Mobile Fidelity - The Alan Parsons Project "I Robot"

$

104

This is the very rare Mobile Fidelity Ultra High Quality Recording (UHQR) of The Alan Parsons Project's sonic stunner "I Robot". The legendary engineer and producer of Pink Floyd's "Dark Side Of The Moon" formed "The Project" as a vehicle to showcase his creative talent and production skills. Using a series of highly regarded vocalists and session players he turned out a number of critically acclaimed records during the late seventies and eighties. "I Robot", a science fiction concept record based on the fiction of Isaac Asimov, is arguably his finest achievement - both musically and sonically. Using the original analog master tapes, the UHQR LP's were pressed on high-density 200 gram virgin vinyl at the JVC plant in Japan. This combination yields the best sonic performance available and these pressings are vastly superior to anything else out there. The catalog number is MFQR 1-084 and this is serial number 4,810 of a limited pressing of 5,000.

I don't believe any unsealed LP deserves to be called "mint" but this record is very, very close. I am the original owner and have only played the record a handful of times. Neither the outer box, nor the jacket or certificate, show any signs of wear. There are no scuffs, scratches, spindle marks, or surface blemishes. The vinyl looks unplayed and still shows the brilliant lustre of a brand new record. I've meticulously examined the record and packaging and have no imperfections to report. This record is as close to "mint" as any unsealed LP can get.

A few words about me, since you'll notice I don't have a lot of feedback and I don't typically sell records, I buy them. I am a retired executive and one of the owners of Ultra Fidelis, a high-end audio and home theater boutique in Milwaukee, WI. (You can learn more about Ultra Fidelis at www.ultrafi.com .) I've been an avid record collector and audiophile for my entire life. I have a serious high-end playback system consisting of an SME Model 30 table and IV.vi arm fitted with a Van den Hul Colibri cartridge and I take fastidious care of my equipment and recordings.  I am pretty leery of buying LP's on e-Bay since I don't have the opportunity to examine them prior to purchase and too many people don't share my standards when it comes to describing a record's condition. I'm only interested in records that look and sound the way they did when they came out of the pressing plant and if you're looking at this auction, you probably feel the same way. I have a collection of roughly 10,000 recordings and I've decided that I'm going to begin selling a few of the ones that may be more valuable to others than they currently are to me. You can bid with confidence that you'll be getting exactly what's been described. One thing I am not however, is a professional photographer. I'm sure there is way to get rid of the reflective glare on the LP shots, but I don't know what that is. Please take my word for it that the vinyl has a beautiful lush sheen and any apparent discolorations in the shots are the result of my photographic ineptitude.

This record will be carefully packaged and shipped fully insured via UPS from our store for a flat fee of $9.95 to anywhere in the Continental United States. I'm sorry, but this auction is not open to international bidders as I am unable to ship outside the US. Please do not bid if you are unable to accept delivery domestically. Thanks for visiting my auction and best of luck if you decide to bid.

I've had a number of inquiries from international e-Bay members regarding the possibility of international shipping. I'm really sorry, but it's just a case of being lazy; these pieces aren't going to generate enough money to make it worthwhile for me to endure a visit to the United States Postal Service. The beauty of UPS is that, if you can pack it well enough to survive their brutish handling, they'll come to the store to pick it up...a huge plus. I will pack everything very well.