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Classic Records 200g Quiex Vinyl - Who's Next

Has anyone else bought this record? I bought it about a month ago, and frankly, I'm not impressed with the sound quality. It sounds dull. I can think of many words to describe "Who's Next", but dull was never one of them.
Roger Daltrey sounds like he's singing from my basement during "Baba O'Reilly". "Bargain" is a little better. The drums sound very one-dimensional, though. The guitars on "Love Ain't for Keeping" sound really nice, but "My Wife" is a disaster. It sounds terrible in every aspect. "Song is Over" sounds ok, but I feel like I have to keep turning the volume up just to hear what I know is in those grooves, but can't seem to find when I'm listening.
Side 2 is just more of the same. Dull and lifeless. Tell me something is wrong with my pressing, please!

Cheers.
tfkaudio
tagyerit
73 posts
 
I remembered something about a reported problem with the 1st 200 g sqv classic pressing of who's next. did some searching and found what failed to paste here as a link, but you can at least cut & paste it and go to it:
http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/printthread.php?t=55439

besides the controversy it is interesting to note one poster preferring the classic to the orig uk track as follows
"I bought a second-pressing a few weeks ago. I haven't heard a first pressing (the Classic, that is), but I read all about the pressing problems many of you encountered. My copy is slightly dish-warped but sonically flawless: no distortion, no mistracking, no surface noise. The mastering is excellent. This copy is now my favorite, bettering my previous favorites (a UK Track original and a US Decca original)."

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/printthread.php?t=55439
tagyerit
73 posts
 
viridian, thats great, now can you just send us each a copy!?
just kidding, but have you heard the classic pressing in question and if so what did you think?
tfkaudio OP
589 posts
 
Rushton,
I did clean the record with RRL fluid. I didn't adjust the VTA. Do you think this could make a drastic difference? Because a drastic difference is what is needed here.
I assume you're implying that my arm height needs to go up a little, to accomodate the thicker record?

Also, the thread on Steve Hoffman's site talks about distortion in several places on the record. This isn't the problem I'm having, and I also verified that I have the second pressing (based on the best info I could find, which is the TRACK DELUXE 2408 102 inscription on the spine).

Cheers.
qdrone
889 posts
 
Have you tried adjusting your tone arm vertical tracking angle? 180 gram pressings or 200 gram pressings are thicker and require an adjustment to achieve that sweet spot. I adjust my tonearm when I play thicker vinyl. The Who's Next on MCA Heavy Vinyl after I make the adjustments kicks my Original 8 track pressing up and down the block.
larryi
1,972 posts
 
Haven't heard it, but I find a lot of Classics records sound dull and lifeless, like they tried to smooth the rough edges off the sound, and they tried to make it sound "richer" (i.e., boosted mid-bass).

The other possible source of problem is the effect of thick records on VTA. If possible, I avoid thick records. 180 gm and heavier records are such a misguided marketing ploy (screws up VTA, prone to dish warping, prone to poor pressing quality from incomplete "fill" of the grooves, etc.).
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