People did a lot of needle drops prior to 1987 when the Beatles catalog was first released on cd . But there are vinyl records that didn’t make it to the digital world so there is a demand for needle drops for home use .
Brian, just to clarify, a "needle drop" is generally considered to be a "pirate" copy rather than a bootleg. Most collectors reserve "bootleg" to denote unauthorised recordings such as unreleased studio material, demos, home recordings, rehearsals, radio sessions, live performances etc etc - any reproduction of officially released material, including "needle drops" are pirate copies.
yes you are right. i guess i've always used "bootleg" as a blanket term for anything not official. but "pirate" copy is definitely the correct term for these needle drops. thanks as always for the comment.
With needle drops I listen to them on a good pair of headphones to get an idea on how a particular pressing is going to sound like, then I'll go and buy it. I also have some from albums from the 90's and up that I play on my phone on the go, because they sound much better than the brickwalled compressed CD or digital
Those particular needle-drop examples, technically, are not bootlegs. They are considered pirates or counterfeits. All official digital and new vinyl pressings of the original "Love Me Do" 45 are needle-drops of a couple original 45s. Additionally, the Quarrymen acetate on Anthology 1 is a needle-drop.
Needledrops are fine, for transferring LPs that aren't available on cd commercially, to listen to in one's car. I have lots I've done for myself. I have a lot NDs by the person you referred to, and I agree with your comments.
Well, needledrops can be indistinguishable from the original LP - they just have to be done correctly (no EQ, no compression et cetera). They should also only be compared to the original LP if you have - at least - a cartridge/phono stage that is similar (better: the same) to the one that you use. If not, you are already not able to tell whether these are “close” to the original LP or not. So, you would always need that data to be able to compare.
Sorry, but I disagree on the bootleg thing.. It's a bootleg if you make physical copies to _sell_ them, but me making a digital backup copy of my record is not a bootleg, it's just an archival backup copy. 🤷🏻♂️ I really need to start making myself some needle drops.. I have everything to do it, but haven't gotten around to it yet. 😬 I'd also like to track down needle drops of stuff I don't yet have.
I think what I meant in regards to “bootlegs” has to do with people downloading/buying/etc digital transfers of pressings they don’t own. Certainly you making backup copies of your own records isn’t bootlegging at all. And really I was just saying it so people wouldn’t get the wrong idea that these needle drops were available in stores or something. Obviously someone with your knowledge and experience knows that already, but I try and remember there are people that have no clue what a needle drop is. Appreciate your comment (and comments on other vids too!).
Needledrops are somewhat the reason why I don’t own a lot of pressings. They’re a great representation of the recording, sure its one thing to own the record but the drop is a preview. I heard a needledrop of the German MMT and thought it sounded like the 2009 Remaster, I got it anyways and was pretty disappointed because it sounded like the 2009 Remaster. I heard a drop of the 2014 Mono (and bought a copy) and still have never heard anything that beats it, the needledrop destroys the 2009 Mono CD and the Original Pressing
I uploaded "Free As A Bird" and "Real Love" so I could change the tempo of each; I felt that both songs were just too slow. With Audacity, I was able to speed up the tempo just a bit. For me, they sound a lot better.
Hi Brian, Good talk…except I think you may not understand how modern needle drops work. I use a Sugar Cube SC2+. It is a killer vinyl to digital conversion. No compression is added at all and it very closely matches the vinyl. I would say if I A/B you would never know the difference. Buying CDs of needle drops is silly as it is 16bit 44khz and is definitely nothing like the vinyl. I do think the common impression is that needle drops are bad. But honestly…there are very very good needle drop tools these days. I actually prefer needle drops over the real vinyl because I don’t need all this heavy oil around my home. The sound quality is so close you would have no clue. If you can play high rez files I can show you. I have the magical mystery tour horzu. I can make a needle drop…. You can compare to yours. If you do it blind. I doubt you will tell the difference. I only buy vinyl to record it these days.
I do partially agree with you. The right high end equipment can capture a flat transfer and make it sound pretty close when played back on other high end stuff. I think my main point here is that most of the needle drops are being played back via CDRs or even worse MP3’s. Most folks don’t have high end gear to play the hi res files in the proper way. But that being said, I still believe the best hi res file still will lack that little something special happening between the needle, amp, tubes, wires, and speakers. But I do respect your opinion and have certainly heard some pretty amazing hi res needle drops.
Great stuff man. Good video. I AM constantly checking my needle drops to see if I can hear. Difference. I think there is a tiny difference maybe 98% there. There is a bit of “air” missing especially with PCM derivative files. Although I am experimenting with DSD 256 and that seems to capture that air. Good stuff. Keep up the videos.
It's getting ridiculous. I bought the most uncollectable pressings of the most classic 60s/70s albums in the most stripped down album covers with no lyric sheets or posters and they sounded fine.
