I started collecting records in the 1970s when oil shortages led to a noticeable decline in vinyl quality. Pressings were often warped, noisy, and even dirty, with little bits of labels pressed into the grooves from badly recycled vinyl. I wasn't aware of these gray-market reissue labels (DOL, Waxtime, etc.) because I didn't buy much during the pandemic. I unknowingly bought some knock-off reissues (pressed in the EU, mostly) without realizing it. Sometimes the covers and labels were different from the originals, but the quality of the pressings themselves was definitely above average. Some say they may be made from digital (or even CD) masters, but the sound quality is generally good, though some are a little dull and lifeless. I've since purged my collection of these knock-offs simply because they are unauthorized and the artists and their estates don't receive royalties. But copyright laws are different in different countries, so a lot of '50s and '60s music became public domain in the early 21st Century (though the UK, at least, has plugged those loopholes). These days, I have to return about 1/3 of the US-made records I buy because the pressings are unlistenable -- even from major reissue labels like Blue Note. That has pushed me into buying from Amazon and local retailers that make it easier to return defective product. I'm not talking about cosmetics, like the poor center holes you describe (though that's annoying as hell -- and inexcusable), but noise and distortion that significantly distracts from the music itself. Vinyl records have been around for more than 100 years. You'd think American manufacturers would have figured out the basic technology by now...
It is a well known issue in the vinyl community. DOL, Waxtime and a few other labels use digital files to cut their records in Europe as thy don't have access to the master tapes or even first or second generation copies of the tapes. Under EU law they are able to press and release this music on vinyl and then they flood the USA market with those releases. I have 2 DOLs and I also have audiophile reissues of those albums. There is no comparison. I won't touch a DOL album with a 10 foot pole. If I'm going to listen to digital music I rather turn on my streamer. Listening to music that was recorded on analog gear 60 years ago, converting it to digital and then playing it on vinyl seems silly to me... Quite a few record store owners have told me that they have the option to carry DOL and Waxtime but they choose not do to so.
So you're assuming that just because labels have access to original masters that automatically means they'll produce it in good quality and sound. I'm posting comparisons and respectfully have to disagree.
@drde4010 my experience is quite different. I have never heard a digital reissue (even from Mofi) sound better than something that's AAA cut by let's say Kevin Gray or Bernie Grundman. Two examples from my collection: my DOL copy of Kind of Blue sounds just flat, compressed and murky compared to the AP UHQR 33 rpm version. My Columbia copy form 1977 is quite noisy but there is more instrument separation than in my DOL copy. Same with my DOL copy of Waltz for Debby vs my AP copy. Granted, they make silent vinyl and from what I heard their records are rarely wrapped, but when compared to a Tone Poet, AP, etc, sonically they are just flat and murky. DOL describes itself as "specializing in public domain reissues". These recordings are public domain in Europe but NOT in the USA.
I love DOL releases, I've had trouble with Blue Notes in the past but never had any trouble with DOL their packaging and quality is much better then the expensive labels, if only the expensive labels took the time in their quality control like DOL does would be great, i can't wait to see what other releases DOL brings out
Because they don’t have the masters DOL is likely cutting from CDs causing many to turn their noses to it. But from what I’ve heard personally I agree they sound fine. I guess the question is… you can get Mingus’s Blues and Roots from analogue productions, cut by Kevin grey from the OG tapes and pressed at RTI. It will sound better than DOL. But at three TIMES the cost does it sound three times better? The vinyl community simply cannot not handle this nuance or the concept of diminishing returns. I agree DOL also provides a much better physical product than most. Fellow thorens user here and feel the spindle whole pain. What is that little tool called?
Thorens spindles are slightly wide but the burrs in the center of the records prevent fitting on any platter. The tool is simply called a drill reamer.
After hearing this, I feel lucky to have had no issues with my vinyl. Last week I bought a 180 gram pressing of Dave Brubeck's Take Five album. It was perfect.
DOL is a European subsidiary of a Russian label Vinylology LCC. They use whatever digital files they can to cut these, they are using DMM to minimise expenses and use whatever pressing plant in the EU they can get for cheaper.
DOL and other labels like it are taking advantage of copyrights expiring. Source likely from a CD. Buy the genuine product from specialist labels that have proper licensing and access to the tapes like Analog Productions, Blue Note Tone Poet, Craft Recordings etc. Seems a focus on the pressing rather than the sound here. I've generally had great pressings from these and they are all analogue cut from the tapes!
I've had some nice pressings and recordings from Blue Note however not as consistent pressing quality as I have experienced with DOL. Thank you for sharing though.
All the record you showed there are far better AAA pressings of Out there. If you truly love analogue playback, I suggest you go for them. My experience with DOL have been bad and I don’t like the grey market aspect of it either.
