Had an unusual experience last year with a MoFi Ultradisc box set. Having been a long time fan of Donald Fagen's The Nightfly I thought I'd treat myself to this limited edition version. It was ordered direct from the US last May and box set #816 duly arrived in October following release. 

The two records were put through a RCM and I thought I'd do a back-to-back comparison with my 1982 original copy. So side one of the old version was played first and then the needle dropped on the first track of LP One of the Ultradisc...but it wasn't I.G.Y. that I heard but New Frontier which is the first track of LP Two.

Somehow the most expensive record I've ever purchased only had 75% of the music as tracks 5 and 6 had been duplicated and appeared on both discs!

Complained to MoFi and photographed the inscribed matrix info of all four sides and emailed it to them and eventually - last week - a correct LP One arrived.  

The Ultradisc version is a treat to listen to and maybe I've got the only three-disc box set of The Nightfly in the universe!   

  

The Ultradisc One-Step process appears to lift a veil on the music with the result that the presentation within the soundstage is enhanced in a pleasant unified manner which draws the listener in. The tuneful bass is certainly 'fatter' and deeper; in addition the multi-layered backing vocals are more prominent across the soundstage. 

Not a lot wrong with the original vinyl but this version elevates the music to a whole new level of enjoyment.

Maybe sound even better with an Accession MC...perhaps time to consider upgrading my Reflex C (which celebrates its third birthday this month)!  

I bought a number of second hand records today on a trip to a rather damp Whitby. I'm cleaning most of them tonight and playing a few whilst I work on the remainder. RCM's are great once you have one.

Hi all!  I'm not sure if there is a 'right' place to post this.  It's certainly about new vinyl, and about the experience, though it's really a very unusual hope for help!

My sister has just given me a birthday present of Mahler's Symphony No.8 by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Georg Solti (Decca).  New!  But, weirdly, the enclosed notes and libretto are for the version by The London Symphony Orchestra and Leonard Bernstein (CBS).  When I discovered this, my sister phoned the supplier, who was surprised, but said that was how it was supplied to him!

As you can imagine, enjoyment is definitely enhanced if you've got the right notes for the LPs concerned!  I'm wondering if, by any WQofF, anyone on this splendid forum site can solve the problem: how can I get hold of the right leaflet/booklet (or whatever it is) in any form?  Download, photocopy - I don't mind!  I'd happily pay a modest sum, too!

This feels a bit like casting out a message in a bottle, but... any helpful suggestion welcomed!

(P.S.  I had a look on the prestoclassical website, but they don't supply the leaflet to download.)

(images downsized as file sizes are large)

Mick.

The better plants IME are RTI, QRP, Record Industry (Holland), and Pallas (Germany). But even there, there is no guarantee you will get a record free of defects. I usually wait for reviews and don't jump the gun with preorders or buy something right when it is released. Sometimes a new release or reissue will have a whole run with many reports of various defects. For those I usually wait it out, pass entirely, or try to buy from a retailer that is going to work with me if I get a bad copy. 

A few months ago I had to return two audiophile label jazz reissues that were pressed at one of the better plants listed above. They were warped right out of the package, probably due to the reason I mentioned above. Luckily the retailer was willing to work with me and accept the return, then inspect replacement copies for me. It's still a hassle and I had to pay to send the records back but they came through in the end. Many shops and retailers won't take returns or exchanges on new vinyl whatsoever. 

At B&M shops, I generally prefer to buy used or unsealed LPs. I can inspect them, and if there is a problem after I clean and play them the better shops in my area will at least allow me to return the LP for 100% store credit or give me a no questions asked refund. With new vinyl they won't always do that. 

In November I bought and really enjoyed three of the remastered Kat Bush albums on vinyl: The Dreaming, Hounds of Love, and Aerial. No clicks and I like the slightly increased dynamic range. Great to finally have Aerial as an LP and new copies of the other two.

Very nice. I'm keeping track of reports on quality on those. I'd like to get the Dreaming remastered either on CD or LP. For HOL I think I'm good because I have AF reissue done by Hoffman and Gray and I can't imagine any version bettering it. I never had Aerial so I'll have to get it on some format. Also Red Shoes is missing from my collection. I don't like her pre-Dreaming stuff too much so I'm going to pass on those. 

