I think the big issue is there is still a significant part of the music industry that thinks, "Hey, records are selling well. Let's get it out on vinyl!" They do this with the complete lack of understanding that the reason vinyl is back is not because people like to collect for little more than fad or nostalgia. It's back because, when done right, vinyl sounds magnificent. Those that are aware of this are doing quite well. The others have to deal with disappointment and large numbers of returns.
The problem here is that you are speaking for yourself, and your community/demographic. Tons of Gen Z folks buy records for the exact reasons you stated above. Fad, nostalgia or simply because they like it. A lot of places are cashing in on that, and audiophiles are paying the price.
@@thevinyltruffle Which is why I wrote "little more than fad or nostalgia." Certainly those factors are moving the needle, but they are not the sole and most important reasons for the resurgence.
Sadly I think huge amounts of vinyl are bought and never listened to. I know a large cohort buy it because it looks cool to have it on the shelf but never play it.
I've stopped buying new vinyl over the last year. Constant quality control issues. Happy to pay $40 - $50 CDN for a release if I can be guaranteed it's not warped or suffering from pressing defects. Maybe guaranteed is the wrong word. I'd be satisfied with even a 90% success rate at this point. On a more positive note - your videos are awesome. Keep up the great work!
Thank you for shining a light on a few of the 2021 vinyl disappointments. These quality issues should be publicized and I applaud for pointing out a few of the major disappointments (Beatles, Stones, VU, etc…).
All the BN Classic series I've purchased sound great, no problems here. I just started watching your videos in 2021 and I've learned so much from you! Keep doing what you do and to a even better 2022 for Vinyl🙏🏻🎶
Great video Michael! For me one of the biggest disappointment is that there are insufficient copies that are pressed for "The Big Guns" as you call them sometimes, and that it creates room for the "sharks" to sell them on Discogs at 2x, 3x, 4x the normal price!!!! For me it's a real bummer!!!!
Calm down Michael. But you are right and we all are being ripped off when it comes to buying records outside the EU. Not only in Germany but in The Netherlands as well.
@@johnvandenbeuken63..."calm down, Michael". Did I somehow miss Micheal having some sort of emotional meltdown in his video? He seems pretty calm to me, just like he always is. 😉
And there aren't enough pressing plants like the old days. The industry needs to invest in building several new pressing plants in Europe, UK and especially USA.
Two huge problems for me in the U.K. this year, the terrible quality of pressings and the huge delay after delay waiting for records. Please pressing plants, sort your QC out and improve your output. Otherwise the demise of the vinyl resurgence is imminent.
There is a great video that was posted last night from Analog Productions that addresses these very concerns, worth watching as it gives good behind the scenes perspective.
Thank you for giving voice to these issues. Our best recourse is to complain to the manufacturers, and demand replacements. In the US we have a Postmaster who has openly advocated for reducing service times to save money, and the result is that I am still waiting weeks for purchases made within the US ... forget about the ones ordered in Europe, as those will probably not arrive before Christmas. Again, customers have to take the time to make noise about this.
This was one of your best videos in a long time- why? Because it was honest and straight forward.Better than the slew of videos that you have put out which I have skipped in the last week- quality is vital for good channels. I enjoyed the focus of this theme which was refreshing instead of the OTT gushing on new albums.. so please avoid future Adele and Abba albums. Would be great for you to do a video on SACDs! There are rarely any of the infamous problems that you highlighted!
Buying records has never been hassle free but it should not be a pain in the ass. I share similar complaints you experienced and think there needs to be something as the consumer's. Abbey Road should be ashamed of their debauchery on releases that are the foundation of modern music. With the prices climbing and the quality diving there is just no excuse. You did good in your rant 🎸
I’m with you 100% on the flat rate ‘expense’ fees for imports. I’m in Canada so many of my records are imported. It’s out of control. The fees are 3x or more the VAT!
Seems vinyl pressing companies are ruining collectors choices. The better the pressing the more you are going to pay. I'm 65 and back in the day when you bought an album, the pressing you got was the pressing you were getting. The web and smart phone makes a vast difference for collectors today, everything is at your fingertips, however the middleman is killing it, and I think you made reference to that. The only way I bought an album in the 60's and 70's was by walking into a record store, garage sale or department store with a cut out bend. I found some of my best 8 tracks, cassettes, and vinyl in cut out bends. Its a shame that vinyl which is one of the biggest selling items in the world is being held hostage to bureaucracy. Enjoyed the video.
Sending the post office an invoice for your expenses is an excellent idea. I've done something similar when dealing with time-wasting bureaucracies. They will not pay, of course, but it creates disruption within their organization as they find the arrival of an invoice very confusing. It's probably routed among departments, and escalated in the bureaucracy until some manager decides what to do. Feel comfortable knowing it has wasted their time as well.
Another great one Michael I guess I'm lucky living in the states not having all those fees to worry about and yes the only album I ever had to return this year was The sidewinder.
Great video, the shipping charges are unbelievable. I knew the Stones Abbey Road remasters would be in there somewhere! Thank you for all the great content this year
Great Video Michael. I couldn't agree more with your disappointments. I would just like to add that the Vinyl community is not alone in the disappointments. In my opinion the digital community also suffers. Mostly in the sound quality due to the brickwalling where all the music is so limited and compressed that I can't bear to listen to it.
Great video Michael, I expected it to just be 6 records you didnt like but bringing awareness about problems in the hobby as a whole is much better. I was also relatively lucky with the BNCs, almost all have been great except Idle Moments which Im on my 3rd copy right now. As for Imports, its not just Germany, from what you explained I believe Sweden has it even worse. We pay the same 6-7€ flat rate fee but also a custom tax fee of 25%. So a 1000€ package will in the end cost 1257€ if my calculations are correct, insanity. Im so happy the BNC and ASS series is available in Europe.
