Post by Owen Y on Aug 17, 2018 21:07:14 GMT 12
Any else attend Southbound's 'fist dibs' offer of 10+ crates of all-USA s/h vinyl tonight? If so, we probably rubbed shoulders sorry  Restraint was attempted but still did some serious damage..... 
|
Post by Owen Y on Aug 17, 2018 21:12:32 GMT 12
Prices not bargain basement, but condition is generally Excell & all USA manuf. 60s-70s rock, some jazz, Beatles, Stones, Led Zepp, Marley, Van Morrison.... much is still there.
|
Post by Citroen on Aug 18, 2018 0:27:18 GMT 12
Do tell us what you got in that big haul. Oh, and you're supposed to tell us about the first dibs BEFORE, not after (as I never got an email about it)
|
Post by michaelw on Aug 18, 2018 10:23:47 GMT 12
some of those under-arm look a bit rough but do tell, what did you get ?
|
Post by Owen Y on Aug 18, 2018 13:15:07 GMT 12
michaelw - yes the top edge & spine on that Exile on Main St have been knocked about (looks worse in the pic) but the gatefold single-pocket sleeve is otherwise clean. The postcards are missing too & I was going to put it back but was urged by someone to take it because it was an Artisan-mastered, early Monarch pressing! Citroen - oh, you must be on their emailing list? I haven't been in-store for a long while & spent way beyond budget. These are the 2 new ones I played last night.... The s/h vinyl I'll have to sift through first, was a bit of a (civilised) bun fight, these events 
|
Post by Owen Y on Aug 18, 2018 13:24:42 GMT 12
Oh forgot to mention that the Exile vinyl looks EX/NM all 4 sides + no spindle marks - we'll see when I play them!
|
Post by michaelw on Aug 18, 2018 16:47:16 GMT 12
could be a winner. all the re-issues are rubbish. does your prize have the postcards ?
|
Post by Owen Y on Aug 18, 2018 19:17:22 GMT 12
Postcards missing (as mentioned) but... I have a 12 postcard set in my NZ copy (dble pocket gatefold).
|
Post by michaelw on Aug 18, 2018 20:40:33 GMT 12
oops missed the earlier no postcards.
eagerly await your report.
the artisan/monarch is the holy grail of exiles.
|
Post by Citroen on Aug 19, 2018 18:11:22 GMT 12
Came away with nothing. Not much of interest left for me. Slightly disappointed but my wallet thanks me. 
|
Post by Owen Y on Aug 20, 2018 7:59:16 GMT 12
|
Post by Owen Y on Aug 20, 2018 13:39:07 GMT 12
Assessing the sound of Exile is a process.... The album has 4 LP sides, I have 3 copies - my original NZ copy which I think I bought in the 70s + a copy of the 1986/7 Columbia/CBS re-issue which was bought in Japan for me. So far, I've given them all an ultrasonic wash & listened to sides 1/2 - oddly the NZ copy is pressed in different order, sides 1/4 on one disc & 2/3, as if for a record changer. Sadly I have to report that the above USA copy is not miraculously NM condition as I had thought, but more like VG+/EX-, with some crackle, the odd pop & maybe some evidence of groove wear - although nothing too objectionable or scratches - so far. Typical or good for its age I guess. However.... the sound is WOW, very 'present' (forward if you like) live-in-studio, 'in the room' sound. I think that folks who panned Exile for 'murky' sound, prefer cleanly engineered studio mixes but, a bit like the recent 'Blue & Lonesome', the Stones here sound like they're playing live - despite recording this in the mouldy basement bunkers in Nellcote. Mick's voice (& other vocals), like Blue & lonesome, are set back in the mix. Charlie esp is huge, so much punch & 'thwack' on Loving Cup. My NZ copy happens to be also Artisan mastered but clearly a different lacquer/stamper. Excellent too, good bass, not quite as punchy but HF sparkle reveals the USA copy as maybe a bit coarse (groove wear?). So far, I would rate it an 9 compared with the USA copy's 9.5 (disregarding the surface noises) - ie. this 70s NZ copy is GOOD, you'd be happy with it. The Columbia re-issue I would rate an 8 - smooth, clean & open - but not as dynamic or bassy. Not as scarily 'present' - which I think the Stones really need to be. To be continued....
|
Post by michaelw on Aug 20, 2018 13:51:18 GMT 12
presence and life is what is missing from most re-issues.
|
Post by Owen Y on Aug 22, 2018 18:24:28 GMT 12
OK, I made a list of the records from last Fri...aside from the 3 above: - The Blues Vol 1 (Chess 1986) - Neil Young - Rust Never Sleeps - Steely Dan - Pretzel Logic - Steely Dan - Aja - Ray Charles - Modern Sounds in Country & Western Music - Rolling Stones - Black & Blue - Rolling Stones - It's Only Rock 'n Roll - Monk's Greatest Hits - Miles Davis - Kind of Blue
|
Post by Owen Y on Aug 22, 2018 18:27:47 GMT 12
An audiophile old chestnut .... 
