LP's and sound quality

[farfromtheland]

The early Smiths albums were poor recordings - nothing to do with the sample rate and most likely recorded on analog multitrack, the Sony DASH digital recorders used in the 80's were phenominally expensive -more than the average house - so I doubt the small recording studios used by Rough Trade Records had a digital recorder, only major studios like Abbey Road and CTS would have used digital recorders in the 1980s,
In fact CTS went all digital in the mid 80s with Studio 1 using ganged Sony recorders, Studio 1 was the studio used to record the music for Bond films.

https://www.muzines.co.uk/articles/the-fifth-smith/13780
Stephen Street
'I've worked digital as well. A few tracks on The Queen Is Dead were recorded down at Jacobs on Mitsubishi 32-track'

https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/classic-tracks-the-smiths-the-queen-is-dead
'the basic track for 'The Boy With The Thorn In His Side' was recorded at a small eight-track facility in Manchester'

All sorts - but the point being that analogue, even if relatively poor quality, doesn't suffer from lack of 'bit depth'.

 

[Accy cyclist]

Well, an original older LP is on (Thompson Twins) and it sounds way better. So it's definitely not my 40 year old JVC separates system (it's has a new needle).

We're off to see Tom Bailey of the Thompson Twins and Blancmange tomorrow.

I remember my ex wife forever telling me that her sister dated Neil Arthur the lead singer of Blancmange in the 1980's, as he came from nearby Darwen Lancashire. Was it before or after their 'solo hit'? She couldn't remember.🤷😉

 

[yello]

Many of my records seem to need a darned good clean. It's like listening to bowl of rice crispies (other cereals are available, and some of them may even sound like my records)

I mean, I like the sound of rice crispies (now there's an album title) but even then I'd prefer it clean, without being adulterated by the sound of, say, The Smiths.

 

[nogoodnamesleft]

We've played a few LP's today. How very quaint getting up every 20 minutes to flip it over.

Maybe a good plan

... it’s not just how long you sit each day, but how you sit that seems to matter. People who stayed seated for long, uninterrupted stretches – 30 minutes or more at a time – had a higher risk of dying from cancer. By contrast, those who got up regularly, even just to stand or walk briefly, appeared to have a lower risk.
(full article https://theconversation.com/sitting...-answers-questions-about-the-new-study-286771)

 

[CarbonClem]

I've bought a few albums where they now put a standard album on two discs to maximise the sound quality - yes the sounds good, but it really is a labour intensive task to play/listen.
Apparently any coloured/splatter vinyl is best avoided for quality reasons.

 

[Oldhippy]

I used to save up for the Japanese imports with bonus tracks on. Clear Air Turbulence stand out in my memory.

 

[nogoodnamesleft]

Many of my records seem to need a darned good clean. It's like listening to bowl of rice crispies (other cereals are available, and some of them may even sound like my records)

I remember from my distant youth all sorts of stuff (that never really worked) to remove static. All sorts of pads and cloths. Even some ion gun(?), ZeroStat rings a memory bell but could be wrong on that.

 

[katiewlx]

I've bought a few albums where they now put a standard album on two discs to maximise the sound quality - yes the sounds good, but it really is a labour intensive task to play/listen.
Apparently any coloured/splatter vinyl is best avoided for quality reasons.

theyre surely only for collectors anyway as novelty ? at least I never bought any of those style expecting them to play particularly well

 

[katiewlx]

I remember from my distant youth all sorts of stuff (that never really worked) to remove static. All sorts of pads and cloths. Even some ion gun(?), ZeroStat rings a memory bell but could be wrong on that.

Im sure I had a cloth that seem to induce more dust and static than remove, reminds me alot of being old to buy gold plated tulip plugs to plug your player into an amp as theyd sound better