Led Zeppelin II RL-Which pressing sounds best?

Is your conclusion from a comparison made between an US RL and an UK plum A2/B2?

 

Interesting. I found some further info on my particular copy of LZ2. It comes from a fellow user here in a very old thread. His name is ACFAD, and is as follows:


I found an unusual (I think) early UK copy of Led Zeppelin 2 today:

It has:

- First UK cover.
- Red/plum labels with the 'The Lemon Song' variation printed on side 1. and 'Livin' Lovin' Maid (She's a Woman)' on Side 2. The labels are the same (including layout and font etc.) as another A2/B2 early UK pressing that I have and have 'Made in Gt.Britain' and 'Polydor Records Limited' as per original.

This is where it gets a bit interesting:
- The pressing is not a UK polydor pressing as per usual original UK pressings, it's much heavier and has a depression in the label area similar to UK Pye pressings.
- Matix numbers are hand written (not stamped as per usual red/plum pressings) and are side 1: 588-198 - A with a small KT elsewhere around the dead wax; and side 2: 588-198 - B (the second 8 is a replacement for a 9 that has been crossed out) also with a small KT.

Sounds pretty good but I haven't done a good comparison between others that I have yet.

Does anyone know more about what I have found? I assume that it is not common - I'm guessing a contract pressing of some sort. Any info. would be much appreciated....I have no idea how it found its way over to this part of the word.

↑
something like this?
http://www.popsike.com/LED-ZEPPELIN-II-PLUMORANGE-ATLANTIC-588198-LEMON-SONG/220572689027.html
That would be the one! Thanks for that - listing does not mention the 5cm (or 2ish inch) diameter depression in the label.

I have now done a bit of a quick comparison with a UK A2/B2 and a US RL. I think that it's better that the A2/B2, if anything a bit more bass than the RL (believe it or not!). Hasn't quite got the sublime top end of the RL though.

Well worth picking up if you stumble across one - it's closer to the RL than the A2/B2 on an initial listen. I think that I would be happy with either but I need to listen more. It would be great to know more about it!


Yes , I would like to know more about it as well! Seems I might not be that far off the elusive RL sound with what I already have.

 

I entirely agree with Giorgio - a UK plum and a RL are virtually identical - the RL maybe just a tiny, tiny bit more 'heavy' in the bass dept.

I have a UK A2 B2 Lemon Song (but not LL Wreck) LZ2 in EX cond and a RL SS on both sides MO copy also in EX cond (thank goodness).

When I first got the RL I did an A/B with the UK plum I have had for years, of the whole of side 1 and then the whole of side 2. Just so as could get a feel for the whole thing rather than just cherry picking various "bassy" bits. I immediately heard that it was very similar to the UK plum I was familiar with.

I only got the RL so as a friend in the US could stop agonising over whether to get a UK plum as well as or instead of an RL- I told him not to worry about the plum.

Both are thunderously loud (on my system) both have pronounced bass (when JPJ comes in in you know about it) and both are clear but not toppy.

If you have an RL or a plum IMO you don't need both (unless you are a poor hopeless collector like me who has to have both )

 

Easy E,

Thats good and interesting to know. Interesting because from the comments in this thread and elsewhere you would swear its a night and day difference. Maybe the condition of the record plays into it as well, along with other factors. the 588198A KT,588198B KT (with the crossed out 9, with a 8 in its place on side 2) is one pressing there is very little info about. Id like to hear from anyone else that has one...

 

I'm guessing the "KT" in the deadwax is the UK tax code EMI, Decca and Philips used starting 1963. From what I've read this was only used through 1968 which is odd considering LZII came out in October 1969.

 

Thanks Blackie!
The mystery deepens

 

I thought the KT tax code was usually on the label as raised lettering rather than in the deadwax? That's the way my Sgt Peppers is.

 

On my plum zep2, its in the deadwax. I originally was thinking its probably initials of the mastering engineer, but could easily be something else. just intrigues me, if you want info etc on a RL or UK a3/b3, its everywhere. This one, almost nothing, though they are around for sale.

 

http://everyrecordtellsastory.com/2...uy/led-zep-ii-livin-lovin-maid-plum-uk-label/

The regular Led Zeppelin II with Livin' Lovin' Maid.

http://collectorsfrenzy.com/details...GINAL_RARER_CONTRACT_PRESS_KT_CODE_LEMON_SONG

This one might be yours.

 

Thank you very much Dave!
That pretty much says it all, sums it right up. $163.00 it went for ! Seems a little steep.
At least I know its origin and history now. Excellent, thanks.
I also know that Im not that far off an RL, I think, that I need to go to the trouble and $$ of hunting one down.

 

http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/led-zeppelin-ii-rl-collector-greed.318478/page-14

Some interesting info here - don't know if the Bob Ludwig connection is true or not. This variant might not be as rare as the seller makes out. It pays to word your ebay sale right.

 

Yes it is interesting, thanks again.
I lose interest when we start looking at waveforms and heat charts and stuff, I understand all that stuff very well, but its micro detail , ears are the better guide. Im going to hang on to my 588198 A/B. Its in VG plus condition and does the job.

 

Well I didnt hear night and day at all - Iwas expecting to and when I got through it al I was - "Huh whats all the fuss about".
Admittedly a UK plum is expensive and not common in the States and theoretically a RL SS LZ2 could to be more commonly discovered in a US store.
This may be the contributing factor to its popularity, especially here, that and its ranking as 'better' than the British one gives it a lot of street cred.

 

I've compared the A2/B2 plum and it sounds a generation removed from the 1A/1A RL cut. It lacks the clarity and sparkle of the latter.

 

Fair enough hvbias. There is also another uk though , the plum 588198 KT. Seems it sits somewhere between the RL and plum A2/B2 seems some here think.

 

I was alone...Thanks for your feedback

 

Your collection is so good I think you would know what is what!

 

My same feelings

 

I currently own (2) Monarch Pressings of Led Zeppelin II. One is the RL cut in which I purchased the first day LZII came out in October of 1969 and a 1977 repressing of the George Piros version. Both are excellent in their own ways. After listening two both copies extensively, I would have to say that they are close but still somewhat different. The RL version has more "in your face" drum snap and bass. The GP version is a hot cutting but somewhat less snappy in songs like Heartbreaker and Moby Dick. If you like snappy, get the RL. If you like somewhat smoother sound, then go for the AT@GP on the reissue. Either way you are a winner.

 

The CTH RL side one and LH side two is my go to copy.

 

I recently came across the following;

quote;
ALL copies of Led Zeppelin II are mastered by Robert Ludwig, ALL of them......Robert Ludwig Mastered Led Zeppelin II,,,
except the CD's and remastered 200gram copies...
The only pressings which have his initials on them are the ones which were first pressings, Sterling Sound is where Led Zeppelin II was mastered by Robert Ludwig when he was a staff mastering engineer for Sterling Sound back then, he also did Houses of the Holy,,,


Is this true?

 

No

 

lol.

Well, I guess if its on the interwebz than it must be true....

 

I don't know where else to find info regarding Led Zeppelin II RL pressings at the moment.

 

What you really want are the RL pressings that were made before lunch. After lunch the attendants at the plant would sometimes slack off and not pay as close attention to the machinery; also pressings from Tuesday - Thursdays are preferred, as Mondays the technicians were often still hungover from the weekend, and Fridays were full of distractions and rushing to make the weekly quotas.