Led Zeppelin 2 sound quality question

[Wally Swift]

Yesterday I picked up an original UK plum label Led Zeppelin 2. I've not owned or heard this album on vinyl in many,many years. This copy I found yesterday is essentially unlistenable. I'm not talking condition here, it's a pretty decent VG+, I mean the bass is so distorted I just can't listen to it. Is this normal?

:saywhat:

 

[similost]

I've found a lotta Zep LPs are unlistenable if you have a really good system.. Either too tinny sounding, or too much low end distortion...

 

[Dan ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ]

Meh. Their first album is all midrange and the others are distorted muck. :thumbsdn:

 

[spaceman]

I'd say try listening at least a couple times, AT different times, to get a better feel for it. Is it possible the bass is actually normal, and you're used to it being rolled off? My CTH copy, which is a "re-worked" RL pressing, is a little like that. You get so used to bad recordings, that a good one doesn't seem right, when you first hear it. :scratch2:

 

[Wally Swift]

I'd say try listening at least a couple times, AT different times, to get a better feel for it. Is it possible the bass is actually normal, and you're used to it being rolled off? My CTH copy, which is a "re-worked" RL pressing, is a little like that. You get so used to bad recordings, that a good one doesn't seem right, when you first hear it. :scratch2:

My Sansui receiver is still in the shop so I'm dealing with inferior sound quality in general coming from my crappy Fisher amp. But the bass distortion on this Zeppelin LP is beyond the pale. It sounds like an animal is trying to claw it's way out of my speakers!

 

[KeninDC]

Bad Zep LP pressings are often the norm.

Some UK pressings of LZ II are noted for too much compression, reverb, and bloated bass.

US "RL" pressings are superior.

 

[ledzep1968]

I think Zep II is their second best sounding album. My first US pressing sounds amazing.

 

[spaceman]

My Sansui receiver is still in the shop so I'm dealing with inferior sound quality in general coming from my crappy Fisher amp. But the bass distortion on this Zeppelin LP is beyond the pale. It sounds like an animal is trying to claw it's way out of my speakers!

OK, the first thing you need to do, is identify what animal is in your speakers. You can't catch a rabbit in a bear trap.

 

[kevzep]

OK, the first thing you need to do, is identify what animal is in your speakers. You can't catch a rabbit in a bear trap.

Excellent post!!

I am listening right now to my NON RL pressing of Led Zeppelin II......What a fantastic album......Sounds great, the magic and energy of Led Zeppelin immortalized in this particular recording...
Personally, I listen to the music, the recording of the music (warts and all) still after 30 years gives me chills, they were pushing the gear to the limit and beyond, and this really captures how close to the edge they were working....
The distortion on this album is musical and appropriate for the energy they were trying to capture...I love it.....

To say the first album is all mid range and the rest were distorted muck?
One persons opinion and generalization........ I disagree and Im sure plenty others would too.......

 

[spideyjack]

maybe it just needs a good cleaning, rinse and vacuum?

 

[silverrocket]

I second that the US Version is superior.

 

[Klownschool]

maybe it just needs a good cleaning, rinse and vacuum?

Try this and if you still don't like it, sell it to me.

Rick

 

[Wally Swift]

maybe it just needs a good cleaning, rinse and vacuum?

A] I never play dirty records and B] RCM propaganda is not welcome in my threads

 

[spideyjack]

RCM propaganda is not welcome in my threads

ah yes, the cold hearted hobnail boots of The Military Industrial Record Cleaning Machine Complex

 

[KentTeffeteller]

The only really superior LZ II is the US Atlantic "RL" on both sides original. Which was only available on the first pressings only. Pulled due to many customers not being able to track it on the gear of the era. Otherwise, US pressings with at/gp are the next best.

 

[michaelhigh]

I've found a lotta Zep LPs are unlistenable if you have a really good system.. Either too tinny sounding, or too much low end distortion...

+1 on the tinny and the low end remark. Remember, Jimmy Page produced their LP's, and he, by today's standards, left too much tape hiss in. He and John Paul Jones were always session players first (that's where they learned how to get around in the studio), and producers second (John Paul produced Lulu, some Donovan and others, and Jimmy's rumoured to have played on early Kinks records among many others from that era). Back then a certain amount of hiss was inherently there and showed off your system's ability to reproduce treble, nowadays with pro noise reduction and advances in studio techniques we know how to create and appreciate totally black backgrounds, aurally speaking.:yes:

 

[qdrone]

My MOFI pressing

of LZll is absolutely awesome,yeah it is getting old from all the play it's gotten but I wouldn't listen to anything else.

 

[daza152]

Excellent post!!

I am listening right now to my NON RL pressing of Led Zeppelin II......What a fantastic album......Sounds great, the magic and energy of Led Zeppelin immortalized in this particular recording...
Personally, I listen to the music, the recording of the music (warts and all) still after 30 years gives me chills, they were pushing the gear to the limit and beyond, and this really captures how close to the edge they were working....
The distortion on this album is musical and appropriate for the energy they were trying to capture...I love it.....

To say the first album is all mid range and the rest were distorted muck?
One persons opinion and generalization........ I disagree and Im sure plenty others would too.......

Hey mate long time....on topic what is a RL pressing? cheers. I'm looking at upgrading my LZ collection and want to know best pressing for each one.:yes:

 

[LeeVing]

Hey mate long time....on topic what is a RL pressing? cheers. I'm looking at upgrading my LZ collection and want to know best pressing for each one.:yes:

Pressings mastered by Robert Ludwig. These were considered "hot" and soon were re-pressed as they would make needles of that period jump and skip on the record. Some of these records have RL on both side 1 and 2. Others just on side 1.

here's a pic of mine, which has "RL" on both sides:

 

[RogerKulp]

Yesterday I picked up an original UK plum label Led Zeppelin 2. I've not owned or heard this album on vinyl in many,many years. This copy I found yesterday is essentially unlistenable. I'm not talking condition here, it's a pretty decent VG+, I mean the bass is so distorted I just can't listen to it. Is this normal?

:saywhat:

I gotta second that.I have a couple original M- UK original Led Zep Lps,II is one,I bought at the flea market a few years ago.I have never lucked out on a RL original that was not beat.I did find a VG++ Canadian original,on the all red label,that sounded a little better.