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Who's pressing these terrible records

jmchrislip

jmchrislip

AK Subscriber
Subscriber
I recently played a recording of Bob Dylan's Highway 61 Revisited. I purchased the 180 gram Mono version about a year ago. The quality is absolutely horrible. It sound like someone put heavy wool socks over the microphones. I also have two stereo versions, 1 I purchased around 1969 and the other I purchased a couple years ago. The stereo version I purchased a couple years ago sounds much better that the mono version, BUT the mid to high end doesn't compare to the pressing from 1969.

Anyone else noticed this problem?:scratch2:
 
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What label are these on, I picked up Dylan's first album (in mono) on Sundazed and it is great.
 
The Columbia label. On the 180 gram mono version there's no mention of Sundazed and I can't remember where I got it. I do have 3 Simon and Garfunkel Sundazed albums and they are well engineered. I'm checking through my records to see if I can find where I purchased them.
 
jmchrislip said:
I recently played a recording of Bob Dylan's Highway 61 Revisited. I purchased the 180 gram Mono version about a year ago. The quality is absolutely horrible. It sound like someone put heavy wool socks over the microphones. I also have two stereo versions, 1 I purchased around 1969 and the other I purchased a couple years ago. The stereo version I purchased a couple years ago sounds much better that the mono version, BUT the mid to high end doesn't compare to the pressing from 1969.

Anyone else noticed this problem?:scratch2:
Click to expand...

I thought Dylan always sounded like there were heavy woolen socks over the microphone. :D

Jon
 
I have the mono 180g from Sundazed which came out several years ago and it sounds great. Much better than an 80's copy I have which is very shrill sounding.
 
The Sundazed Dylan's sound really good. A nice option if finding an excellent condition original pressing is proving to be difficult or expensive.

I read a while back on the Hoffman forum that Kevin Gray was mastering some of the Sundazed Dylan reissues and they are being pressed at Quality Records.

These two and maybe others.
Blonde on Blonde
Hwy 61 Revisited
 
It's not always the pressing most of the time it's the master used. as for actual bad pressings like misalignment, off center holes, and warp. That is usually indicative of bad pressing.
 
I have an original mono pressing of HW61, and it's not as lively as the stereo, but it is deeper. The bass is further forward in the mix (which I like).
 
zebra03 said:
This is the kind of stuff that will kill a revival of vinyl.
Click to expand...

:scratch2:Well I think it will push customers to demand a level of satisfaction in the product they are buying. If companies are putting a product on the market and making certain claims about their products, then I believe customers should get the quality described by the company and the company has an obligation to deliver the quality they say their product has. If not the they shouldn't be in the business of misleading their customers and should stop being so dishonest.
 
Correction: on the label it DOES state Sundazed but in very small writing. I just pulled it out and I'm listening to it now. It sounds great
 
I think with the proper research it is pretty tuff to buy a bad pressing, all the info is there for people to look into before buying a new album, at 25-35 average for a new record, I think it is a duty to check into what you are buying before buying anything. I just hear to many people say, damn this record sounds awful, its to easy to check before buying, that dog doesn't really hunt anymore.
 
zebra03 said:
This is the kind of stuff that will kill a revival of vinyl.
Click to expand...
Not really. We are a very small group here that cares about quality. The majority I doubt are even complaining about it, beings they are playing it on their Crosley's or bargain Walmart all in one turntables.
 
zebra03 said:
This is the kind of stuff that will kill a revival of vinyl.
Click to expand...

I think this can be a issue. But, it was a issue when I started in the '60s. The Hendrix re-issue of Axis didn't impress me much and was groove loaded with dirt. I get a lot of used off eBait, just looking for the particular "sound", but the other new ones I've bought sound pretty good - Dead Weather, Goldfrapp..
 
you know, I had a few pressing quality issues at the outset of this vinyl resurgence.....a couple really glaring ones. But, call it my luck or whatever, I haven't had a quality issue with any of the 20 or so LPs I've bought new in the past year, and only one I can think of, out of maybe 40 in the past three years.
 
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