This is true. The issue I am having however are pressings with smaller than normal holes that don't even fit my modified AT120 turntable so the molding in the center of the LP's have to be cleaned out with the drill tool in some cases.
DOL and waxtime are poor because they're relying on copyright having elapsed in their native country, to basically cut copies of albums using questionable source material. In most cases they're just using a CD or at best some half decent digital files. They will never get access to the original tapes, or a respected mastering engineer. They're utterly terrible records! If you want the highest quality jazz stuff being made today, look at the Kevin Gray Blue Note Classics, and Blue Note Tone Poet series of releases. They are utterly phenomenal. All analogue masters with great care taken over the cutting and the pressing. I've never received a bad one!
Okay but I'm doing a second part to this video comparing DOL pressings to digital source material and the DOL's sound nicer. I'll be posting some sound demos, so the only thing I can guess is that their digital sourcing must be very good. I have no pride in the situation. I'm just going based my comparisons and I'll be sharing some demos.
@@drde4010 They wont sound "better" which is an important distinction, it is impossible for the vinyl to improve on the source it came from. But it can certainly sound "different", and it may well be that your ear prefers your analogue setups sound signature.
@@1061shrink1061 however there’s definitely more information coming from the DOL LP’s compared to their CD counterparts. DOL probably has copies in digital of the original masters and it’s my understanding that this is another method used..
Well I have much more than 1 album and I own dozens of various labels. I have purchased around 3 DOL’ pressings , all jazz if I remember correctly and they sound and play great. 👍. I find them quite, flat and detailed. Packaging and inner sleeves are fantastic too. That Art Blakey is one I own and yes it sounds awesome. Oh and I do have upper end audio equipment not cheap crap.
I have owned a bunch of DOL records and have been very happy with every single one. I replaced a few with more “audiophile” pressings but they were not much better if I’m being honest and I used to pick these up for £10.
I'm very into my system. I go crazy with Digital files and with Vinyl. I have a lot of jazz in both formats. The reason I like vinyl is the individual characteristics of the analog production process that allows for a "better" sounding recording. DOL records are direct from digital (CD?), when one of their records is brand new out of the package, the best it can sound is exactly like the digital version. SO, why buy a turntable and spend the money on a good phono stage and cartridge IF your only getting something that is a copy of a digital recording? AS a brief example, original pressing CTI recorrds from the 70s sound pretty specific, because there was a group of human beings involved in the physical mastering process from tape to the cutting of the master. Stanley Turrentine recorrds from CTI sound a specific way that's is completely different than the CD. I won't even go near how different 50s Prestige or Blue Note stuff Sounds. I'm sure your DOL records sound digital perfect, but if digital perfect was what you wanted, WHY are you playing records?
That’s a reasonable assessment and I’ve thought about this myself. The issue is are all digital source files the same. There could be a few types. Also, is one’s digital hifi setup as good as their own analog setup? These factors may determine the outcome and I would also have to make sure all my pressings are coming from a direct analogue source yes?
But it's not digital piece of equipment that's producing the sound. A CD player will have to be very good to extract the same level of detail of a decent TT. I have a pressing of Kind Of Blue from the same mastering on both vinyl and CD and the vinyl is the one I play. The CD sounds sterile in comparison.
Your argument has some flaws. You mentioned “why buy a turntable and use vinyl records if you’re going to listen to digital recordings”? Ok , first digital recordings sound like digital recordings when played through a cd player. Discs are a digital information format that needs a digital decoding device (Cd player and Digital to Analog Decoder) to reproduce the music. It’s the reproduction or translation of those 1’s and 0’s that makes most CD’s sound bright or harsh especially when played through a cheap or common disc player. Upper end DA converters with high end players or transports sound fantastic, absolutely amazing with warmth and midrange and yes clarity. Now if you play a digitally “sourced” vinyl record on a turntable with all the elements of analogue reproduction that vinyl format will present that digital recording as a non digital format and will never sound like a 💿 cd. You are listening to an analogue play back source which is nothing at all like a digital copy. Yes it will sound slightly different, perhaps even more detailed, full or clean because of the recording process and the digital source but I don’t believe that’s a bad thing. Vinyl enthusiasts seem to forget or are ignorant to the fact that all modern (80’s and to present day) studio recordings of all music is done digitally and digitally stored. Long gone are the days of analog tapes. So there’s that lol. Yes I’m a big believer of vinyl and have collected for 50 yrs plus now. I am also an ex-sales person of high end audio so I have learned a lot over my 60 plus yrs.
