Just listening to my -2/-1 U.K. abbey road now. It is in amazing condition apart from where some dunderheaded idiot must have nudged their tone arm across sun king/mr mustard. I’ve tried to find a replacement, same matrix, but I’ve not come across another that sounds this good. It’s not even subtlety better, it is by far the best I’ve ever heard abbey road. So I’m stuck with an amazing “hot stamper” with a few minutes of really annoying pops!
I thought the Pathe Marconi was -2/-1 and the 70s UK were -4/-3. I have a mid seventies UK that is -4/-3
It depends upon who you ask. There’s an internet seller (Tom Port - Better Records) who uses and coined the term but in his case it really means “hot pressing”. He tests a whole bunch of a particular and finds the one(s) which are “better” than the others. But it’s generally not a random search; he has a pretty got idea which lacquers from which countries have a chance of being great. People poo-poo the notion - largely because his prices are exorbitant - but I personally have zero doubt if you listen to 10 copies of a particular album of similar provenance, you’ll find a copy(s) which are just a little better for whatever reasons (record production is a imperfect mechanical process and each record is a snowflake of sorts). For those who lack the wherewithall to test a dozen UK copies of Abbey Road or lack the financial resources to pay Tom Port $800 ot whatever for an Abbey Road “hot stamper”, we look for the lacquers that through reputation are the better ones. I personally have a whole bunch of Abbey Road’s on vinyl - a handful of -2/-1 UKs, some later UKs, a UK export copy (something like -2/-3 - can’t recall exactly right now), green UK vinyl export, US Apple, MFSL, Japan Pro-Use, 2009, German (and probably a few I’m not thinking of). The UK Apple -2/-1 has the best balance throughout the mix. It has energy and rocks, yet never sounds forced or tubby (as some do). I’m fortunate to have one I really like which is in almost new condition with vinyl about as quiet as it is going to be.
The 2/1 lacquers were used for some time in the UK. Into at least the mid-70s, I think (someone correct me if I’m wrong). And the Pathe Marconi’s are mid-70s pressings. The point is they were apparently using mothers/stampers from the same original lacquers at Pathe Marconi in ‘74 (or whenever) as EMI did from ‘69 until whenever. Read what I wrote above. Don’t worry about when it was pressed. The answer is mostly in the deadwax matrices, not the label or the supposed date it was pressed (don’t trust Discogs on dates - particularly for vinyl era represses).
Well explained above, just to clarify in this case I was using the term with my tongue firmly placed in my cheek
Original UK copies were -2/-1 to begin with, my French Pathe Marconi isn't a -2/-1 from memory (will have to check), but I understand that French -2/-1 pressings exist (stated earlier in this thread). My French copy is 'banded' i.e. there are visible track gaps, so it's a different cut. The -4/-3 was cut by Harry Moss and dates from 1976 - I tend to lean towards this one as although it's not as warm as the -2/-1, for me it's a little more 'hi-fi'. A while back I did a shootout between the several pressings I own (or owned at the time!) - it will be on the forum here somewhere!
As I already said, -2/-1 French pressings DO exist so I don't understand the point of your post. My French Pathe Marconi pressing is NOT a -2/-1 and does also exist as it is clearly a different cut with 'bands' where the tracks start and end.
the Side 1 "-4" was cut by Harry Moss, there's just no signature - I don't know who cut the side 2 "-2" - the first pressing with HTM cuts on both sides is the (1976) -4/-3. The variants I own are a -2/-1, -2/-2 and the 4-/-3. There is at least one more HTM cut from 1981, but I personally don't own that one.
Yep, Side 1 -4 cut by Moss at Abbey Road Studios in late 1975. Side 2 with -2 or -2U cut by Malcolm Davies at The Beatles' Apple Studios in Savile Row as part of the original 2 pairs of production lacquers. Interesting that Apple were cutting Beatles records on the Neumann system before EMI, which followed a year later.
Thanks for this! This was very helpful in my decision on what to get. I’ve never owned a copy of Abbey Road, I just bought The Beatles Mono box and am now looking for the remaining albums that don’t have mono mixes but I will also be wanting stereo copy of The White Album. I was able to snag a supposedly mint copy of this (I know there’s no such thing as a used mint record) but the seller assured me it’s a great copy so I’m very excited to hear it! Probably going to order the let it be and white album from this series as well and I guess any other Stereo mixes that tickle my fancy although I do prefer mono for most of their catalog.
I've listened again to both the -2/-1 and the HTM -4/-3, and I'm leaning towards the latter - for me it's slightly more balanced and more 'hi-fi' - nothing wrong with the more well-rounded sounding -2/-1 but my vote is very much leaning toward the -4/-3 as my 'go-to' edition.
I have both the MoFi pressing and the US tan Apple pressing. (If I told you what I paid for the MoFi, you wouldn't believe me.)
OK. As long as it’s the France for UK pressing as sold in the UK. The France for France pressing has the first note cut off 'Come Together'. Let me know what you think of it.
I heard the new White Album remix at a friend's house recently - it sounds stunning if you're not looking for the original stereo mix.
Any opinions on the 1978 UK Green pressing of Abbey Road? I’ve got the 1978 White vinyl pressing of Let It Be and it’s outstanding. Even better than a 2U/2U first pressing.
Yeah the new mix is really nice and the sound on the vinyl release is great. The Esher Demos were a real surprise, I had heard a lot of the bootlegs and thought that was what I should expect sound quality wise but they sounded fantastic! But yeah I’m looking to get the original stereo mix, that’s an album that’s very fun to compare being that that’s the album The Beatles made more of an effort to explore stereo on so jumping around on those three mixes is interesting. I personally prefer the mono over anything, The stereo mixes have their moments but as a whole I think the mono has the best flow and consistency as far as solid mixes. I prefer the new stereo to the old one for the majority of it but there’s a few that I really don’t care for and find distracting.
I have the MoFi, bought it new for like 25 bucks. I like it, but after reading this thread it seems there are pressings that are so much better. Can only imagine...
It's all a matter of opinion and what each listener is focusing in on. I own quite a few copies and I think that the MFSL falls within the top three sounding. One that really surprised me which i cleaned up and put on just the other day is the French, Pathe Marconi pressing...it sounds much better than I remember thinking it did. Nice, rich low end, smooth high's...but the MFSL has one of the best balances of both worlds, IMO. It's funny how people like to find things wrong with it these days...when it first came out in the late 70's it was considered a "revelation.
I enjoy it also. I think people have said there is too much bottom. Frankly, I'm not enough of a Beatles fanatic to go seeking something supposedly "better" sounding. Life is too short...
