Rick-An Ordinary Fool
Well-Known Member
I'm not buying them all individually...I really only want one to keep in my collection as a reference point, hopefully I'll get one of the newer pressings.
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I have checked the first two albums and Voice of the Heart and I can find no evidence or markings that these are repressings, but maybe they do not do that to distinguish between the pressings.
I chose those three albums as they were probably the worst from the original box, so here are my findings on these three which I have recorded so that I can transfer them to my server. I also listened to them on headphones.
Ticket To Ride - much quieter than the previous copy (small clicks more evident on headphones than speakers) and no problem with spindle size.
Close To You - probably a little better, but still plagued with little clicks and pops which are evident on speakers. It also has a little chunk cut out of the edge in one place. Luckily, I have a manual record deck, but if I had an automatic and the Stylus came down too near the edge, it might just catch it and ruin the Stylus before falling off the edge. Also the label on both sides by the spindle hole is torn. So quality control on this isn’t good. My German copy of We’ve Only Just Begun LP is much better and that’s 45 years old.
Voice of the Heart - like Ticket To Ride, this is much better than the previous one.
So based on this, I have absolutely no idea if these are completely new pressings or UMG are simply chancing their luck in the hope that as some have reported, they have copies which appear to be fault free and they are sending those out. I’ll check out another three tomorrow, but at the moment, I’m just glad that I have Close To You and Voice on CD. Haven’t got Ticket on CD as I cannot find it for a reasonable price and for me, it is not the greatest album that warrants typical asking prices.
First major problem is a small spindle hole on the "Now and Then" album. It required quite a force in getting it on the turntable, but was eventually cheived by pushing down on the centre label. However getting it off is a bigger problem.
Also looking under a special light at certain angles, I can see strange looking pits in the vinyl on all albums. Whether these create small clicks or pops as the stylus comes across them, it is difficult to tell.
First major problem is a small spindle hole on the "Now and Then" album. It required quite a force in getting it on the turntable, but was eventually cheived by pushing down on the centre label. However getting it off is a bigger problem.
Also looking under a special light at certain angles, I can see strange looking pits in the vinyl on all albums. Whether these create small clicks or pops as the stylus comes across them, it is difficult to tell.
I’m wondering if the US branch simply made contact with the U.K. office to ascertain if they had any spare boxes on their shelves and if so, asked them to send them out in the hope that they would not have any problems, or less problems. Reading some reviews around, it would seem that there are pressings that do not have problems, so I reckon they are just chancing their luck and hope. What we need to do is find out if anyone in the US who have received supposedly repressed copies to give us their matrix/deadwax info. I deliberately kept my trashed copies to see if there was any difference.
I have just had another email from a lady at Universal which says this
My earlier emails never stated that the orders were going to be repressed in the U.K. Originally, we were going to send you the repressed selections from the U.S. The label decided to ship the customers in the U.K. their product that was manufactured in Europe and did not have the same pressing defects as the product manufactured in the U. S. These albums have not been repurposed from the batch of sets that were manufactured poorly. If you are still having problems with what was sent, the label is aware of the issue with the replacements in the U.S. and will be remanufacturing more units in the U.S. With an expected date of completion within 8 weeks.
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What we need to do is find out if anyone in the US who have received supposedly repressed copies to give us their matrix/deadwax info. I deliberately kept my trashed copies to see if there was any difference.
Played "Carpenters" (Tan Album) and it is littered with "snap, crackle and pop"which seem so pronounced during the quieter parts. I've got 50 years old records that sound cleaner. Am now firing off an email to UMG.
They know I'm from the UK so no problems there. So yes, they have sent out more faulty products, but I do not think deliberately as the boxes were sealed. They were probably expecting them to be okay, but of course, we have no idea if these sets were pressed in one location and the shipped around the world. Another reason why the records and sleeves should show details of the country of manufacture.Oh dear!, can you tell them your from the U.K. please, I don’t think they considered that there are issues with the European pressings this thread is essential and ensures that issues can be discussed. So do you feel they have sent out faulty product to replace faulty Product?. Repressings were promised and not delivered?.
I think they have already acknowledged issues with replacements they have sent out in the USA. Why didn’t they just send out newly pressed product when it was ready as was promised!, quite clearly they haven’t even done these repressings yet!.
Sending out sealed old stock isn’t the answer to these problems it’s just making matters worse it’s a lottery.
Basically this is all a complete fiasco I feel, they should have waited until all the newly pressed copies where ready check them and send them, not just fingers crossed and send old stock?.
Yes, clearly we were told that they were waiting for new pressings to be delivered. When I chased up as to where they were, I was told that they had just been received in the UK. office.I would think that all product sent out to yourself, me and anyone else isn’t repressed at all. This product isn’t available as yet (two months away). As I said a few posts ago I don’t care how long it takes as long as I get re pressings but this hasn’t occurred sadly.
I cannot understand why I was told the re pressings are nearly ready?, then sent something off a shelf here in the U.K. what was obviously made in 2017!. And I was made to wait 6 weeks for something thinking it was in the process of manufacture when in reality it was already there in limbo!.
This answers the question of why full box sets are sent out I guess - they are the original European batch!, which must be the same as the American batch - the matrix numbers are the key to this.
I have just had another email from a lady at Universal which says this
My earlier emails never stated that the orders were going to be repressed in the U.K. Originally, we were going to send you the repressed selections from the U.S. The label decided to ship the customers in the U.K. their product that was manufactured in Europe and did not have the same pressing defects as the product manufactured in the U. S. These albums have not been repurposed from the batch of sets that were manufactured poorly. If you are still having problems with what was sent, the label is aware of the issue with the replacements in the U.S. and will be remanufacturing more units in the U.S. With an expected date of completion within 8 weeks.
Confused?, I know I am?. Reading the email I conclude that what we in the UK have received are not repressings?, they are original stock made in Europe for the EU market. This isn’t what I was expecting at all I was promised completely new re pressed albums which isn’t what was sent?. No doubt this is why there are reports of pops and ticks on the newly sent product!.
Yes, clearly we were told that they were waiting for new pressings to be delivered. When I chased up as to where they were, I was told that they had just been received in the UK. office.
Apparently, and whilst it is not definite, normally a record pressed in Europe will not have exactly the same deadwax details as one pressed in the US. But I guess we will never get to the bottom of this.