I still haven't come across that double RL Moving Pictures yet, but I cranked up the 200 gram reissue this weekend and it sounded fantastic.
Personally, I'm really getting tired of looking at Signals records for the double RL. I'm pretty sure it exists but I've never seen it in hundreds of tries. Same with ZZ-Top Deguello.
Agree on Deguello but they are out there. I have a few double RL copies. My Signals however only has one side initialled but the second side was clearly cut by Ludwig...same writing. Synchronicity is the same way. I have one copy though, so they do exist.
Well, now I have to drag out my early US pressing of this and see what it is... I believe I remember that copy sounding pretty good too, I'll hafta check. BTW, we probably discussed this earlier in the thread (how long has this thing been going now...?) but I will admit that the one original pressing that honestly sounded bloody awful was Presto. I was quite shocked about how bad it sounded. Very shrill and unlistenable. I must admit that the new remaster, although not mind-blowing or anything, did indeed sound better than the original. I couldn't unload that thing fast enough! (so, that is TWO of the magee remasters now that I have spoken kindly of... )
Ludwig did that a lot in the 80s. Initials on one side. I have a copy of Bryan Ferry’s Boys and Girls, as well as Signals and Synchronicity... RL on one side but clearly his handwriting on both sides.
I have to take a closer look in the deadwax, but it does say on the inner sleeve that it was mastered by Mr. Ludwig. Got mine on the day it was released, so no interest in the reissue, though the reissues I have bought are excellent.
I should also mention that the record club Power Windows has a thin paper sleeve, but the Richmond pressing has a much higher quality, thicker sleeve.
The original CD and the remaster of Presto sounds awful. The original vinyl, while awful, still sounds miles better than the original CD. I just hate the sound of both Presto and Roll The Bones. Songs like "Show Don't Tell" and "Dreamline" would sound so much better without that crappy 80s production (I realize RtB came out in the 90s). I need to get the remaster of both of these as I have heard neither.
Re: Presto Due to some negativity of the original release, I decided to re-explore this puppy. First off I decided to look at the wax and visit Discogs instead of using notes made from years ago. Mastered/cut using the DMM process, which to my ears has always provided a more clinical presentation, albeit very detailed, especially on albums with longer running times. I noticed that while the matrix is all etched...it is unsigned. I also now question if it is RL's handwriting, the top of the "A's" are too sharp compared to some signed RL's I checked. I also see no examples of RL signed copies on Discogs. So, I now suggest the RL notes on the sleeve are for the digital release. Anybody here have a signed one? Anyhoo, after spinning a full side, I did not find it offensive. Clinical? Absolutely, but nicely detailed. Sure I wanted it to sound more like 2112, but it is what it is....a digital release of significant running time crammed onto a format best suited for a max of 42 min.. I would like a press with more bottom end, but not at the sacrifice of detail....like the way the needles on my amp jiggle around. And not saying the new one ain't detailed, I have not heard it. Back to your regular programming.....
I think part of the “problem” with Presto and RTB is that the choice of tones and timbres for the instruments are not deep, full bodied, or “dark”...agreed that that was mostly an 80’s pop approach to the concept of mixing and engineering, searching for a more “translucent” and thinner sound, which really doesn’t benefit our power trio heroes IMO. And it is too bad, because “Show Don’t Tell” would sound 100x better if it was recorded and mixed like, say, “Stick It Out” was. “Presto” is a funky album for me...it took me years to really appreciate the depth of the songwriting and musical construction that’s in there...and still, even acknowledging that, many of the tunes just don’t reach out and grab me. Need to listen to it more I guess. Question: Most of my Rush listening tends to fixate on a particular album at a time, playing it for two to three months straight. Anyone else do that?
