faint precession of sound on vinyl

Most likely it is print-through on the LP analog tape master.

Sounds like in either case there is nothing I can do about it. I listen to a lot of very quiet music and music with great silent passages, like Webern, Cage, Schoenberg, and Morton Feldman. As passionate as I am about vinyl, this is one area where CD works. Too bad it sounds as dead as my great grandfather's genitals. I just got a mint copy of Arnold Schoenberg's pieces for piano. In comparison with the CD...well, there is no comparison!

As passionate as I am about vinyl, this is one area where CD works. Too bad it sounds as dead as my great grandfather's genitals.

Some forms of distortion are pleasing to the ear - since the Beatles engineers have been playing around with effects to enhance sound. Pre-echo occurs throughout the LP and may be one of the reasons for your preference. Remember that studios/musicians use reverb and concert halls are treasured for their ambient sound...pre-echo is a kind of ambience and may actually give more life to the music (to your ears)...

Shadorne: are you saying this is an intentional effort on the part of engineers?