Strauss, Also sprach Zarathustra 2LP Vinyl Formula Comparison Set

$

34

SS: Still Sealed
Label: RCA Living Stereo
Catalog Number: LSC 1806
Jacket Condition: M/ Mint

This auction is for a NUMBERED (2 of 5) 2-Disc Vinyl Formula Comparison Set. This set consists of experimental pressings of different vinyl formulas of the Classic Records 180gram reissue of Strauss' "Also sprach Zarathustra" with Fritz Reiner conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

This 2 Disc comparison set was done at RTI where two formulas were tested on the same press using the same stampers. Hobson's rankings of the different pressings are written in his hand and initialed on each sleeve. One of the first vinyl tests done by RTI for Classic. This is a unique opportunity to do the "vinyl formula shootout" that Hobson did many years ago and see if you agree and to own a piece of Classic Records history in the making. Michael Hobson, founder of Classic Records, was driven to "make the best sounding records possible" according to a number of interviews he did in the early years of Classic. One of the ongoing pursuits, once it became an option, was to try different vinyl formulas having been told by Bernie Grundman, Ed Tobin, Doug Sax and others that vinyl formulas can change the sound of an LP significantly. At RTI, where Classic pressed records exclusively early on, there came a point in 1996 when the records began to have higher surface noise for reasons no one could understand until it was determined that the Keysor vinyl, that most pressing plants in the US were using, was the source of the increased surface noise. While Keysor tried to fix the problem, Classic Records, as RTI's biggest customer began work with plant manager Rick Hashimoto, to find a new vinyl formula that would sound good and "run well" on RTI's SMT (Southern Machine & Tool) presses. According to Hashimoto, "not all vinyl formula's ran well on all machines" which puzzled Hobson. After some experimentation, a new vinyl formula from a US company called Rimtech was found to be a suitable substitute for the Kaiser formula. On a side note, Keysor never was able to solve their vinyl problem which was related to a key ingredient that was no longer made and as a result went out of business in 1997. For the first time Hobson was able to compare early Classic titles pressed on Kaiser vinyl versus repressings of the same titles (from the same stampers) on the new Rimtech vinyl and what a difference there was. Hobson recalls, "soundstage details changed including the perceived levels of different instruments in the mix, vocals could become more forward or move back in the soundstage and the clarity of the bass or higher frequencies changed relative to one another (sometimes bass detail would improve but at the expense of midrange richness and high frequency clarity) which was a bit maddening." For Hobson the reality set in that, like most things in life, there are tradeoff's in different vinyl formulas necessitating a choice based on what was best overall. From that moment on, one of Classic's many approaches to constantly trying to improve the sound quality of records was to consistently listen to new vinyl formulas as part of the commitment extolled in its tag line to "remember the sound..." Jacket in mint condition.

It's a rare find -- good luck!

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