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calling Led Zep vinyl gurus

julesd68 said:
I have only heard the remastered cd's. What is it specifically about the 200g version that you really like? I am really interested to know whether the 200g version retains the "integrity" of the orginal or are you aware of listening to something that feels "modernized" or tweaked in any way.
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I'm too young to have heard early originals but these pressings don't sound polished, boosted, compressed or otherwise 'improved' to me. They sound like really well recorded 70s rock that hasn't been tweaked to sound remotely contemporary. I have a lot of Steve Albini recorded albums and they remind me of those: Four guys in a room hitting instruments hard, plenty of weight to the sound and good separation between the instruments. Realistic is the word I'd use. Mind you, big Tannoys help! Surface noise is trivial too.
 
In my own search for early Zeppelin pressings I found the US first pressings cheaper than UK ones, and in my view just as good as plum copies. So my tip is to buy on ebay from the US as many "1841 Broadway" pressings as you want. I have plum copies of LZ 1 and 2 but US firsts of LZ 3 and 4.

After LZ4 early copies are reasonably affordable wherever from.

I also have classic records pressings of 1-4. These are better than other vinylpressings in my view. Good firsts run them close but you just dont get the silent background on old vinyl.

Tony
 
I had am early US pressing of LZ1 before landing a set of Classic Records reissues (I've got I-IV and PG). The US copy was very good indeed IMO, the Classic bettered it, but not by that much. I've got a red-plum IV, and the Classic beats that too. Must sell that red plum at some point...

Tony.
 
Guys - excuse my ignorance but where is it possible to find out the numbers of the first pressings and any others for that matter?
 
julesd68 said:
Guys - excuse my ignorance but where is it possible to find out the numbers of the first pressings and any others for that matter?
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On red plum UK copies it's the number directly after the // in the matrix (the number stamped into the run-off), i.e. //1 is a first pressing. On later WEA 'K series' green orange UK pressings it's the number at the end of the matrix e.g. A1/B1 depending on side (obviously a 1 here means first K series reissue, not a proper first pressing!). US copies are more ambiguous, easier to date them from the cover address, 1841 Broadway, New York, N.Y. being correct up until 1973.

Tony.
 
I prefer them on vinyl too, imo most albums from that period sound better on vinyl.

Bought 2 & 3 on classic vinyl, nice sound, low noise and more detail, shame about the price.
 
Generally in my experience Japanese pressings are very good indeed, though I've never heard any Japanese Led Zep. Generally the vinyl is as good as it gets; flat, quiet and beautifully pressed. The mastering is occasionally a little tilted-up at the top compared to UK or US equivalents, whether this is an advantage is entirely subjective and varies title to title anyway. The covers tend to be of the US paper on board type and similarly to a very high standard. I'd certainly recommend them, I have a fair amount of Japanese jazz pressings and I love them. I suspect you will find early Japanese Led Zep to be quite valuable, i.e, probably more than the Classic Records cuts.

Tony.
 
In my quest to find the best sound quality for the lowest price I am very tempted to start buying the Japanese pressings. They are much cheaper than the Classic 200g pressings and even the early LP's can be got for sensible money. I haven't bought a Japanese import for 25 years or so, but back in the day they almost had a mystical quality about them. The sound quality could be amazing.
 
The turquoise zep 1 commands big money, expect to pay £400 plus, even some of the later pressings fetch decent money
 
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