let's talk about our pressing of ALVEAR (Led Zep, AC / DC, CCR, Young ... and others ...)

Hi guys !

For European collectors, "Coda" (Rays mastering)... Greek pressing! Sounds fantastic!





Sounds very hot!
A good deal because there is no need to go further when you have this pressing!
I paid 30,00€ for my copy, unplayed and shipping included! ;-D

Christophe

 

Another interesting discovery, this time from Spain:

Led Zeppelin l...with the short version of "How many more time" (around 3:30)!








I already mentioned its existence a few weeks ago, but it seemed important to me to discuss it here because I know that there are a lot of completists among you!

This Spanish reissue dating from the early 80s is a real enigma.

Where does this tape come from? The sound level is the loudest I have
ever heard as well as the soundstage which is also the widest I have ever heard...just surpassed by its Spanish counterpart cut by Marta Alvear (which has even more depth).


It looks like a working copy in the pre-mastering phase; that is to say as if Jimmy Page (don't forget that he was also the producer of the album) had asked the mastering engineer to cut the album very hard (Hey, that reminds me of something!? ) to find that side B, because of its duration, could not be engraved in its entirety! Maybe Jimmy Page asked the engineer to shorten the song "How many more times" by splitting the version in two with a harmonious fade? Unless it's the engineer's own initiative? Hard to answer?! In any case, the mastering, very powerful with a somewhat dark tone (the original echo seems completely preserved) accredits few mastering movements on this tape (hence this impression of freshness) and gives the impression of a type having slept in a safe for several years. It remains to be seen how and why it arrived in Spain?
Now can I be wrong? Possible that the local engineer (assuming it's a local cut!?) scrupulously respected the common length (about 3:30) frequently seen on the first pressings in circulation and decided to correct the long version of "How many more times" by reducing the duration of this one harmoniously thanks to a fade? But I doubt the engineer had labels from when the album was first released!? Or did the engineer receive cut notes in the tape box?! Because I doubt that the engineer suddenly (in 1982!) took the initiative to shorten the album...by taking the risk of defeating a print run, no matter how small? Would you agree to buy Led Zep lV with a 3:30 version of Starway to heaven or Who's next without its last five minutes?!
Certainly possible that I lose myself in conjectures but I am happy to have this very mysterious pressing.

Any thoughts on this new Marta club discovery?

Christophe

 

Hi!
Yes, I share your impressions about the spanish Polygram pressing of Led Zeppelin I. It's a fantastic sounding pressing, so fresh, loud, clear, balanced. I don't know why they cut HMMT, and although I don't like that cut, I keep one copy on my collection, as the sound quality it's one of the best I've ever heard.
I think the same about other Polygram pressings of the Led Zeppelin catalogue (II, HOTH, and PG), they all sounds marvelous.
I also suggest you to find copies from another bands from the spanish Polygram series. To my mind now comes Astral Weeks from Van Morrison, Beggars Banquet from the Rolling Stones, and Rod Stewart's Gassoline Alley. All are now in my collection, because they sound surprisingly good!

 

thanks for this new recommendations! Tomorrow am going again to my Mom’s in Valencia to take care of some admin and will hit the local record stores!

 

Hi dear friend,

You forgot to mention some Jimi Hendrix albums (Axis [alternative mix], Electric ladyland, Rainbow bridge, war heroes, Cry of love...)!?
And Joe Cocker's first album with Jimmy Page also sounds fantastic (very juicy organs and weightless female choirs...super 3D sound!)!

Christophe

 

Oh yes, of course, my friend. I've only mentioned the first that came to my mind.
My Polydor copies of Electric Ladyland, Live at Isle of Wight, and Joe Cocker's With a Little Help from my friends are amazing!
Talking about this I have my doubts about the differences in the spanish market between Polydor and Polygram. The Hendrix and Joe Cocker LP were made by COFASA S.A. and Polydor it's the distribution company. But Zeppelin, Stewart, and Van Morrison LP are made by Polygram, and distributed by different companies as Atlantic, Warner Bros, or Vertigo. Sames happens with the great spanish pressing of Cream`s Wheels of fire, it's made by COFASA but distributed by RSO.
So, Polygram it's not the same as Polydor.
Maybe the most important clue are the matrix codes, every copy I have, no matter if it was made by Polygram or another company share the same matrix configuation: The matrix start with 850, and ends with A*1/B*1, or combinations like that (A*2/B*2).

 

Hi!

Yes quite ! the index I refer to all the time is the matrix configuration *A*1 / *B*1.
Led Zeppelin's Presence album and Nirvana's Nevermind have that matrix setup and sound fantastic!!!

Christophe

 

Last week I did a B2B listening session of Marta's (both sides w/ her wave) Yes album Yes - The Yes Album and this Piros: Yes - The Yes Album .

