Vinyl Me Please Essentials

Well I got Sigur Ros. It's clean, no intro or outro crackle. A few pops here and there, the usual GZ but nothing terrible, literally only a few. It appears its got the same plates as the Pallas pressed ones so aside from any added GZ noise they should sound identical to the Pallas. Those who are claiming the bass is less or the stage is less I'm not really sure that's possible. GZ can make things noisier for sure, but I don't think they're going to change the mastering of an album simply by pressing it. I A/B'd it to the Tidal MQA stream and it's identical. Like I couldn't tell a difference. Now normally a REALLY good vinyl pressing will beat the high res in my experience, this doesn't. But it's right there. It's not super dynamic and the stage is rather flat, but it's like that on the high res too so I suspect for an album recorded in 99 and is likely all digital, it probably just sounds like this due to the original recording and master. I don't have any history with this album but if you compare this VMP to the current Pallas using the same plates I cannot imagine they sound any different aside from perhaps any noise or pops you might get. I'm simply not sure it's possible that stage or bass could change just because a different plant is pressing the same plates. But who knows, maybe it's a different lacquer and that could change it, I dunno. But it's exactly the same as the high res either way so. It's fine.
 
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Mather said:
Well I got Sigur Ros. It's clean, no intro or outro crackle. A few pops here and there, the usual GZ but nothing terrible, literally only a few. It appears its got the same plates as the Pallas pressed ones so aside from any added GZ noise they should sound identical to the Pallas. Those who are claiming the bass is less or the stage is less I'm not really sure that's possible. GZ can make things noisier for sure, but I don't think they're going to change the mastering of an album simply by pressing it. I A/B'd it to the Tidal MQA stream and it's identical. Like I couldn't tell a difference. Now normally a REALLY good vinyl pressing will beat the high res in my experience, this doesn't. But it's right there. It's not super dynamic and the stage is rather flat, but it's like that on the high res too so I suspect for an album recorded in 99 and is likely all digital, it probably just sounds like this due to the original recording and master. I don't have any history with this album but if you compare this VMP to the current Pallas using the same plates I cannot imagine they sound any different aside from perhaps any noise or pops you might get. I'm simply not sure it's possible that stage or bass could change just because a different plant is pressing the same plates. But who knows, maybe it's a different lacquer and that could change it, I dunno. But it's exactly the same as the high res either way so. It's fine.
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No need for a talk with CS though for a replacement. Right? Your glass is actually half full this month. ;)
 
zdkaiser said:
No need for a talk with CS though for a replacement. Right? Your glass is actually half full this month. ;)
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No it's cool, there's a tiny scratch that causes a few light pops but they're really light so whatever. And I might have caused that scratch anyhow when I dropped my cleaning brush on the edge of the record because I haven't had a drink in two weeks and my body is apparently rejecting this responsible behavior by sabotaging my motor skills at the most inopportune times.
I'll be honest though, having never listened to this album before, it SOUNDS like it should be an all enveloping wave of sound that just kind of swallows you. But it's... not. It's that 90's wall of digital sound where instead of sounding like the band is in my livingroom. It's very apparent that I'm listening to a recording of a band that is most definitely not in my livingroom. Obviously this will vary depending on your setup etc. But it's a similar sound on vinyl to the Spiritualized Ladies and Gentlemen. It's big but it's not super dynamic. I think that's just the way the album sounds however. So I'm not sure how much I'll actually spin it. But I have yet to give it the full test by having a bourbon or 4 and turning all the lights off and listening in total darkness. That usually improves the sound...
 
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Vmp do a whole thing about the details of the vision artwork (also we got to see the art print)

But still have not stated NFTs bad...
 
Mather said:
Well I got Sigur Ros. It's clean, no intro or outro crackle. A few pops here and there, the usual GZ but nothing terrible, literally only a few. It appears its got the same plates as the Pallas pressed ones so aside from any added GZ noise they should sound identical to the Pallas. Those who are claiming the bass is less or the stage is less I'm not really sure that's possible. GZ can make things noisier for sure, but I don't think they're going to change the mastering of an album simply by pressing it. I A/B'd it to the Tidal MQA stream and it's identical. Like I couldn't tell a difference. Now normally a REALLY good vinyl pressing will beat the high res in my experience, this doesn't. But it's right there. It's not super dynamic and the stage is rather flat, but it's like that on the high res too so I suspect for an album recorded in 99 and is likely all digital, it probably just sounds like this due to the original recording and master. I don't have any history with this album but if you compare this VMP to the current Pallas using the same plates I cannot imagine they sound any different aside from perhaps any noise or pops you might get. I'm simply not sure it's possible that stage or bass could change just because a different plant is pressing the same plates. But who knows, maybe it's a different lacquer and that could change it, I dunno. But it's exactly the same as the high res either way so. It's fine.
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Late to the party but I agree completely with the points you raised here.

