Music Matters Definitive Blue Note 45 RPM and 33 & 1/3 RPM vinyl series (pt7)

Well my 5 o'clock alarm just went off downstairs in music land, so off I go and getting ready to crank up The Stooges "Funhouse", then some T. Rex, The Move, and then I'm "going to a love-in so I can sit and play my bongos in the dirt with Mr. Zappa" and then might just get an "Inner Urge" to listen to "Point Of Departure" and who knows from there...

Be safe my friends...

 

Fun House!! One of my very favorite albums.

 

All this talk about quality control at pressing plants (which I agree with) especially when comparing to what plants cranked out in the 1970's...and even their struggles to stay in business reminds me a bit of this passage from "Cortez The Killer" (Neil Young):

And they carried them
To the flatlands
But they died along the way
And they built up
With their bare hands
What we still can't do today

It just shouldn't be that difficult. It was done before, it can be done again.

 

RTI used to be excellent -- I was a big fan. I did not experience the QC issues until recently.

 

Just curious, please - What does "Well my 5 o'clock alarm just went off downstairs in music land ..." mean? If you're in Atlanta, the timestamp of your post would put you in the early afternoon, by my reckoning. Moreover, we note you might typically "tip back a few cold ones and go for one nice little journey ... " Are you doing all this at 5 o'clock in the morning? Do you set an alarm clock to do it? Man, that's dedication.

 

I have noticed QC problems as long as I can remember. The most unique issue being how many of their records have small nicks all over the vinyl. I have no idea how that happens. I find them even on older pressings such as pre-QRP AP issues and MMJs pressed a decade ago. Some times they cause noise, sometimes they don’t, but I’ve stopped buying sealed MMJs on the secondary market unless they are OOP or I get a major discount. It’s just not worth the risk without recourse.

Now I find their issues with dishing and off center pressings to be a more recent issue, but I have several dozen RTI pressings with the nicks mentioned above, some dating back to the early-mid 2000s

 

You have excellent taste my friend! Can't get enough Move.

 

I agree that its a gem! My MM pressing is pretty quite for the most part but i believe that the srx formula would help really bring it out that much more.

 

There is a sealed grant green idle moments SRX on eBay right now, six days left, it will be interesting to see what happens with that. Not mine by the way.
When is the next batch scheduled?

 

7 bids already. seems some people don't understand how ebay really works.

Same seller has a Maiden Voyage currently going for $76 with six days left!

 

Sometimes if I really want something I'll put a bid in early just to make sure I get eBay's reminders the days and hours leading up to the end of the auction.

 

...You are not alone! MV has some scuffs at the beginning of one of the sides.
Idle Moments is dished ! At least my copy....Not sure what to make out of it!

 

Most of those bids are what i would call shill bidding. Accounts bidding jtems up just to bid them up

 

Just got through listening to the most recent SRX batch. Both sound absolutely stunning. Idle Moments unfortunately has what looks like a nick on side two that creates ticks during playback.

I shot MMJ a note and I’m hopeful that they’ll sort it out. Their customer service has been incredible lately.

On a positive note- my copy of MV is flawless.

 

I really enjoyed bothe MV and Idle Moments but they both have slight dish warps. The MV isn't bad ad all but Idle Moments is defintely raise a bit in the center on side two. The playback isn't affected at all and the stylus doesn't jump at all but for $75 a record I just kind of expect perfection. I'm not sure if it's worth trying to contact MM and deal with a return with everything else going on in the world or just live with it....

 

Where's the QC? There seems to be far too many issues with this latest batch of SRX's — scuffs, marks, warps etc., for MM to be individually inspecting each one.

 

I will say if whatever issue does not affect play, I don’t think it should be returned. Vinyl is never perfect and seeking perfection will drive you nuts. Further, with how limited these pressings are, there are limited copies for returns. Taking one for a non audible issue could end up leaving none left for someone who actually requires replacement. Just my 2 cents.

 

I think I agree and will just keep them. I just don't really purchase from MM anymore because of their price points but made an exception for these because they're two of my favorite jazz albums. I just don't get how these defects are getting out the door when they are supposedly inspecting each and every copy... Between that and the $75 that they are charging, I think it's understandable to expect perfection. I wouldn't even think twice with a $20 record.

 

I can’t disagree with you there. My last couple of SRXs have had a slight dish to them. I use a clamp so it doesn’t affect play. A lot of times those minor dishes will work themselves out with proper storage.

 

I don't know what it is about dishing and even small edge warps, but they drive me nuts!

Because it is so inconvenient to return pressings, it was a big part of my decision to buy a Vinyl Flat.
I'm ok with that, but i can't sing the praises of pressing plant quality control when i feel like it's
necessary to spend the time to flatten so many LPs from supposedly 'best in the world' plants.

 

I completely agree. I noticed the nick in my copy of Idle Moments prior to playing it but was hopeful it was only cosmetic. Got through nearly the entire record until I hit that spot towards the end of side two. Unfortunately, too many ticks to disregard. My copy is also slightly dished but I would’ve let it go had my issue on side two not caused problems with the sound.

 

Edge warps bother me much more personally, my VPI clamp solves most minor dishing. But until I get a periphery clamp edge warps really mess with playback with my Aida. My VM540ML doesn’t mind slight warps but my Aida will skip on those same records and even when not skipping it really pumps the woofers if I don’t engage the subsonic filter.

 

I am boggled as to what causes those nicks. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen them from another pressing plant, but if I have, nowhere near the degree and frequency as RTI pressings. Some times they don’t affect play but every time I see them I get quite nervous.

I need to open and clean my March SRXs to try and identify any issues before it’s too late.

 

That's what I was thinking that they will probably flatten over time on my shelf and they really aren't bad at all. I have had a couple albums that I remember being a bit warped and after sitting on the shelf for a couple of years they got pretty flat. If they were edge warped and jumped the needle then they would definitely being going back as those kind of warps drive me nuts. Thanks for the input.... You helped calm my OCD... haha

 

Ha! It was just around 1 PM here when I posted that. It meant it's 5 o'clock somewhere and it was just an excuse to pop open a cold and crank some tunes. Sometimes the wife says starting a wee bit early are you? Well once "Loose" (Fun House) came on, she came down and joined me.

Man, Richard Davis's double bass on that MMJ of "Point Of Return" is ever so sweet sounding, wow! Oh how I love that record!