šŸ“£ News Carpenters Royal Philharmonic Purchasing, Ordering, Shipping Thread

For example @Sue, I noticed you got yours yesterday. Where did that pressing come from that was shipped to you? Congrats on finally getting your copy, BTW! :)

I havenā€™t had chance to play it yet but it looks perfect but then Iā€™m not as knowledgeable as many on here. Will it say where it was manufactured? I havenā€™t seen anything to tell me so far!
 
I know that my order through Amazon.ca was shipped from the US to Canada. The record doesnā€™t mention anything about being manufactured in Canada (or even the cardboard sleeve being printed in Canada and the vinyl pressed in the US) so it seems to be all from the US.

But with Universal you have wonder why they donā€™t switch to a different plant. Sure it might add $5 to the price, but that might make the difference, especially since other record labels over the past 15 years have produced records (even colored Records) that donā€™t sound like they came from a pawn shop or garage sale.

And even if higher price, people would be satisfied with the results. With all of the complaints and reshipments, they have to be losing money.
 
I think the industry uses the higher gram weight to justify the higher price tag it now charges for vinyl.
I remember reading all sorts of gobbledegook about the advantages of heavier vinyl - most of which didn't make much sense and probably wouldn't stand up to an A/B test with "standard" vinyl. I always figured the best advantage to it would be resistance to warping, but maybe I'm wrong on that. I've never owned a heavy vinyl pressing.
 
The Nautilus and Mobile Fidelity Records were all on virgin heavy weight vinyl. Most were absolutely amazing in sound, but expensive. CDs killed that market by the 90ā€™s.
I only have The Bee Gees ā€œSpirits Having Flownā€ lp, on Nautilus.
It sounds great. Very clean.
I remember sitting in the theater across the street from the Century City Plaza Hotel during the NARM Convention. They first played the album, then intentionally scratched it to show what we already new can have to vinyl. Then they introduced a new format called the compact disc that was coming in the summer. They didnā€™t scratch like a record does,they said. Well we all know better now......better sound, no pops or ticks. No skipping or warping.
Hmmm. Well America and the world fell in love with the new format, pretty much ending vinyl and then cassette production for years. Glad vinyl is back. Love the warmer sound, even through the flaws.
 
Found mine waiting at work. Disc 2 is a bit ropey looking - slightly torn inner label with a weird coating that hasn't completely covered the inner label in places (lacquer?), a few streaks in the white vinyl and a few odd little dimples on the surface (Close To You and Superstar - though they don't appear to affect the playback fortunately). The album cover was fine though.

My new Sheryl Crow Threads vinyl album was much better quality looks wise to this one. Cleaner too.
 
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I'm home from Liverpool with my copy of the vinyl LP from HMV. Impressions:

The cover is perfect, no marks or creases. It's smooth, glossy and strong (like the music!)

Record 1:
No damage or marks except what looks like a small scratch over Yesterday Once More but after playing it, there's no noise I can hear caused by it so that's fine. The central hole is perfect. Having played it, perfect ! The occasional pop.

Record 2: completely perfect. Not a single mark or scratch. The LP is playing with absolutely no noises, not a pop or click in sight - or hear (so far I'm up to RDAM whilst typing this). The hole is the correct size but the label has a couple of very small rips around it, but it isn't that bad.

Overall: well worth the Ā£30 that hmv just stole from a student on freshers week!

I'm playing it on a very low volume (It's almost 1am here and my family are asleep !) can't wait to play it on full volume tomorrow. I am relieved !!!
 
I haven't listened to my white vinyl of the RPO album since the day I got it. But I have listened to old vinyl of the early Carpenters releases since then. I guess I could've lived without the RPO release.
 
I'm home from Liverpool with my copy of the vinyl LP from HMV. Impressions:

The cover is perfect, no marks or creases. It's smooth, glossy and strong (like the music!)

Record 1:
No damage or marks except what looks like a small scratch over Yesterday Once More but after playing it, there's no noise I can hear caused by it so that's fine. The central hole is perfect. Having played it, perfect ! The occasional pop.

Record 2: completely perfect. Not a single mark or scratch. The LP is playing with absolutely no noises, not a pop or click in sight - or hear (so far I'm up to RDAM whilst typing this). The hole is the correct size but the label has a couple of very small rips around it, but it isn't that bad.