I have a dol pressing of the wee small hours by frank Sinatra,has pretty good sound quality,despite being mono,it has good depth,i have a waxtime pressing of blue hawaii by elvis presley,has pretty good imaging,has a great soundstage,no problem with surface noice,and a del ray pressing of south Pacific movie soundtrack,which is also very good sounding,but the bottom line is,i dont like grey market records,i hate them a lot and i hear and believe that anything that's a grey market reissue is bad,but i respect your opinion,and its your hobby,your choice,sometimes,i have to buy any of those albums,bc they are either not reissued by the original label,or i can't afford a clean copy of a vintage record that could be hundreds or even thouands.
I buy plenty of cds on the Fresh Sound label led by owned by Jordi Pujol who leverages public domain law. He's done more for jazz in the last 20 years than Concord/Craft records has done with their catalog after acquiring all of the Fantasy distributed labels (Galaxy, Prestige, Riverside, Debut, Contemporary, Pablo, Jazzland, Milestone, Stax). I actually have ordered Concord releases on cd and guess what I got? I got a cd-R! Yuck!
Your take on Russians is pretty 1989 cold war. Russians created the Hypersonic Missile and the US with its man buns and skinny jeans has yet to get even one flying to target.
They are pressed at GZ Vinyl facilities, they use modified DMM cutting machines, their systems are specifically set to cut the master files flat, their quality control is one of the best in the industry. Their pressings are the quietest i ever heard and warm sounding. Also cheaper to buy than those companies who rip off their customers pricing way more even though the cost of producing a record is not even high
Question: I was watching one of your videos and I noticed what looked like a Cornwall 4. If it is, where did you get that grill cover. It looks custom. I have the latest Cornwall 4 and have been trying to find other grills. Thanks, Eric
Companies should be happy that in age of hifi streaming someone wants to pay 30-40 bucks for a record. What they do instead is serving us with semi product. Recently I bought 10 new vinyl and 2 of them sound good..rest is mp3 pressed on a record. I returned 8 of them kept only 2 because they sound like CD. There was even Donald Byrd Street Lady audiophile 180g LP for 50 bucks (!)..and it sounds like god damn CD. I researched and they did it from digital file. I decided to stick to record stores and buy older records. Many of old vinyl I have beat the new ones by all means. New vinyl is like flipping a coin..so you pay ton of money for bad product.
It's all good imo. Enjoy your records. I have a couple of Scorpio pressed Blue Note albums that are fantastic and cost very little. On the other hand I've had no problems with any of the more expensive Tone Poet series and the sound is superior imo.
Hello, I always buy vinyls from well-known labels, I had similar problems with Verve releases, each track had its own volume and I also had to enlarge the hole, but I always avoided labels such as DOL, WAX, but basically I never had experience with these labels, so I'm going to buy a few records and see for myself, maybe we're guided by opinions that aren't that important, I'll let you know after listening to them Best regards
I stopped touching Reissues 30 years ago. I find most modern pressings since the 90s usually have various issues that shouldn't be there . I would buy Alt Rock records in those limited numbers in the hey dey of alt rock like Geffen and those pressings usually suck too right from the original release time period.. the lacklustre handling of vinyl process went down once Tape and CD came in. I hate many of the card stocks used for the Vinyl Jackets as well and how they print (or don't print) - they should still print with real printers (litho) not digital printers (or take more care on the paper and end process) ... - most digital prints look smeary or other issues ..very few exceptions or a combination of technology to be used for various parts of the process. Doing paste on slicks can still be accomplished but no one does it. I have zero experience with DOL so I can't comment on their quality -thanks for sharing but I will keep looking for 1st issues.
I'm old 72 and you can keep these new reissued albums...even back in the 70s it was rare to get a back record. At least back then albums on sale were 3 to 4 bucks....sometimes department stores would have albums for 2.50 lol.....I had over 1100 and sold them in 2013....of course started buying again ,but was getting orginal issues in excellent condition Cheap........😂
I bought some DOL's and returned them as I found they are grey-market but I thought they sounded great. Bought the same ones on the original labels for double the price each, the sound nice but is it 50% more expensive nice, probably not. But I like owning Blue Note and Columbia presses for the authenticity of the collection. Although maybe I should look at buying DOL I don't know
I’ve focused more now on acquiring just Blue Note. Regardless, I still like the DOL and keep the ones that sound good. I just felt that they were not anywhere near as bad as some made them out to be.
I guess it just depends if you want to support the grey market (a legal loophole for effectively a bootleg) or the actual artist? Do DOL pay any royalties to these artists at all???
One has to take into consideration the fact that the majority of these musicians from the mid sixties going backwards, are dead. So.. what royalties to what artists?
I heard American records are recycled vinyl and older European ones like in France and brand new vinyl. My cousin told me this. Maybe that has something to do with it. Maybe not.
