Definitive Audiophile pressings

[Portland Sheriff]

I’ve never owned a vinyl copy of Ahmad Jamal - At the Pershing. Anyone have thoughts on the best direction?

Recommendation for Stereo v. Mono? I‘d gladly buy an order Argo copy if those are/were good. Or a Japanese copy. I know there’s an AP pressing that used 1984 Sterling-mastered. Anyone have either of those (the AP or the ‘84 press)?

EDIT: I’ve read this SH page with some commentary. Seems like mono is the way to go with older copies and the AP/1984 are mono

 

[FremerLovesMp3s]

I’ve never owned a vinyl copy of Ahmad Jamal - At the Pershing. Anyone have thoughts on the best direction?

Recommendation for Stereo v. Mono? I‘d gladly buy an order Argo copy if those are/were good. Or a Japanese copy. I know there’s an AP pressing that used 1984 Sterling-mastered. Anyone have either of those (the AP or the ‘84 press)?

Ahmad Jamal Trio - Ahmad Jamal At The Pershing I bought this pressing last year VG+ for like $20 and it sounds pretty good.

 

[Urbs_hott]

Here’s another really excellent sounding album.

View attachment 175192
Pass If Music - Sam Gendel. I got the “dark clear” version which looks like the one step or old JVC vinyl. It’s black but see-through when you hold it up to light. Really excellent mastering though and a cool album. Discogs link here:

Sam Gendel - Pass If Music

View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 2023 Vinyl release of "Pass If Music" on Discogs.

www.discogs.com

Cool album for sure. I grabbed the black and it’s pretty badly warped. If these are actually as limited as Discogs says they are I’d guess any defects are widespread. Was your dark clear flat? If it was I’m going to try for one of those.

 

[MikeH]

Cool album for sure. I grabbed the black and it’s pretty badly warped. If these are actually as limited as Discogs says they are I’d guess any defects are widespread. Was your dark clear flat? If it was I’m going to try for one of those.

I’ll check it again tomorrow if I have time but think I would have remembered any significant warps. I do use a weight on everything though so that might have hidden or handled any small warps.

I did talk to the label to ask where it was pressed and the guy who runs the label said they had a miserable time with the pressing plant and would not recommend them.

 

[Jbraswell]

The KG cut of Billy Cobham's Spectrum is badass.
Pressed at Optimal and it's a Rhino 75th on clear vinyl.

This one won't last after the word gets out.
Killer album.

 

[MikeH]

The KG cut of Billy Cobham's Spectrum is badass.
Pressed at Optimal and it's a Rhino 75th on clear vinyl.

This one won't last after the word gets out.
Killer album.

And it’s AAA. Yes it’s an awesome cut. I tried telling y’all!

 

[djdavedk]

The KG cut of Billy Cobham's Spectrum is badass.
Pressed at Optimal and it's a Rhino 75th on clear vinyl.

This one won't last after the word gets out.
Killer album.

I hate clear vinyl. But it’s the sound that’s important

 

[Jbraswell]

And it’s AAA. Yes it’s an awesome cut. I tried telling y’all!

What else is as good in that series?

 

[HayesWeighsIn]

It is, mine is landing today. It’s apparently 5% cash back or 10% credit on Music Direct

Is it 10% on a single order?

 

[zdkaiser]

Is it 10% on a single order?

Probably not stackable.

 

[spilledleche]

i'm working today and have no meetings, so it's a great day to discogs shuffle and land on some stuff I haven't listened to in awhile. I've had this original pressing of the White Stripes' Icky Thump since release day in 2007 and probably added it to my discogs 8-9 years ago and hadn't looked at the pressing information in maybe ever, but it's a great little find. It's a Kevin Gray/Steve Hoffman job from AcousTech, pressed at RTI, which I don't think much of anything Jack White related was at this time, has some hype about it being "the first time in recording history that a vinyl master was cut in analog straight from a 1" master mix" and sounds like the band, Meg's bass drum in particular, is sitting in my office.

