First impression, gotta say, the cover is mint. Like time machine mint. That thin shrink wrap plastic records used to come in? Really meticulous types would carefully cut along the opening with a razor blade so as to preserve that plastic? Even though, unless you were very careful, it would get torn just in the normal back and forth of playing? Well whoever had this was so careful it is still perfectly cut just along the opening.
Not the only one like this either. Rumours was like this, except that one the plastic had been torn just a little. Not all are like this. Most are just really impressively crisp and mint. This kind of gets pushed to the side in all the talk about sound quality. They also come complete with the original inner sleeve.
Tom packages these in a way that really helps preserve this crisp mint condition. The cover, record, and inner sleeve all come packaged in a large clear plastic sleeve. Your impeccably cleaned record is of course in a new high grade audiophile sleeve. This packaging makes it easy to remove and replace the record without touching the album cover. Sweet!
Back to sound quality. I'm writing this while eating dinner, warming up, and demagnetizing the system. The XLO demagnetizing tracks are on a CD burned just for this, the tracks repeating half a dozen times. Pretty much all CD is good for anyway, but it is good for that, might as well admit it, and use it.
Give it another 15 min and we will be ready for some warm-up sides. Wouldn't dream of putting a White Hot on a system that isn't ready for it. Couple three sides oughta do it. Then Zero-stat, run the Radio Shack Bulk Tape Eraser over all the cables, and the record, spray Static Guard, turn the damn CDP off, dim the lights, and get ready for the needle drop.
Someone was asking, when it comes to buying these things, what I recommend. Well here it is, short and not so sweet: If you think this kind of prep is over the top, or worse if you think it's nuts, or worst of all if you tried and can't hear any difference, then my recommendation is stick with your record store records. But if you are already doing these, or if you try a couple and appreciate the improvement, then my recommendation is, these are the records you are looking for. Go for it.
Not the only one like this either. Rumours was like this, except that one the plastic had been torn just a little. Not all are like this. Most are just really impressively crisp and mint. This kind of gets pushed to the side in all the talk about sound quality. They also come complete with the original inner sleeve.
Tom packages these in a way that really helps preserve this crisp mint condition. The cover, record, and inner sleeve all come packaged in a large clear plastic sleeve. Your impeccably cleaned record is of course in a new high grade audiophile sleeve. This packaging makes it easy to remove and replace the record without touching the album cover. Sweet!
Back to sound quality. I'm writing this while eating dinner, warming up, and demagnetizing the system. The XLO demagnetizing tracks are on a CD burned just for this, the tracks repeating half a dozen times. Pretty much all CD is good for anyway, but it is good for that, might as well admit it, and use it.
Give it another 15 min and we will be ready for some warm-up sides. Wouldn't dream of putting a White Hot on a system that isn't ready for it. Couple three sides oughta do it. Then Zero-stat, run the Radio Shack Bulk Tape Eraser over all the cables, and the record, spray Static Guard, turn the damn CDP off, dim the lights, and get ready for the needle drop.
Someone was asking, when it comes to buying these things, what I recommend. Well here it is, short and not so sweet: If you think this kind of prep is over the top, or worse if you think it's nuts, or worst of all if you tried and can't hear any difference, then my recommendation is stick with your record store records. But if you are already doing these, or if you try a couple and appreciate the improvement, then my recommendation is, these are the records you are looking for. Go for it.