Led Zeppelin - II - LP Review And Comparison What Version Is The Best
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- Опубликовано: 4 апр 2020
- I go over the best sounding pressings of Led Zeppelin - II From 1969
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"im not a fan of digitally sourced records". yes you are, you just didn't know it yet.
Really appreciate that you've done this for Zep I & II. Would love to see the same for Zep III & IV
I just cannot say enough great things about your "shoot out videos" it's like taking a class in how ALL releases go using a very well known example. So much covered, stays focused, gets to the "real" point (condition, in this case) All explained in a nominal time... You're great. Thanks for all.
Love this series! Very interesting facts!
Keep 'em coming!
I really love your videos. I have the RL SS on both sides hot mix. My copy is probably VG but it sounds great. It doesn't skip and I rarely hear pops. It is one of my favorite albums of all time so thank you for letting me know that I have a great press. Have a great week.
I'm brand new to the vinyl collecting and I love your channel. Its a real help on what to look for when buying albums!! You have a new subscriber here, thanks for the hard work and hours you put in to make these vids!! Keep up the great work 👍 👏
That was really cool to see your Zep 2 collection and thanks for all the info you have shared with us.
Great video man! Thanks for sharing this with us, very information. I have a early us pressing I am happy with but want to upgrade sometime. Thanks and stay safe
You're the best. Please keep doing these awesome videos!👍
I love watching these videos, just love them
How about Love Forever Changes?
You Sir ...are one heck of a Ressource. NOBODY dares do what YOU do. Thank you so much. I just found out about the real worth of my NM-NM copy.
Mike this is on the money i finally found VG+ a RL SS on both sides mine is very close to near mint only flaw some one wrote Mark Dewalt on the label Page acoustic on "Ramble On" is sensational it's like hes in the room with you Bonham drums is upfront and slammin' I know you really get the best out the record with you gear .I had a MoFi it was clean this RL killed it i sold the classic immediately
Stay safe Mike!!! Thanks for the vids
By far the best researched and honest record reviews on RUclips! Will you be doing any future episodes comparing early 1980s West German and Japanese Target CDs compared to American pressings?
The German half Ludwig is insane! I found a very clean copy and when you flip it you can tell that side 2 is not as punchy. Thanks for all the info.
That wood artwork is so eclectic and interesting. I'm an audiophile and no offense to anyone but I immediately thought that you would be somewhere like Boston but Phoenix was soo surprising. You bring about pleasant head trips! I wish you the best.
The RL is a sonically brilliant album, definitely my favorite record out of the 1,000's I own. Both my copies are VG-ish, but they still sound amazing.. If youre a Zeppelin fan, this is a must get.. Thanks for the info Mike!
Really enjoy your channel!
PLEASE DO MORE "What Version Is The Beast" by far one of my favorite series on RUclips!!!!!!!!
Beautiful Video Brother 🌹🌹🌹
I have owned the mofi pressing and have not played it for years-i recall liking it. I got the big 45rpm box when it was first released and i don’t think it has ever been opened. Shocked to see what this thing is going for now. Plan to a/b the mofi and 45rpm when my new airtight opus 1 cart arrives in a few weeks-my old cart had an accident. Enjoy your show-don’t always agree but always informative-thanks
These reviews have been great, keep em coming! Would love to see one of these for Elton John Madman Across The Water, Jethro Tull Thick as a Brick and/or Aqualung, Steely Dan The Royal Scam
The only Aqualung to buy is in the Warner-Reprise releases. All Chrysalis LPs of this are awful.
Ooh! I LOVE Madman Across the Water! :D
Absolutely love this album, have a 1977 George Piros in -NM and absolutely love it!
I have the '77 Piros too, also in NM-, and I think it just rocks - sounds great! I also have a solid VG+/VG++ RL Presswell, which I would say has a slight edge for overall power and balance, but highly recommend the Piros to anyone not wanting to spend the money you'll need for an RL. To my ears, if the RL is the 10.0 overall, then the Piros is a solid 9.0, and on some songs probably more like a 9.5. Really, really good!