Not always true, but it has happened frequently over the years and I'm sure somebody is still doing it. Some records are labeled 'virgin vinyl' when there's no recycled component. It makes me wonder if there's been any improvement to the process of recycling vinyl over the decades.
Dr. D -- Sorry, bud. You've lost all credibility. DOL seriously sucks, their business practices, use of digital files, and pressings. Oh, and It's not your records' fault for needing a reamer. Thorens turntables employ a thicker spindle. You should know that.
Hold up there. First I’m well aware of Thorens having a slightly large pinion. I’m not referring to this being the issue. I’m referring to bad pressings where actual protrusions stick inward within the hole itself. Even on my Audio Technica turntable, they will not fit around the pinion. Second you are sharing your bias of hatred toward DOL based on information about digital sourcing that obviously neither of us know the facts about. Three, unless you take the time to compare some of these DOL pressings I’m comparing, then how could you conclusively determine that they’re crap. I’ll be posting comparison videos soon and the audience can decide for themselves what they hear and they can be the judge.
@@drde4010 Fair enough! But the fact that you were complaining about having to use a reamer with a Thorens table in the background made it seem like you didn't know what you were talking about. Also, I have compared a couple DOL pressings to a few originals and found the DOL records to be flat and lifeless. That said, I would imagine quality really varies depending on which digital source DOL has used. I bet you could find some that sound pretty good, thus, the mixed opinions. I'm also not crazy about supporting a Russian record label that uses public domain digital recordings to produce their records.
@@joesugarman1355 I appreciate your comments and I’m actually making a second video to address what you said because I do think it was fair to assume that.
These new reissues? That explains a bunch. Columbia 6eyes (original) are very good, at least the ones I own... New production QC is non existent as the mad rush of the Noobs buying Vinyl has its good and bad... mostly bad!
My Thorens is still going strong with zero issues. It was built in 1965. Sounds amazing! I wonder how long your audio files and player will exist? It's all good but I don't find lossless via the crummy internet speeds we get in this country reliable enough for me to want to invest in it.
I hope you get great pressings! Backups are easy, electronics with no moving parts are always easier to engineer to last longer. And I am listening now, not 100 years from now while I climate control my vinyl so it wont get damaged the whole time. And if you think pits on a vinyl disc have more bandwidth than 100 meg internet..smh. Not to mention you can download files and store them locally.. Feel free to cling to the anti-digital audio arguments that worked for most of your life. Tech progressed enough to make them laughable. I own vinyl, its fun, but spend the money on speakers or something if you want the best audio quality. Collecting Vinyl for top tier audio is like collecting baseball cards and saying its the best image you can get. @@boogiewoogie9770
@@dennissmirnoff915 That mostly depends on year original was produced / distributed and if a copy of the Analog tape still exists. "the term" Original Master Recording" does not mean it's Analog!! Get your facts right and stop spreading BS rumors. The settlement was a joke of appeasement... Also I thought I would add... Most mastering prior to the digital age had to be EQ'd for the average consumer and cheep turntables (under $2500). Ruddy (RVG) was one of the worst...
I started collecting records in the 1970s when oil shortages led to a noticeable decline in vinyl quality. Pressings were often warped, noisy, and even dirty, with little bits of labels pressed into the grooves from badly recycled vinyl. I wasn't aware of these gray-market reissue labels (DOL, Waxtime, etc.) because I didn't buy much during the pandemic. I unknowingly bought some knock-off reissues (pressed in the EU, mostly) without realizing it. Sometimes the covers and labels were different from the originals, but the quality of the pressings themselves was definitely above average. Some say they may be made from digital (or even CD) masters, but the sound quality is generally good, though some are a little dull and lifeless. I've since purged my collection of these knock-offs simply because they are unauthorized and the artists and their estates don't receive royalties. But copyright laws are different in different countries, so a lot of '50s and '60s music became public domain in the early 21st Century (though the UK, at least, has plugged those loopholes). These days, I have to return about 1/3 of the US-made records I buy because the pressings are unlistenable -- even from major reissue labels like Blue Note. That has pushed me into buying from Amazon and local retailers that make it easier to return defective product. I'm not talking about cosmetics, like the poor center holes you describe (though that's annoying as hell -- and inexcusable), but noise and distortion that significantly distracts from the music itself. Vinyl records have been around for more than 100 years. You'd think American manufacturers would have figured out the basic technology by now...
It is a well known issue in the vinyl community. DOL, Waxtime and a few other labels use digital files to cut their records in Europe as thy don't have access to the master tapes or even first or second generation copies of the tapes. Under EU law they are able to press and release this music on vinyl and then they flood the USA market with those releases. I have 2 DOLs and I also have audiophile reissues of those albums. There is no comparison. I won't touch a DOL album with a 10 foot pole. If I'm going to listen to digital music I rather turn on my streamer. Listening to music that was recorded on analog gear 60 years ago, converting it to digital and then playing it on vinyl seems silly to me... Quite a few record store owners have told me that they have the option to carry DOL and Waxtime but they choose not do to so.