I started w/ Marta's and it sounds really, really good from top to bottom but I did wonder if the Piros would beat it in the mids and it does. So much so that that record in one of my very best sounding records. However (!) it was when I had more money than sense in 2021 and paid a mint for it from Better Records. I've purchsed 3 records from them (all at the same time) and that one wasn't cheap. So it was hand picked out of at least a few, possibly many. So maybe not a fair fight.

That said, the Marta is cheap! and again sounds fantastic and I reccommend. Maybe not her very best work like her LZ II 8/8 or PG but....it is damn good. Oh, and did I mention it is cheap? Relative to current sought after 70s records.

 

Which other records did you buy from Better Records? I've never bought a record from him, but I do think that comparing several with the same dead wax can be rewarding.

 

This one, which was much cheaper but it sounds just as good or better than the Piros Yes: Santana - Santana , both are a 10/10 IMO.

and a Time Out. There are sooooooo many matrixes that are similar I never really found one that fit but the closest was: The Dave Brubeck Quartet - Time Out . Alhtough it does sound very good, I prefer my Analoge Productions 45 by quite a bit.

 

About your experience with The Yes Album, I have tried with every Alvear mastering of Yes records from Yes to Relayer, and I can say that her best work is Fragile, followed by Close to the edge, and Time and a word (although, this last pressing has stamped matrix A1-B1).
About Relayer, Yes Album, and Yes I can say they are very good, but no great as the others.
Compared to my UK pressings the Alvear Fragile and Close to the edge are as good as the original UK’s. I don’t have a UK pressing of TAAW to compare with.

 

Cool - For Fragile I'm all set with my Mofi 1-step. I also have the Kevin Gray which is much (!) cheaper and not too far away from the 1-step, but the 1-step is another step above IMO. That said, at some point I'd like to listen to an older/ original version.

 

I picked up today a WEA 1984 steely Dan can’t buy a thrill. Was mint and cheap so got it out of curiosity more then anything. I also picked up the first ES pressing of the dark side of the moon. Again was not expensive and looked relatively ok.

I saw a very early Hispavox pressing of LZ1 (A2/B2)? Any feedback on that?

 

Please tell us your impressions about those spanish pressings when you receive them.
My A2-B2 Led Zeppelin I copy sounds fantastic. Raw, deep, clear balanced, lively...

 

will do! I picked them up physically in my favourite store in Valencia. can’t say a thing before I get back home to Belgium, clean them and play them

I’ll go back there tomorrow for the led zeppelin if it’s still there.
They had the famous censured sticky fingers - 60 euros. Was steep for me.

 

Hi!

Yes I confirm the opinion of @multirock. Led Zeppelin l A2/B2 stamped is a wonderful pressing!

 

Got the LZ1 and picked up also the Hispavox A4/B2 LA Woman. It’s a very early cut and is NM. Was not cheap at 39 euros but couldn’t resist…..

 

Id be excited if the Dan turns out well, not much attention to their foreign pressings outside of UK probes.

 

I seriously doubt it and if yes this would be a huge surprise. The one issue I have is the CBAT is the only 1970s Dan I do not have a US pressing. For most of them I have a US first press. I do have the RL ABC best of that has 3 songs from CBAT.

 

I’ve gone through a couple of pressings over the past year, if you’re looking for vintage copies these are your best bet:
1973 -1A/-1A or -1B ABC Children’s Blocks label: Repress on short-lived Children’s Blocks label. Supposedly pressed on better vinyl than the original issue.
1974 Pitman pressing.
1980 MCA Coral pressing.

Also I think I’ve spotted a few Australian Probe issues that use US metalwork.

 

thanks! I am in the US in July and will try to find one.
I have been so far resisting the AP UHQR’s…….

 

More finds. Eagles Desperado - both sides cut by Alvear. And a very clean 1970s mono With the Beatles. I missed a mono white album he sold yesterday….,,grrrrrrr
Will report back next weekend when I clean and play them

 

Big disappointment here, I received my order from Madrid, The White album is a Stereo and not a Mono as described.
I've ordered 3 Lp's, just one corresponds to the description.
Now I'm waiting for the seller response, more and more I hate Discogs.
Always issue with the French sellers grading,
My second try with a Spanish seller is a nightmare from A to Z.
The positive experience are with Italian, German, U.K. and Austrian sellers

 

Big shame with the white and indeed Discogs has become a mixed thing. I saw a recent comment in another thread reporting also of many fakes appearing in recent times.

by the way how good is the stereo ES of the white album?

 

No interest to listen to it.
I have asked the seller for a full refund.
I'll open a case with Discogs and PayPal next Wednesday.