Quote:
Originally Posted by music_phantom13
To be honest I'd probably rather buy a reissue of an old album than hunt out a rare pressing of that album; while the quality might be different it doesn't make too big of a difference to me.
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There is a very noticeable difference - to some extent, it depends on the equipment you're playing it back on, but, as in any system, the output can only ever be as good as the input.
Thick, good quality vinyl will always sound noticeably better than thin, poor quality compounds - it's a matter of physics;
In good quality vinyl, the polymer molecules are smaller, better aligned, and smoother, allowing more space for the music that's being transferred from the metal cutter. Since the sound on vinyl depends on up and down movement of the stylus (as well as side to side), thickness is also key to a more dynamic sound.
As with a decent guitar amp, you really notice when you turn the volume up.
Crank up a Marshall JCM 800, and your guitar tone will sound sweeter and sweeter.
Crank up a first press Led Zep II, and the sound really comes into its own - you start realising what the fuss is about even if you're not an audiophile.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wrymwood
My dad is really into collecting records, and he's kind of got me into it too. It pretty much ends up him picking out the gems for me, while I just buy the records I like to listen to them. Recently he gave me a Zeppelin III album in mint condition with the heavier vinyl for my birthday. It's got the wheel on the front cover that you can spin and put the faces in view of the little holes. Not sure if that explanation suffices, lol. Just wondering how much it might be worth?
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As with II, III should be on the UK Plum and Orange label - just about every sleeve has the wheel on it. The earliest (and best-sounding) presses have the legend "Do What Thou Wilt, So Mote It Be" etched into the runoff in the actual vinyl - but this text alone does not make them worth much more than about £20 for a really nice copy. They're not rare!
There are three versions which are worth serious money to collectors, the top one of which is a MONO promo with a red sticker on the sleeve proclaiming "promotional dj copy monaural not for resale". These can fetch up to $1000.
Sealed American presses with the original black sticker can fetch top dollar too, and these have the serial number SD-7201, rather than the later 5-digit number.
The UK press to find has 2 identifying features - the first is, of course, the serial number, which should be 2401002. Later presses added a dash - ie 2401-002. The second feature is the production credit given to Jimmy Page appears at the top of the label, with Executive Producer: Peter Grant appearing beneath. On later labels, Jimmy is relegated to the bottom of the label, and Peter's credit is removed altogether!