So you're assuming that just because labels have access to original masters that automatically means they'll produce it in good quality and sound. I'm posting comparisons and respectfully have to disagree.
@drde4010 my experience is quite different. I have never heard a digital reissue (even from Mofi) sound better than something that's AAA cut by let's say Kevin Gray or Bernie Grundman. Two examples from my collection: my DOL copy of Kind of Blue sounds just flat, compressed and murky compared to the AP UHQR 33 rpm version. My Columbia copy form 1977 is quite noisy but there is more instrument separation than in my DOL copy. Same with my DOL copy of Waltz for Debby vs my AP copy. Granted, they make silent vinyl and from what I heard their records are rarely wrapped, but when compared to a Tone Poet, AP, etc, sonically they are just flat and murky. DOL describes itself as "specializing in public domain reissues". These recordings are public domain in Europe but NOT in the USA.
That's fair. @@wierzchos
DOL uses digital files. But even their CD re-issues sound flat and static-y. And too fast like Brubeck Take Five.
I love DOL releases, I've had trouble with Blue Notes in the past but never had any trouble with DOL their packaging and quality is much better then the expensive labels, if only the expensive labels took the time in their quality control like DOL does would be great, i can't wait to see what other releases DOL brings out
Because they don’t have the masters DOL is likely cutting from CDs causing many to turn their noses to it. But from what I’ve heard personally I agree they sound fine.
I guess the question is… you can get Mingus’s Blues and Roots from analogue productions, cut by Kevin grey from the OG tapes and pressed at RTI. It will sound better than DOL. But at three TIMES the cost does it sound three times better? The vinyl community simply cannot not handle this nuance or the concept of diminishing returns. I agree DOL also provides a much better physical product than most.
Fellow thorens user here and feel the spindle whole pain. What is that little tool called?
Thorens spindles are slightly wide but the burrs in the center of the records prevent fitting on any platter. The tool is simply called a drill reamer.
After hearing this, I feel lucky to have had no issues with my vinyl. Last week I bought a 180 gram pressing of Dave Brubeck's Take Five album. It was perfect.
Mine wasn’t. May be I am too picky
DOL is a European subsidiary of a Russian label Vinylology LCC. They use whatever digital files they can to cut these, they are using DMM to minimise expenses and use whatever pressing plant in the EU they can get for cheaper.
Correct they are also out of copyright in the EU
DOL and other labels like it are taking advantage of copyrights expiring. Source likely from a CD. Buy the genuine product from specialist labels that have proper licensing and access to the tapes like Analog Productions, Blue Note Tone Poet, Craft Recordings etc. Seems a focus on the pressing rather than the sound here. I've generally had great pressings from these and they are all analogue cut from the tapes!
I've had some nice pressings and recordings from Blue Note however not as consistent pressing quality as I have experienced with DOL. Thank you for sharing though.
All the record you showed there are far better AAA pressings of Out there. If you truly love analogue playback, I suggest you go for them. My experience with DOL have been bad and I don’t like the grey market aspect of it either.
Also Thoren's spindles are a little larger than standard, so it is quite common to have modern pressings that are tight and might need to be reamed.
This is true. The issue I am having however are pressings with smaller than normal holes that don't even fit my modified AT120 turntable so the molding in the center of the LP's have to be cleaned out with the drill tool in some cases.
DOL and waxtime are poor because they're relying on copyright having elapsed in their native country, to basically cut copies of albums using questionable source material. In most cases they're just using a CD or at best some half decent digital files. They will never get access to the original tapes, or a respected mastering engineer. They're utterly terrible records!
If you want the highest quality jazz stuff being made today, look at the Kevin Gray Blue Note Classics, and Blue Note Tone Poet series of releases. They are utterly phenomenal. All analogue masters with great care taken over the cutting and the pressing. I've never received a bad one!
Okay but I'm doing a second part to this video comparing DOL pressings to digital source material and the DOL's sound nicer. I'll be posting some sound demos, so the only thing I can guess is that their digital sourcing must be very good. I have no pride in the situation. I'm just going based my comparisons and I'll be sharing some demos.
Sorry to burst your bubble but a cd is as good as the master. Everyone was fooled by Mo-fi!
I suppose then that the best way to judge at that point is to just compare the the CD to the LP. @@DorianPaige00
@@drde4010 They wont sound "better" which is an important distinction, it is impossible for the vinyl to improve on the source it came from. But it can certainly sound "different", and it may well be that your ear prefers your analogue setups sound signature.