For some unaccountable reason, I missed the post by Drewan77 about the Solti Mahler-8, until a few days ago!  Thanks, Andrew for the screen shots.  It goes part-way to shedding some light on whatever print material may have accompanied the original vinyl release.  Apparently, the original contained a 21-page booklet: rather more pages than your Idaho friend has!  I've no idea whether the original booklet was one of those slightly annoying enclosures that have the same thing in several languages, or whether it's really very informative and all in English.  I'm guessing that it does contain the full libretto however.

The vinyl release is still officially available new, but it seems to have been caught in the massive queue for production that is affecting supplies worldwide of anything other than the most popular LPs.  My sister attempted to get me a new copy, but was put off so many times over several months that she resorted to getting me a 'Near Mint' second-hand copy - hence the surprise at the wrong enclosure and the inability of the supplier to do anything about it!  Ho hum...

That sounds extremely frustrating. I had the same experience recently with two copies of Moses Boyd's Displaced Diaspora LP. I ended up giving up and just getting the CD. In some cases a looping groove like that can be fixed by using a conical stylus (never anything else!) and backcueing the loop several times. That will often leave a soft popping noise though, and it's not something we should have to put up with on a brand new LP, much less an expensive boxset. 

Earlier this year a friend gifted me an expensive 4xLP set and on the final side there was a deep scratch from poor factory handling. The rest of the set sounds amazing so you can imagine my disappointment. Trying to work with the label to get the issue sorted out. 

Fly in the ointment, the pressing.  Returned 1 as there was an unseen background surface noise - no clicks but just an annoying swish for a Third of every revolution on the quieter tracks on side 1 in particular.

This was bought from HMV Newcastle and swapped at HMV in Hull.  Whilst ‘better’ it is still similarly noisy despite both havimh a good clean in my RCM and wonder if anyone else wants to admit to owning this and if so whether good or similar findings?

Sorry, only just seen your reply. In the end, I was torn between trying to do as you suggested or just sending it back as the set appears to be out of stock at most popular retailers unfortunately. Anyway, sent it back for a refund. I'll keep an eye out for a replacement that's sensibly priced. 

The recording in many ways is fine detailed and generally clean but remains lacking in true dynamics/compressed an ‘loud’.

I have my adjustable gain set to listen between 10 and 11.00 on the clock face, the latter being as loud as I normally go unless the recording is particularly low when I have been known to push towards 12.00.  I found myself listening at little more than 9.00 so altered my adjustable gain to suit.

From memory the vocals are cleaner and crisper than his first album although haven’t played for a few months as other system improvements have taken place.

At least the pressing have proved ok with no noise between tracks; without much by way of quiet passages this shouldn’t intrude anyway!

 

I haven't heard this for over 30 years and there were a few good tracks I had forgotten about.

 

Given that the only common component is my turntable and with the passage of time my recollection may have been a little wide of the mark but with these factors in mind the recording was good, Kate's voice carried the usual power though felt the overall balance had been morphed in to a more forward presentation with the lower frequencies 'flattened' with less power than I recall (albeit possibly connected to the last time listening the speakers had huge bass weight and scale) albeit what was heard today was tight and pretty enjoyable.  It would be interesting to compare with 'an original' though suspect the balance may have been tinkered with in the remastering?

 

As a footnote I thought I had one of Bobs 'warped' record (as seen on YouTube!) as when I looked at side B track two the arm was rising and falling quite significantly!  However, I freed off some surplus plastic from around the spindle hole and it was thereafter flat and the sound improved being a little warmer and less forward - maybe an unwanted artefact contributing to side 1;this now being warmer, sweeter and better balanced.

Enjoyed the music and whilst over 30 years since I have heard the vinyl album sound is very good; massive soundstage, powerful, tight, detailed and sweet.  Very clean and detailed vocals from Essex, Lynott, Burton and Covington amongst others.

Unlike my Kate Bush purchase this was a better recording that the original (from memory) and a quiet pressing too.

Recommended if you like the music.

The first one is Pure Pleasure's reissue of Billy Harper's Capra Black. Great 70s jazz originally on the Strata East label. 

The other is a reissue on the Paradise of Bachelors label of Mike Cooper's Trout Steel. Semi-obscure singer-songwriter stuff with some jazz and psychedelic touches. 

Both recommended. 

Good to see you back Jon, trust all is well.

Ian

I'm okay, thank you Ian.

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