In the vinyl has been put also a lot of things….just as on a Cd-R. Thats why different vinys can sound so different. So, if vinyls are different why shouldnt Cd-Rs sound also different. What counts is: how THIS particular version sounds to me…how do I like it better, what am I going to take to experience the greatest pleasure. Its not important if its a vinyl, an original tape stolen from Abbey Road, a cassette, a Cd-R, a chinese CD, an UK Cd signed and authorized by Paul McCartney with a certificate signed by the King of England…it counts only YOUR, MY pleasure listening to something.
I have made tons of copies of my private recordings( I am a musician)from old cassettes and even VHS tapes to Cd on FLAC and WAV formats with a Hifidelio Pro Cd recorder and my musician ear doesnt hear ANY difference at all.
Good info, Brian ! I have lots of needle drops and some are definitely better than others, but nothing replaces a nice copy of an original pressing. But, like you said, some of these lps are out of reach so better something than nothing 🙂
it is not a bootleg, it is a piracy. The difference is that 'pirate' copies are for sale by the artist while a bootleg is a tape of a concert or unreleased takes not for sale by the artist. One robs the artist, the other shares the artist.
If I hear it, I hear it. If I dont hear it, I dont hear it. Its as simple as that. Its not like the famous phrase for tourists…you only hear what you know. It doesnt apply to listening to music. That is why I only believe on blind tests. Tell me if you hear it BLIND. Same with wine. Dont tell me, this bottle coasts 400 dollars, this one coasts 13 dollars…now tell me which one you prefer….no, no. It has to be blind and we dont have to know ANYTHING. We just have to try two different wines. Knowledge gets in the way when you are testing something that has to do with taste and impression and feelings and all that subjective stuff.
Just how many times can you repeat the same statement over and over again? Needledrops are fun, but the real records are better. There, could have said it in 5 seconds.
Needledrops are fun, but the real records are better. Needledrops are fun, but the real records are better. Needledrops are fun, but the real records are better. That enough?
I made”needle drops “back in the day. I’d buy the album and immediately record to tape!😂
Me too, back in the day!
People did a lot of needle drops prior to 1987 when the Beatles catalog was first released on cd . But there are vinyl records that didn’t make it to the digital world so there is a demand for needle drops for home use .
Brian, just to clarify, a "needle drop" is generally considered to be a "pirate" copy rather than a bootleg. Most collectors reserve "bootleg" to denote unauthorised recordings such as unreleased studio material, demos, home recordings, rehearsals, radio sessions, live performances etc etc - any reproduction of officially released material, including "needle drops" are pirate copies.
yes you are right. i guess i've always used "bootleg" as a blanket term for anything not official. but "pirate" copy is definitely the correct term for these needle drops. thanks as always for the comment.
It falls under the same copyright infringement law.
With needle drops I listen to them on a good pair of headphones to get an idea on how a particular pressing is going to sound like, then I'll go and buy it.
I also have some from albums from the 90's and up that I play on my phone on the go, because they sound much better than the brickwalled compressed CD or digital
Those particular needle-drop examples, technically, are not bootlegs. They are considered pirates or counterfeits.
All official digital and new vinyl pressings of the original "Love Me Do" 45 are needle-drops of a couple original 45s. Additionally, the Quarrymen acetate on Anthology 1 is a needle-drop.
Needledrops are fine, for transferring LPs that aren't available on cd commercially, to listen to in one's car. I have lots I've done for myself. I have a lot NDs by the person you referred to, and I agree with your comments.
Well, needledrops can be indistinguishable from the original LP - they just have to be done correctly (no EQ, no compression et cetera). They should also only be compared to the original LP if you have - at least - a cartridge/phono stage that is similar (better: the same) to the one that you use. If not, you are already not able to tell whether these are “close” to the original LP or not. So, you would always need that data to be able to compare.
Great points here
RIGHT ON ! MY BROTHER
YOU ABSOLUTELY RIGHT!👍
I'd love a copy of that German magical mystery tour that I hear so much about.
Sorry, but I disagree on the bootleg thing.. It's a bootleg if you make physical copies to _sell_ them, but me making a digital backup copy of my record is not a bootleg, it's just an archival backup copy. 🤷🏻♂️
I really need to start making myself some needle drops.. I have everything to do it, but haven't gotten around to it yet. 😬
I'd also like to track down needle drops of stuff I don't yet have.
I think what I meant in regards to “bootlegs” has to do with people downloading/buying/etc digital transfers of pressings they don’t own. Certainly you making backup copies of your own records isn’t bootlegging at all. And really I was just saying it so people wouldn’t get the wrong idea that these needle drops were available in stores or something. Obviously someone with your knowledge and experience knows that already, but I try and remember there are people that have no clue what a needle drop is. Appreciate your comment (and comments on other vids too!).
