Man, I'm a long time collector and know a fair bit about the hobby. You and your channel have opened my eyes to the details of the hobby with lots of fantastic tips for new and experienced collectors! I subscribe to alot of record related channels and yours is hands-down the most informative and interesting to me. Hopefully there is lots more for me to catch up on. I started with the Discogs video, and "thought" I knew how to use the app! lol
Another factor to consider is what label issued the record. This is especially important for reissues, since the reissue label may not be the same as the original label.
Great video. As someone who's collected for 40+ years, even I haven't thought about a couple of things you listed. Thank you for making a great video explaining this!
I've been taking a deep dive into your channel and loving your content and presentation, thank you for taking the time to make these videos. Here's the thing though, as I get older, my hearing is fading. At 58 I certainly don't have the ability to discern subtle nuances in music the same way that I was able to in my 30's. So for me, as I look for vinyl to purchase, the quality of the release is starting to take a back seat since I'm losing that audiophile superpower. I'm more interested in the overall condition and art work of the album versus what some self proclaimed audiophile comments about the quality of the source, just doesn't matter to me since I can't hear it any more.
Hello GI & NTX , I enjoyed the discussion here. I’ve been a vinyl hobbyist about 10 years, and one thrill now is finding records cut from the original source. Last year I purchased the debut reissue by the buzzcocks which hyped using the 1/4” original master tapes ( on the sticker.) It then becomes more of a time machine to me - brings me into 1976 and I get a subjective value from it, for sure. Looking forward to more videos - thanks!
Excellent introduction to this issue. Good summary. Given the subjective nature of listening I would welcome your continued discussion of this topic with some examples of specific records that have demonstrable quality issues with varying pressings. Also, commentary regarding the "value" of OG pressings from a collecting vs. listening standpoint. Thanks again for very informative YT channel!
There are more than one kind of recording engineer. It starts with the guy in the booth controlling what is being recorded. Next, there is the mixing engineer. After that it goes to the cutting room where another engineer cuts the recordings onto lacquer master discs. These are NOT cut into stampers. At this time, that engineer puts his mark in the deadwax and that is where Bob Ludwig comes in. Next, the lacquers are sent to the platers and another engineer takes over. Depending what the lacquers are going to be used for determines how they will be plated. In the Mofi one-step process, this first plating of the lacquer with become the stamper. Much more common, the first plating step result in a "Father". The "Father" is then plated and a "Mother" results. At this point, the "Mother" is inspected and played to find any problems. If it is approved, THEN it gets plated and creates the STAMPERS. Several stampers can be made off of a mother. The stampers are next sent to the record pressing plants. Starting with the sources for the recordings, the higher quality is from the original session tapes or atleast the first generation mix-down master tapes. These are either remixed and/or remastered. Tapes age as they sit around sometimes for decades where they have started to come apart. Sometimes they can be successfully repaired, as they did with the Beatles masters. Then there are the pressing plants. Some are/were better than others. In the late-60's to the very early-80's, the Columbia Santa Maria plant was by far the best. They used high quality vinyl and virgin vinyl. They pressed records for many different record labels and those records are most sought after. Such as a Jimi Hendrix album, with the 1st gen pressings coming from CSM, which can blow away the latest pressings from Analogue Productions and their QRP pressing division. There are many steps tken before these records reach our hands. And, NO, the same stampers used to press the, say first generation records in 1969, were not used to re-press the next pressing run of records. RCA Victor made it easy to tell because each pressing bore the number of the stamper. Now, in the case of Anaolgue Productions, since they bought out Classic Records, they ARE using the same metal parts to repress records which were plated by RTI. This may be one reason that with the same record having originally been pressed by RTI for Classic Records, commands a higher price than those repress by AP at QRP.
I you collect music recorded before 1980, a good rule to go by is if the back of the album has a barcode, avoid that pressing. Look for a pressing without the barcode.
Great video. Just started watching your channel a few weeks ago and love your videos! I’ve been collecting and spinning vinyl for 50 years - even longer if you count my kiddie records! I was at it very early in life! Haha. I’m in it now more than ever. While you have great videos like this one for new enthusiasts, you are also interesting for those of us that have been collecting longer than you! 😂 Keep up the great work!
