Ultra High Quality Records
This page is given over to none Hendrix UHQRs. While we wait and see if future issues of UHQR include any other Jimi Hendrix titles, Electric Ladyland or Band Of Gypsys I’d like to try and keep this line of issued records as up to date as possible.
While this sort of pressing is not for everyone, in fact some of the titles may not be for interested parties, it remains an option many welcome. Having not bought some of these titles when available from Classic Records for whatever reason or not being able to find that original pressing at a reasonable price. Not quite got around to updating an old worn copy of any given title the reasons are endless as to why these are welcome even at a premium price.
We will all have our favourite artist or record we would enjoy seeing added to this line, for me more Hendrix please. I’d be more than happy with Electric Ladyland or Band Of Gypsys on Clarity. The latter I already own a couple of copies and know how good it can sound [Classic Records test pressings], maybe a fresh cut to take in 45rpm? Can you imagine Machine Gun with its own side? Pushing for and expectant of an Are You Experienced true mono from the master tape [that’s the original track listing too] maybe is expecting a little too much but I can dream, especially as it’s not too far fetched, that that dream is in the realms of possibility.
Maybe some Van Morrison, though unlikely as I already suggested the 1974 Morrison classic, Veedon Fleece to Chad! While he has his titles lined up there’s nothing to say others won’t be added as we can expect new licences to be sought, agreed and pressed up as time progress’s. Bob Marley / Wailers is a prime example. Plus, we have all wondered just what other Classic Records plates that may be issued with fresh licences, with some very tasty tiles amongst that lot to be speculated over.
Time will tell and some of the excitement is borne from the speculation and possibility.
I’m in this for the ride, even titles that don’t sit in my favourite category I tend to get excited about once an announcement is made. The Miles Davis Kind Of Blue, never in my all time top Jazz titles had me expectant and the 33rpm didn’t disappoint while the 45rpm pressing I found staggeringly good. So much so it gave me an appreciation of the material from that title as never before. Both previous Classic Records titles of course and utilising those earlier metal parts. While the upcoming [as of writing] Coltrane classic A Love Supreme has my anticipation levels notched up, supporting my own call to wait this out for a pressing I’m unlikely not to be disappointed in.
So far, we have an eclectic mix of artists if somewhat predictable, it remains to be seen just what the future holds for this line of pressings of future title and artists. Thus far the last four years have been fun.
Aqualung Jethro Tull UHQR from Analogue Productions UHQR 0003-45.
Again, a little something out of our Hendrix box here, I make no excuse for this. Simply put, this is following in a line of releases from Analogue Productions that has already brought us both the stereo and mono mixes of Axis. Bold As Love. As it is not Jimi I’ll keep it brief of course.
I do hope that the opening two albums in this line of releases does not represent the only High Quality pressings we get from Jimi here, while we wait [hopefully] for something else from the Hendrix catalogue we have this classic Tull title.
It was an eighteen month wait for this issue, how much this was impacted by world events I am unsure but it did feel a little bit too long. What we have is a stunning pressing and that is all that counts. Despite some issues with pressing, for the most part this sat with non-fill issues. Pleasing to note that all issues customers have had have been dealt with promptly by AS / AP.
Boxing is as with the preceding pair of issues, slip out inner case with a wood dowel spine with the gold lettering. Looks good and is practical to access if a little bulky for the rack, I know I’m not the only one who may begin to struggle with space with these issues. Nice problem to have.
I have not had a vinyl copy of this at home for more years than I can recall and was initially not going to buy, but I missed the Classic Records issue having moved from buying Classic’s pressings due to the increased pressing faults being found on a number of titles. So for me, finding that this pressing was the same Chris Bellman plates as those for Classic was a temptation too much.
Despite the import issues [again] I have to say this was a worthy purchase. As I have nothing other than a digital copy for any sort of comparison I decided to avoid that and just comment on the records spinning on the deck. First to last groove, silent vinyl which is impressive. The slight dust pops [despite cleaning] soon disappeared from these perfectly flat pressings. My only issue was some non-fill on track one, side three. These issues are being dealt with by the pressing plant without any fuss or issue to the customer.