Needledrops are somewhat the reason why I don’t own a lot of pressings. They’re a great representation of the recording, sure its one thing to own the record but the drop is a preview. I heard a needledrop of the German MMT and thought it sounded like the 2009 Remaster, I got it anyways and was pretty disappointed because it sounded like the 2009 Remaster. I heard a drop of the 2014 Mono (and bought a copy) and still have never heard anything that beats it, the needledrop destroys the 2009 Mono CD and the Original Pressing
Its important to clarify this if one has a vinyl shop.
Not a word mentioned about the legality of needle drops, if made for yourself, then probably legal, if made for others, probably illegal.
I uploaded "Free As A Bird" and "Real Love" so I could change the tempo of each; I felt that both songs were just too slow. With Audacity, I was able to speed up the tempo just a bit. For me, they sound a lot better.
Hi Brian, Good talk…except I think you may not understand how modern needle drops work. I use a Sugar Cube SC2+. It is a killer vinyl to digital conversion. No compression is added at all and it very closely matches the vinyl. I would say if I A/B you would never know the difference. Buying CDs of needle drops is silly as it is 16bit 44khz and is definitely nothing like the vinyl. I do think the common impression is that needle drops are bad. But honestly…there are very very good needle drop tools these days. I actually prefer needle drops over the real vinyl because I don’t need all this heavy oil around my home. The sound quality is so close you would have no clue. If you can play high rez files I can show you. I have the magical mystery tour horzu. I can make a needle drop…. You can compare to yours. If you do it blind. I doubt you will tell the difference. I only buy vinyl to record it these days.
I do partially agree with you. The right high end equipment can capture a flat transfer and make it sound pretty close when played back on other high end stuff. I think my main point here is that most of the needle drops are being played back via CDRs or even worse MP3’s. Most folks don’t have high end gear to play the hi res files in the proper way. But that being said, I still believe the best hi res file still will lack that little something special happening between the needle, amp, tubes, wires, and speakers. But I do respect your opinion and have certainly heard some pretty amazing hi res needle drops.
Great stuff man. Good video. I AM constantly checking my needle drops to see if I can hear. Difference. I think there is a tiny difference maybe 98% there. There is a bit of “air” missing especially with PCM derivative files. Although I am experimenting with DSD 256 and that seems to capture that air. Good stuff. Keep up the videos.
@@revelry1969 right on man. Appreciate the comments
It's getting ridiculous. I bought the most uncollectable pressings of the most classic 60s/70s albums in the most stripped down album covers with no lyric sheets or posters and they sounded fine.
On a related topic, did I ever send you my Rubber Soul demix/remix?
In the vinyl has been put also a lot of things….just as on a Cd-R. Thats why different vinys can sound so different. So, if vinyls are different why shouldnt Cd-Rs sound also different. What counts is: how THIS particular version sounds to me…how do I like it better, what am I going to take to experience the greatest pleasure. Its not important if its a vinyl, an original tape stolen from Abbey Road, a cassette, a Cd-R, a chinese CD, an UK Cd signed and authorized by Paul McCartney with a certificate signed by the King of England…it counts only YOUR, MY pleasure listening to something.
I have made tons of copies of my private recordings( I am a musician)from old cassettes and even VHS tapes to Cd on FLAC and WAV formats with a Hifidelio Pro Cd recorder and my musician ear doesnt hear ANY difference at all.
Good info, Brian ! I have lots of needle drops and some are definitely better than others, but nothing replaces a nice copy of an original pressing. But, like you said, some of these lps are out of reach so better something than nothing 🙂
it is not a bootleg, it is a piracy. The difference is that 'pirate' copies are for sale by the artist while a bootleg is a tape of a concert or unreleased takes not for sale by the artist. One robs the artist, the other shares the artist.
If I hear it, I hear it. If I dont hear it, I dont hear it. Its as simple as that. Its not like the famous phrase for tourists…you only hear what you know. It doesnt apply to listening to music. That is why I only believe on blind tests. Tell me if you hear it BLIND. Same with wine. Dont tell me, this bottle coasts 400 dollars, this one coasts 13 dollars…now tell me which one you prefer….no, no. It has to be blind and we dont have to know ANYTHING. We just have to try two different wines. Knowledge gets in the way when you are testing something that has to do with taste and impression and feelings and all that subjective stuff.
Digital sounds like a flat wall. I would pay to make a blind test with 20 recordings…to see if one can tell……..really.
What does Needle Drops mean. ?!
Just how many times can you repeat the same statement over and over again? Needledrops are fun, but the real records are better. There, could have said it in 5 seconds.
Needledrops are fun, but the real records are better. Needledrops are fun, but the real records are better. Needledrops are fun, but the real records are better. That enough?
@@BrianBringelsonha