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Recording Quality and Different Studios

Hi Everyone,

Are there any artists / studios that you gravitate to because of recording quality standards?  I hear alot of discussion on certain pressings for a particular artist (i.e. needle in a haystack), but I'm wondering if there is a label out there that focus on putting out good quality high fidelity vinyl.  I want to avoid some of the hipster pressings (i.e. only pressed on vinyl to jump on the train), and focus on better quality.  Thoughts?
128x128martinman
martinman's avatar
martinman OP
43 posts
 
Is acoustic sounds related to music direct at all?  They have the same holiday discount code...  just seems odd.  

I looked through ACs site - i'll be ordering next from them.  Really good stuff.  Thanks for the suggestions.  

@bdp24 - is there an easy way to look through an Ocean Way catalog?  

 
gpgr4blu
810 posts
 
Music Direct and Acoustic Sounds are direct competitors, each with a associated record company wholly owned by the company or its principal. Music Direct  (principal-Jim Davis) owns Mobile Fidelity and its assets including mastering chain.
Chad Kassem owns Acoustic Sounds as well as Analogue Productions/Quality Record Pressing and is making an all out assault to be engaged in every aspect of record production from mastering to pressing the biscuits to printing the record jackets to selling the final product.
There are also Soundstagedirect, Elusive Disc and others. For getting my records delivered without bends, folds, dents, etc--Acoustic Sounds and Soundstagedirect are the best.
They all compete so when one has a holiday sale, the others often follow.  
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
4,908 posts
 

martinman---Hey, does "martin" refer to your acoustic guitar? I have a few friends with Martin's---great guitar!

Ocean Way is a recording STUDIO, not a label. Recordings made there appear on many different labels. I haven't looked, but Ocean Way most likely has a website, where there may be a client list. Mike Fremer often mentions the studio a recording was made at in his LP reviews---maybe a search on Analog Planet will provide you with a list of recordings done at Ocean Way. I know Ry Cooder has recorded there (as has Elvis Costello and many others), and liked the results.

fourwnds's avatar
fourwnds
261 posts
 
SpeakersCorner, GrooveNote are a couple other companies I have gotten excellent records from. The whole recording chain though is as important. Pretty much anything Daniel Lanois as a producer(or musician(BlackDub)touched floated my boat, for example. Pallas is a great pressing plant and can be a good sign. The Zappa reissues cut at Pallas remastered from Original tape and mastered by Grundman pretty much blow my mind. MusicMatters is another label that seems worth checking out but no personal experience. 
martinman's avatar
martinman OP
43 posts
 
I placed an order with acousticsounds and just received it yesterday.  I'll be checking it out this weekend.  I'm sooo impressed with the catalog!  

I'm pretty down on music direct.  Last year I ordered some of the Pink Floyd reissues - wish you were here and dark side.  Dark side arrived late (by like 3 weeks) and the package was damaged to the point that the vinyl was scratched.  I had to call them and figure out where they sent it as the tracking info was stale.  They gave me such a hard time on an exchange.  Eventually, after talking to a manager, they offered an exchange, but wanted me to pay shipping back.  Ridiculous.   Since then, I will *never* order anything from them.  Very poor customer service.  
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