The George Piros is the best pressing for Led Zeppelin l. The RL is the best for Led Zeppelin ll. The George Piros Led Zeppelin ll is very good. Just as good as a UK pressing.
just great u are the best,,btw this is my alltime favorite record of LZ..its a landmark masterpiece.
i have the french original 1st press and i think its sounds good....but i never heard another version on vinyl..i also have cd versions.... i own this record for over 30 years now..its my everything..greets from swizerland
I love these videos. Make a bunch of this. And John coltrane's albums, please! congrats!
Hi Mike, love the video. Would love to hear you do one on the many versions of Cream - Disraeli Gears. (I have four different pressings) ~Peace
Cool video! Mine is a Ludwig CTH (Columbia Terra Haute). Probably EX to EX+ and paid $200. Worth it. When I described the sound difference to my wife she said "how different can it be?". So I played it. She said yeah sounds like what I remember. Then I played a standard US 70's version for her. She told me to throw it out. lol The difference is huge.
Another great comparison video.. Priceless. would love to see any review of Radiohead albums like Ok Computer, or others you have experience with as well as any Nick Drake.(pink moon or any other..)
One record that i think would be really interesting to compare would be Queen II. The reason being is that its quite a challenge to get a decent sounding copy of this.
Great video! Please do a similar review for LD’s Physical Graffiti. Thanks!
This is very helpful. Thanks. If you're taking requests, please consider doing the same with Physical Graffiti.
My first album after winning my turntable on eBay a year ago was Led Zeppelin II. It's my favorite LZ album and I thought it should be the first album in my collection. I bought a 1977 NM Club edition from Discogs not understanding all of the details regarding pressing, etc. About six months ago I ordered a VG+ RL from Discogs and when I got it, it skipped and was probably in Good+ condition. The seller was gracious and took it back. Several months ago I saw a VG++ - NM copy on eBay for crazy money. It was a 'make offer' so I offered but got rejected. About a week later we settled on an acceptable price north of my initial offer. The vinyl is NM, the jacket VG+. It's RL SS on both sides, Presswell Press. I was a little nervous watching your video but relieved in the end! The record brings me a lot of joy.
The problem for me with owning something like that is I'd be scared to play it.
I have original Australian alber "blue too" copies of AC/DC albums and I end up playing the beat up copies I have instead, because I want to preserve the condition of them (I don't do this with any other albums except for expensive originals in great condition)
So it would be a waste of money for me to grab that album, I'd wrap it in cotton wool.
Great video, thanks. Ever come across the early canadian pressing?. Mine has RL on both sides. A little easier to find I think.
Thanks for the video great comparisons I reviewed the Jimmy Page 2015 Digital re master and I compared it to my classic records reissue by Bernie grundman and of course as you know it's no contest a lot of my subscribers let me know that RL sounds better I guess I need one Thanks again great video enjoy your stuff
nice gear you got there by the way. only thing that is missing is a Studer A807 Tape machine^^ cause that would be the machine of my choice if I had the money to buy one^
100% agree with #1. Though I am not agree with you everytime.
Fortunately, I obtained "RL" press in Pour condition with moisten cover. It is much better than other 70s pressing and 90's CD. But I could't sure by myself.
Thank you for this Clip.
great video thanks
I got a 77 copy with five digit numbers and it is near mint I paid 17 dollars sounds great
Thanks Mike, just what I wanted to hear. Really like your videos.
Great video!
Was the 1st Japanese press (MT1091) included in your shootout?
Hail Mike !
Keep up the good work.
The Velvet Underground [1969] in the near future, perhaps ?
Before the "RL craze" was a thing, I bought a 1st pressing of LZ II many years ago. I put it on --whoa! The sound = kick ass. A couple years later I looked in the dead wax and saw the RL, so the hype is justified.
Mine meets all the RL criteria, it hasn't been played since around 1970. It looks to be in great shape. I've been trying to find time to sit down & revisit it, just can't find the time. I'll keep you posted.
