Sinatra / Capitol Sound Quality and General Discussion: "Nice 'n' Easy" - 1960*

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by MLutthans, Jun 19, 2010.

  1. MLutthans

    MLutthans That's my spaghetti, Chewbacca! Staff Thread Starter

    Here's an odd fact:

    Currently, on Ebay (internationally), there are 236 copies of the Nice 'n' Easy album, in all formats (LP, reel, cassette, CD). 79 of those copies are this MFP reissue edition:
    R-5837214-1503444621-7768.jpeg.jpg
    That's fully one third of all copies of any format.

    FWIW, I have seen two copies of this in person. Both were pressed from USA stampers.
     
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  2. McLover

    McLover Senior Member

    This is why I drive 50 miles, go dig through used record shop and thrift shop crates, when I am uncomfortable, stiff from spasticity, and tired when I get home. Good music, good food, and good drink, and I have the will to adapt to what life throws at me, have the will to go on and do the best I can, whatever physical challenges and adversity dish out, and shadowbox to Frank Sinatra. And keep on going. Frank was a survivor and so am I, tough to the last man. Music heals me, eggs me on, keeps me motivated to move and exercise when I don't want to. McLover does not quit!! He does it his Way!
     
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  3. MLutthans

    MLutthans That's my spaghetti, Chewbacca! Staff Thread Starter

    Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, please:

    On UK pressings, a 1N matrix = UK metal parts, from dub tapes, i.e.:
    1N.jpg
    (mono LP, above)
    I have several 1960s UK LPs that are 1S, 1U, 1N, etc. Sound on UK Capitol stuff of the era with codes along these lines is pretty unimpressive.

    On the other hand, cuts that end with the number, i.e, D21, A16, N6, W14 -- those are USA stampers, right? We went through a little of this on the ONLY THE LONELY survey via pressings highlighted in another thread:
    [​IMG]
    Only the Lonely chat:
    [​IMG]
    Continue reading beyond that linked post at your own risk! Lots of input and confusion there.

    Anyway, back to UK Nice 'n' Easy stereo pressings:
    Winchester.jpg
    Above is what appears to be a US-for-UK pressing, complete with "Winchester Rifle" in the upper left corner (hard to see, but there).
    s-l1600-270.jpg
    Above: A USA-Columbia-Contract-Work-for-UK pressing???????? Weird.
    n8.jpg
    Above: N8 USA metalwork, pressed in UK, c. 1969.
    N7.jpg
    Above: N7 USA metalwork, pressed in UK, earlier issue.

    Correct? @W.B. -- sorry to pester you, but perhaps you can shed some light on this anew. Thanks.
     
    Last edited: Jan 31, 2018
  4. MMM

    MMM Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    Lodi, New Jersey
    It should be from US cut lacquers...the difference in the dead area info font should be due to it being applied in the UK, and use of their own stamping there.
     
  5. MLutthans

    MLutthans That's my spaghetti, Chewbacca! Staff Thread Starter

    Agreed -- but what do I know! :laugh:
     
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  6. McLover

    McLover Senior Member

    US pressing for UK Sale orange label. 1973 era, EMI was selling more records than they had pressing capacity. They began building a new plant, but had to expand it. So, some records were sourced from France and from the USA until their new plant was in full production, also EMI began thinning down their back catalog.
     
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  7. MLutthans

    MLutthans That's my spaghetti, Chewbacca! Staff Thread Starter

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  8. .crystalised.

    .crystalised. Forum Resident

    Location:
    Edmonton
    Out of curiosity, what's your preferred sample rate and bitrate for tape dubs? I'd be curious to see spek results from this tape. I've never bothered transferring my copy to digital (I enjoy it on the tape) but I suspect there's a lot of ultrasonic energy there. That tape is emotionally involving.
     
    Last edited: Mar 14, 2018
  9. MLutthans

    MLutthans That's my spaghetti, Chewbacca! Staff Thread Starter

    This particular transfer was done quick-and-dirty, 16/44.1. (I think that's right...I just reopened the same file I had used 7 years ago for side one, and continued recording. I didn't even check. I know that I exported the clips at 16/44.1 for uploading.)
     
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  10. .crystalised.

    .crystalised. Forum Resident

    Location:
    Edmonton
    My HD soundcard has the unfortunate condition of belonging to my basement PC, while my hi-fi is upstairs in the living room. For that reason, most of the time I also post quick and dirty needledrops using my laptop. It can only do 48/24 at most and there is a lot of internal noise. I just can't bring myself to haul the tape machine downstairs, or to bring the computer, monitor, keyboard and mouse upstairs.
     