Excellent observation, and I would have to agree. I don't know if I had a different pressing than Willie did (could have been a 1st Canadian, I don't remember I got rid of it so fast ) but mine was SERIOUSLY unlistenable. Knowing Willie's excellent ears and taste (well, not him personally, but his taste in sound) I would strongly think that my '1st' pressing that I had was most likely different from his, the way he talks about it. Mine was harsh and STRIDENT, pure and simple. My 'original' of Pressure/Grace was very similar. I think that you are right, though, that during that time, either they or their engineers were deliberately going for a different 'sound', one that in the passage of time I feel does not do justice to their albums of that era. Presto for me personally is kind of like Roll the Bones. I LOVE about 1/2 of each album, but the other half of both leaves me pretty cold. If there was a way to press the best songs of each onto ONE album, I would buy it! And, no... I can't say that I obsess that much over one album where I listen just to that one for months. BUT... what I have done in the past is obsess over getting the 'best' pressing of a certain album of theirs and pursuing it relentlessly, but at the time not terribly intelligently... Like, before I learned a LOT here (mostly from Mr. Slick himself) I impulsively bought like Japanese AND UK pressings of 2112, a 1st Dutch AND a 1st German of AFTK all at once, not knowing really ANYTHING about what the hell I was doing. So, there were a few times where I did obsess like that...
Well stated - Presto is what it is, an album of it's time. I rejected it for many a year, but have come to appreciate it's return to a guitar driven presentation. Moving past what it ain't and connecting to what it is. I have to thank @latheofheaven for my connect as his inquiries made me listen multiple times. . As far as your question. I do not fixate on one title. I worry about burn out.
If your press was a Masterdisk DMM press, I doubt it was much different. What it may come down to is expectations/tolerance/ears/gear. I took the time this morn to look at your system, a lot of tweeters there, in a confined space. Mine is spacious with high ceilings and only one (horn loaded) tweeter. We may just have a different experience being presented to us? But yes, it is an analytical presentation. Anthoo…...
Yeah, I was discussing with one member about RUSH a while back, and Presto was his favourite album by them. I remember when first listening to the FLAC version that I have, it really struck me as an effort to be more of almost a 'New Wave' album. In listening to the songs I was reminded more than once of The Fixx, which is a group I really like. The timings of the guitar and phrasing in a number of instances really reminded me more of a New Wave kind of vibe... You know, I said earlier that I only liked about half of the album, but now that I think about it, I can't honestly remember if it was Presto or rather 1/2 of RTB and 1/2 of Test for Echo. I think I'm remembering that that is was those 2 albums where I felt that only half of each was very good. I believe that I liked more of the actual songwriting of Presto. It still is not one of my favourites by them by a long shot, but I think it was the last one for a while by them where I at least liked a majority of the songs.
Any huge fans of the title might want to seek one out....not sure any other countries got these plates....and they're not pressing 'em anymore after all.
I honestly think by my faith in your description that mine was somehow a different pressing, perhaps just an outlier or something. My towers have only one tweeter per side that is crossed over with one capacitor. The remaining 11 drivers per side consist of 8 upper mids and 3 lower mids ***EDIT (running full range) For example, the UK pressing of Permanent Waves is very 'present' and analytical, but it does indeed sound very 'good' and not strident or bright. Even a better example is my Japanese pressing of Led Zeppelin II. Now, that bugger is ALMOST 'bright' because it is so damn 'Present' it blows your frigg'n PANTS off! As a matter of fact it actually is my 'Go To' for LZII because although EXTREMELY detailed, the dynamics are quite amazing, but it doesn't QUITE come across as 'too bright'. I have a LOT of faith in your opinion and we have many times heard very similar things from the same pressings, so my honest guess is that whatever pressing I had was either a different one from yours or someone was smokin' something at the pressing machines that they shouldn't have when mine came out...
Cool, just don't want to lead you down a path that doesn't work for you. These things ain't cheap after all!
Oh no... not at all mate! If I decide to get Presto again, I would likely try the remaster again (I had bought it once and given it a quick listen, but then returned it right away wanting to get the 'original') So, if I decide that I do indeed like the album enough (and get a good enough price on Amazon) I might snag the remaster again and give it another try. Because although I didn't spend too much time with it, I'm pretty dang sure that it sounded better than the '1st' copy that I happened to get. ***EDIT Thus my earlier complimentary comments about the Presto remaster and the Pressure/Grace remaster
Presto is an odd one for me...a return to the guitar as focus, yet still with an 80's vibe. Far from a fav, but recently gained ground on many after MP for me. Sonics aside.
No, you've never led me down any bad paths... (well, there was that ONE time you took me to the Red Light district... )