Barely past the half way mark of the opening [and title] track on side one and I was transported back to my teenage years when this was originally released. How or why I would / could ever fall out of love for this album I do not know. There may well be some issues for some listeners with this release as it is from the master tapes. As with say Jimi Hendrix’s AYE it is not that great a recording. Despite the thinner sound here I’m just so pleased that Bellman travelled the route of less is more and presents us with an accurate representation of what I heard many years ago. Only now, ever so much improved, not least due to the vinyl formula and flat profile.
The piano, vocal and acoustic guitar shines and the recording is presented quite expansively in front of the listener. It is a pleasant experience to hear instruments as they actually sound as, not something like or close to, but as is.
Next up in the UHQR series from the Finebilt press are a pair of pressings of the Miles Davis title, “Kind Of Blue” which are set as both a 331/3 and 45rpm mastering.
Miles Davis: Kind of Blue Ultra High Quality Record 0004
Miles Davis-Kind Of Blue-UHQR Vinyl Record|Acoustic Sounds
Cut at 331/3 this record started to ship its first half dozen thousand of the planned 25,000 run shortly after orders taken in May of 2021.
Given some changes to orders from the USA to the UK with respect to the tax point there was some difficulty in shipping, so alternate arrangement had to be made to eventually get a copy here sooner rather than later. As it transpired those alternate plans had issues all of their very own.
Again, questions as to why a non-Hendrix album makes a review here, albeit a short review crops up again. Well I hope we get to see other Hendrix works appear within the UHQR line of issued records. Given that we have Axis as a mono and stereo mix issued with new mastering in both the analogue and digital domain We have AYE mono and stereo re-mastered in the digital domain and also the newer mastering for Ladyland in analogue, albeit a non-UHQR pressing it is becoming increasingly hopeful that we see further Hendrix titles being given the UHQR treatment.
It all depends on the deal worked out between Experience Hendrix and Analogue Productions.
I’m far from the biggest Davis fan and this title is not even my favourite of his works. That takes nothing away from its importance to Jazz history. Of course, you are as familiar with this recording as I am, if for no other reason than the band members. Every one of them a giant! These guys deliver a record held in such esteem, a ground breaking album along with the likes of Brubeck’s “Time Out”, both titles coming originally in 1969. “Time Out” was pressed up as a 45rpm by QRP but not as a part of the UHQR line. Dave Brubeck Quartet-Time Out-45 RPM Vinyl Record|Acoustic Sounds
Back to KoB, this UHQR was initially cut by Bernie Grundman from the three track masters back in the 1990’s for Classic Record’s Michael Hobson and this [along with the forthcoming 45rpm cut] UHQR originate from those same lacquers. 1995 was the last instance the master tapes were licenced out and it is been stated that this is likely to be the last time the master tapes are to be used. That alone makes this release worthy of picking up, especially if the earlier Classic pressings have been missed.
Fred Kaplan [Sterophile] comments, “Cobb’s drumkit is spooky real.” For sure but it does not end there, the presence of this “live” mix from Grundman is something to behold and it is presented here with the able assistance of a flat profile and Clarity vinyl. I’m finding so much I never noticed before in this recording with the help of such quiet vinyl. Just don’t confuse this comment with how a record is mechanically produced, that can and does present issues at times with noise.
Surreal, simply that for me in how this sounds makes it impossible not to be engaged in this recording. That brush stroke, that piano note, the reed / spittle are nuances to add to the whole, of a band in full flow.
If there is a down side to this, then that lies with the pressing itself. There are a couple of slight non-fill issues on the opening track and four or five across the B side. I heard it said that the Clarity vinyl had been tweaked for this pressing and that it would be easier to spot this sort of issue. The problem is here, the non-fill spots are very slight and maybe making them just too difficult to pick up on.
While this title may never attain the “favourite” spot for my Miles listening sessions it does demand playing as it is a mastering / pressing that cannot be ignored. It’ll be around for a while not least due to a bottleneck in acquiring sleeves as well as the time it takes to press up 25,000 on a Finebilt press but it won’t be around forever.