The Vault 1 mono is the super rare one and they did a nice job on Icky Thump X from what I remember, but to my ears, this is one of the best records I've heard in a really long time. A nice revelation that's just been sitting on my shelves for 16 years.

The White Stripes - Icky Thump

View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 2007 Vinyl release of "Icky Thump" on Discogs.

www.discogs.com

 

[MikeH]

What else is as good in that series?

I'll have to look through but from this year's SYEOR releases, I think that one was my favorite. I made a post awhile ago about what they were all sourced from this year and where they were pressed.

 

[MikeH]

5% cash back = $2 - $3 per title.

Seems like a waste of time.

I went through on Friday night (I know...WILD friday night) and looked through my MoFis and am using it as a time to return MoFi records I don't listen to anymore that have lost value on the secondary market. Dylan Blonde on Blonde and Miles Davis KoB are both going back for full refunds. A few others as well. And just tacked on the 10% coupon or 5% back on one steps I own or some of the other more expensive MoFis. Didn't take too long especially if you bought them from MoFi or MD. Can just go through order history and include the order number and not need to include receipts or anything. If you really wanted to (I think @Jbraswell brought this idea up...) could always return some One Steps for full price and then repurchase them for much cheaper since some of those now sell for $75 instead of $125+.

 

[Colonel4Bin]

I went through on Friday night (I know...WILD friday night) and looked through my MoFis and am using it as a time to return MoFi records I don't listen to anymore that have lost value on the secondary market. Dylan Blonde on Blonde and Miles Davis KoB are both going back for full refunds. A few others as well. And just tacked on the 10% coupon or 5% back on one steps I own or some of the other more expensive MoFis. Didn't take too long especially if you bought them from MoFi or MD. Can just go through order history and include the order number and not need to include receipts or anything. If you really wanted to (I think @Jbraswell brought this idea up...) could always return some One Steps for full price and then repurchase them for much cheaper since some of those now sell for $75 instead of $125+.

Makes me wonder what they’re going to do with them. If enough people do that, it’s going to drive those secondary prices even lower.

Wild to see secondary prices of stuff ~2 years after the height of the pandemic and audiophile boom. Some of those titles that were impossible to find/keep in stock, you can’t give away these days.

 

[spilledleche]

I fully expect the Music Direct warehouse/garage sale next summer to be well stocked. Sad I missed it this year due to other stuff going on.

 

[dansomeone]

Is it 10% on a single order?

It's a 10% off coupon, it can be used on anything MD sells, and it can be used as many times as you want for a 180-day period

 

[Nee Lewman]

Wait it’s a ten percent coupon or a voucher for ten percent of retail of what you bought?

 

[Nee Lewman]

I’m listening to Amanda Shires - Tell it Like a Man on vinyl for the first time and damn if it doesn’t sound fanfucktastic. Super dynamic. Quiet floor. Punch even. It was pressed at RTI but no idea who cut it.

 

[Jbraswell]

I went through on Friday night (I know...WILD friday night) and looked through my MoFis and am using it as a time to return MoFi records I don't listen to anymore that have lost value on the secondary market. Dylan Blonde on Blonde and Miles Davis KoB are both going back for full refunds. A few others as well. And just tacked on the 10% coupon or 5% back on one steps I own or some of the other more expensive MoFis. Didn't take too long especially if you bought them from MoFi or MD. Can just go through order history and include the order number and not need to include receipts or anything. If you really wanted to (I think @Jbraswell brought this idea up...) could always return some One Steps for full price and then repurchase them for much cheaper since some of those now sell for $75 instead of $125+.

Let's be honest with each other.

We are not buying the flaming bag of Folk Singer poo back.

 

[MikeH]

Wait it’s a ten percent coupon or a voucher for ten percent of retail of what you bought?

I thought it’s a voucher for 10% of the retail price but no indication that you’re allowed to stack them. Assumed it’s not just a general 10% off coupon… Haven’t seen them say you can or can’t stack.