I will say that looking at my 6 LPs over this weekend, I can tell you that: Doug Sax cut multiple versions of the laquer, I spent time looking, and while his 8s are quite distinct, further observations made it clear that he has cut at least 2 copies of the 1st side of the LP, as some of the loops in the top portion of his 8s are completed and some are open , and look like a wrench. This isn't much of a surprise but it does mean that mutiple parts were made from 71-73 as these are all on the Black Decca label. Perhaps he cut them all in 71, who knows. and after cleaning the German vinyl (side one Sax cut), which after a cleaning is playing NM, I have cued it up and level matched it to Steve's CD to compare the two. -Steve's CD has better mid range, and a great airy sound. It sounds natural and not "digital" or cold. -I like the LPs Low end sound better: the sound of Moon and the OX, sound a lot different, even though from what we know it is the same tape. A Good example is the absolutely gorgeous sound of the piano 2/3 of the way through "Song is Over" on Steve's CD. It sounds real, poignant and uplifting, just like Nicky Hopkins should sound. Yet at the same time when Entwhistle plays for the last 40 seconds, the LP clearly captures what he was doing better. Perhaps the A>D converters of the mid 80s didn't deliver low end as convincingly, as they possibly could now. But the tapes have more than likely suffered in the past 24 years. Bottom line I like both. More on the deadwax stuff soon. C
More tidbits: The earlier West Coast copies I have Have a shorepak credit on the bottom right corner of the rear jacket. For instance my copy that is plain W 2 on both sides has the credit, as does my W-2 x , W-2 copy, later copies and East coast copies don't. Also the Font and colors are slighlty different on an east cost press. The black on the label is more grey on the East coast pressings. Lastly the plates also have a tally section, away from the rest of the dead wax, were it reads: 2 then scratch sheet style numbering ie IIII some followed by what looks like a wide U, but more like a smiley face without eyes.
I don't have a German copy, but if it is anything like my Decca copy, there's a *huge* difference in EQ between the LP and Steve's CD. That's got a lot more to do with it than A/D converters or tape condition.
Noted today: there are Doug Sax W3 pressings that use his stampers but presed in Capitol's Hollywood * factory. Was on the original Black/Rainbow Decca Label. I could have picked it up but I already have about 6-7 copies too many that I need to sell C
OK so I picked this up tonight, what do I have here? The Who - Who's Next - Track Deluxe 2408 102 pinched upper and lower spine Print on back cover says's marketed by Polydor - Sleeve made by Mcneill Press Ltd. London, S.E.1 Sticker on back cover says Made in England Disc label - Made In Gt Britain Matrix#'s all machine stamped except for hand written Bilbo's forward or backward to the numbers. Exact sequence is Side 1 - 2408102 A#4 420 03 obliB 13 1 Side 2 - 2408102 B#3 420 05 11 7 Bilbo I guess I'm still a little confused with all the info here on this thread. I will say that this sounds pretty darn nice whatever pressing it is. I do have other pressings of this and but I am always a sucker for finding a minty Track Label or Decca Who's Next for cheap. Thanks for any help
I think your copy should be a "Bilbo" mastered pressing mastered from a dub of the master tape. I have listened to a copy of this and it sounds nice and well balanced. The very first UK run pressed from a Doug Sax lacquer (see my very first post on this thread) sounds a grade better, however.
Thanks! That's what I thought too! Based off what I read, but I wasn't really sure. I was hoping you would answer me as your the man for "Who's Next" on vinyl. Thanks again!
This past year I've been collecting various pressings and doing some shootouts and here's my impressions from best to worst. 1. UK Track Deluxe 2408 102 A//4 & B//4 stampers: Great solid rocking sound with big ballsy guitar, nice dynamic contrasts and realistic ambiance, this is the best version I've heard to date. 2. Classic Records 200g 2nd Track cat# reissue: Sounds quite good, similar to the above but the (very minor) shortcoming are that the guitar lacks some grunt, the drums don't have the same impact and the tape hiss is definitely more pronounced. 3. US black label MCA W1 & W1 stampers: Decent sound but the top and bottom end are rolled off creating a bit of a midrangey sound and the vinyl quality is pretty typical for a 70's US pressing. 4. US Decca W1-2 & W1-2 stampers: Again decent sound but compared to the others there is a definite hazy and distant quality to the sound with a real lack of slam and ambiance. I have yet to hear is a UK 1st pressing though...