|
Post by Citroen on Aug 22, 2018 19:24:32 GMT 12
Which version of the thousands of - Miles Davis - Kind of Blue?
|
Post by michaelw on Aug 22, 2018 20:12:30 GMT 12
ditto ... which aja ? early abc ?
|
Post by Owen Y on Aug 22, 2018 21:20:09 GMT 12
Many audio types are familiar with Aja of course, but I have never owned a copy until relatively recently - saw one for US$4(!) at a record fair in USA in 2012. There's much written about various pressing of this classic '77 release, the ABC Records cat. no. designations, the mastering, mother/stamper variations, etc etc (1) My original Brooklyn Record Fair copy is an AA(with 'B' scratched out)-1006. (2) I have a 3rd copy which is a AB-1006 - an 'AB' early pressing they say. (3) The newly acquired Aja is AA-1006, SRC-pressed. All of them are ABC Records, yellow label as above, USA manuf. Listening results? Pretty interesting, a bit surprised, but such is the 'hifi' mix that Fagen & Becker's stuff tends to be, they all sound v good. You'd be happy with any Aja I reckon. But.... I've A/B'd only side 1 so far, but the above order is how they sound to me - ie copy (1) sounds best, with more HF extension, more incisive, 'cut through' presence of vocals & instruments, most expansive & open. More cymbal sizzle, huge sax tone & reediness, big drum thwacks, more developed harmonics...etc. To be continued... ( Citroen - the Kind of Blue is nothing special, a NM/Ex 2010 Columbia/Sony re-issue, stereo, not mono unfortunately. Will be interesting to compare with my CBS/Avan-guard Australian copy, but I'm not expecting to be stunned by either.)
|
Post by Owen Y on Aug 22, 2018 21:23:38 GMT 12
A pic of the Exile on Main Street (with postcard set from my NZ copy).... 
|
Post by michaelw on Aug 22, 2018 22:25:29 GMT 12
my early us aja is a funny one.
side a is AA
side b is AA b
|
Post by Owen Y on Aug 23, 2018 9:55:43 GMT 12
|
Post by michaelw on Aug 23, 2018 10:29:58 GMT 12
you're not a serious collector unless you have the same album in multiple pressings and formats. eg. 3 aja lps - nz, original us, us re-issue on vinyl, cd, cassette, digital file 
|
Post by Citroen on Aug 23, 2018 20:46:43 GMT 12
( Citroen - the Kind of Blue is nothing special, a NM/Ex 2010 Columbia/Sony re-issue, stereo, not mono unfortunately. Will be interesting to compare with my CBS/Avan-guard Australian copy, but I'm not expecting to be stunned by either.) That's mastered by Kevin Gray, pressed at MPO. One of the better versions, so I'm told!
|
Post by Owen Y on Aug 24, 2018 12:50:08 GMT 12
AJA - what the pundits seem to say is that: - AB-1006 was the orig ABC issue/stock no. - AA-1006 was a later ABC issue/stock no. However, when the new AA no. was introduced, some original 'metalwork' (the metal 'mothers' from which the stampers are made?) still existed & were used first. These early AAs were designated with 'B' scratched out. So, these AA B issues are essentially AB issues & depending on the mother/stamper no., could sound as good or, as in my case' seemingly better than the particular AB that I have.
|
Post by Owen Y on Aug 24, 2018 13:21:56 GMT 12
( Citroen - the Kind of Blue is nothing special, a NM/Ex 2010 Columbia/Sony re-issue, stereo, not mono unfortunately. Will be interesting to compare with my CBS/Avan-guard Australian copy, but I'm not expecting to be stunned by either.) That's mastered by Kevin Gray, pressed at MPO. One of the better versions, so I'm told! liked (al lot) the Mono Sony re-issue, at least back in 2013 he did.
|
Post by Citroen on Aug 24, 2018 15:46:36 GMT 12
|
Post by michaelw on Aug 24, 2018 16:31:48 GMT 12
the 2013 mono was from a down-mixed 3 channel tape.
how rare is an original kob mono ?
|
Post by Citroen on Aug 24, 2018 16:48:20 GMT 12
|
Post by Citroen on Dec 5, 2018 17:46:46 GMT 12
25% off at Southbound in store only from 5 to 7 pm tomorrow night
I've already blown my whole December vinyl budget in the first week (Amazon De 3 for 2 sale and Ebay mainly), so will try to stay away.
|
Post by Owen Y on Dec 5, 2018 19:20:27 GMT 12
I usually attend, but this year I may miss it - some other spending planned & time-short for listening for for the immediate future. Will also miss Xmas mince pies & a drink
|
