LP's pressed in Japan
- Thread starter jenson
- Start date
The LPs pressed in Japan and Germany are usually much better in SQ.
There are certain japanese LP's that are called "Obi"... they are special limited qty pressings and come with a side sash that is called an "obi"... it is kinda like the sash on their Kimono... sometimes the "obi" itself is worth hundreds of $$$'s....
I have a couple of Obi pressings and I can tell you from first-hand experience - no MOFI or any other pressing comes close!
There are certain japanese LP's that are called "Obi"... they are special limited qty pressings and come with a side sash that is called an "obi"... it is kinda like the sash on their Kimono... sometimes the "obi" itself is worth hundreds of $$$'s....
I have a couple of Obi pressings and I can tell you from first-hand experience - no MOFI or any other pressing comes close!
ANILKUMAR
Well-Known Member
I have a Japan pressed Beatles colored record with OBI cover.
you lucky dawg!
Hi,
A nice store for Japanese records,bought a couple of records from them.
Shipping is expensive,but excellent product.
Used Vinyl Records, Online items in Snow Records Japan store on eBay!
Regards
Rajiv
A nice store for Japanese records,bought a couple of records from them.
Shipping is expensive,but excellent product.
Used Vinyl Records, Online items in Snow Records Japan store on eBay!
Regards
Rajiv
Most Japanese pressings come with the Obi(sash), that was used for track listings, and promotional information about other albums by the artist in question. The Obi is easily torn, but, nonetheless, collectors of Japanese pressings seem to want their LPs with the Obi intact.
The jury is still out as far as Japanese pressings are concerned. On the one hand, there is no doubting the quality of the vinyl, and of the packaging - thick vinyl, jet black backgrounds, and good solid cardboard with original artwork, plus lyric sheets in both Japanese and English. On the other, there is this suspicion (never admitted to by Japanese record companies) that they have tampered very slightly with the RIAA equalization settings to produce a sound that is more friendly to Japanese ears (and Chinese too, incidentally), by peaking up the high frequency emphasis. Japanese and Chinese native musics are more treble range oriented. For western ears (and our own), many Japanese pressings sound a bit bright, and I've personally had the same feeling with the few Japanese LPs I own. YMMV.
The jury is still out as far as Japanese pressings are concerned. On the one hand, there is no doubting the quality of the vinyl, and of the packaging - thick vinyl, jet black backgrounds, and good solid cardboard with original artwork, plus lyric sheets in both Japanese and English. On the other, there is this suspicion (never admitted to by Japanese record companies) that they have tampered very slightly with the RIAA equalization settings to produce a sound that is more friendly to Japanese ears (and Chinese too, incidentally), by peaking up the high frequency emphasis. Japanese and Chinese native musics are more treble range oriented. For western ears (and our own), many Japanese pressings sound a bit bright, and I've personally had the same feeling with the few Japanese LPs I own. YMMV.
kuruvilajacob
Well-Known Member
Yes, I have several Japanese pressings and I have noticed that treble is on the higher side. But the detailing on some of these records cannot be matched. There are several pirated colored records with selections of various hit songs. Even on these, quality is often above average
kuruvilajacob
kuruvilajacob
I have Computer World by Kraftwerk Japanese pressing. I also have first pressings of same LP from Germany, UK, USA, India and reissue on transparent vinyl from Australia (All NM to Mint) but Japan pressing is the quietest pressing, not even slight hiss betwenn the tracks.
The red colour vinyls produced in Japan by Toshiba (Beatles, Cliff Richard etc) got their colour from a chemical which was used to elevate the quality of vinyl (resulted in good quality sound). There were no intentions of issuing a coloured record. Some red coloured pirated records were also produced in China with very thin and poor quality sleeves.
The red colour vinyls produced in Japan by Toshiba (Beatles, Cliff Richard etc) got their colour from a chemical which was used to elevate the quality of vinyl (resulted in good quality sound). There were no intentions of issuing a coloured record. Some red coloured pirated records were also produced in China with very thin and poor quality sleeves.