You may not be aware of this, but there was a comedy television series in the United States called Seinfeld, and it introduced a Christmastime holiday called Festivus. One of the aspects of the holidays was The Airing of Grievances where you share all the things that have disappointed you. You might enjoy looking up a clip or two. Good video on your part! Cheers, Tom
Hey Michael, really enjoy your videos and your style. Please keep them coming! Funny thing first. Your description of the Abbey Road 1/2 speed masters had me laughing out loud. If I was drinking water, I would have spit all over my screen. Thankfully, I was drinking scotch, so my basic instincts kicked in, and I just managed to control myself enough to swallow....whew! I tend to pass on all 1/2 speed masters unless it is an absolute "must have." My main point for commenting is the quality issue you began with. I have purchased somewhere between two and three hundred new records over the past year and a half, but less than a handful required returns. About 80% are jazz records so not so many mainstream titles. Of course, a lot are the Blue Note Classics & Tone Poets, Acoustic Sound series, and other "audiophile" pressings. (Just a short plug for Sam Records and Impex; two smaller labels that are producing fantastic records!) So I am very surprised, to hear so many people have recurring issues with pressing quality. I do a wet clean of every record before playing; perhaps that explains why I have so few issues. Many records come in very dirty out of the plant, but a good cleaning and they play very well. Only a few have had pressing issues with pits or non-fill type issues. Pressing Quality Differences: I think this is historically normal. Back in my early vinyl days ('70s & '80s?), I don't remember ever worrying about where a record was pressed; if memory serves, it never was a consideration. Maybe I was naive at the time or my sensibilities not so acute, but we just purchased what was available at our local store. I think it is an issue now because the audiophile buyer is a larger proportion of those people still purchasing vinyl. For this growing niche, there is an expectation of a standard quality. I think this is a fair perspective for "audiophile' marketed pressings, however not so for general pressings. Import Costs! Your issues seem much worse compared to where I am in Canada. Yes, we have issues when we import from the US, but they don't seem near as bad as Germany. However, I do remember the days in the '80s when I wanted to purchase all those cool British bands. Many would not yet be available in North America, so I would save my hard-earned money to pay $40 for an import, vs $12 for a domestic title. Yikes! Times and expectations have changed! Again, keep up the great videos! Cheers!
I’m with ya brother. Forget the pressing quality, the logistics are a huge disappointment and a huge disgrace. Not being in the US hurts. I’m from Canada and we shouldn’t be that different, but we are. Take, for example, a recent order from Acoustic Sounds. They were offering free shipping and 20% off to US addresses. No free shipping as I’m in Canada. No 20% off on the order. Shipping, handling and customs came to an additional $68.00. And, on top of that, they added an additional 15% to the current exchange rate.
Walmart had a vinyl record sale last month @ $15 each. I bought two Journey - Escape and Ozzy Osbourne - Diary Of A Madman on colored vinyl. The Ozzy vinyl record was warp, so i returned it and got a good copy. Several people on social media were also reporting the ozzy vinyl record as being warp.
Thanks for this video - hope that some of "the guilty companies" are watching. You could (seen from my point of view) have included the AP pressing of Kind Of Blue - and let me tell why: Many hundred - maybe thousand - buyers received pressings with noise, clicks and other defects (especially on Blue In Green) - mine were # 692 and #693. And a lot of us also received covers/jackets severely damaged by the record making its way thru the (otherwise beautiful) cover. AP / Acoustic Sounds acknowledged the faults BUT WOULD ONLY SHIP A REPLACEMENT AS A PART OF ONES NEXT ORDER. That means in other words: We send you a product this is not in order - and you can only get it replaced ift you buy more from us. THIS IS NOT OK. I bought two copies and (due to unawareness at Acoustic Sounds Customer Service) had them to ship the replacements (2 records and 2 covers/jackets) in 2 different shippings. This ment thad I - living in EU/Denmark - had to pay: - 2 x customs/Import VAT (25%) app € 30 - 2 x customs-fee (in DK € 22 each time = € 44) - 1 x "forced buy"-record ($ 50/€ 40) - 1 x shipping app. $ 60/€ 50 - (the second shipping I didn't pay for - after insisting that they had made several errors underways) A total of app. € 170,- extra costs - or 60% more that the KoB-records + shipping would have costed if the product had been as it should have in the first place. After this, I won't do business with Acoustic Sounds again until the step up on their quality control and customer service...
Only 6 € on top of taxes? What a bargain!!! 15€ flat rate on top here, in Spain, every time I get a FedEx package: vinyl storage sleeves, music direct, etc. Outrageous
Hey Michael, I was watching your video and your comment about the flat rate taxes made me want to respond. I feel your pain...the same crap happened to me here Canada. I ordered the Kiss Destroyer 45th Anniversary Deluxe boxset ...the day it arrived I received an email from DHL saying that I owed 52.00 in customs taxes...now I've ordered lots of boxsets from all over the world and from various bands...and this is the first time I've ever had to pay this. ..now..with that said I was prepared to pay it. ..but the delivery guy can't except cash from me due to Covid regulations. .so I had to drive to the head office where they told me I had to pay online. ...it's been a nightmare just to get this one item. .and I still don't have it. Thanks again for your great videos. Mark Anthony K
In Sri Lanka I pay up to 100% on top of the cost of the vinyl due to government regulations and this is on top of high shipping costs. So my intake of vinyl has been massively reduced since living here. I even got charged 50% on the plastic covers for the vinyl I ordered. First world problem maybe or just Power, Corruption & Lies.
I live in the US and used to buy a lot of records from Germany even if they were UK or Japanese pressings or French or Spanish albums because it had much lower postage costs than any other country. That changed about 3 or 4 years ago. Now they are as expensive as Spain, France or the UK.
Really enjoy all your videos tx. I have the 2 Mingus releases and BVSC ordered based on your words. Never heard either of them but figured my system deserved a couple of audiophile releases for once
First of all - the lighting set up looks fantastic! The scene set up (field of view and distance from camera) is spot on! (Oh, and the haircut looks sharp ;) ) Second of all - I’m not a Vinyl collector, but i love this channel as its replete with history info about the pressings, the backstory, and…some of these wind up on SACD. Thanks for the channel
Forgot to mention one other potential explanation for defective records. That has to do with damage during shipping. For folks in the US, especially in the summer, I think many received warped records that are not the fault of the manufacturers at all. With Covid, so many people made online purchases, shipped during the summer season. I suspect many of these warped during shipping. In Canada, where I too made many online purchases, perhaps our relatively cooler weather meant fewer (if any) records damaged during shipping.
Great Video again. I was lucky with my BN Classics releases, had not a single one to send back. I agree with you in all topics. What i absolutely can't understand is this remixing of the Beatles and other groups albums. I don't buy them because of that. I want the original mix. I'm not a die hard Beatles fan and i can't understand how the fans buy this reissues?!
If it’s any consolation, shipping is pretty messed up in the U.S., too, albeit in a different way. I ordered a record from the We Release Jazz label from Germany the same day I ordered a record from someone in Maine. I got the We Release Jazz record yesterday and have no sign of the one from Maine yet. And I’m in Texas. It’s a bit of a mess out there.
“I hope I didn’t do it too negative”. Two minutes earlier: “Terrible, terrible, terrible . . . Incredibly bad half speed masters by Abbey Road . . it’s lifeless, it sounds like a bad MP3 . . .”
I was surprised to see mention of BN Classics. I have many if them and have on had to return one (going back all the way to the predecessor “BN 80 series”).
I'm starting to dread new releases in anything I collect because I'm always anticipating QC videos like this. But then again, I like saving money so I can't complain, but I WILL gripe. I've only been in the game since '18. Has there ever been a high-quality reissue of The Velvet Underground because the first album is the only one I don't have vintage of and I'd like to have a listening copy.