It's the kind of album which I feel could have sounded really amazing with a great pressing, but they can only work with what they have and it still sounds great to me. I wouldn't describe it as flat, which I think someone on Reddit said, but it lacks the punch which could have really given it an edge. Again, they can only work with what they have. I'm happy with it anyway, really killer album for sure.
 
Selaws said:
Late to the party but I agree completely with the points you raised here.

It's the kind of album which I feel could have sounded really amazing with a great pressing, but they can only work with what they have and it still sounds great to me. I wouldn't describe it as flat, which I think someone on Reddit said, but it lacks the punch which could have really given it an edge. Again, they can only work with what they have. I'm happy with it anyway, really killer album for sure.
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It’s 1999. The brick wall button would have been well and truly pressed while sorting the mix. Short of going back to the original tracks of the recordings and remixing it is what it is.

While I’m not the hugest fan of these on record if you get the chance go and see these live, it’s kinda transcendent. I saw them at the Lowry back in 04/05 and in that sort of venue, with exceptional acoustics, they really were something else.
 
Joe Mac said:
It’s 1999. The brick wall button would have been well and truly pressed while sorting the mix. Short of going back to the original tracks of the recordings and remixing it is what it is.

While I’m not the hugest fan of these on record if you get the chance go and see these live, it’s kinda transcendent. I saw them at the Lowry back in 04/05 and in that sort of venue, with exceptional acoustics, they really were something else.
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I’ve seen Sigur Ros several times, incl once in the kind of venue you describe, and agree wholeheartedly. Unfortunately, I don’t see them touring again any time soon.

I very, very highly recommend watching their homecoming tour film, Heima, on a good audio/vid set up. After touring the world for a long while, they returned to Iceland and performed free concerts all over the country — literally all over the country — in incredibly beautiful remote locations (and in Reykjavik). As you say, it’s transcendent — both the audio and visuals.
 
Just got my Meters... I guess GZ unsurprisingly still haven't figured out their right channel noise issues. Pretty much low level crackle through all of side A. I'm not sure what they're doing but it definitely doesn't jive with the Shibata at all.
 
I even got some on Big Krit's 4eva is a Mighty Long Time that i bought straight from his website. Listened, got that trademark crackling at the beginning, looked it up on Discogs, and sure-enough = GZ.
 
Mather said:
Just got my Meters... I guess GZ unsurprisingly still haven't figured out their right channel noise issues. Pretty much low level crackle through all of side A. I'm not sure what they're doing but it definitely doesn't jive with the Shibata at all.
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I feel like you (and others) say this every month so….why you still with them ?
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Mather said:
Just got my Meters... I guess GZ unsurprisingly still haven't figured out their right channel noise issues. Pretty much low level crackle through all of side A. I'm not sure what they're doing but it definitely doesn't jive with the Shibata at all.
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Shibata should be paying you to never post again hahaha
 
Not to beat a dead horse here, but has anyone on this forum received a "good" copy of 36 chambers? Thread on reddit has several people claiming they did.. (I know, reddit, I shouldn't even ask but...)
 
I got 3 copies all with the exact same right channel noise before they just gave me store credit. I'm betting those without the noise probably maybe had a cheap setup or got lucky. Probably a stamper issue.
 
SpinningSince85 said:
Not to beat a dead horse here, but has anyone on this forum received a "good" copy of 36 chambers? Thread on reddit has several people claiming they did.. (I know, reddit, I shouldn't even ask but...)
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There are varying degree of the right channel static and I think it likely depends on your setup on how profound the issue is. I think it’s a production issue as opposed to a mastering issue so there could be some that turned out better than others but overall I think you are better off expecting that you will have some static than hoping you would have a clean copy. If you turn it up loud most of the static gets lost in the bass.
 
TenderLovingKiller® said:
There are varying degree of the right channel static and I think it likely depends on your setup on how profound the issue is. I think it’s a production issue as opposed to a mastering issue so there could be some that turned out better than others but overall I think you are better off expecting that you will have some static than hoping you would have a clean copy. If you turn it up loud most of the static gets lost in the bass.
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Yeah, I had several copies all with varying levels of the right chanel noise. The one that had the least (still faintly present in quiet sections) had distortion on the bass.

I totally agree that the people that are reporting "no issues" likely don't have great setups to start with.
 
SpinningSince85 said:
Yeah, I had several copies all with varying levels of the right chanel noise. The one that had the least (still faintly present in quiet sections) had distortion on the bass.

I totally agree that the people that are reporting "no issues" likely don't have great setups to start with.
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I bought it twice and went though at least 6 copies and they all had either noise or bass distortion. But if I swap from my Black to a Bronze cart the noise lessened. So I'd imagine as you keep going down the line to less expensive carts you would eventually get to a place where it wasn't noticeable. But make no mistake almost all, if not all of that whole run is bad. The odds of me getting 6 or more with the same issues if it's only a "portion of the run" is almost infinitesimal.
 
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