@@1061shrink1061 however there’s definitely more information coming from the DOL LP’s compared to their CD counterparts. DOL probably has copies in digital of the original masters and it’s my understanding that this is another method used..
Well I have much more than 1 album and I own dozens of various labels. I have purchased around 3 DOL’ pressings , all jazz if I remember correctly and they sound and play great. 👍. I find them quite, flat and detailed. Packaging and inner sleeves are fantastic too. That Art Blakey is one I own and yes it sounds awesome. Oh and I do have upper end audio equipment not cheap crap.
I have owned a bunch of DOL records and have been very happy with every single one. I replaced a few with more “audiophile” pressings but they were not much better if I’m being honest and I used to pick these up for £10.
Not caring what label you're buying, but buying because you love music is truly a music lover! Great Review!
I'm very into my system. I go crazy with Digital files and with Vinyl. I have a lot of jazz in both formats. The reason I like vinyl is the individual characteristics of the analog production process that allows for a "better" sounding recording. DOL records are direct from digital (CD?), when one of their records is brand new out of the package, the best it can sound is exactly like the digital version. SO, why buy a turntable and spend the money on a good phono stage and cartridge IF your only getting something that is a copy of a digital recording? AS a brief example, original pressing CTI recorrds from the 70s sound pretty specific, because there was a group of human beings involved in the physical mastering process from tape to the cutting of the master. Stanley Turrentine recorrds from CTI sound a specific way that's is completely different than the CD. I won't even go near how different 50s Prestige or Blue Note stuff Sounds. I'm sure your DOL records sound digital perfect, but if digital perfect was what you wanted, WHY are you playing records?
That’s a reasonable assessment and I’ve thought about this myself. The issue is are all digital source files the same. There could be a few types. Also, is one’s digital hifi setup as good as their own analog setup? These factors may determine the outcome and I would also have to make sure all my pressings are coming from a direct analogue source yes?
But it's not digital piece of equipment that's producing the sound. A CD player will have to be very good to extract the same level of detail of a decent TT. I have a pressing of Kind Of Blue from the same mastering on both vinyl and CD and the vinyl is the one I play. The CD sounds sterile in comparison.
I'm working on a comparison video with demos. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, much appreciated. @@boogiewoogie9770
Your argument has some flaws. You mentioned “why buy a turntable and use vinyl records if you’re going to listen to digital recordings”? Ok , first digital recordings sound like digital recordings when played through a cd player. Discs are a digital information format that needs a digital decoding device (Cd player and Digital to Analog Decoder) to reproduce the music. It’s the reproduction or translation of those 1’s and 0’s that makes most CD’s sound bright or harsh especially when played through a cheap or common disc player. Upper end DA converters with high end players or transports sound fantastic, absolutely amazing with warmth and midrange and yes clarity. Now if you play a digitally “sourced” vinyl record on a turntable with all the elements of analogue reproduction that vinyl format will present that digital recording as a non digital format and will never sound like a 💿 cd. You are listening to an analogue play back source which is nothing at all like a digital copy. Yes it will sound slightly different, perhaps even more detailed, full or clean because of the recording process and the digital source but I don’t believe that’s a bad thing. Vinyl enthusiasts seem to forget or are ignorant to the fact that all modern (80’s and to present day) studio recordings of all music is done digitally and digitally stored. Long gone are the days of analog tapes. So there’s that lol. Yes I’m a big believer of vinyl and have collected for 50 yrs plus now. I am also an ex-sales person of high end audio so I have learned a lot over my 60 plus yrs.
I have a dol pressing of the wee small hours by frank Sinatra,has pretty good sound quality,despite being mono,it has good depth,i have a waxtime pressing of blue hawaii by elvis presley,has pretty good imaging,has a great soundstage,no problem with surface noice,and a del ray pressing of south Pacific movie soundtrack,which is also very good sounding,but the bottom line is,i dont like grey market records,i hate them a lot and i hear and believe that anything that's a grey market reissue is bad,but i respect your opinion,and its your hobby,your choice,sometimes,i have to buy any of those albums,bc they are either not reissued by the original label,or i can't afford a clean copy of a vintage record that could be hundreds or even thouands.
Thanks for sharing. I understand what you mean. BTW, I've been trying to focus more on Blue Note Tone Poets.
I buy plenty of cds on the Fresh Sound label led by owned by Jordi Pujol who leverages public domain law. He's done more for jazz in the last 20 years than Concord/Craft records has done with their catalog after acquiring all of the Fantasy distributed labels (Galaxy, Prestige, Riverside, Debut, Contemporary, Pablo, Jazzland, Milestone, Stax). I actually have ordered Concord releases on cd and guess what I got? I got a cd-R! Yuck!