Great topic Michael. 100% agree with BN Classic Series QC problems. Had my fair share of bad records and in some cases took 3 tries to get a good copy. Very frustrating indeed. Agree on your other disappointments of the year except for your local customs dilemma. Sounds like a major headache!
Re: Led Zep and Pink Floyd (especially the former), can you imagine how amazing could they could be if Chad issued them as 45-RPM UHQRs?! Especially if cut from the masters he acquired from Classic Records a decade ago. Maybe Mobile Fidelity have the audiophile vinyl rights to Pink Floyd’s catalogue? If so, perhaps they’ll issue them as 45-RPM 1Step boxes… 🤞🏻
I doubt it very much that MFSL has any such rights. If they had they would have long issued a fail-safe top seller like Pink Floyd as One Step. I guess the agreements were such that they were granted a license for a certain limited amount of pressings in each case.
Chad keeps saying things like "you're not going to believe the stuff we have coming but I can't talk about it yet." He's gotta know that everyone wants that stuff to be Zeppelin UHQRs. Would make a lot of sense if Kind of Blue was a ramp-up to Zeppelin. But of course we'll just have to wait and see.
All but two of my BN Classic Series jackets were damaged. Unfortunate to say with such major titles. However the Tone Poet series have been phenomenal! Hope to see more of those in the future.
I just wanted to thank you for pointing out how fantastic that Acoustic Sounds reissue of "Black Saint and the Sinner Lady" sounds. I had actually never heard that LP before, so to have my first experience listening to it from this LP was amazing. I can see how it topped your list of LPs of the year. I have been in need of something of quality to listen to after being subjected to that crap from the Classics Series (the Humphreys and Bryd recent reissues). Take care and have a wonderful Christmas season. ✌️
Very good list! You said very cruelly "sound like bad mp3". Evil - and I like it! I really like to have Led Zeppelin audiophile LPs. We have to here pay 2.90€ every shipment outside EU, but is per package and we can pay it online & then pick package at local post office.
It’s terrible the state of vinyl nowadays no quality control. I bought Miles Davis kind of blue by Mobile fidelity, for £80 and the first record had the spindle hole punched of centre and to large for the spindle. It is unexceptionable, what happened to quality vinyl pressings.
Love your passion! Keep up the great vids! And you're right.....it ALL COMES down to the music and the pressing! The pressing is EVERYTHING......and ultimately, the ONLY thing. I am with you totally - QUALITY CONTROL (as an American, I have bought and used German products - ALWAYS they are high quality. There is nothing like German quality - some of these companies could LEARN something). There is no excuse for these crazy amount of defects.
The bigger picture is globally not just quality control issues, but rather employer / employee loyalty had disappeared a long time ago. Now imagine the extra cost when receiving parcel(s) via "DRONE" technology? For those who believe that this would be great and for free. You better think again. Peace to everyone.
Fantastic video Michael. Glad you're calling out these issues as it has to be said. What they did with the Joni Mitchell box set was crazy, how do they justify having such different quality releases of the same set? Really the rest of the world outside of the US is treated poorly. We have a 10% GST into Australia which is not too bad, but those fees into Europe are insanity! Our biggest problem in Australia is we get the dregs of Record Store Day releases. Some don't arrive in time, some never come here because the labels pressed to few copies so we are forced to have to go on Ebay and Discogs where the flippers have immediately tripled the price. I understand a slight increase, but triple? I just won't do Record Store Day anymore at this rate
That 6 euro flat rate expense is absurd. I'm in Korea. I pay 10% on every order over 150 USD. That includes the shipping charges. Far more reasonable. Though they charge no taxes on books! If books can be imported without customs duties, then I don't think music should be either, but if it is going to be charged, the regular 10% VAT is not so unreasonable. Yours, however, is ridiculous.
hello Michael , thanks for all your very good videos ! Since the new European regulations ( July 2021 ) that every product entering the Europe ( whatever is the value ) is submitted to custom tax and VAT , when you import a product like a LP , the french post La Poste charge you 8.00 Euro flat fee expenses even if the tax is only 2.00 Euro . The worst think now is when buying through Ebay an LP from outside Europe ( inc UK ) , Ebay charge you at payment the tax and VAT but when the La Poste is delivering you this LP , they ask as well at delivery to pay VAT , custom tax and their fee - a nightmare ! Luckily Ebay is refunding you your payment if you provide them proof of such payment done at La Poste .
Hopefully the industry is listening when pro-active members of the VC like 45 RPM Audiophile point out the shortcomings in today's record market. My sense of the industry is that it's prioritizing quick profits ahead of quality production that may take longer and yield less profit but deserve to be adhered to. Stay vigilant !
My biggest disappointment is the poor costumer service and taking the buyer for granite especially on-line. I pre ordered an item two months before release and saw it on sale on the website so e-mailed to ask when will ship. Get e-mail back they didn't get enough so refunded money they had for two months.Would think service pre orders first but didn't . Another time ordered an item that was pushed back 4 months. See they had the same record different color on sale called to see when I would get mine. Said they were not getting that color would I take the other one. This was limited so if didn't call them in time I would never had known and the other one would have been sold out.
I have to say Speakers Corner were excellent in acknowledging an issue I had with a record and then (through the seller) sent a replacement! I didn't get any response from Resonance / RTI when I had a major problem last year with Bill Evans Some Other Time. Customer service means nothing to some labels..its shameful!!
Thank goodness / Gott sei Dank for the generous & efficient Amazon returns policy. Absolutely essential for the Blue Note Classic & Tone Poet series...
I have most of the releases in the Classics and 80’s series and have only had pressing issues with one single record. I agree that importing records to EU is a pain nowadays. UK is now out of the question and US has already been for a long time. In Belgium there is a flat fee of 10 or sometimes 24 euro. Add 22% VAT and customs on the full value of the package (including shipping cost) and it becomes unbearable.
Custom flat fees need to disappear and we should pay them through internet before receiving the item to avoid administrative costs (e.g. DHL does this with depending on the shop). In Switzerland at least, you don't need to cue up. Crazy that the fee is per record in Germany though! In Switzerland, the fee is between 17 and over 20 Swiss francs,(1 Franc=0.96€), but only per package.
I unfortunately do have some pressing issues regarding my 2021 releases. Some crackles but after a nice ultrasonic cleaning nothing too serious. Overall I am happy. 🙂
The powers that be do seem to enjoy hanging onto the master tapes. They are making great amounts of $$ and feel the time to release the "Master Tapes" is not quite the right time. A good example is the latest The Beatles "Get Back" Documentary it is amazing and captures the band making their music in a dramatic and sometimes painful environment. Excellent! So true Michael they have the material and choose to hold onto "The Master Tapes" I think they enjoy making us wait.