Here is an addendum to my original post: I have recently discovered that the very FIRST GERMAN pressing was also cut by Doug Sax, as evidenced by his handwritten cat. no. on both sides of the dead wax and the date code of the inner sleeve, showing that the lacquer used was cut around the same time as the lacquer used for the first run of the US pressing and the first run of the UK pressing. Although the handwritten cat. no. of the US, UK and German first runs are obviously of the same person (Doug Sax), it is apparent that they were separate lacquers, as they are not exactly the same. In other words, same handwriting, same letters and numbers, but not the same, meaning 3 separate lacquers. Also, judging from the date code and release dates, those 3 lacquers must have been cut around the same time. I would not be surprised if they were cut all on the same day or session. Please note that there are AT LEAST 2 different German pressings I have seen thus far, and only the very first pressing had Mr. Sax's etchings on the dead wax. The pressing that I have seen (and listened to, BTW, prior to selling it to a Forum friend) has the laminated cover and the early 70's Polydor label on a thick vinyl. The sound, BTW, is very similar to the UK 1st pressing that I rave about. This German 1st may be a cheaper alternative to the UK 1st. I am pretty sure that this one Buy-It-Now item currently on eBay (with the seller located in California) is the German 1st, but YOU SHOULD CONFIRM the dead wax with the seller, if you are interested. There are also a couple of other items on eBay but at least one of them is a later German pressing. Good hunting!
Interesting, I have a one sided German Sax cut, that I mentioned in the spring. Sounds great. Also there are various Doug Sax cuttings just within the West Coast Decca's I have owned, also mentioned above. C
Love this record. I have two copies. My brother's old scratched up hand-me-down original DECCA and a blue sky MCA re-issue that I got in the early 80s. I just compared them and even with the scratches the old DECCA release makes the MCA re-issue sound like I draped a towel over my speakers. Less surface noise, though.
I found an MCA rainbow label today with side one mastered by Doug Sax. The deawax reads: MG7-12888-W1-2 MG7-12889-W1- The second side is clearly not Doug Sax's handwriting. It's spaced out farther. I swear I've seen the handwriting before, but not sure where or whose it is. The good news is that it's in beautiful shape, and it was only $1!
After literally years of searching, I FINALLY found a minty W1-W1 Decca today at the monthly OC record show. The etched handwriting of the MG7-12888-W1 on side 1 and the MG7-12889-W1 on side two is the same. Sonically, this w1/w1 is a significant step up from the Decca W2's. I will have to pull out my Classic and Track, but I would not be surprised if it edges them out too.
Congrats! It should stand up favorably to your Classic reissue, let us know what you find. My main problem withe the US copies isn't the mastering but the inferior vinyl they used (especially the later MCAs). What are the matrices on your Track copy? Since I last posted I've acquired copies that have A1, A3 & A4 for side one and B2, B3 & B4 for side two and they all sound different!
The revival of this thread got me to go seek out, and throw a Classic 180gram copy on my Acoustic Sounds wish list...thanks !
I think the Classic only came in two flavours - 150gm and 200gms. To confuse matters further, I think other Classic Records Who titles came out at 140gms and 200gms! I am happy to be corrected if I've got this wrong.
Yesterday I came across a US black label Decca with W1 (side 1) and W1-2 stampers, to add to my W2 and W3 copies... Am I understanding correctly that even these earliest Doug Sax pressings have the high-end limiting and mids rolled off that Steve described further down this page? I'm mainly interested in the provenance, because they all sound good to me.
That's what I had wondered after digging through all the WN threads. Not sure about the writing on mine, but it's numbered 3 and 4.
