Sonicpharmacist
Well-Known Member
New link, see if it works. I’m just wanting an opinion if the price is about right.
Dropbox
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Definitive Audiophile pressings
- Thread starter Mrjay07
- Start date
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TenderLovingKiller®
Well-Known Member
The only Discogs comments I love more than midnightrunner comments are serious replies to midnightrunner comments.
Academy
Active Member
Am I right that this is generally the consensus on ranking of the big name pressing plants?
EDITED, Per @TenderLovingKiller®
EDITED, Per @TenderLovingKiller®
- Pallas
- QRP
- RTI
- Record Industry
- Optimal
- GZ
TenderLovingKiller®
Well-Known Member
Record Industry should be on the list probably ahead of Optimal. Also I would put QRP above RTI.
Diaper Baby Escape Plan
Well-Known Diaper Baby
Pallas at the top? Don't get me wrong, I've never had an issue with Pallas and if I see their name affixed to something I usually think that's a record that is gonna be nice. But ahead of RTI and QRP? I'd really see all three - Pallas/RTI/QRP as interchangeable as far as the confidence they elicit from me.
I will say that there is something I've always liked about the relationship between QRP/Analogue Productions/Acoustics Sounds. That Chad Kassem cares not just about the pressings his brand puts out but about good music, in general. In so much that AS isn't just a store for AP/QRP stuff. And that QRP will press non-AP stuff. It's not some closed ecosystem. But that's less about pressing quality and more about a warmth in my tummy.
I will say that there is something I've always liked about the relationship between QRP/Analogue Productions/Acoustics Sounds. That Chad Kassem cares not just about the pressings his brand puts out but about good music, in general. In so much that AS isn't just a store for AP/QRP stuff. And that QRP will press non-AP stuff. It's not some closed ecosystem. But that's less about pressing quality and more about a warmth in my tummy.
TenderLovingKiller®
Well-Known Member
I think the top 3 are fairly interchangeable. I think the QC at QRP is a bit better than RTI. But If Pallas were behind QRP I wouldn’t have said anything about it
Diaper Baby Escape Plan
Well-Known Diaper Baby
I will give it to GZ, they cleaned up their act a lot over the last couple of years. They are properly ranked. But there was a time when I'd think of them in the same way as Rainbo or URP.
BjorgenFjorgen
Well-Known Member
My experience has basically been that that's accurate. Only one or two QRP records though, I think. I've also been really impressed with Optimal, compared to their rank. Don't think 5 is bad here.
TenderLovingKiller®
Well-Known Member
There’s also Gotta Groove, Third Man Records, and Memphis Record Pressing too.
One of which is good, and two of which are baaaaaad. But which one is the one!?!?!?!?
Joe Mac
Well-Known Member
I’ve always found that GZ were capable of really great pressings. But they also still press some dire shit. And it seems they can drop out both within the same album. They press at such volume that there is a feeling that the QC isn't tight and that they overuse stampers. @Mather gets all the warped no fill copies.
Dublin Vinyl do beautiful presses but they’re probably a little bit small for a list like this.
MikeH
Well-Known Member
It asks me to add it to my iCloud so I didn’t want to do that. Imgur is probably a better site to use to upload pics!
MikeH
Well-Known Member
I’d imagine it’s kinda hard to find it for much cheaper and the price keeps going up, which is crazy since they pressed 20,000 copies apparently. Cant remember if you already have some Beatles MoFi already, but if not I’d recommend listening to one or two because some people really dislike them. I like them though.New link, see if it works. I’m just wanting an opinion if the price is about right.
Dropbox
I considered making an offer on that listing but ultimately decided that for $900 shipped plus tax I don’t know that I’d listen to it enough to warrant buying it. I think not having the album art would bother me too...for the actual pricing of it, the albums look clean (but hard to tell just from photos) and even though the box is dinged up, at this point don’t think you could buy those albums individually for cheaper than what’s in the box. You’d have to trust that the seller knows what he’s doing with packing it too...
the only other cheaper copy I’ve seen was on IG at a shop in Columbus but they wouldn’t ship. They were asking $800 for a NM/NM box.