Agree with everything you said Michael. Infuriating lack of care with such important releases. I live in the UK and of course, because of the stupid self harm of brexit we now have to pay 20% VAT on any purchase from outside the UK. It essentially makes buying things on Discogs more or less unaffordable unless they are coming from within the UK which they usually don’t! All extremely annoying.
Great video Michael thanks. I am curious to know what you thought of the Led Zeppelin releases that came out around 2015. These came in a boxes with a book and alternate or live takes. There was never any mention in the releases about what measures were taken in the creation of these new releases. I found them to be underwhelming and a such a big disappointment. But I have never seen a review of these releases so would be interested in your thoughts or knowledge about how they were produced.
Michael from the USA here I am 37 years old I found out long ago since 2007 if you want the best get the original pressing it works for me what I hate about this so called remastering is they cut at to low a level it sounds terrible remastered doesn't mean better some places don't tell you what source they used to cut from mp3 CD or even from cassette to me the first pressing sounds the best 90% of the time take care
I agree Michael, Bluenote had quality control issues on the Classic series like crazy. Toward the end of the year they have tried to release too many records a month on the Classic series and for the Tone Poets their have been no more listed.
Always like your UA-cam channel. Couldn’t agree more to the last point referring to disappointment over AbbeyRoad half-speed masters. I’ve bought quite a number of half-speed masters the last few years ie Rolling Stones, Police, Paul McCartney, Bob Marley, Queen etc., I must say none of it sounds better than my previous owned copies. I realised I was trapped to the marketing gimmicks of half-speed masters and the big name ‘AbbeyRoad’. Just imagine you were so exited when knowing your favourites albums will be released in the ‘claimed’ better pressing of AbbeyRoad’s half-speed masters, you waited, you spent your money, and some of it you even bought it during vacation in other countries (ie UK, US) and carried them with flight back home to HK. Then you carefully clean it, put it in new outer sleeves and replace new inner sleeves…, but once put it on the turntable and play it, you are puzzled!!! The sounds are so flat, no punch, lack of detailed, basically you don’t need a analog enthusiast to tell you that it’s worst than your previous owned copies. It’s an absolute disappointment! Now I know that I’m not alone, and I’ve stopped buying from half-speed masters from AbbeyRoad. You ‘re right, AbbeyRoad is a big label, good name and they are carrying so many great titles with them, I hope at this point with so many feedback and comments, they are really SERIOUSLY looking into ways to improve the sound quality of their future releases.
I think, regarding All Things Must Pass and Let It Be, it is only fair to highlight the wealth of demos and studio outtakes that have been released for the first time (before mentioning the rubber dwarves!). I get that the re-release of the core albums may have been disappointing from an audiophile perspective. But from a music-lover / fan’s perspective, the Beatles / their estates really deserve credit for delving into the archives and sharing all this extra music. So that has to be a positive to counter-balance the disappointing aspects of these releases?
My biggest vinyl dissapointment - and no offence to anyone in the VC, but its the whole trend of this format. To the point of reissuing boring old classic rock and pop music of the 60s 70s 80s 90s etc. Im all for reissues of rare and obscure stuff but not pink floyd etc. In 2022 lets have more videos about new music and new artists! Not new reissues of old and boring / popular music
So sorry to hear about the added hassle and expense foisted upon you there in Germany. Sounds awful really. Someday when we meet (and I do hope we do) I'll regale you with some stories from my time in the major labels. Let me just say, you've hit it square on the head and your instincts are right.
Thank you very much, Michael. It had to be said, and everybody who feels the same way - speak up loudly! I have stopped buying Blue Note Classic series. And I try to avoid Optimal pressings as much as possible. I rather spend much more on good quality records than the cheap and crappy stuff they try to sell us to milk the vinyl hype. I have never experienced so many warped new records as in the past year. As proper pressing is not rocket science it seems to me that they are rushing the pressings by unqualified workers without quality control. Good news: We as consumers have it in our hands. Just stop buying that crap and support the labels which are committed to high quality throughout the entire process and continuously deliver a delightful experience to us. Even at a much higher price, the price-value ratio is much better.
I’m surprised to hear you are so dissatisfied with the Classic Series. Yes there have been occasional glitches but generally I find they are very good quality and at a reasonable price.
Hi Michael and everyone. I was wondering if you have problems with BN 80’ Duke Pearson Merry One Soul issue. My copy appears to be flattish but I can hear distortions (which are not huge). Do you have it on your copies too ? I am not sure if this is a question of not perfect mastering or my copy quality issues. BTW Michael, great subject and great flow. Thank you!
Sometimes it's like nothing is like what it used to be. I bought the wall when it first came out. But I can't play it or any of my records. I have a Shure m92 cartridge. It needs a new stylus. I ordered one from an ebay seller, It was a generic because Shure stopped making cartridges and stylus's. I couldn't get it in and it fell apart. I ordered another one, it came and can't get that one on either. There's no stores that sell them I'm very frustrated!
I think the big issue is there is still a significant part of the music industry that thinks, "Hey, records are selling well. Let's get it out on vinyl!" They do this with the complete lack of understanding that the reason vinyl is back is not because people like to collect for little more than fad or nostalgia. It's back because, when done right, vinyl sounds magnificent. Those that are aware of this are doing quite well. The others have to deal with disappointment and large numbers of returns.
One Word Terry: True!
The problem here is that you are speaking for yourself, and your community/demographic. Tons of Gen Z folks buy records for the exact reasons you stated above. Fad, nostalgia or simply because they like it. A lot of places are cashing in on that, and audiophiles are paying the price.
@@thevinyltruffle Which is why I wrote "little more than fad or nostalgia." Certainly those factors are moving the needle, but they are not the sole and most important reasons for the resurgence.
Sadly I think huge amounts of vinyl are bought and never listened to. I know a large cohort buy it because it looks cool to have it on the shelf but never play it.
@@nickghough
Down the road, it's gonna be a rich goldmine for true collectors as these kids get rid of their records cheaply
I've stopped buying new vinyl over the last year. Constant quality control issues. Happy to pay $40 - $50 CDN for a release if I can be guaranteed it's not warped or suffering from pressing defects. Maybe guaranteed is the wrong word. I'd be satisfied with even a 90% success rate at this point.
On a more positive note - your videos are awesome. Keep up the great work!
interesting.. but this is for sure only the 2nd best solution .... Darryl
Thank you for shining a light on a few of the 2021 vinyl disappointments. These quality issues should be publicized and I applaud for pointing out a few of the major disappointments (Beatles, Stones, VU, etc…).
Great video, Michael. Thank you for bringing attention to the most annoying problems of being a vinyl collector. 👍
Fantastic video my friend! Can’t wait to watch your “best of’s”
thx Marco :-)
“They really do need to get their shit together” Love it Michael!