July 2021
Rastaman Vibration & Exodus …. The Ultra High Quality Records …….. So far!
I’d like to say these two titles had a run of 3500 each but as things develop it seems to be transpiring that Exodus is being given some what may be best described as “Post Production” copies! More on that when I get to that title, though both titles are from 2022 with distribution for Exodus in 2023.
Rastaman Vibration UHQR 0006: As with more recent UHQR, this key title from 1976 is pressed to the “tweaked” Clarity vinyl formula. A tweak that makes a fairly noticeable difference for the positive. It’s difficult to not just state the obvious in that the platform this music is afforded here is simply first class. It does not detract at all from the mastering undertaken at Sterling Sound by Ryan K. Smith, it simply underscores that work.
Given a good trade wind, this title sometimes sits as my all-time favourite Marley/ Wailers album, on another day that may well be Catch A Fire. Here’s hoping that that title is a “so far” categorised UHQR.
Having just pulled the album for a play as I write I find it as staggeringly good as it was on first play. The pressing does what it is supposed to do, add as little as possible to the listening experience. Once again the flat profile is coming into its own coupled with the vinyl formula allowing the music to shine and not as in an overly polished manner either. Here we get to hear instruments as they were recorded, with both the I Three’s and Bob’s vocal like they never were presented before.
Great mastering always sucks me into pushing the volume on a record and here I am constantly adjusting that volume, upwards. This and the Hendrix mono UHQR #02 make that demand of the listener and it’s a demand I’m happy to oblige.
As with the other titles in the series, Chad Kassem has gone to great lengths to ensure first class presentation. While it is true the boxes take up much needed estate on the racking, for me this is a non-issue as I’d rather the set be presented as such, with a thoughtful artistic bent which clearly has been predetermined for a creative presentation than a practical perspective.
Exodus UHQR 0016: What a wonderful presentation of this timeless album we have here as an Ultra High Quality Record. The Clarity vinyl with flat profile coupled with the Ryan K. Smith’s mastering is almost peerless. Of course the detractors of this album will remain entrenched in their view even if they were to sit with this pressing. Yes, Exodus does represent a more commercial side to Marley than what we previously had from him and the Wailer. The more polished production of the album also did a lot for this polarisation of the title. Yet, it remains one of, no THE most significant titles of any reggae artist for no other reason as the points the detractors will highlight, this title brought the music of Marley to the masses. This title opened the door for the genre for mass consumption, a view from someone who was “there” and had been listening to the Wailers amongst other Jamaican artists for a number of years. No longer was the sound bound to niche communities and the “hip” to the sounds coming out of Jamaica. Here it was in your regular living room and broadcast on every radio station that played popular music. That was Exodus 1977.
Ironically, as I had visited the Caribbean numerous times prior to this release, Reggae was not always represented as much as maybe often thought, with each island clearly set in almost its own musical identity. I heard more out and out Reggae at home in England than I did on most of the islands. The islands with styles I could only imagine outside of the known Dancehall, Calypso and even Mambo easily available on many jukeboxes in many, many bars. Even house bands rarely if ever played Ska or Reggae even on request!
Well dropping the needle for the first time on this #16 UHQR brought me a little trepidation; with a more pronounced bass that seemingly pushed Bob’s vocal back a little in the mix the first play just didn’t engage with me like the original UK Sterling release did, in the beginning! Despite that it was obvious that detail was prime consideration here, not only with what we already hear on the original pressings but with almost new sounds presenting themselves. Natural Mystic by third play displays the song as it should be heard, natural. So Much Things To Say starts up and Bob’s vocal is placed in a way we have become used to. The thing is, Bob’s vocal never sounded so good since, well the Rastaman Vibration UHQR!
Guiltiness, my forth play of the UHQR [plus one play of the original ‘77] and there really is no going back. As with the Hendrix UHQR’s sometimes we have to simply move past what our ears have become accustom to over the years, Smith mirrors Grundman here and allows the music to do the “talking”, moving heaven and earth to allow the music to shine. Moving through The Heathen [which will always bring Michael Fremer to mind here on in, playing side two first indeed!!] into the title track and now it’s easy to lost in the music, not even the sniff of herb to get there.
