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Recording during the 70's

Not sure if I'll get a response but all I can do is ask. It has been my understanding for many years now, that as the Recording Industry moved from tube equipment to solid state ... say from late 60's to late 70's, it took almost a decade for sound engineers to get "the bugs" out of the ss equipment which is why recordings from the 80's generally sound better than those from the 70's (let's put the common practice of over-modulation and the compression of dynamic range aside and I'm using rock as a reference). There were some exceptions however in the 70's, SuperTramp LP's for one (somehow wonderful recordings) and you will know others ... but there are many LPs from that decade that were just horrible ... love Jethro Tull's Agualung, but that album along with say, what Boston (another great group) put out .... terrible .... seem to be representative generally .... so much mush. Thanks for reading and replying. 
128x128tak1
tablejockey
3,975 posts
 
"love Jethro Tull's Agualung, but that album along with say, what Boston (another great group) put out .... terrible"

I find it to be a case by case experience. When I go bin diving I buy this kind of quality, except I pay $1-10 at my local record stores or Goodwill.
https://www.better-records.com/product.aspx?pf_id=jethraqual_1909_01

https://www.better-records.com/product.aspx?pf_id=bostobosto_2002

https://www.better-records.com/p roduct.aspx?pf_id=steelaja_2004
look for deadwax-AB 1006 

I think it's the other way around-the 80 gave us MORE less than great pressings. Not that there weren't cringe worthy recordings in the 70's.
Ultimately, it may be like the rest of audiophoolery-subjective. I know there are listeners who swear by those 200 gram, pricey reissues.

My floppy 70's RCA Dynaflex Bowie albums sound great.

Ag insider logo xs@2x
cleeds
6,053 posts
 
tak1
... as the Recording Industry moved from tube equipment to solid state ... say from late 60’s to late 70’s, it took almost a decade for sound engineers to get "the bugs" out of the ss equipment which is why recordings from the 80’s generally sound better than those from the 70’s ... There were some exceptions however in the 70’ ... but there are many LPs from that decade that were just horrible ... love Jethro Tull’s Agualung, but that album along with say, what Boston (another great group) put out .... terrible .... seem to be representative generally .... so much mush.
I think you’re mistaken. There have always been badly made records. After all, it’s much easier to get it wrong than it is to get it right. In general, I think what you may be noticing is record pressing quality, which in the ’70s was affected by oil embargoes. There was a lot of bad vinyl at that time - some of it recycled, and sometimes with flecks of record labels in the mix - and I still have some examples of it.

In particular, your mention of the Boston album rather proves my point. That is an extraordinarily well recorded and produced LP, but most pressings don’t really reveal it. CBS Mastersound released a half-speed pressing of that LP that is a sonic masterpiece.
ebm
9,311 posts
 
This is not true of Classical EMI,DECCA etc the quality remained the same.
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