Yes inna, it is a lot of work. And then even after finding something way better than average you listen to A+++ and your jaw drops. The range of quality between pressings is that big.
oregonpapa-
Right. And even those few may not be. Remember that guy you hooked me up with? Easily the most seriously devoted record bin diver type I ever met. First thing he said, near impossible to find a really good YOTC. Nevermind White Hot. Merely really good.
A while later he called saying he found a Hot Stamper worthy Steve Miller Book of Dreams. Wanted a lot for it, but less than a Hot Stamper, way less than a Super Hot Stamper, and way way way less than a White Hot Stamper.
So I decided to take a chance. And let’s be honest, it does sound better than my random copy of Steve Miller Fly Like An Eagle. Not hugely better. Not Hot Stamper better, but better. Good enough I am not about to complain. It feels silly having to explain this, but some of the kids around here need to hear it: this is an accurate assessment. When the accurate assessment is positive you do not become a fanboy. When the accurate assessment is negative you do not become a hater. I tell it like it is, and let the chips fall where they may.
And again, this is not to pick on him. Just trying to set some people straight. Because even this accomplished bin diver, who has found records good enough Tom Port bought them, even this guy who represented to me this was Hot Stamper quality, this copy is just not there. Not even close.
This is the hard part to get across to people. We can try and explain it in math terms, probabilities. Then some yahoo genius can’t find his way out of a wet paper bag thinks that means they are everywhere. They are not everywhere. Another brilliant midwit with a record that doesn’t skip and sounds slightly better than all his other crap thinks that means all his not crappy crap is Hot Stamper level.
In truth? Not even. But the only way to really understand is to pay the price, play the record, and listen. Instead it’s all, "I learn through the mouth by talking."
Not you Frank. Just using your example as a launch pad for blasting off on the wanna bees posting above.
oregonpapa-
Pristine "White Hot" copies are rare birds. I’ve heard from a reliable source that Tom goes through as many as forty to fifty copies sometimes in order to find one that is suitable to be sold on his site.
I personally have over 5000 vinyl records. How many super White Hot Stamper copies do I have? A few ... that’s it. Oh, I have many great-sounding records, but only a few that I could call A+++ stampers as Tom Port sells.
Frank
Right. And even those few may not be. Remember that guy you hooked me up with? Easily the most seriously devoted record bin diver type I ever met. First thing he said, near impossible to find a really good YOTC. Nevermind White Hot. Merely really good.
A while later he called saying he found a Hot Stamper worthy Steve Miller Book of Dreams. Wanted a lot for it, but less than a Hot Stamper, way less than a Super Hot Stamper, and way way way less than a White Hot Stamper.
So I decided to take a chance. And let’s be honest, it does sound better than my random copy of Steve Miller Fly Like An Eagle. Not hugely better. Not Hot Stamper better, but better. Good enough I am not about to complain. It feels silly having to explain this, but some of the kids around here need to hear it: this is an accurate assessment. When the accurate assessment is positive you do not become a fanboy. When the accurate assessment is negative you do not become a hater. I tell it like it is, and let the chips fall where they may.
And again, this is not to pick on him. Just trying to set some people straight. Because even this accomplished bin diver, who has found records good enough Tom Port bought them, even this guy who represented to me this was Hot Stamper quality, this copy is just not there. Not even close.
This is the hard part to get across to people. We can try and explain it in math terms, probabilities. Then some yahoo genius can’t find his way out of a wet paper bag thinks that means they are everywhere. They are not everywhere. Another brilliant midwit with a record that doesn’t skip and sounds slightly better than all his other crap thinks that means all his not crappy crap is Hot Stamper level.
In truth? Not even. But the only way to really understand is to pay the price, play the record, and listen. Instead it’s all, "I learn through the mouth by talking."
Not you Frank. Just using your example as a launch pad for blasting off on the wanna bees posting above.