Overall: well worth the Ā£30 that hmv just stole from a student on freshers week!

I'm playing it on a very low volume (It's almost 1am here and my family are asleep !) can't wait to play it on full volume tomorrow. I am relieved !!!
Does it say anywhere where itā€™s from? Does it have a UK address for Universal, or is it a US address?
 
Iā€™ve just received my set from Universal Uk was waiting for me at post office for a week, opened the package and the cover is immaculate not a mark or bend anywhere, I donā€™t know whether to open it as I probably wonā€™t be playing it anyways,one for the collection. Interestingly mine says nothing relating to Europe on the sleeve so I presume itā€™s a USA pressing. Itā€™s the white vinyl Iā€™ve got.
 
(Bringing the above quote from the other RPO thread)

Where is the vinyl coming from that is being delivered to the UK customers for example? Is it all coming from USA pressings?

For example @Sue, I noticed you got yours yesterday. Where did that pressing come from that was shipped to you? Congrats on finally getting your copy, BTW! :)


I have just received my vinyl as mentioned above it is Iā€™d say a USA import pressing as it mentions Universal USA on the rear cover, Iā€™m guessing Sues will be the same as mine?.
 
Update 3rd replacement white vinyl Universal:

I got it 2 days ago and I'm finally happy to report that I finally got a jacket that is mint, no marks or bends. As you remember both my prior jackets were bent on the corners. The labels and holes are satisfactory, not perfect but ok. There was a little plastic in the holes but I was able to get most of it out (which was a lot less than previous ones) the labels are centered and holes are properly punched. There are still some slight tears around the holes but overall I'm pleased. There were still some rough outer edges like they didn't smooth them but running my finger around it, I was able to smooth it out some.

I cleaned each side up twice thoroughly, LP 1 still has some loud pops just like the other LP's but I'll live with it. LP 2 is much better, less pops and pretty quiet. I still think there is something different about LP2 vs LP1 as far as mastering and pressing of the LP, it just has been highs and clarity that is really amazing to hear. It just sounds better than LP1, why I don't know unless they were pressed under different conditions or different master tapes were used to press them onto vinyl but something is different to my ears. I just wish LP1 sounded as good as LP2.

There not perfect but I guess this is the best it will get with Universal's quality. I'm happy that Universal did provide good customer service in these replacements but they lack producing a quality, consistent product (vinyl).
 
Update 2nd black vinyl Amazon:

I got it the other day and again Amazon has shipping a product down pat, it was inside a LP cardboard mailer then inside another box. So the jacket is mint, no marks or blemishes. I knew immediately upon taking the LP out of it's rice paper sleeve that it felt different than the white vinyl I had experienced. These felt so much cleaner meaning there were no pieces of plastic anywhere I could see and the outer edge were all smooth like they had been polished properly, just reminded me of some earlier vinyl. The holes were probably the cleanest I've had thus far, there was some plastic in the holes but not enough to bother as they went down on my turntable and cleaner perfectly. The labels were even punched more evenly in a circle and had some minor tears around hole on only a few sides but that was ok.

So that is the good...the bad is when I started playing LP 1...it had a constant scratch (surface noise) on every rotation of the LP and worse is that it was through the entire side 1. When the interludes came it was awful. So I said let's see how side 2 sounds, it was exactly the same, the surface noise came on every time the record took a rotation and it was consistent throughout side 2. I couldn't believe how bad it sounded. LP 2 was much cleaner only a few loud pops but didn't have any surface noise.

So this one goes back to Amazon and I'm waiting for a 3rd black vinyl replacement which should arrive in the next couple days. I may have to just accept that Universal is producing inferior vinyl. But maybe 3 times a charm like the white. Well see. I give Amazon credit for re-shipping so quickly on these defected sets. I just hope they keep them in stock long enough for me to find a decent playable one.
 
Update 3rd replacement white vinyl Universal:

I got it 2 days ago and I'm finally happy to report that I finally got a jacket that is mint, no marks or bends. As you remember both my prior jackets were bent on the corners. The labels and holes are satisfactory, not perfect but ok. There was a little plastic in the holes but I was able to get most of it out (which was a lot less than previous ones) the labels are centered and holes are properly punched. There are still some slight tears around the holes but overall I'm pleased. There were still some rough outer edges like they didn't smooth them but running my finger around it, I was able to smooth it out some.

