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Pressing quality from nation to nation

I've been looking around for a certain record and have found pressings from various nations -- Brazil, Argentina, Germany, South Korea, the United Kingdom. And here's what I realized: When I worked in a record store some 30 years ago, we found that, as a rule, records from some nations were of higher quality than those from some others. German pressings were generally pretty good, at least when compared to those manufactured in, say, South American lands. But, that was three decades ago. If the record I'm looking for was a 1991 release, would it be safe to make the same assumptions, or should I think that things might have changed during that time? Thanks.
-- Howard
hodu
sidssp
1,077 posts
 
In terms of low noise, low distortion, and general quality control, the best lp
pressing, IMHO, are the ones from JVC Victor in Japan.
axelwahl
788 posts
 
Hi,
living in SA and having mostly local pressings as 2nd hand source, never mind other (older?) ones from Zim and so forth. There is NO CONTEST with most imports, even when done in the old East-Block like Czechoslovakia or USSR.

As to the more current new stock, I have some pretty noisy CLASSIC Records pressings (Pictures.., Zaratustra, Theme on Pagani, a dull! Rachmaninov No.3, etc.) at >30$ pretty disappointing --- and even a **warped** Test-records from AcousTech, packed to fast with glue-solvent marks.
Are getting right back to this late 80s crappy vinly junk?!

Plenty of older late 60s/70s/early 80s 2nd-hand imports from Germany, USA, most UK, definitely Phillips Holland, sound cleaner than some new 180g vinyl made in US, that comes with scratches and noisy start wax and first band. Made in South America or God knows where?
I now rather spend 2-3$ on used stuff and if too bad simply dump it.
Greetings,
Axel
reylon
47 posts
 
As a rule,avoid pressings from the former USSR,Eastern Europe,South America,Israel,Lebanon,etc.
stiltskin
499 posts
 
Howard you don't mention what 1991 Lp your looking for.
If this music is something you just have to have, try to find this particular recording from the country of origin preferably a first release.
Provided the recording was done well in the first place you may verywell end up with a gem of a pressing, great music with sonics to match.

However sometimes a later re-issue turns out better then an original first release.

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