Any vinyl record that is made by a group of Russians who wear track suits and gold chains probably cannot be a good record.
Your take on Russians is pretty 1989 cold war. Russians created the Hypersonic Missile and the US with its man buns and skinny jeans has yet to get even one flying to target.
Sounds good to me.. man
good warning...if you are paying for a high quality new pressing, the physical medium should meet those standards
Never heard of them and I’ve got 3000 LPs. Buy original UK pressings for satisfaction. Don’t buy US pressings.
Good info
I have no issues with my DOL copy of Bill Evans Moonbeams. Very quiet and tremendous sound.
They are pressed at GZ Vinyl facilities, they use modified DMM cutting machines, their systems are specifically set to cut the master files flat, their quality control is one of the best in the industry. Their pressings are the quietest i ever heard and warm sounding. Also cheaper to buy than those companies who rip off their customers pricing way more even though the cost of producing a record is not even high
Wow, interesting stuff.
How do you know about the DMM thing? I have a few DOL and really like them.... curious to learn more.
Question: I was watching one of your videos and I noticed what looked like a Cornwall 4. If it is, where did you get that grill cover. It looks custom. I have the latest Cornwall 4 and have been trying to find other grills. Thanks, Eric
Just realized, they’re Forte IVs. They look wider on the video. We’ll, I guess my question is answered!
Just realized, they’re Forte IVs. They look wider on the video. We’ll, I guess my question is answered!
Just realized, they’re Forte IVs. They look wider on the video. Well, I guess my question is answered!
Just realized, they’re Forte IVs. They look wider on the video. Well, I guess my question is answered!
Just realized, they’re Forte IVs. They look wider on the video. Well, I guess my question is answered!
Companies should be happy that in age of hifi streaming someone wants to pay 30-40 bucks for a record. What they do instead is serving us with semi product. Recently I bought 10 new vinyl and 2 of them sound good..rest is mp3 pressed on a record. I returned 8 of them kept only 2 because they sound like CD.
There was even Donald Byrd Street Lady audiophile 180g LP for 50 bucks (!)..and it sounds like god damn CD. I researched and they did it from digital file.
I decided to stick to record stores and buy older records. Many of old vinyl I have beat the new ones by all means. New vinyl is like flipping a coin..so you pay ton of money for bad product.
Agreed, it's frustrating paying top dollar and getting crap. Nice post, thanks for sharing.
I have a Dol Miles Davis blue vinyl and it sounds great
It's all good imo. Enjoy your records. I have a couple of Scorpio pressed Blue Note albums that are fantastic and cost very little. On the other hand I've had no problems with any of the more expensive Tone Poet series and the sound is superior imo.
Hello, I always buy vinyls from well-known labels, I had similar problems with Verve releases, each track had its own volume and I also had to enlarge the hole, but I always avoided labels such as DOL, WAX, but basically I never had experience with these labels, so I'm going to buy a few records and see for myself, maybe we're guided by opinions that aren't that important, I'll let you know after listening to them Best regards
I would like to hear your honest impressions good or bad. Thank you.
Thanks
I stopped touching Reissues 30 years ago. I find most modern pressings since the 90s usually have various issues that shouldn't be there . I would buy Alt Rock records in those limited numbers in the hey dey of alt rock like Geffen and those pressings usually suck too right from the original release time period.. the lacklustre handling of vinyl process went down once Tape and CD came in. I hate many of the card stocks used for the Vinyl Jackets as well and how they print (or don't print) - they should still print with real printers (litho) not digital printers (or take more care on the paper and end process) ... - most digital prints look smeary or other issues ..very few exceptions or a combination of technology to be used for various parts of the process. Doing paste on slicks can still be accomplished but no one does it.
I have zero experience with DOL so I can't comment on their quality -thanks for sharing but I will keep looking for 1st issues.
Wow interesting comments and I very much appreciate you sharing that. Any thoughts on Blue Note as far as sound?
I'm old 72 and you can keep these new reissued albums...even back in the 70s it was rare to get a back record. At least back then albums on sale were 3 to 4 bucks....sometimes department stores would have albums for 2.50 lol.....I had over 1100 and sold them in 2013....of course started buying again ,but was getting orginal issues in excellent condition Cheap........😂
I bought some DOL's and returned them as I found they are grey-market but I thought they sounded great. Bought the same ones on the original labels for double the price each, the sound nice but is it 50% more expensive nice, probably not. But I like owning Blue Note and Columbia presses for the authenticity of the collection. Although maybe I should look at buying DOL I don't know
I’ve focused more now on acquiring just Blue Note. Regardless, I still like the DOL and keep the ones that sound good. I just felt that they were not anywhere near as bad as some made them out to be.