I cleaned each side up twice thoroughly, LP 1 still has some loud pops just like the other LP's but I'll live with it. LP 2 is much better, less pops and pretty quiet. I still think there is something different about LP2 vs LP1 as far as mastering and pressing of the LP, it just has been highs and clarity that is really amazing to hear. It just sounds better than LP1, why I don't know unless they were pressed under different conditions or different master tapes were used to press them onto vinyl but something is different to my ears. I just wish LP1 sounded as good as LP2.

There not perfect but I guess this is the best it will get with Universal's quality. I'm happy that Universal did provide good customer service in these replacements but they lack producing a quality, consistent product (vinyl).
Yes the mastering is different. My album 1 is much softer and album 2
 
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Iā€™m not sure where Iā€™m looking. I canā€™t see anything obvious stamped on?

when the playable area of the vinyl finishes usually there is writing either etched by hand or machine stamped - these are matrix numbers and provide indication of serial number etc. Thanks anyway Sue
 
3rd Black Vinyl Replacement (Amazon)

I received my 3rd black vinyl and am happy to report that I finally got a decent copy. It's not perfect but I am happy enough to keep it. The jacket is mint. There was again some plastic in the holes but not enough to create any problem and the labels are only slightly torn around the holes. LP 1 had some fraying of plastic hairs from the edges along with some sharp outer edge. I did notice that LP 2 was much cleaner looking upon taking out of the rice paper sleeves.

I cleaned both sides twice with my Nitty Gritty Vacuum record machine. LP 1 was a lot better than the last one from Amazon, no surface noise and the interludes were very quite (I'm happy) There is still the occasional louder pops but not nearly as much as the others, I'm hoping further cleaning may help. At the moment I believe this black might sound a tad bit better than the white. LP 1 does have some tracks that are very quiet which makes it really enjoyable to hear. I know software can help with some of these louder pops when I go to import these into mp3's.

LP 2 sounds better less ticks/pops and in fact there were some songs like Superstar, Rainy Days, TOTW that were absolutely flawless, no noise and super quiet. Ticket had one loud pop at the opening and some slight crackling in the right ear for 15 seconds but the rest was quiet. The only one that really bothered me much was CTY the opening had 3 or 4 loud ticks for about 5 secs and then 2 minor ones then it became quiet. I still think LP 2 was cut differently there were times when listening that I said wow this is mint sounding and the highs and clarity were amazing.

The thing I did notice on this 3rd set was that on each side when you got to the end of the song say 30 secs to the end they were all super quiet...where the other replacements all seem to exhibit some type of noise at the last 15-20 secs on every single side.

Overall my listening experience on this 3rd black set is pretty nice and I actually was able to really enjoy and felt it exhibited some warmth that I love about vinyl. So bottom line of the 3 white sets and the 3 black sets, none of them sound quiet all the way through, each one exhibits some kind of fault but I feel like I've got a decent copy I can be happy with considering Universal produced these.

Perhaps I will appreciate them more as "time goes by"....

(target practice officially closed) :laugh:
 
when the playable area of the vinyl finishes usually there is writing either etched by hand or machine stamped - these are matrix numbers and provide indication of serial number etc. Thanks anyway Sue


I can see something etched on the vinyl but canā€™t read it even with my glasses! Will have to ask my daughter!
 
I can confirm the matrix #'s for both the limited edition white and the black vinyl for this Carpenters RPO release. The matrix # in the run out is the same for both the white and the black vinyl, there are no other markings besides these listed below.

LP 1 Side 1
PHD@TheBakery on the far other side is B0029144-01 A RE4

LP 1 Side 2
B0029144-01 B RE4

LP 2 Side 3
B0029144-01 C RE4

LP 2 Side 4
B0029144-01 D RE4



I wasn't sure what PHD@TheBakery was so I found this link which has a short video as well.
The article says "The Bakeryā€ in Culver City, California produces master vinyl recordings.

The key point in this article that grabbed my attention is:
"Once the master vinyl recording is complete, itā€™s sent to a pressing plant to be mass produced for sale"
That seems to be where the ball is dropped so to speak, with the mess I have been through, the ball has been dropped with Universal's choice of pressing plant. Such a shame on a Carpenters release.

 
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