For whatever reason, Since I've Been Loving You is one of my top 10 favorite songs of all time. Is the version on the A5/B5 of III worth the price of admission? If so I will happily pay it.
I listened to my copy of III for the first time in years the other day and it sounded rather bland. This is my release: Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin III Is there a better sounding US pressing I can get for under $50?
I have a "DCE" pressing that is my favorite of the US versions I have heard. I know people slag on the digital Page remasters, but IMO for LZIII you can do a lot worse than 2014 reissue.
You need to be careful with US pressings of LZ III...Matrix info and label codes can take you down a frustrating path. Stampers were pushed well past their limits and there are truck loads of weak sounding copies. I agree with @Echoes Myron, the US DCE is a fine sounding pressing. This variety was pressed at the Decca plant in Gloversville NY for a short time in 1970 and 1971? They may have escaped the weak stamper dilemma. I also have a Presswell (label) that sounds a bit more robust than the DCE, but it must have been pressed early in the ballgame. I also have an early Monarch and an RI that sound lifeless. My opinion...The Classic Records pressing of III is fun, but a little too boosted for my ears. The red label Canadian is nice, but not my favorite. I had a UK A5/B5 for a short time, but unfortunately it had loads of surface noise.
Thanks guys, I'll look for an early DCE or maybe a 2014 remaster. III is my least favorite of the first six albums so I don't mind a digital copy if it's the cheapest.
I have that exact copy, and it's probably as good as it gets from US pressings. It's hard to say when they were pressed except the label change and maybe the inner. Yours might have been pressed a year or two after initial release. My 1st press Presswell is great, right up with my Monarch of the same vintage. I generally prefer the Canadian and the UK but I'm happy when I spin the US 1st Presswell and Monarch. So answer your question, perhaps these DCE copies will be good if they didn't press a whole lot but US copies won't sound too much better. I started out with a beat up LY and it was not anything to write home about. The Piros cuts of LZIII aren't as good as LZI, II and HOTH, but they're decent sounding.
Just saw where Acoustic Sounds is offering a used road case for $10,000 (no coupons allowed, but free shipping): Led Zeppelin-Led Zeppelin--Classic Records Road Case-Preowned Vinyl Box Sets|Acoustic Sounds Seems a little high, but I bet that they they sell it.
with the King Curtis and Kingpins version on the b side. Also stereo. Mastered by the great George Piros!
Looking forward to cleaning these and blasting them away. The mono fold downs are easy to get. The stereos, not so easy to find I think. I am guessing these were mastered hot, from a fresh tape.
For me, overall, the 1977 double sided George Piros version is the best balanced overall version of this out there. Yes, I love the RL, however, I think the GP is the one that sounds closest to what was intended. For what it's worth.
The 2014 copy III is simply superb. You’ll never need another copy and the fact it isn’t expensive seals the deal in my view.
A friend asked me if this was an authentic RL pressing. I have doubts. What do you guys think? Led Zeppelin ll Atlantic 1969 presswell pressing variant 2 matrix play grade NM! | eBay
Not even a photo with the signature "RL" ... All the early PR copies of this album I've seen have narrowed dead wax on side 2, here it's very wide instead ... FWIK, the original RL copies have matrices ending with the first three letters of the alphabet, such as "A", "B", the highest I have seen is at most "C", these are "N" .. . That inner is definitely not an original from '69 ... ... uhmmm ... I would pass by this copy ...just my two cents.