All the BN Classic series I've purchased sound great, no problems here. I just started watching your videos in 2021 and I've learned so much from you! Keep doing what you do and to a even better 2022 for Vinyl🙏🏻🎶
Great video Michael! For me one of the biggest disappointment is that there are insufficient copies that are pressed for "The Big Guns" as you call them sometimes, and that it creates room for the "sharks" to sell them on Discogs at 2x, 3x, 4x the normal price!!!! For me it's a real bummer!!!!
You have a great point there Francois i really do agree
Calm down Michael. But you are right and we all are being ripped off when it comes to buying records outside the EU. Not only in Germany but in The Netherlands as well.
@@johnvandenbeuken63..."calm down, Michael".
Did I somehow miss Micheal having some sort of emotional meltdown in his video?
He seems pretty calm to me, just like he always is. 😉
And there aren't enough pressing plants like the old days. The industry needs to invest in building several new pressing plants in Europe, UK and especially USA.
This is absolutely a problem. How does a brand new record triple in price over night? Greed.
Two huge problems for me in the U.K. this year, the terrible quality of pressings and the huge delay after delay waiting for records. Please pressing plants, sort your QC out and improve your output. Otherwise the demise of the vinyl resurgence is imminent.
You really have a valid point here Ron
There is a great video that was posted last night from Analog Productions that addresses these very concerns, worth watching as it gives good behind the scenes perspective.
@@marquepadley2715 Thank you, I’ll check that out…
Thank you for giving voice to these issues. Our best recourse is to complain to the manufacturers, and demand replacements. In the US we have a Postmaster who has openly advocated for reducing service times to save money, and the result is that I am still waiting weeks for purchases made within the US ... forget about the ones ordered in Europe, as those will probably not arrive before Christmas. Again, customers have to take the time to make noise about this.
This was one of your best videos in a long time- why? Because it was honest and straight forward.Better than the slew of videos that you have put out which I have skipped in the last week- quality is vital for good channels. I enjoyed the focus of this theme which was refreshing instead of the OTT gushing on new albums.. so please avoid future Adele and Abba albums. Would be great for you to do a video on SACDs! There are rarely any of the infamous problems that you highlighted!
Buying records has never been hassle free but it should not be a pain in the ass. I share similar complaints you experienced and think there needs to be something as the consumer's. Abbey Road should be ashamed of their debauchery on releases that are the foundation of modern music. With the prices climbing and the quality diving there is just no excuse. You did good in your rant 🎸
I’m with you 100% on the flat rate ‘expense’ fees for imports. I’m in Canada so many of my records are imported. It’s out of control. The fees are 3x or more the VAT!
Seems vinyl pressing companies are ruining collectors choices. The better the pressing the more you are going to pay. I'm 65 and back in the day when you bought an album, the pressing you got was the pressing you were getting. The web and smart phone makes a vast difference for collectors today, everything is at your fingertips, however the middleman is killing it, and I think you made reference to that. The only way I bought an album in the 60's and 70's was by walking into a record store, garage sale or department store with a cut out bend. I found some of my best 8 tracks, cassettes, and vinyl in cut out bends. Its a shame that vinyl which is one of the biggest selling items in the world is being held hostage to bureaucracy. Enjoyed the video.
Sending the post office an invoice for your expenses is an excellent idea. I've done something similar when dealing with time-wasting bureaucracies. They will not pay, of course, but it creates disruption within their organization as they find the arrival of an invoice very confusing. It's probably routed among departments, and escalated in the bureaucracy until some manager decides what to do. Feel comfortable knowing it has wasted their time as well.
Another great one Michael I guess I'm lucky living in the states not having all those fees to worry about and yes the only album I ever had to return this year was The sidewinder.
Great video! Have a wonderful one Michael
Great video, the shipping charges are unbelievable. I knew the Stones Abbey Road remasters would be in there somewhere! Thank you for all the great content this year
Great Video Michael. I couldn't agree more with your disappointments. I would just like to add that the Vinyl community is not alone in the disappointments. In my opinion the digital community also suffers. Mostly in the sound quality due to the brickwalling where all the music is so limited and compressed that I can't bear to listen to it.
Great video Michael, I expected it to just be 6 records you didnt like but bringing awareness about problems in the hobby as a whole is much better.
I was also relatively lucky with the BNCs, almost all have been great except Idle Moments which Im on my 3rd copy right now.
As for Imports, its not just Germany, from what you explained I believe Sweden has it even worse. We pay the same 6-7€ flat rate fee but also a custom tax fee of 25%. So a 1000€ package will in the end cost 1257€ if my calculations are correct, insanity. Im so happy the BNC and ASS series is available in Europe.
It os soooo annoying but what can we do Leon ......
You may not be aware of this, but there was a comedy television series in the United States called Seinfeld, and it introduced a Christmastime holiday called Festivus. One of the aspects of the holidays was The Airing of Grievances where you share all the things that have disappointed you. You might enjoy looking up a clip or two. Good video on your part!
Cheers, Tom
Will do High Rant will do :-)
"Festivus for the rest of us" great episode Tom
@@darrens7040 I love that episode!
michael...that was perfect...good to hear from someone who knows....i hope you're staying well...have a great holiday season...peace always...rocky
Hey Michael, really enjoy your videos and your style. Please keep them coming!
Funny thing first. Your description of the Abbey Road 1/2 speed masters had me laughing out loud. If I was drinking water, I would have spit all over my screen. Thankfully, I was drinking scotch, so my basic instincts kicked in, and I just managed to control myself enough to swallow....whew! I tend to pass on all 1/2 speed masters unless it is an absolute "must have."
My main point for commenting is the quality issue you began with. I have purchased somewhere between two and three hundred new records over the past year and a half, but less than a handful required returns. About 80% are jazz records so not so many mainstream titles. Of course, a lot are the Blue Note Classics & Tone Poets, Acoustic Sound series, and other "audiophile" pressings. (Just a short plug for Sam Records and Impex; two smaller labels that are producing fantastic records!) So I am very surprised, to hear so many people have recurring issues with pressing quality.
I do a wet clean of every record before playing; perhaps that explains why I have so few issues. Many records come in very dirty out of the plant, but a good cleaning and they play very well. Only a few have had pressing issues with pits or non-fill type issues.
Pressing Quality Differences: I think this is historically normal. Back in my early vinyl days ('70s & '80s?), I don't remember ever worrying about where a record was pressed; if memory serves, it never was a consideration. Maybe I was naive at the time or my sensibilities not so acute, but we just purchased what was available at our local store. I think it is an issue now because the audiophile buyer is a larger proportion of those people still purchasing vinyl. For this growing niche, there is an expectation of a standard quality. I think this is a fair perspective for "audiophile' marketed pressings, however not so for general pressings.
Import Costs! Your issues seem much worse compared to where I am in Canada. Yes, we have issues when we import from the US, but they don't seem near as bad as Germany. However, I do remember the days in the '80s when I wanted to purchase all those cool British bands. Many would not yet be available in North America, so I would save my hard-earned money to pay $40 for an import, vs $12 for a domestic title. Yikes! Times and expectations have changed!