Generally Japanese pressings are safest to buy, that is a simple way looking at it.
However for Rock music, I prefer US pressing, for Western classical, European pressings, for Jazz, any of the reputed labels like Speakers Corner, Analogue Productions, Boxter Records, all other music unless I know the record label I will take a Japanese pressing any day. Especially if I am buying the original pressing (not re-issue) then I always find Japanese pressings to be in much better shape. It might be that the Japanese records are more durable, or may be that people who own Japanese records are more serious keeping their records well maintained.
The one pressing which I just do not like is UK. CDs pressed in UK are good but LPs, mostly crappy, noisy, thin sounding.
However for Rock music, I prefer US pressing, for Western classical, European pressings, for Jazz, any of the reputed labels like Speakers Corner, Analogue Productions, Boxter Records, all other music unless I know the record label I will take a Japanese pressing any day. Especially if I am buying the original pressing (not re-issue) then I always find Japanese pressings to be in much better shape. It might be that the Japanese records are more durable, or may be that people who own Japanese records are more serious keeping their records well maintained.
The one pressing which I just do not like is UK. CDs pressed in UK are good but LPs, mostly crappy, noisy, thin sounding.
interesting...i was under the impression that LP's made in great britain would be good...i have some of them like the first press of Floyds DSotM and some costello...im happy with them but may in your journey and with the kind of revealing system that you have, results must be glaring...
however...have you got an opportunity to A/B same LP's from different regions...?
however...have you got an opportunity to A/B same LP's from different regions...?
there is no hard and fast rule Jensen... it can even be title/artist specific...
some USA pressed LP's don't sound as good as the UK pressed ones...
on the whole, look for the band/artist/albums recording of origin... that would be the best first cut to buy...
I have a promo only first (USA) of Steely Dan. NOTHING... NO OTHER pressing of the said album, even the re-mastered ones don't come close to the SQ!
some USA pressed LP's don't sound as good as the UK pressed ones...
on the whole, look for the band/artist/albums recording of origin... that would be the best first cut to buy...
I have a promo only first (USA) of Steely Dan. NOTHING... NO OTHER pressing of the said album, even the re-mastered ones don't come close to the SQ!
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Quite possible Prem. The ones that I have somehow sounded inferior to their counterparts. For example, I first bought a Dire Straits UK pressing, and it was nice. I then found a good Japanese press, it is much superior. Lot quieter, deeper tones, bigger bass together gives a much more enveloping sound. But I agree that there can be good examples of UK pressings.
Even Gramaphone Company of India pressings can be very good. A fine example is Dave Brubeck Quartet's Take Five album. I don't yearn for any other pressing, except may be a re-issued 45 to keep as second copy.
Also, Melodiya records from the erstwhile USSR are uniformly good. Not exceptional, but never dull. After all, they were performed by "worker artists" and must have been pressed by "comrade workers" at Record Pressing Plant No 2 (or whatever!) for the listening pleasure of glorious revolutionary leaders.
Angel Records are over rated, IMHO.
BTW, has anyone noticed the use of hard paper inner sleeves in most new records these days? Please change promptly to plastic sleeve or soft paper sleeve the moment you open the record for the first time. Hard paper sleeves scrape the record surface and eventually you get hisses. The surface gloss is the first casualty.
Also, Melodiya records from the erstwhile USSR are uniformly good. Not exceptional, but never dull. After all, they were performed by "worker artists" and must have been pressed by "comrade workers" at Record Pressing Plant No 2 (or whatever!) for the listening pleasure of glorious revolutionary leaders.
Angel Records are over rated, IMHO.
BTW, has anyone noticed the use of hard paper inner sleeves in most new records these days? Please change promptly to plastic sleeve or soft paper sleeve the moment you open the record for the first time. Hard paper sleeves scrape the record surface and eventually you get hisses. The surface gloss is the first casualty.
noted my fellow comrade
and yes, most of the LP's i purchased locally or flipkart came in these paper sleeves as hard a stone, i'm contemplating buying these - Anti-Static LP Inner Record Sleeves Pack of 50 | eBay
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