Flip the side [I wonder how this would sound at 45rpm and the extra exercise?] and we have an absolute revelation. The difference to the original across the entire side is noticeable from the get go. Definition and detail jump out at you on Jamming and run right to the tail out of People Get Ready, absolutely astonishing.
The whole album was asking me to put more volume into the playback, something I resisted for now as it is important to keep things even throughout. Like a number of other titles that are cropping up as more modern repressing’s, it is not until you hear the newer versions do you fully realise just how much the original and earlier versions suffer, be it from physical pressing, vinyl choice, mastering or even care of manufacture and not just in the instance of these Ultra High Quality Records. Indeed, QRP are producing some of the best upgrades to some very familiar titles.
First class pressing of a critical title from a world class mastering engineer, the only downside was the ridiculously low numbers pressed up. I’d say 25,000 would easily have sold even at the premium price it retails for. As it is this limited to 3500 pressing will remain a sought after item for many a year and will delight those who bought to resell. Unfortunately, the limited number was that negotiated in a pre Covid world in which sales of such premium records was a little unknown, such a shame that a renegotiation was not possible on this [and Rastaman Vibration] before they went to the press. I’m sure that if the deal could have been amended to suit the now known demand then it would have been.
As mentioned earlier, there appears to be some extra copies of the pressing being made available though these do look like they will be very limited themselves. Un-numbered copies are being offered to customers who had ordered a copy only to find a short time later, due to web site issues, that they were indeed too late as the title was oversubscribed. It seems a rare event that any company would honour these sales one way or another so its kudos to Analogue Productions for this solution to honour that sale.
Chad has indicated that further collaboration with the Marley estate is likely, while not something to happen overnight it is something to look forward to and opens the door to future title speculation as to what that or is it they, may be?
Seven from nine! That’s how the Ultra High Quality Records pressings stack up for the Dan from AP. Missing just Two Against Nature[2000] and Everything Must Go [2003] from inclusion in this line. Initially, the issue of Can’t Buy A Thrill [AUHQR 0009-45]and Countdown To Ecstasy [AUHQR 0010-45] made little if any waves [past that of the noted whistling sound on side A of the latter on some copies]. Mastering had them sound similar to what we had heard previously. Though now, improved as we had them cut at 45rpm and pressed to a flat profile. Minor differences for some but the overall outcome clearly presented older tapes at the very best possible manner.
One of the oddest “complaints”, and certainly not a “complaint” solely set against these Steely Dan pressings, is that they are cut noticeably quieter. That the Hendrix titles are cut quieter is and did cause some consternation for some. It certainly is a benefit from my perspective, the solution of course is to simply turn that dial and increase the volume, the Clarity vinyl also affords that extra volume.
Both of these Dan titles are more than a welcome addition to my listening sessions, to the point that any older pressings are likely to be consigned to the racking or if played, more for convenience of playing a single LP.
The third Dan title, Pretzel Logic [AUHQR 0011-45] to see issue came as a little bit of a surprise given the mastering from Bernie Grundman, who had overseen the previous pair in this Steely Dan series. With a very similar presentation from the previous pair, it was a little bit of a jolt when I fired this pressing up. From play one it was clearly different in presentation, even when volume was compensated for.
While the overall sound was big and defined, vocals just balanced in the mix to perfection and Baxter’s guitar almost ethereal here as it almost floated in the mix, notes left hanging as cannot be heard on any other pressing I have sat with, there seemed something missing. That being a sharpness at the top end a more relaxed presentation.
While this, as with the mastering of Axis. Bold As Love mono UHQR has divided opinion it has to be said, its not such a bad thing, simply different. Yes, preferences are fine and stick with what you like, yet the more I play this the more the mastering choices are less of an “issue”. Though repeated playing does not remove the question as to why this bucks the trend in the, so far, Steely Dan UHQR line of pressings and has a move away from what may be termed a more reflective to the original sound presentation. That question remains outstanding, that of mastering calls or are the mastering moves borne from a degree of necessity? My UK Probe label copy remains very playable and has survived the ravages of time very well and that leaves me with a choice as to how I want to hear this title. A more emotionally comforting sound that’s been around for decades or something a little more diverse.
