Terre Haute pressed copies. The Artisan pressings sound better.