I have an original Japanese pressing from ‘69 and it sounds WONDERFUL. I don’t typically buy Japanese records but I had to check this one out. Look for the blue / green Atlantic label!
Good video. I like the current reissue. Imagine spending £9K to get the box set of single sided Zep and then finding they are all warped.
feeling blessed. I snagged a RL SS in Oneonta for $5!!!! it was in VG condition and th man had no idea what he had. I cleaned it up and it sounds/plays great!
so funny I have 2 RL's of this album (Zeppelin is my favorite band) I have cleaned them 5 times, still noisy in between tracks but once the songs start the noise is gone and Zeppelin just punch's you in the face!! Robert Ludwig's "Hot Mix" Blows anything i have away! Great video!! You nailed it!!
Have a listen to the original Australian pressing on the green Atlantic label from 1969. A fantastic issue of this great LP. It has a different artwork as well in the centre of the gatefold. But hard to get beyond VG+ but not impossible.
It would be great to hear your thoughts on The Mars Volta’s “Deloused in the Comatorium” on vinyl. It’s rare and expensive and hard to find and it seems shop owners come across them more. It had 2 or 3 differant versions. A pic disc, and a colored MOV press. Maybe one more. If your a fan that is.
Great video. I have a few of them, however, I’d like to hear what people think of the 69 SP cuts and the record club, which I find quite ok.
Thanks!
LOVE YOU MIKE. YOU'RE THE GREATEST.
I've always had a German pressing and the sound is rich and full. Years later I bought a sealed Canadian version and the sound is flat and lifeless lacking energy whatsoever. I wondered why and now I know thanks to this video!
Yes I picked up a few Led Zepplin lps in Germany they sound great
I have a minty A5/B4 UK 3rd press (Killing Floor on label) which sounds phenomenal! It has the oomph and the grit but also a huge soundstage and especially on Whole Lotta Love! Super dynamic mastering and if all other early UK pressings sound as good as this then they are def not overrated. Mine has really quiet vinyl too - UK Polydor pressings from this period are normally top notch and on virgin vinyl. Hard to find a copy on Excellent upwards cond however.
I bought a RL/VG++ copy many years ago when it was still affordable.It is alive. Soooooooogood.
Will you do a video for LZ III? I made my first Discogs mail order purchase tonight, a 1977 Monarch Mastercraft pressing (I believe). Did I do reasonably well?
I have saved my Zeppelin collection from every catastrophe you can think of. My old best friend passed a lot of his vinyl down to me. He's American from Virginia and Moved here to my home and still current town of Montreal, Canada. That means a lot if not most were purchased in the States. I have 3 copies of Led Zeppelin II and the first one I pulled out for this video was his and guess what? *****A DOUBLE RL!!!!!!
Great comparison Mike. I know the reason the Zepp II RL copies were re-issued and sounded bad is because the average record buyer played it on crappy turntables. Chance are the rest of their audio system was also poor but the turntable is the source so that's where the garbage in garbage out idea is apparent. The old conical turntable cartridge stylus rode on the shoulders of the groove. This was before the subsequent eliptical stylus (v shaped tip), that could track right in the groove became available to the consumer. As such, Warner Brothers(WB) had many copies returned because they skipped. Yes, the great Robert Ludwig mastered first issue of Zepp II skipped because the so well defined groove modulation was just too much for those crappy tables. So, WB reissued an inferior sounding version which lacked the heavy bass modulated groove which caused the skips. The label forfeited sound quality just so no one would return their copies. $$ The buck wins out even when it comes to great truly classic records like Zepp II. Robert Ludwig was not happy about this but he was a mastering engineer who had no say in what the behemeth WB could do about this. Greg Calibi did the next best mastering for Zepp II. It's more or less like the Ludwig mastering.
This was insane to listen to..... only VG+...?? well people played them back in the day because it is a great LP. I still always hear stuff i hadn't noticed before when i listen to Led Zep LPs..
Just found a copy in the wild this past week. It’s a VG at best and Mike isn’t kidding. This lp sounds amazing.
