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Japan Half Speed Abbey Road Pre Orders

Wednesday on the Forth Coming Releases Thread -

"Official announcement from Universal:

On August 24th the classic Virgin-era Japan albums 'Gentlemen Take Polaroids' and 'Tin Drum' are being given a special limited release as half-speed mastered 180gram vinyl editions.

Mastered at Abbey Road Studios, each album will be issued in a gatefold sleeve, 2LP set, playing at 45rpm.

Both albums will also be available in a 180gram single LP edition playing at the standard 33rpm.

Pre-order now: https://Japan.lnk.to/HalfSpeedMasters

Good luck finding the 2x12" versions, maybe Rough Trade have some left? The single L.P. versions are available from a few places inc. amazon
 
Finally got to listen to these. Briefly, Tin Drum sounds fantastic. The half-speed mastering and 45RPM really bears fruits on the meatier tracks, like 'The Art of Parties' and 'Talking Drum', but probably the biggest revelation is 'Ghosts'; the bass synth line has so much weight and texture, it really changes the track, which still has the wonderful sense of space. Of course the original sounds fantastic, but this does have something extra.

I've got some issues with GTP, but this is partly my copy, which has some pressing flaws on Side 2. I need to go back and listen properly, because I am happy with Side 1. Swing sounds very good, although I've not compared it with the original yet. Unfortunately, by Side 4 I have some serious issues with glassy highs and a rather empty sound on 'Night Porter' and 'Taking Islands'. I don't know if this is an issue with my copy; perhaps so. My 12" copy of 'Night Porter', for example, sounds a lot better; richer, more natural, bigger.

Hopefully I'll get another copy of GTP that will resolve these issues, but Tin Drum is great.

Sadly going away again tomorrow so won't be able to listen further for another week.
 
Hmm, I received GTP, but not Tin Drum as yet. Very impressed with GTP, good quality Pressing. Just hope my Tin Drum hasn’t been irretrievably lost!
 
Have you listened to all of GTP? Listening to Side One again now and it's great. Side 4 really had some issues for me though, and Side 2 a couple of pressing flaws.
 
I ordered the 33 version, not the 45 double lp.
Only listened to it once, but haven’t noticed any flaws with it yet.
 
my copies (12"x2 @45rpm) arrived last week.

Tin Drum is amazing, GTP has issues disc 2 side b.

awaiting my other copies to arrive.

Tin Drum is quality, and I agree re : Ghosts - I have never heard it sound so good.
 
Big Tabs, what issues do you have disc 2 side b? As I said, mine has glassy highs on that side, so it's a mastering issue; quite strange. There are no obvious pressing issues, although as I mentioned I do have pressing issues on Disc 1 side b.
 
Elephantears said:
Big Tabs, what issues do you have disc 2 side b? As I said, mine has glassy highs on that side, so it's a mastering issue; quite strange. There are no obvious pressing issues, although as I mentioned I do have pressing issues on Disc 1 side b.
Click to expand...

GTP - Disc 2 both copies warped, I will have a listen to both later.
 
My Tin Drum arrived a few days ago, 45RPM 2 LP set. I think it sounds very good indeed, as stated Ghosts is even more amazing than it already was!

Highly recommended then, I am awaiting the 45RPM cut of Gentlemen which some say even better.
 
Thought it was just MY luck, Tin Drum is a revelation until Ghosts.
Theres an audible hump in the pressing and then it goes truly horrible in the middle.
Side 4 has similar issues.

Though a small sample, the comments on here show a high %age of pressing faults. Why bother with 45 rpm, 1/2 speed bullshit and then fall on your face with poor pressings?
 
Okay, I have had a few listens.

Tin Drum is stunning, nowt wrong with my copy.

Gentlemen Take Polaroids - the sound is good, but one copy has a warped Disc 2 and another copy has both discs warped ( one is a dish-warp and one has gentle 'ripple' no bigger than 2mm by my eye, both sides up) - they play no problem.

I found both albums looked very clean, but both benefitted from a wet clean

I theorise that Tin Drum sounds soo good that it is a hard act to follow SQ wise. I cannot put my finger on it, I need to listen to my original 1980 copy of GTP and chase it with the half-speed version
 
Big Tabs said:
Okay, I have had a few listens.

Tin Drum is stunning, nowt wrong with my copy.

I found both albums looked very clean, but both benefitted from a wet clean

I theorise that Tin Drum sounds soo good that it is a hard act to follow SQ wise.
Click to expand...
I always wet clean every album I buy now, even if it looks good out of the wrapper.
Yes, I think the original Tin Drum is very good to start off with, so I agree it’s a tough act to follow.
Again, I agree that the bass synth line in Ghosts & the drums in general sound a bit punchier, maybe also they’ve been cleaned up, with a bit more micro detail coming through.
 
My copy of GTP has a pressing fault ( very visible which is a concern as I can’t believe if someone inspected this they didn’t see it - right at the start of Nightporter so disc 2 side 2 - bummer
 
killie99 said:
My copy of GTP has a pressing fault ( very visible which is a concern as I can’t believe if someone inspected this they didn’t see it - right at the start of Nightporter so disc 2 side 2 - bummer
Click to expand...

It has took me 3 copies of GTP to get both discs unwarped/unmarked.
Worth the effort I suggest.
The copy I have now is very good and up with the Tin Drum record for s.q.
 
It is a shame that something is market as being premium quality, with a commensurate price tag, yet quality control seems to let it down.
Maybe us lot who are willing to pay top prices for albums are being overly fussy? Personally I dont think so, but I wonder if the manufacturers see us as being unnecessarily pernickety?
 
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