@@NTXVinyl I also like a lot of the same kinds of music you do! I’m primarily a fan of the classic rock, soul, R&B, blues, and pop of 1955-85. At heart, I’m primarily a child of the 70s 😃 but I really love a lot of the rock bands of the 80s & 90s too. U2, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Live, STP, Coldplay, Soul Asylum, etc etc. Of course I’m a big Beatles fan, Rolling Stones, Elton John, Neil Diamond, and pretty much every 70s artist lol …. and my #1 all-time is The Bee Gees 1963-2001 plus all the solo albums, produced albums, covered music, etc. Songwriting way way underrated…. Well over 1000 songs written for themselves and others. Most are totally unaware. A shame!!! I’m happy to see so many young fans embracing classic music and vinyl including my Bee Gees! The prices have skyrocketed in recent years as there is so much and so much is out of print!
Thank you so much for your video(s). They are so informative and thorough! I am in my mid 50’s and I am waiting for my new audio-technica AT-LP3 to come in today. Watching your videos has certainly inspired me to get back to listening to LPs. You are certainly correct that whether the album was pressed from the original or not, If it sounds good to that person then the LP has done its job? Now if someone is a collector like yourself and you’re looking for a specific record that was made in a specific year, pressed from the original etc., well then that’s good as well. As you mention we all have ears, but acoustically speaking we all might not hear the same tones and sounds at the same levels and pitches.. etc. it may be due to age and so forth. So just as beauty in the eye of the beholder it may be the same when it comes down to listening to music. Would you say that the quality of the speakers might/do have a big impact on how the music is heard..details of the instruments etc?
I am going to search for your video that addresses reissues (modern) vs the original and what I find to be true: LPs may be 180 grams today but if the quality control is not there, it doesn't mean a hill of beans. Almost all of the reissues I have bought of late had warp issues. It may be minor, and my turntable can still track it, but it doesn't mean I have to like it especially after spending $30.
Great video I'm going to start subscribing when I seek out vintage vinyl usually hoping to find a presswell version I've had some really good luck with their quality control.
Wow, you made such a huge mistake! You don’t cut a stamper! You cut a lacquer, dude. And that lacquer is then sent to a galvanic lab, who creates a stamper out of a lacquer. I press records for a living, and I will tell you the most crucial part of the whole process you described is the cutting l, that is where things can go the worst. Also about your point on stampers being used in different context, most plants will not use a stamper for more than 1K units, as they don’t tend to hold longer. The quality control, it’s a much longer discussion, so, another time 😅. It’s a good topic, so let’s be thorough 😉
Appreciate the feedback! Especially from someone who actually does this stuff. My bad on screwing up the nomenclature, hard to keep it all straight for sure.
@@NTXVinyl no problem, and sorry for my slightly dramatic tone. Btw, there are about 45 plants in Northern America. Maybe even a little more since I last thoroughly checked, 2-3 years ago. One of the greatest issue well run plants face is not too many orders, though, but it’s own supply chain not being able to deliver, for shortage of oil, paper, cardboard, pigments, metal etc… but you made a rarely made great point : even with the will and finance, where do you buy the knowledge ? The biggest issue of the industry. It took me 2 years to be happy with my product, with 30 years of collecting and releasing records previously in my bag. I knew what a good record was, I had the luxury of having my plant 5 mn away from the pressing machine manufacturer, and still, it was harder than you could imagine
@@StuntrockConfusion all good! I don't think you can learn all this stuff in a lifetime man. I'm all ears from people who've done it. 45 plants! That's double what I've read and been told, but great to hear. Mind if I ask which plant you're involved with? Always looking for options for my label.
I’ve found that I really like German Beatles pressings. Other than that I don’t recognize huge differences between pressings that detract from my enjoyment of the record I’m listening to.
Thanks G.I ! Yeah I just got smoked on a DMM pressing of Wayne shorter album it very quiet ! Some are pressed hot and some not and you can sure hear the difference! You live you learn ! Ps only buy the Japan Toshiba pressing if your going to go that way! Not the best pressing but sometimes the Japan pressing are the best value !
Hi from England I've just watched your live albums video really great one but I just wanted to say I have a copy of the Beatles rooftop concert it is on coloured vinyl mine is mint green had it a few years now also the label on my copy is blank thank you
Sourced from original master doesn't necessarily mean it hasn't degraded over time. Unfortunately lots of examples of original master tapes becomingly degraded and fragile or even lost to fire etc.
@@StuntrockConfusion Simply because they are made with more material. A thinner 120-140gram would be more susceptible to damage, warping, etc. That said, if a record is stored and handled properly the weight really has little baring on it.