Again, keep up the great videos! Cheers!
I’m with ya brother. Forget the pressing quality, the logistics are a huge disappointment and a huge disgrace. Not being in the US hurts. I’m from Canada and we shouldn’t be that different, but we are. Take, for example, a recent order from Acoustic Sounds. They were offering free shipping and 20% off to US addresses. No free shipping as I’m in Canada. No 20% off on the order. Shipping, handling and customs came to an additional $68.00. And, on top of that, they added an additional 15% to the current exchange rate.
Your so not getting Christmas card from abbey road 🤣🤣🤣🤣. Great work as always
Damn i did not think about that ...
That flat rate is Total madness. Have a nice sunday man🤘
A few years ago, I stopped collecting vinyl because of such quality issues. A few weeks ago, my desire flared up again, but this video made me unsure.
6 euro per LP?!!! That's insane. If they tried to do that in the US I might have to give up vinyl. That's ridiculous.
Great video! Thank you!
Walmart had a vinyl record sale last month @ $15 each. I bought two Journey - Escape and Ozzy Osbourne - Diary Of A Madman on colored vinyl. The Ozzy vinyl record was warp, so i returned it and got a good copy. Several people on social media were also reporting the ozzy vinyl record as being warp.
Thanks for this video - hope that some of "the guilty companies" are watching.
You could (seen from my point of view) have included the AP pressing of Kind Of Blue - and let me tell why:
Many hundred - maybe thousand - buyers received pressings with noise, clicks and other defects (especially on Blue In Green) - mine were # 692 and #693.
And a lot of us also received covers/jackets severely damaged by the record making its way thru the (otherwise beautiful) cover.
AP / Acoustic Sounds acknowledged the faults BUT WOULD ONLY SHIP A REPLACEMENT AS A PART OF ONES NEXT ORDER.
That means in other words: We send you a product this is not in order - and you can only get it replaced ift you buy more from us.
THIS IS NOT OK.
I bought two copies and (due to unawareness at Acoustic Sounds Customer Service) had them to ship the replacements (2 records and 2 covers/jackets) in 2 different shippings.
This ment thad I - living in EU/Denmark - had to pay:
- 2 x customs/Import VAT (25%) app € 30
- 2 x customs-fee (in DK € 22 each time = € 44)
- 1 x "forced buy"-record ($ 50/€ 40)
- 1 x shipping app. $ 60/€ 50 - (the second shipping I didn't pay for - after insisting that they had made several errors underways)
A total of app. € 170,- extra costs - or 60% more that the KoB-records + shipping would have costed if the product had been as it should have in the first place.
After this, I won't do business with Acoustic Sounds again until the step up on their quality control and customer service...
Only 6 € on top of taxes? What a bargain!!!
15€ flat rate on top here, in Spain, every time I get a FedEx package: vinyl storage sleeves, music direct, etc. Outrageous
Another great video as always. Thanx!
Another great video! I’m glad the bad news one is done and joyful videos will follow
Hey Michael,
I was watching your video and your comment about the flat rate taxes made me want to respond.
I feel your pain...the same crap happened to me here Canada. I ordered the Kiss Destroyer 45th Anniversary Deluxe boxset ...the day it arrived I received an email from DHL saying that I owed 52.00 in customs taxes...now I've ordered lots of boxsets from all over the world and from various bands...and this is the first time I've ever had to pay this. ..now..with that said I was prepared to pay it. ..but the delivery guy can't except cash from me due to Covid regulations. .so I had to drive to the head office where they told me I had to pay online. ...it's been a nightmare just to get this one item. .and I still don't have it.
Thanks again for your great videos.
Mark Anthony K
Right Mark thx for sharing
Greed ruins everything everytime
Another great video - thank you!
In Sri Lanka I pay up to 100% on top of the cost of the vinyl due to government regulations and this is on top of high shipping costs. So my intake of vinyl has been massively reduced since living here. I even got charged 50% on the plastic covers for the vinyl I ordered. First world problem maybe or just Power, Corruption & Lies.
I live in the US and used to buy a lot of records from Germany even if they were UK or Japanese pressings or French or Spanish albums because it had much lower postage costs than any other country. That changed about 3 or 4 years ago. Now they are as expensive as Spain, France or the UK.
So strange that you can pay taxes only in post office. In Estonia we pay these taxes and customs on online. Very simple process.
Really enjoy all your videos tx. I have the 2 Mingus releases and BVSC ordered based on your words. Never heard either of them but figured my system deserved a couple of audiophile releases for once
First of all - the lighting set up looks fantastic! The scene set up (field of view and distance from camera) is spot on! (Oh, and the haircut looks sharp ;) )
Second of all - I’m not a Vinyl collector, but i love this channel as its replete with history info about the pressings, the backstory, and…some of these wind up on SACD.
Thanks for the channel
Thx for this great comment Mike
@@Michael45RPM delighted, mike!
Import fees are garbage! I have actually just sent some packages back / refused them at the door. Not worth the hassle
Forgot to mention one other potential explanation for defective records. That has to do with damage during shipping. For folks in the US, especially in the summer, I think many received warped records that are not the fault of the manufacturers at all. With Covid, so many people made online purchases, shipped during the summer season. I suspect many of these warped during shipping. In Canada, where I too made many online purchases, perhaps our relatively cooler weather meant fewer (if any) records damaged during shipping.
Great Video again.
I was lucky with my BN Classics releases, had not a single one to send back. I agree with you in all topics.
What i absolutely can't understand is this remixing of the Beatles and other groups albums. I don't buy them because of that.
I want the original mix. I'm not a die hard Beatles fan and i can't understand how the fans buy this reissues?!
Great vids to help us get through the good and bad stuff before we buy any of this stuff
Well done on confronting the demons ... you still managed a smile at the end ..
If it’s any consolation, shipping is pretty messed up in the U.S., too, albeit in a different way. I ordered a record from the We Release Jazz label from Germany the same day I ordered a record from someone in Maine. I got the We Release Jazz record yesterday and have no sign of the one from Maine yet. And I’m in Texas. It’s a bit of a mess out there.
“I hope I didn’t do it too negative”.
Two minutes earlier: “Terrible, terrible, terrible . . . Incredibly bad half speed masters by Abbey Road . . it’s lifeless, it sounds like a bad MP3 . . .”
I was surprised to see mention of BN Classics. I have many if them and have on had to return one (going back all the way to the predecessor “BN 80 series”).
Thanks Mike for your honesty
I'm starting to dread new releases in anything I collect because I'm always anticipating QC videos like this. But then again, I like saving money so I can't complain, but I WILL gripe.
I've only been in the game since '18. Has there ever been a high-quality reissue of The Velvet Underground because the first album is the only one I don't have vintage of and I'd like to have a listening copy.
