2. analog
  3. 1326698640

Kate Bush

I hesitated between posting this question in the Music forum rather than Analog, but since the question regards the quality of the vinyl pressing and sound rather than the quality of the music, I decided the question was more fitting in the Analog forum.

I own all of Kate's records with the exception of "Aerial," and all of her albums are exceptionally good sounding, even the recent reissues of "The Hounds of Love" and "The Sensual World." Her last release before "50 Words for Snow" was "Director's Cut," which she released under her own label Fish People. The quality is beyond reproach. I just purchased "50 Words for Snow" and cleaned it with the AIVS 3-step formulas before first play. I had to stop a few minutes into the first song as the sounds was being marred by the loud crackling noise every several seconds. Same with the second song. It pretty much continued throughout the entire two-record album. The album was mastered by Doug Sax and James Guthrie and the CD sounds spectacular so I know it's not the recording but the quality of the pressing. Does anyone who owns this release share my experience? As much as I'd want it to be the case, I find it hard to believe I just happened to buy a bad isolated pressing. I'm so bummed as the music is heavenly.
actusreus
Ag insider logo xs@2x
rauliruegas
13,048 posts
 
Dear Actusreus: certainly not. That manufacturer or any other one can't check the full pressing LPs were some are better than others. My sample is really good and I'm not an " easy " guy about LP's defects.

In the other side I don't think for a minute that Atmasphere choosed that LP to show his products.

Anyway, IMHO that answer is in some way " no answer " at all.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,787 posts
 
I must have lucked out. I would not say the pressing is perfect, very few are, but it does not exhibit excessive noise on any particular track (including side 1); instead there a few random minor ticks and pops throughout- no loud crackling noises at all!
actusreus OP
733 posts
 
I just ordered a copy from the UK. It will be interesting to compare. I will report on the results once I receive it.
tzh21y
1,654 posts
 
The original pressings are very good in most cases
actusreus OP
733 posts
 
I suppose both can be considered "original" pressings since they were released at the same time on both continents. For, what I assume, was a business reason, the American pressings were simply manufactured under license to an American company. I guess one could argue the European release is original since it's on the artist's label. What I'm very curious about is to see whether the source material used was the same and the European release is as noisy as the American one, as it should be, if the source material was indeed somehow compromised by the mastering process. I just find it very hard to believe that Doug Sax and James Guthrie would messed up a recording. These guys are icons in the industry.
More to discover