AnthonyI
Well-Known Member
To @MikeH's point above, this box would tend to lean more towards collectability in my opinion. Meaning, if your a Beatles fan it might be something to consider, but there are also "degrees of fandom" and to that, it's still a big price to pay if you're only really interested in only 5 of the 14 albums in the box. You're better off seeking the individuals at a much lower price.I’m seriously considering purchasing a MFSL Beatles Collection box set I found online for $850, but I’m curious to what you all think about this particular set, if it’s a good deal or not. I messaged the seller for pictures, this is what I got. Would any of you mind looking and weighing in?
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I've said before, if I wasn't so close to completing the MoFi pressings I would be looking for the box, but honestly, because it would probably cost me less in the long run, considering I want to mirror the Mono box. The other "slight" wrinkle, I really like the original covers, I wish they would have gone that route on the box, but that's a minor nit-pick
So I guess the ultimate question is how much do you like The Beatles?
Sonicpharmacist
Well-Known Member
Thank you both for your thoughts. I think I’m going to not give in to temptation and sit this one out. No cover art is an issue for me too, and if I’m honest with myself, I think I’d actually only listen to Abbey Road (which I already have a pristeen MFSL), White Album, Rubber Soul, and Revolver, which I already have the mono’s for each of those titles. I might seek out a MFSL for White Album and Revolver individually instead.To @MikeH's point above, this box would tend to lean more towards collectability in my opinion. Meaning, if your a Beatles fan it might be something to consider, but there are also "degrees of fandom" and to that, it's still a big price to pay if you're only really interested in only 5 of the 14 albums in the box. You're better off seeking the individuals at a much lower price.
I've said before, if I wasn't so close to completing the MoFi pressings I would be looking for the box, but honestly, because it would probably cost me less in the long run, considering I want to mirror the Mono box. The other "slight" wrinkle, I really like the original covers, I wish they would have gone that route on the box, but that's a minor nit-pick
So I guess the ultimate question is how much do you like The Beatles?
MikeH
Well-Known Member
That's where I landed on it too. I like the Beatles. But it's not super often that I actually sit down and spin their records even though I have quite a few older pressings of their work. And for $800+ I figure I can get really good copies of the albums I would listen to. Already have the White Album + Esher Demos box from awhile ago, Abbey Road + Sgt Pepper MoFis. Rubber Soul and Revolver are the others I'd eventually look for MoFis of but not in a huge rush on those.
I think @AnthonyI is right-- for me, it would be more of a collectible purchase and I try to steer clear of that as best I can when I can. I definitely can get caught up in it though. I'm sure they all sound fantastic though and if I listened to all of those albums more, I would have been more tempted.
Joe Mac
Well-Known Member
White album is definitely worth it. It’s the one album where there’s a mono version that I prefer the stereo. It was the only album where the band and George Martin oversaw both the mono and stereo mix. Prior to that the mono was the one they signed off on and engineers experimented on the stereo versions for this new niche format that not many people had jumped into yet. Hence hard panning and the absolutely batshit crazy Pepper’s mix. After it there were no true mono releases for their last 3, just the stereo ones.
If you’re not a huge huge Beatles fan and you have the monos and like them White/Yellow Submarine (if you even want that one)/Abbey Road/Let It Be are the best bets for the mofi where you’re getting a better product that what is in current press.
Turbo
Well-Known Member
I'd put Gotta Groove in Ohio somewhere in the second tier with Record Industry and Optimal (they do the Colemine stuff, among other things, and their work is usually top notch).
Turbo
Well-Known Member
I second @Joe Mac about Dublin Vinyl - small outfit but I'd confidently place them in the solid second tier.
Third Man and MPO are in the third tier with GZ. All capable of superb pressings but also produce a significant amount of issues within some of their pressings.
Maybe United, MRP, Rainbo in the bottom?
Third Man and MPO are in the third tier with GZ. All capable of superb pressings but also produce a significant amount of issues within some of their pressings.
Maybe United, MRP, Rainbo in the bottom?
Seeing this a bit late, but hoping you stuck to your decision. Even if the vinyl was NM, that box is in rough shape (Maybe VG at best, I would probably grade it G+). My guess is that vinyl is VG+ at best and I would think $500 (max) is more than fair for a VG/VG+ Beatles box in today’s market. (Also, for reference, I purchased a mint Sinatra box in the last month in that price range, so the deals are out there.)