@@NTXVinyl in my experience, it actually is the opposite, thinner records tend to be more flexible and less prone to shattering. They can warp more easily, that can be true, but are easier to « correct » : when a warp sets on a 180 gm, good luck saving it ^^ Also, the thinner à record is, the easier it is to press, ie to avoid stitching and non fill.
I bought vinyl when I was a kid and then moved over the years to CDs, streaming, etc but would now like to get a turntable and start collecting vinyl again. I want to start off by getting some of my favourite classic records on vinyl (Dark Side of the Moon, OK Computer, Jeff Buckley - Grace, Donald Fagen - Nightfly). Any advice on whether it's reasonably safe to pick up any pressings of these classic records (even second-hand in good condition) or whether I should really be restricting myself to either an original pressing or a re-issue to get a quality version?
It can really vary, but I think hunting for original/early pressings can be a ton of fun. If you have shops local to you start there. Reissues of those particular albums can be found somewhat easily so you can always fall back and grab them if you're not having any luck searching
@@NTXVinyl Thanks GI. I'm in Melbourne, Australia so will check out some of the record stores here as well as people selling stuff second-hand online. I'm kicking myself that I got rid of my old vinyl records many years ago and now want to start again. Interestingly my 2 sons (20 and 18) are both also buying vinyl - one of them is buying techno vinyl as he DJs and the other one in to a lot of the classic rock stuff like me!
This is something that I was never sure of, but back in the day I ordered lots of LPs from the RCA Club. Most of the LPs like ZZ Top Afterburner stamped Master on the dead wax. I now just assume it refers to the pressing as mastered for LPs......By the way, my copy of Afterburner sounds great. Am I missing something?
honestly this all sounds pretty cracked.... the same album no.#1 and no. #2 bought by #1 Fan and #2 Fan can have two different experiences simply because of almost any slight change. .... So, I think the real test is, are you happy with the output sound out of your speakers. ..... Can you handle the clicks and pops from you source or are they too distracting? ....... The Real Problem for me (maybe others) is Grading Albums. Right now I have I think 200 NEAR MINT 1950/60 Mom Grandma Records, but I don't have anyone in a small town who knows what having Near Mint means. Most Albums (clean) and NEW have clicks and pops. I want a nice copy of a record, I got good gear, and I'm willing to spend a few bucks, and the offer is Very Good Plus... what does that mean other than Price to most of the people like me.
Trying to log a couple zeppelin albums I picked up the other day …I about gave up they have sooooo many lol they said porky so that helped narrow it down
Unfortunately no. The matrix numbers that plants/labels etch into the dead wax greatly differs from one to the next. It makes it pretty tricky...and man they can be hard to read in many circumstances. There are general 2-3 sets of numbers/letters that tie to that specific release, but no standards of how it's done
It was simple in the old days on USED Vinyl - We didn't have Grading really We had good copies and bad copies and stores didn't sell bad used copies. .... I thought that was a much better system - imho.
@@NTXVinyl I use to have a shop in Brownsville next to the TSC campus in the mid-1980s. It didn't last long, but it was as close to my dream of owning a record store.
Nja it depends: "sourced from original masters tapes" Is actually DEGRADED and is not always the "best". With degraded I mean if someone make a new print of "dark side of the moon" with hype sticker "sourced from original masters tapes". That is a soon a 50 year old master tape that is so worn that the work copy beside it is probably in better shape.. another thing is that tape is a magnetic format and 50 year later earth's magnetic field has also degraded the master tape..
@@NTXVinyl I understand, but what you described is practice that takes the middle road to "sound good on all devices". That typically includes situations like headphones in heavy traffic or usage on boomboxes and computer speakers with "V-shaped" sound EQ. This means you'll do stuff like push compression and try to compensate for sound systems that are nowhere near neutral. Which means that on any decent hi-fi system you'll get serious lack of dynamics and really bad relations between low/mid/high frequencies. I know that guys like Bruce Springsteen like this kind of mastering. But guys like Neil Young find this a terrible practice. I'm just surprised that you as a guy who leans towards vinyl and hi-fi think that is an OK mastering practice. We should recognize that that is not a cool way to do things and make people aware of these issues.
Informative but you mispronounced the word mastered and mastering sooo many times that this Australian has to stop watching it. The word “Ma” is pronounced “mar”. As is Grandma.
