jaredjohnfisher
Well-Known Member
I received the box set from Santa last Christmas and finally cleaned four of the LPs. I've played two so far; A Song For You and Lovelines (no special significance). Overall, I'm impressed with the sound. One observation (on both records) is the lows seem more prominent than the highs. There are rich bass tones throughout, and the vocals, strings and horns (middle sounds) sound great. The subtle highs like woodblock or high-hat cymbals seem drowned, even lost, in the mix. A small complaint, yes, but I've always been a fan of percussion. I first cleaned them with Disc Doctor fluid (a good product for cleaning and reducing static). Even so, between songs, or in the emptiest passages between notes, sometimes there are tiny ticks or pops; then when the music returns, the overall quiet returns. In that respect, the 180gm vinyl (my first exposure to it) isn't too different from clean (mint or unplayed) vintage vinyl. As a lifelong Carpenters fan, I had to have the vinyl box set--just for the experience of owning it. As far as listening to their albums, I will continue to choose whichever format (legacy vinyl, CD, 180gm vinyl) matches my mood at the moment. Each has its subtle differences and nuances. It might be fun to wear a blindfold and see if I can guess which format I'm listening to! LOL