Shout out for Better Records

Mariasplunge: My father was a session player for Capitol Records in the golden years (played with everyone from Sinatra to Rawls). I personally collect albums he played on and can tell you that there are can be significant and subtle differences between individual records. I know what he sounds like and I have heard him get buried in the mix too often on dead sounding albums. Pristine records are rare and I have worked 25 years to find a complete and sonically correct album collection of his work. Almost in all cases, the original pressing date and stampers is the best. Within that press run, I find that there is indeed a correlation between stamper numbers with some of the copies I own. Around the issue of quality, each usually has a slightly different soundstage and instrument emphasis, especially with the horns. Each record took 45 seconds to produce and I think the albums that had significant runs to meet the "hit" demand (shipped in excess of 100,000 copies) seem to be more problematic.

I agree with Rlawdry. Seperate from the high prices he charges, Tom Port is one of the few retailers that does a good job at pointing out the substandard copies of 180 and 200 gram vinyl that is being sold as audiophile products that are a poor imitation of the original master tapes. Chad at Acoutic Sounds will give you opinions on problematic issues by phone when you grill him, but I never see him not offering them up as inventory when there are known problems, especially with Classic Records.

Like Ghosthouse above, I myself have never bought a "hot stamper." I have been able to find other albums that are in great condition within this site without paying the hundreds of dollars price for his best product. Tom tends to focus on and offer up the "known" 60s and 70s albums by the popular bands of the era ("Dark Side", "Aja"). You can find some buried treasure in his inventory that is reasonably priced around lessor artists and titles. I recently got a mint unplayed 2 record set album from Paul Kelly, Australia's Bob Dylan, for $10, that just smokes.

Absolutely, you can go to used record stores just like Tom does, buy a bunch of pressings of a title, go home and clean them, and listen to see if there is a "hot stamper" in the bunch. I have done just this with Heart Dreamboat Annie, some Cat Stevens titles, and others. If you have the time and patience to do this, you can approximate what Tom does. And if he lists a hot stamper, it gives you hope that some do indeed exist. However, as a record dealer for many years, I am sure Tom is a lot more familiar with which pressings sound best, and furthermore, I don't have the time to do this often. I just pay him to do this for me. I have never bought his really expensive hot stampers, just the ones listed for between $50 and $200. I figure I am getting darn close to his best anyway. I can tell you that I tried for years to find a better-sounding pressing of Steely Dan Katy Lied to no avail and thought such a thing didn't exist. I loved this record but hated the bland and mediocre sound. When I reluctantly bought one of Tom's hot stampers I couldn't believe it. It sounded like a completely different recording, so much so that I thought it had come from a different master or recording session, or that somehow Tom was treating the records in some way. Not all of the HS pressings are that dramatically better, but on certain recordings it makes a serious improvement in the sound.

Rlawry

I agree. ABC Dunhill put out some incredibly bad copies of Steely Dan. Along with RCA and Bowie, I can't tell you how many poor copies I have heard.

I am personal friends with Skunk Baxter and he told me that their albums rarely approximated the level of playing in the studio. I have heard copies of the masters at his home and they are exceptional. I am glad to hear you have a great copy--I seem to only find the less than great ones. I have a Platinum Plus reissue that is the best one (probably B+) in my possession but I keep believing that there must be better copies out there. It appears one lies in your collection!!!:)

Bongo...If you don't mind exposing that info, who is you dad? Also, thanks for the encouragement.

Like Rlawry I too do not have the quite the time Tom does, so I would only do such a thing for certian special albums that I adore. There are artists that I value having great sound with but just have not found that copy that says "oh yeah!!" Like Dylan for example. He is someone who I might consider spending money on to let Tom fnd the ones that sound "just right" Something that so far has availed me.

Maria: he was a crack alto sax man who died in 2004. He started playing in 1943 in NYC with Glen Miller, came West with Nelson Riddle and Sinatra, played on many seminal Jazz albums in the 1950's, then transferred over to live TV in the 1960's, and was active until the day he died at 78. You can probably put two and two together. Because I have his last name, I prefer to remain anonymous.

PS: none of his three sons inherited his gift. I have had a very successful event and staging career to stay close to live music. Like you, I have love to dig. Don't buy the hype--it is very hard to find great recordings with vinyl. Best to trust your ears and make friends. My album collection averages $4 per record and I have many West Coast store owners who know my tastes and set aside nice product.