audiophiles or retrophiles

While over here sharpening a stick (Ceramic Boron cantilever)… Where are my fellow flat earthers when I need them? Apparently on holiday still. Here again is the problem I find with the current state of affair with digital this and that for those of us who have been around longer than it. Rummaging thou my dusty, outdated, old format I found something you might find interesting Rockvirgo (per your 5/27/03 thread). When our beloved Fairport Convention released Unhalfbricking in the year of our Lord 1969 it was issued in the motherland on Island records. The first press was on a pink rim, palm tree label ILSP-9102, this cover showed an aging couple standing outside a gate with the band lounging in the yard beyond on the lawn (on the front) and the band sitting together sharing supper at a table (on the back). It was subsequently released here in the colonies on the A&M brown SP-4206 label briefly; this cover had your elusive elephants portraying a circus act (on the front) and a b&w of the front cover theme repeated (on the back). Brit releases often sound a bit more forward in vocal and pay attention to the strings, my personal favorite for presentation. Where as the U.S. releases generally are a bit more smoothed out soundstage wise and the vocals are back with the instruments. I feel it does not represent the music with a conviction commensurate with the energy of this band but in this particular case they are virtually identical. The digital realm has plenty to offer, visa vie our conversation but ... Anyway, digital had nothing to do with either of these excellent versions and often leaves out many of the particular details. This is precisely what motivates me to pursue analogue. Cheers!