I bought an LZ I and ll in Europe in 1971. Sounded great to me and have never saw another. I let my sister borrow it for a few days; went to get it and she left it lay in hot sunlight. Needless to say, it was a very bad day. I always wondered if that copy was a very collectible.
Bro, I love your comparison reviews! But, I do have to take exception to your comments about the Japanese pressing. I believe I have the one with yellow/brown light Obi. On my system which has two tall open baffle dipole line-arrays with 13 drivers a side and a tri-amped system with 2 amps running dual-mono for the two towers and a Crown 2502 400/side running the 2-15" dipole woofers, this pressing sounds GREAT! It is super dynamic and not 'anemic' in any way, shape, or form. It is actually my 'go to' pressing for this album and I have a few original US pressings. Yes, being a Japanese pressing, it may be lacking just a TAD on the low end, and I know that the low end is very important for this album, but to me the tremendous spacious and dynamic soundstage really is outstanding. You mention the 'swirling 3D effects' You *REALLY* do hear that with this Japanese pressing, it sounds like it is spinning around the whole room! 😁 I wonder why you thought it sounded so bad...? I'll try to put a link to pictures of my system if that is okay with you in the reply to this post if anyone wishes to check it out.
Nope, can't do it, sorry 😕
Another amazing review!! Sadly I feel it’s just not worth the price for a RL cut when VG is about what you can get without totally breaking the bank. 😭😭😭
The VG looking sound more like VG+ due to how loud the music is.
@@galus14436...very true. I'm listening to my RL copy and at best, I'd give it a VG minus. But you just can't tell the true condition because the music is SO powerful. I am never letting go of this copy!
Great review. Have a few versions of this album including the Japanese version. Have to admit they're all in the "worst category" according to what you've said. But I have noticed the Japanese versions of all your reviews pretty much get the same treatment. I bought into the whole Japanese LPs being "quiet" = great! Thank god I never bought into that "MFSL" given they're price.
Thanks
I love my MFSL, not worth the price, but I still think its absolutely amazing.
My mofi copy sounds amazing. Mine is perfect. If I could find a perfect RL, I would take it. But, I doubt there is such a thing anymore. The mofi sounds fantastic on my system.
Hey Mike,
Question on the 4 x 45rpm Classic Records pressings:
Have you ever had any luck removing these ubiquitous "dish warps"? Like with a Vinyl Flat or other device?
Acoustic Sounds had a used 4 x 45rpm of Sonny Rollin's - "Our Man in Jazz" for 20% off on the weekend, and I couldn't resist. On it's way to me in Oz as I write.
Cheers buddy,
Dan
I really appreciate you laying out some options, since the RL pressing and other high-end copies are escalating out of reach for most of us. How do you identify a George Pieros copy? Mine has what looks like a small cursive gp I think. It also says HT (PR)p, W, AT ST-A 69171 J. You can spend hours researching these on discogs and still not be sure!
This is the matrix info for the Piros (1977) copy : ST-A 691671/72 - x @ GP (PR) ; "Presswell" - Atlantic SD 19127. I could compare with the german version RL side 1, and i can say: the Piros is very very close .If the RL is 10, the Piros is 8 (from 1 to 10)
Would love to see...
Kate Bush - hounds of love
Steely Dan - Katy lied
Pearl jam - ten
There are many presses of these..
Great vid as always
I LOVE your shop! Easily the best in Arizona. Are you guys back open yet?
Good stuff!
I recently became aware of the robert ludwig mix of this record so I decided to go digging through my collection the very first record I ever bought was zep 2 I paid 6 dollars for it back in about 94 or 95 so I look at the dead wax sure as hell it's the robert ludwig mix but what's more exciting is that it's in great shape I've always took really good care of my LPs I'm about as stoked as a man can be for a record right now its really clean and here it was sitting in my collection unknown to me I have had a jewel just sitting there and the fact that it was the first album I ever bought for basically nothing has got me rather excited
Used to buy every “Broadway Zep II I came across in VG++ NM. I’ve given away a bunch to most of my friends who are into records. I’ve got about 8 copies of II. One RL Monarch and one with RL on one side only.
