The quest for the hot stamper or is it a myth

Remember what Frank N Furter said.

"Captain Fantastic, I really wanted the newer looking and much quieter sounding copy to sound better. But it was no contest. The noisy one that nevertheless sounds so much better goes back on the shelf. It really does sound good! I mean just amazingly good!"

millercarbon-
What kills me is a Tom Port "WHITE HOT" grade,$300 Tumbleweed Connection isn't necessarily going to play noise free! I believe he once had a Elton John(2nd release) for $600!

FWIW, I've gone through several iterations of this great album, the domestic UNI 73090(dead wax:dtl ps 406)IMO is very good. 

Fortunately I too, can hear through some rough spots, if the music and recording is great.

Anyone seriously bothered by surface noise can easily eliminate it. But then they have to be able to tolerate listening to CDs. 

One of the recommended listening tweaks on Better Records is to demagnetize before listening. They recommend the Talisman, basically an egregiously overpriced demagnetizer. I already have the more powerful, effective, and much more affordable Radio Shack Bulk Tape Eraser, which for years I have used on records and CDs. While I haven't the foggiest idea why (there is nothing in vinyl to demagnetize) the fact is it does work- but not for long. Which is why I found it very interesting that Tom Port says they always demagnetize within 10 minutes of critical listening. 

For years I thought about using this on my speaker cables, etc. But I never bothered because I already have the XLO test CD with its demagnetizing tracks that work on the whole system. So why bother? Well last night I did bother and wow, what an improvement! Takes a while because its designed for 1 min on 30 min off, shutting itself off it it gets too warm, so that it took a while to do the whole system. But just doing the speaker cables was enough to keep me going. Could not believe how much it cleaned up and extended across the board but especially the top end. 

Its the stories like this, telling people to disconnect appliances, and warm
up the system, and demagnetize within 10 minutes, that tells me the guy is legit. But still, to be worth it, its got to be way more than the difference between normal crap pressings and some of the really good ones I already have. For that you only need to try a few examples, or just buy the MoFi or whatever. For the money I paid it needs to be well and truly beyond a shadow of a doubt beyond that. 

I have the system. I have the ears. Tonight we find out.

love the comparison to the master tape....huh ?

and yes I do have a high speed Revox, which is another expensive habit....

@millercarbon.  have fun !!!!!! that is afterall the objective
anxious to hear what you discover