And about quality: I stopped buying new records. Prices are getting vulgar and the quality is a crapshoot.
Great topic Michael. 100% agree with BN Classic Series QC problems. Had my fair share of bad records and in some cases took 3 tries to get a good copy. Very frustrating indeed. Agree on your other disappointments of the year except for your local customs dilemma. Sounds like a major headache!
Re: Led Zep and Pink Floyd (especially the former), can you imagine how amazing could they could be if Chad issued them as 45-RPM UHQRs?! Especially if cut from the masters he acquired from Classic Records a decade ago. Maybe Mobile Fidelity have the audiophile vinyl rights to Pink Floyd’s catalogue? If so, perhaps they’ll issue them as 45-RPM 1Step boxes… 🤞🏻
Lets just hope for it Rich!
I doubt it very much that MFSL has any such rights. If they had they would have long issued a fail-safe top seller like Pink Floyd as One Step. I guess the agreements were such that they were granted a license for a certain limited amount of pressings in each case.
nooo 45 just a good 33 1/3 pleaseeeeeeeee
Chad keeps saying things like "you're not going to believe the stuff we have coming but I can't talk about it yet." He's gotta know that everyone wants that stuff to be Zeppelin UHQRs. Would make a lot of sense if Kind of Blue was a ramp-up to Zeppelin. But of course we'll just have to wait and see.
@@millerbakery ha. I keep thinking the same thing every time chad teases. I will take a day off work to get prepared to order them. Ha
All but two of my BN Classic Series jackets were damaged. Unfortunate to say with such major titles. However the Tone Poet series have been phenomenal! Hope to see more of those in the future.
The first and only Classics series I bought this year that didn’t come out of the sleeve already looking trashed was the Art Blakey Big Beat.
I just wanted to thank you for pointing out how fantastic that Acoustic Sounds reissue of "Black Saint and the Sinner Lady" sounds. I had actually never heard that LP before, so to have my first experience listening to it from this LP was amazing. I can see how it topped your list of LPs of the year. I have been in need of something of quality to listen to after being subjected to that crap from the Classics Series (the Humphreys and Bryd recent reissues). Take care and have a wonderful Christmas season. ✌️
Very good list! You said very cruelly "sound like bad mp3". Evil - and I like it! I really like to have Led Zeppelin audiophile LPs. We have to here pay 2.90€ every shipment outside EU, but is per package and we can pay it online & then pick package at local post office.
"Just don't know, just don't care". LOL German humour rules.
Steven Wilson is one of the few who can make cds and vinyl sound good,he puts pride in his work.
It’s terrible the state of vinyl nowadays no quality control. I bought Miles Davis kind of blue by Mobile fidelity, for £80 and the first record had the spindle hole punched of centre and to large for the spindle. It is unexceptionable, what happened to quality vinyl pressings.
appreciate you keeping it real!
Love your passion! Keep up the great vids! And you're right.....it ALL COMES down to the music and the pressing! The pressing is EVERYTHING......and ultimately, the ONLY thing. I am with you totally - QUALITY CONTROL (as an American, I have bought and used German products - ALWAYS they are high quality. There is nothing like German quality - some of these companies could LEARN something). There is no excuse for these crazy amount of defects.
I have bought most of the BN classics and TP and everything else, like 200 or more in the last two years without a single return necessary
Agree with your choices. And comments about how good 2021 has been.
The bigger picture is globally not just quality control issues, but rather employer / employee loyalty had disappeared a long time ago. Now imagine the extra cost when receiving parcel(s) via "DRONE" technology? For those who believe that this would be great and for free. You better think again. Peace to everyone.
Fantastic video Michael. Glad you're calling out these issues as it has to be said. What they did with the Joni Mitchell box set was crazy, how do they justify having such different quality releases of the same set?
Really the rest of the world outside of the US is treated poorly. We have a 10% GST into Australia which is not too bad, but those fees into Europe are insanity! Our biggest problem in Australia is we get the dregs of Record Store Day releases. Some don't arrive in time, some never come here because the labels pressed to few copies so we are forced to have to go on Ebay and Discogs where the flippers have immediately tripled the price. I understand a slight increase, but triple? I just won't do Record Store Day anymore at this rate
That 6 euro flat rate expense is absurd. I'm in Korea. I pay 10% on every order over 150 USD. That includes the shipping charges. Far more reasonable. Though they charge no taxes on books! If books can be imported without customs duties, then I don't think music should be either, but if it is going to be charged, the regular 10% VAT is not so unreasonable. Yours, however, is ridiculous.
This is a great idea for a very video
Still waiting on my cream vinyl of Kid Amnesia that I ordered back in September. I’ve heard lots of QC issues with that record.
hello Michael , thanks for all your very good videos ! Since the new European regulations ( July 2021 ) that every product entering the Europe ( whatever is the value ) is submitted to custom tax and VAT , when you import a product like a LP , the french post La Poste charge you 8.00 Euro flat fee expenses even if the tax is only 2.00 Euro . The worst think now is when buying through Ebay an LP from outside Europe ( inc UK ) , Ebay charge you at payment the tax and VAT but when the La Poste is delivering you this LP , they ask as well at delivery to pay VAT , custom tax and their fee - a nightmare ! Luckily Ebay is refunding you your payment if you provide them proof of such payment done at La Poste .
It so damn Awful Daniel
No excuses for Classic Series. Tone Poet is first class !
Just wanted to add that I got the new Blue Note of Herbie Hancock's Maiden Voyage and mine sounds fantastic, flat, and quiet.
No doubt there are things that need to be improved. Great video. Thank you for your appreciation.
Hopefully the industry is listening when pro-active members of the VC like 45 RPM Audiophile point out the shortcomings in today's record market. My sense of the industry is that it's prioritizing quick profits ahead of quality production that may take longer and yield less profit but deserve to be adhered to. Stay vigilant !
My biggest disappointment is the poor costumer service and taking the buyer for granite especially on-line. I pre ordered an item two months before release and saw it on sale on the website so e-mailed to ask when will ship. Get e-mail back they didn't get enough so refunded money they had for two months.Would think service pre orders first but didn't . Another time ordered an item that was pushed back 4 months. See they had the same record different color on sale called to see when I would get mine. Said they were not getting that color would I take the other one. This was limited so if didn't call them in time I would never had known and the other one would have been sold out.
Wow thats quite bad thx for sharing Matt
I have to say Speakers Corner were excellent in acknowledging an issue I had with a record and then (through the seller) sent a replacement! I didn't get any response from Resonance / RTI when I had a major problem last year with Bill Evans Some Other Time. Customer service means nothing to some labels..its shameful!!
Customs in the Netherlands is even worse: €25 record. Tax €8, and about €10 extra costs. It’s ridiculous. I hate government.
Agree 12inch i agree
Thank goodness / Gott sei Dank for the generous & efficient Amazon returns policy. Absolutely essential for the Blue Note Classic & Tone Poet series...