I got a new copy at Wal-Mart the other day. Right before coming down with Covid. Maybe I'm just happy to still be alive but the new one sound fantastic. Much better than the old Gold Seal copy I have which sounds flat on its face. Maybe it's my garbage equipment; AT120, Reloop Ortofon Concord Cart, going through a Pioneer DJM900 mixer to a cheap poor man's Yamaha amp and Klipsch Icons? Anyway, your setup is incredible. I have a scientist friend in West Austin who has all Makintosh or however you spell it? And B and W speakers. I'm not rich and music isnt much more important than audiobooks these days but I do like a decent poor man's sound nonetheless
Got a presswell variant 2. To those hunting, stop worrying about the deadwax other than the RL. RL, RL SS, LH SS all sound good. Mike said it best when he said worry about condition first.
Any experience with the RL/LH cut? The LH side is purported to be equivalent to the RL, maybe a tad lower in volume but still hot. The back story circulating (from an email from Ludwig himself) as to how Hulko's initials got on this one is interesting. This version only came from CTH.
Bob Ludwig said that the records with his initials on one side and a different engineers initials on the other side are still his mastering. He said sometimes acetates would get damaged but he and the other other engineer would still master the replacements at the same levels from the notes they had.
Somehow, I've managed to score two double RL US OPs in the past year, both in bulk buys. Paid maybe $1 for each of them. Kept the Monarch VG+, sold the VG for $99.
I just received 5 boxes of records for free and in them was a double "RL" copy of LZ II ( vg +) I never thought I would ever find one
I actually worked at Columbia, Pitman in New Jersey and have many first releases.
If NM- worth 1000 apiece
Nice a lot of my favorite artists were on Columbia. I’d love to have Dylan’s albums on the early label especially Blonde On Blonde.
@sammencia7945 some are not even opened.
@danielcombs3207 don't have a first release of thar. I've got many zep before they went to their own label. Steel Dan, one of the first copies produced and many others. Many I have copies of and are unopened to this day. I've been offered a lot of money but just can't part with them. They're like part of my legacy now and will probably passed down to family.
@@billgross2097 I understand how you feel about passing it on to your family. I started gifting my records to my children a few years ago. Usually at Christmas time. They have their own music taste and I try to find artists they would hopefully like. My son loves The Beach Boys for instance and my daughter loves Reggae music. I held on to these records for decades now that they are adults and I’m a senior I think it’s time to let some of them go.
I haven’t noticed you testing any Australia pressings yet?
A comparison of a Velvet Underground album and its pressings would be cool
I can't believe there's so many different versions of an album
Just like the one u did on Steely Dan's- Aja
I never knew that..🤔 I thought they were basically all the say lolz 😹😂😹
Kool videos btw dude 👍👍
You obviously haven't been collecting music for very long, welcome to the nightmare
@@crazyprayingmantis5596 I'm only 18 so yeah I haven't ..my uncle has mad loads of records..I mean why so many different versions of a record and the prices too..it's mad crazy to me..I kinda don't understand all the different versions of a album..lolz 😹😂
@@ronaldolaquidara64
CDs are the same.
There's lots of reasons
The original tapes might not be available anymore, for many reasons such as they've been lost, degraded badly, someone owns them and won let anyone use them etc.
So we have original vinyl copies that used a stamper that was made from the original master tape.
But those wear out over time so if they reissue the album say 5 yrs later they can't make a new stamper because they don't have access to the original tapes so they have to use a back up tape which will be one step removed from the quality of the original.
Or
Certain countries never got access to the master tapes or stampers made from the original tapes and only got a back up tape which they then mastered themselves and made their own stampers from that so their version of the album is different (depending on the decisions the sound engineer who mastered the album made)
Then we have albums that have been re-mastered to "fix" some of the problems with the original (which often sound worse)
Then there's digital copies made from the original analogue tapes which go on to be used as the source to cut a new record sometimes these digital rips are then mastered for vinyl (this is a whole other story) or they are mastered for CD/digital so now we have another 2 different sounding albums.