With suggestion that the calls have been made, or at least floated out on the interweb, for a more “audiophile” sound to suit the audiophile listener [I’m not sure what the term audiophile listener is reflective of or to], I just don’t feel Chad Kassem would even consider that as a suitable choice for a final master. Unless Chad is prepared to address the question, we may not really know one way or another.
The fact remains, change is not for everyone regardless as to the reason. I am seriously enjoying this pressing the more I spin it. Once again, very quiet background and clean pressings [until I introduced a degree of static through washing, something I then had to remove], I again found the flat profile benefitting the overall sound and complimenting the 45rpm cut. The UHQR pressing has without question brought a more deferential consideration for this title than I would previously have thought.
There has been a number of UHQR's releases since I last made any real comment regard to them. The Bill Evan's pair of releases are outstanding, jazz fan or not these are titles you should own and if sounds, presentation and quality mean anything to you then the UHQR pressings are the go to.
I'm still reserving main comment on the Steely Dan pressings until AP has issued their full set of UHQRs.
So, to the most recent UHQR outing, that of L.A. Woman from The Doors, yes the rather ubiquitous title from the band, doesn't everyone own a copy Doors fan or otherwise? Well, here we are again with yet another pressing, this time it gets the flat profile and Clarity vinyl treatment from AP. AP of course are pressing and selling a standard black vinyl version of this title, cut at 45rpm. This version is stated a reason as to why this current UHQR pressing is cut at 331/3. In short the reasoning being that there was nowhere to go for Bernie Grundman at 45rpm to make any improvement on the Doug Stax mastering. I like the honesty but I have held off buying the Stax mastering / 45rpm pressing as I had been hoping the UHQR was going to be 45rpm too, there is a little bit of disappointment in that for me though I have recently fed my desire to have this title at 45rpm.
I do enjoy the 45rpm cut records and have done since first hearing this format a quarter of a century ago, oddly my first time was hearing what Chad was doing [along with Gray / Hoffman] with some of the Blues masters [Lightnin' Hopkins] way back. This is no different, if I have a preference between these pair of AP pressings it'll be the cheaper option cut at 45rpm, yet!
The Clarity cut 33 remains a top class pressings which circumvents the excess [to some listeners thinking] exercise of of flipping the record. Grundman presents this as well as any, no better than any other 33 cut I've heard. The vocal from Morrison is quite astonishing while still delivering the live studio feel that this record is renowned for. It is a dynamic cut for sure and sure to be played often.
In direct comparison to the 45rpm it falls short for me but I don't sit and listen to records in direct comparison every time I play a record so there is no real issue in the difference, those differences that can be clearly heard between them. I'm pleased to own both pressings and have that option of what to play.
The newer style box is a little harder to get over, not that a new approach is the issue. It is more the shift away from the slip out case design that grates. That previous design was well thought out and delivered a much fresher approach and easier use friendly application. Its hard to understand why that concept was given up I feel Chad dropped the ball on this one with the slip case design being established as an integral aspect of this line of pressings. While AP's site don't give the option of half stars, this 41/2 star UHQR had to be given 4 stars on my short comment review for the site, though AP chose to not show that comment! Difficult to know why given the record is highly recommended.
I find it difficult to find fault with the 33 Clarity pressing as it is as engaging as it can be, detailed and balanced. Could it have been priced lower now with the redesigned box, possibly. At this level there remains the fine margins of personal preference, set up and room yet I find Grundmans work to suit my space and my ears when it comes to a 33 cut of L.A. Woman.
Finally, just to add that I have listened to the records mentioned here. I chose not to make comment or recommendation on the basis of hearing a sample needledrop or basing my opinion on what others have commented upon and then simply chosen to recycle that comment. If you want to read reviews and opinion based from those who have not heard the pressing in question, who don't own records under review then I highly recommend the self professed “professional” Steve Hoffman forum, a site that actively promotes this sort of dubious comment.