Wow those taxes you must pay on imported records is outrageous, on top of having to drive to pay them!!
The driving part is the worse ....
Pink Foyd The Wall : my UK 1st Pressing (A2-B-3 / A3-B-2) in M- does sound sooo good, i doubt an "audiophile" version would sound better !
Thanks for INFO.
I have most of the releases in the Classics and 80’s series and have only had pressing issues with one single record. I agree that importing records to EU is a pain nowadays. UK is now out of the question and US has already been for a long time. In Belgium there is a flat fee of 10 or sometimes 24 euro. Add 22% VAT and customs on the full value of the package (including shipping cost) and it becomes unbearable.
Custom flat fees need to disappear and we should pay them through internet before receiving the item to avoid administrative costs (e.g. DHL does this with depending on the shop). In Switzerland at least, you don't need to cue up. Crazy that the fee is per record in Germany though! In Switzerland, the fee is between 17 and over 20 Swiss francs,(1 Franc=0.96€), but only per package.
You are so right
I have every classic album and never had a problem, I guess for ounce I must be one of the lucky ones!
I unfortunately do have some pressing issues regarding my 2021 releases. Some crackles but after a nice ultrasonic cleaning nothing too serious. Overall I am happy. 🙂
Interesting post, I have two abbey roads (Dusty Springfield and Back to black (Amy), they sound fine to me, nice sound and dead silent vinyl.
I sense bureaucracy will only get worse.
The powers that be do seem to enjoy hanging onto the master tapes. They are making great amounts of $$ and feel the time to release the "Master Tapes" is not quite the right time. A good example is the latest The Beatles "Get Back" Documentary it is amazing and captures the band making their music in a dramatic and sometimes painful environment. Excellent! So true Michael they have the material and choose to hold onto "The Master Tapes" I think they enjoy making us wait.
Agree with everything you said Michael. Infuriating lack of care with such important releases. I live in the UK and of course, because of the stupid self harm of brexit we now have to pay 20% VAT on any purchase from outside the UK. It essentially makes buying things on Discogs more or less unaffordable unless they are coming from within the UK which they usually don’t! All extremely annoying.
Great video Michael thanks. I am curious to know what you thought of the Led Zeppelin releases that came out around 2015. These came in a boxes with a book and alternate or live takes. There was never any mention in the releases about what measures were taken in the creation of these new releases. I found them to be underwhelming and a such a big disappointment. But I have never seen a review of these releases so would be interested in your thoughts or knowledge about how they were produced.
You are right.. they are bad Lou
Michael from the USA here I am 37 years old I found out long ago since 2007 if you want the best get the original pressing it works for me what I hate about this so called remastering is they cut at to low a level it sounds terrible remastered doesn't mean better some places don't tell you what source they used to cut from mp3 CD or even from cassette to me the first pressing sounds the best 90% of the time take care
I agree Michael, Bluenote had quality control issues on the Classic series like crazy. Toward the end of the year they have tried to release too many records a month on the Classic series and for the Tone Poets their have been no more listed.
Always like your UA-cam channel. Couldn’t agree more to the last point referring to disappointment over AbbeyRoad half-speed masters. I’ve bought quite a number of half-speed masters the last few years ie Rolling Stones, Police, Paul McCartney, Bob Marley, Queen etc., I must say none of it sounds better than my previous owned copies. I realised I was trapped to the marketing gimmicks of half-speed masters and the big name ‘AbbeyRoad’. Just imagine you were so exited when knowing your favourites albums will be released in the ‘claimed’ better pressing of AbbeyRoad’s half-speed masters, you waited, you spent your money, and some of it you even bought it during vacation in other countries (ie UK, US) and carried them with flight back home to HK. Then you carefully clean it, put it in new outer sleeves and replace new inner sleeves…, but once put it on the turntable and play it, you are puzzled!!! The sounds are so flat, no punch, lack of detailed, basically you don’t need a analog enthusiast to tell you that it’s worst than your previous owned copies. It’s an absolute disappointment! Now I know that I’m not alone, and I’ve stopped buying from half-speed masters from AbbeyRoad.
You ‘re right, AbbeyRoad is a big label, good name and they are carrying so many great titles with them, I hope at this point with so many feedback and comments, they are really SERIOUSLY looking into ways to improve the sound quality of their future releases.
I think, regarding All Things Must Pass and Let It Be, it is only fair to highlight the wealth of demos and studio outtakes that have been released for the first time (before mentioning the rubber dwarves!). I get that the re-release of the core albums may have been disappointing from an audiophile perspective. But from a music-lover / fan’s perspective, the Beatles / their estates really deserve credit for delving into the archives and sharing all this extra music. So that has to be a positive to counter-balance the disappointing aspects of these releases?
My biggest vinyl dissapointment - and no offence to anyone in the VC, but its the whole trend of this format. To the point of reissuing boring old classic rock and pop music of the 60s 70s 80s 90s etc. Im all for reissues of rare and obscure stuff but not pink floyd etc. In 2022 lets have more videos about new music and new artists! Not new reissues of old and boring / popular music
So sorry to hear about the added hassle and expense foisted upon you there in Germany. Sounds awful really. Someday when we meet (and I do hope we do) I'll regale you with some stories from my time in the major labels. Let me just say, you've hit it square on the head and your instincts are right.
Thank you very much, Michael. It had to be said, and everybody who feels the same way - speak up loudly! I have stopped buying Blue Note Classic series. And I try to avoid Optimal pressings as much as possible. I rather spend much more on good quality records than the cheap and crappy stuff they try to sell us to milk the vinyl hype. I have never experienced so many warped new records as in the past year. As proper pressing is not rocket science it seems to me that they are rushing the pressings by unqualified workers without quality control. Good news: We as consumers have it in our hands. Just stop buying that crap and support the labels which are committed to high quality throughout the entire process and continuously deliver a delightful experience to us. Even at a much higher price, the price-value ratio is much better.
I’m surprised to hear you are so dissatisfied with the Classic Series. Yes there have been occasional glitches but generally I find they are very good quality and at a reasonable price.
Hi Michael and everyone. I was wondering if you have problems with BN 80’ Duke Pearson Merry One Soul issue. My copy appears to be flattish but I can hear distortions (which are not huge). Do you have it on your copies too ? I am not sure if this is a question of not perfect mastering or my copy quality issues. BTW Michael, great subject and great flow. Thank you!
Sometimes it's like nothing is like what it used to be. I bought the wall when it first came out. But I can't play it or any of my records. I have a Shure m92 cartridge. It needs a new stylus. I ordered one from an ebay seller, It was a generic because Shure stopped making cartridges and stylus's. I couldn't get it in and it fell apart. I ordered another one, it came and can't get that one on either. There's no stores that sell them I'm very frustrated!