But basically the different pressings come down to
- If original tapes were used or not
- Who mastered and cut the album and on what gear
- What mix they used
- What pressing plant pressed the album
- The quality of the vinyl e.g Japanese had the best quality but not always access to the best tapes or mastering etc
Hope this gave you some idea as to why so many different pressings.
It's all part of the fun of collecting vinyl, you've gotta know what to look for in the deadwax.
🤘🤪🤘
yea i back that up i sold my classic records NM after comparing it to my RL VG + ... for the other pressings the classics are really good ... but i still cant wait for analouge productions to get the right ´s and use all the mettal parts and reissue it as 33 adn 2x45 rpm ... .. its really possible they did it with other stuff b4 :-) cross fingers
SKATAN you’re dreaming man! 🤣
@@richardb2682 like total recall or more like vanilla sky ???
@@richardb2682 let me guess .. you have listend to a RL version on youtube and compared it to your Jimmi Page remaster on vinyl at home ??
SKATAN haha funny man, try loosening up a bit during the lockdown 🤣🤣🤣
I've listened to every pressing except the last two and I love the music so much I forget to use my ear instead of my heart.
So a guy in my town has a copy that he says is VG+. Has RL on side 1 and RL SS on side 2. Cover is looks to be strong VG. What do you think a fair price would be for it?
I have 3 near mint double RL SS copies (all are still in the shrink), the Classic I bought new, the ‘80s MoFi I also bought new. I disagree that the 2014 digitally sourced version isn’t good. I think it sounds great and it’s worth buying if you want a clean copy and not want to spend a lot of money. It sounds a bit better compared to the digital version which doesn’t make sense since it’s the same source. The vinyl has bass that’s a bit more present. It’s only noticeable if you do an immediate a/b comparison with the levels perfectly matched. Regardless, it’s not “bad” - it’s a solid quality pressing and mastering.
Hey Mike, did you prefer the Ludwig side two that had the narrowest deadwax? For the Piros cuts (which usually have narrow side one deadwax), have you come across any that weren't -RI copies pressed at PRC Recording Industry? Unfortunately all Piros cuts I've come across from that pressing plant, have been on noisy vinyl. Ever seen a Piros from Specialty or Monarch?
I have a '77 Piros from Presswell that sounds amazing, it's only my #2 because I have the RL as well.
I bought a new old stock Piros. Had PR in deadwax if thats where pressing is indicated. Is noisy on side 1 but side 2 is better. Piros no longer a secret and paid a high price. Had ultrasonically cleaned by Perfect Vinyl Forever and it helped quite a bit. Sounds great now. I also have a double sided RL that is so chewed it was a waste of money and a German RL on side one thats pretty decent (better after cleaning). I'm done chasing Zep 2s after spending a small fortune. When all said and done the JP digital remaster album for $30 is really not that bad in comparison. My hi res streaming is consistently better sounding than chasing ridiculously over- priced albums being sold as vg+ or near mint minus with defects, pops and crackles (referring to some sellers on Discgogs and Ebay but not our video host to whom I am extremely grateful and is providing an awesome service to the community with his reviews)
Love the sound of the UK plums , more balls than the US Classic , and to even think that the UK greens rivalled the UK plums is a little misguided to say the least .
Keep up the good work .
How can we know about the VG thing on the records when searching for one?… is it only on the wax? Or is there other way to know this info ?
notinto records so much but my brother got a player for his bday and i wanted to get this album on it to jam out, was wondering if RL cut is the same as this gentlemens 1st choice pick?
this is the description...
any help would be much appreciated
Vinyl, LP, Album, RL Cut, Terre Haute Press, Gatefold
Yes, as long as the seller mentions the "RL cut" (the Robert Ludwig mix), you're good.
To absolutely make sure, stand by a bright light or sun and look at the dead wax at the end of the record. You should see a tiny "RL" engraved on it. It can be a little difficult to see sometimes.