  11. MLutthans

    MLutthans That's my spaghetti, Chewbacca! Staff Thread Starter

    I hauled my Tandberg R-ro-R out to the living room last night to transfer side two, so I get where you are coming from.
     
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  12. .crystalised.

    .crystalised. Forum Resident

    Location:
    Edmonton
    From what I can tell though, your copy sounds less worn than mine. It's a good transfer.

    It's a great tape. Really one of the best sounding prerecorded titles in my collection. Beats some of half-tracks and is better than most of the other quarter tracks.
     
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  13. MLutthans

    MLutthans That's my spaghetti, Chewbacca! Staff Thread Starter

    The official 1984 EMI Netherlands DMM releases all have 038 in the catalog number.
     
  14. johnnytheg

    johnnytheg Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brooklyn. NY, USA
    Ugh! The links to the analysis of this amazing album are gone. Can I find the results anywhere else?
     
  15. MLutthans

    MLutthans That's my spaghetti, Chewbacca! Staff Thread Starter

    I have begun an update. Check back in a week or two.
     
  16. johnnytheg

    johnnytheg Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brooklyn. NY, USA
    Fantastic! Thanks. I can't wait.
     
  17. mahanusafa02

    mahanusafa02 Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    Matt, I've got a copy of this...do you need clips from it?
     
  18. MLutthans

    MLutthans That's my spaghetti, Chewbacca! Staff Thread Starter

    Sure! Thank you.
     
  19. mahanusafa02

    mahanusafa02 Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    I hope it sounds better than its alternate cover looks, but I'm not holding my breath...
     
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  20. Beaneydave

    Beaneydave Forum Resident

    Just picked up a uk copy w1417
    Stamped W1 1417-IN side one
    W21417-2N
    Rainbow label . Is this any good is it stereo or mono?
    Anyone?

    Many thanks
    Peace and love✌
     
  21. MLutthans

    MLutthans That's my spaghetti, Chewbacca! Staff Thread Starter

    Since there's no "S" in the prefix, it's mono, and since it's 1N as opposed to N1, it will be cut from UK dub tapes. (N1 would mean it's cut from US dub tapes in NYC.) In my limited experience with other UK LPs that have the 1N 1S or 1U matrix, they are not very impressive, but there may be exceptions. As far as good or bad goes, that's in the ear of the beholder, but its sourcing is not optimal. (Some disks whose sourcing *is* optimal sound poor, so who knows? Have a listen and report back.)
     
  22. Beaneydave

    Beaneydave Forum Resident

    Thanks for taking the time to reply Matt.
    I know you spend a lot of time on all this !
    Sounds very good for a 58 year old LP.
    Nice and warm a nice listen, will have to compere with my Stereo vinyl ( from the His Greatest Years 6 lp box set) at some point.
    Also picked up a uk Songs For Swingin Lovers
    Rainbow label W1653-2N side one
    W2653-IN side two
    Sounds very nice too but the cover has Frank looking left ( the original art work he looks old on it!) which I thought was on US copies only - I assume this can’t be from ‘56 with a rainbow label
    But off to see Stephen Wilson gig tonight but that’s a whole different bag!
    Thanks again


    Peace and love✌
     
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  23. MLutthans

    MLutthans That's my spaghetti, Chewbacca! Staff Thread Starter

    Track layout for the title track (recorded after the bulk of the album):
    Track 1: Trumpets, trombones, rhythm section (except celeste),
    Track 2: Sinatra
    Track 3: Saxes, French Horns, Strings, Harp, Celeste

    For the remaining tracks, including The Nearness of You:
    Track 1: Woodwinds, brass (except trumpet soloist, when used), rhythm section (incl. celeste)
    Track 2: Sinatra
    Track 3: Strings, harp, trumpet solo (when used)

    I'm pretty sure that on Nevertheless, the strings get moved off track 3 during the trumpet solo so as to keep the strings and trumpet soloist separated for remixing.

    This is the second album in a row on which Sinatra's vocal has mono reverb added within the stereo mix. :thumbsdow
     
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  24. MLutthans

    MLutthans That's my spaghetti, Chewbacca! Staff Thread Starter

    I'm about to post a bunch of clips from assorted releases. Anybody able to send me a PM and submit clips I can add? I'd love to include samples from that mono LP.

    While we're here, check out the deal that somebody (not me) recently got (assuming condition was good) on Ebay, from a seller in nearby Kenmore, WA, who clearly didn't quite realize what they had or how to list it:
    Screen shot 2018-04-08 at 2.39.39 AM.jpg Screen shot 2018-04-08 at 2.40.10 AM.png
     
    Last edited: Apr 8, 2018
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  25. Simon A

    Simon A Arrr!

    The mere fact that they wrote Capital Records shows just how clueless the seller is.
     

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