@@drde4010 I agree, DOL sound very good. I just returned them to focus on the Blue Note classics
I guess it just depends if you want to support the grey market (a legal loophole for effectively a bootleg) or the actual artist?
Do DOL pay any royalties to these artists at all???
One has to take into consideration the fact that the majority of these musicians from the mid sixties going backwards,
are dead. So.. what royalties to what artists?
Controversary? They’re shite!
Sounds like you're simply a hater, nothing more.
I heard American records are recycled vinyl and older European ones like in France and brand new vinyl. My cousin told me this. Maybe that has something to do with it. Maybe not.
Not always true, but it has happened frequently over the years and I'm sure somebody is still doing it. Some records are labeled 'virgin vinyl' when there's no recycled component. It makes me wonder if there's been any improvement to the process of recycling vinyl over the decades.
DOL makes the best records and McDonald’s makes the best burgers 😂😂😂😂
Actually I like their Big Mac’s. Not the best but still good.
@@drde4010 edible, acceptable, but nowhere near a proper burger made with good ingredients. That’s the point.
I decided to do a comparison demo video between a DOL and Quality Pressings albums and will be posting the results soon.
Dr. D -- Sorry, bud. You've lost all credibility. DOL seriously sucks, their business practices, use of digital files, and pressings. Oh, and It's not your records' fault for needing a reamer. Thorens turntables employ a thicker spindle. You should know that.
Hold up there. First I’m well aware of Thorens having a slightly large pinion. I’m not referring to this being the issue. I’m referring to bad pressings where actual protrusions stick inward within the hole itself. Even on my Audio Technica turntable, they will not fit around the pinion. Second you are sharing your bias of hatred toward DOL based on information about digital sourcing that obviously neither of us know the facts about. Three, unless you take the time to compare some of these DOL pressings I’m comparing, then how could you conclusively determine that they’re crap. I’ll be posting comparison videos soon and the audience can decide for themselves what they hear and they can be the judge.
@@drde4010 Fair enough! But the fact that you were complaining about having to use a reamer with a Thorens table in the background made it seem like you didn't know what you were talking about. Also, I have compared a couple DOL pressings to a few originals and found the DOL records to be flat and lifeless. That said, I would imagine quality really varies depending on which digital source DOL has used. I bet you could find some that sound pretty good, thus, the mixed opinions. I'm also not crazy about supporting a Russian record label that uses public domain digital recordings to produce their records.
@@joesugarman1355 I appreciate your comments and I’m actually making a second video to address what you said because I do think it was fair to assume that.
These new reissues? That explains a bunch. Columbia 6eyes (original) are very good, at least the ones I own... New production QC is non existent as the mad rush of the Noobs buying Vinyl has its good and bad... mostly bad!
I would not buy a classic jazz album on a digitally sourced pressing... but to each his own.
This is a fair comment. Which label do you use to get direct analog or prefer? I’m sure I have many of various pressings?
I'd be ok with a master from a high-quality file like 24-bit, but not just 'the CD on a record'.
I'm gonna take a look at older pressings and see what I can find. Thanks for sharing. @@jamescarter3196
Give me some massive lossless audio files. Albums are fun to own, but too many moving parts.
My Thorens is still going strong with zero issues. It was built in 1965. Sounds amazing! I wonder how long your audio files and player will exist? It's all good but I don't find lossless via the crummy internet speeds we get in this country reliable enough for me to want to invest in it.
I hope you get great pressings! Backups are easy, electronics with no moving parts are always easier to engineer to last longer. And I am listening now, not 100 years from now while I climate control my vinyl so it wont get damaged the whole time. And if you think pits on a vinyl disc have more bandwidth than 100 meg internet..smh. Not to mention you can download files and store them locally.. Feel free to cling to the anti-digital audio arguments that worked for most of your life. Tech progressed enough to make them laughable. I own vinyl, its fun, but spend the money on speakers or something if you want the best audio quality. Collecting Vinyl for top tier audio is like collecting baseball cards and saying its the best image you can get. @@boogiewoogie9770
Cut from digital files
Just as Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab does 😉
Oh yeah probably that has a lot to do with that. And maybe on recycled vinyl not new
@@dennissmirnoff915 That mostly depends on year original was produced / distributed and if a copy of the Analog tape still exists. "the term" Original Master Recording" does not mean it's Analog!! Get your facts right and stop spreading BS rumors. The settlement was a joke of appeasement...
Also I thought I would add... Most mastering prior to the digital age had to be EQ'd for the average consumer and cheep turntables (under $2500). Ruddy (RVG) was one of the worst...
vinyldiscovery.blogspot.com/2020/04/dol-doxy-vinyl-passion-jazz-wax-panam.html
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