I maybe a little late in commenting on this video, but… I have just found a near mint RL SS Presswell copy, took me a lot of years to find… no scratches, nothing…. it came from Switzerland to me here in England, I have a reasonably decent system, Kef reference 5 meta’s, Mackintosh MA 7200, Mackintosh MT5, Ortofon Quintet Black, I am an extremely happy man, it’s glorious…
Would love a video like this on Animals or maybe Let it Bleed
True about how many trashed rl copies that are out thete...but 2 years agi i had a copy come in that still had the shrink on it and it was buried in a collection of generational records... elderly couple selling them... it was the only rock record they had...i said to them that this seems out of place...said it was probably their daughter's... the vinyl was so clean that i heavily doubt it ever got played... by far the best copy I'll ever see
thanx for advice, Sir !
LZ is my favorite after the Beatles....
The first album I ever bought with my own money, at nine years old. I still have it, a UK plum pressing. A customer played my his white label promo RL on his ultra high end system. A pretty mindblowing experience.
WLP stereo of RL SS is $5k.
@@sammencia7945 He might have paid that. This guy had a $500k+ system.
I have a pressing with the SD 8236 catalog # There is a sticker on the back - Licenses to Record Club of America. Does anyone know the date of this release? How does the sound quality on this release compare to others? Ty
Generally speaking, record club releases tend to be completely different lacquers cut by different engineers, pressed on cheaper vinyl, and don't usually sound all that great. The one exception, with some, but not all, LPs is RCA (Record Club of America), who apparently had contracts to use many of the same lacquers and pressing plants that you'd find on "normal" pressings - so you'll find folks all over the place who have Record Club of America pressings that sound great, and occasionally a diamond in the rough will emerge where an RCA pressing will turn out to be a real hidden gem because of that, where no one has focused much attention on it, and it's very cheap compared to more "desirable" pressings (though in recent years, with so much attention on "best of" vinyl pressings, everyone everywhere is digging for and sharing "best of" finds....so they get harder to find over time!). All that being said, I'm not 100% familiar with your pressing, but there were no RL cuts/lacquers ever provided to record club pressings ever, though you might have something that sounds very comparable to the non-RL original presses. I've heard that some of mastering engineer George Piros stuff can be found on the occasional Record Club of America pressing, if so you'll usually still see his characteristic AT/GP or @GP etchings in the deadwax. If you have something like that, it's probably a keeper, his stuff is universally outstanding.
I have my turntables hooked into a numark mixer just in case the mastering leaves something to desired. I usually keep the eq settings straight up at 0, but I can basically remaster it myself on the fly if needed for my preferred listening experience.
God that's an awesome looking stereo
Im a VU Junkie and one day hope to aspire to a Mac but those monoblocks i don't mind saying i find those meters too big. Sorry there I said it. Great vid.
I just bought a copy of Led Zeppelin II Robert Ludwig Masterdisk Pressing (Sterling Sound) and I can honestly say you’re spot on!..... It sounds like John Baldwin & John Bonham are in my house.... You have to be very careful playing this album (pending your speakers)..... Thanks For the Tip!... I also just bought “Houses of the Holy” Robert Ludwig Masterdisk Pressing. I can’t wait to get it and play it..... Whats your thoughts on that album?.....
Don't know Mike's thoughts on the RL HotH, but I found a NM copy relatively cheap, and Bob Ludwig just knows what he's doing - I don't ever need to seek another version for that album either - if it's in good condition, I think you'll really like that album, his mastering is again fantastic on that one.
The new remaster is a really great sounding album and likely to be the only one anyone can find that plays clean for under $300-500.
The early ‘69 non RL SS pressings sound great too.
Just scored another RL from an unaware seller, $25 - sleeve was trashed, but man, the record is clean! Very little surface noise, STRONG VG, more VG+. Gonna give it a spin clean and hope it gets VG++
Good for you. My copy is definitely closer to VG++, sleeve about the same, and I still consider getting it for $100 a steal, given every other version like that I've seen has been going for over $200 for the last year, it's insane really....but I sprung for it....and I love it. My deep clean helped considerably. The sound is full and as well-balanced as you'll ever hear --- it's just....right.