More of the Music of Linda Ronstadt
Reviews and Commentaries for the Recordings of Linda Ronstadt
An Audiophile Hall of Shame pressing and a Half-Speed Mastered Disaster if there ever was one.
You’re looking at one of the worst audiophile disasters in recent memory. Talk about dead as a doornail sound, folks, if you own this pressing, take it from us, you don’t know what you’re missing. Buy the next domestic copy you spot at your local record store for five bucks and find out. No way it can sound as bad as this compressed, lifeless, dull “audiophile” record.
Shawn Britton was the hack who mastered this piece of junk. He has a habit of making bad sounding records if these others are anything to go by.
Shortly after the MoFi release of the album, we made the decision not to carry their records anymore. Coincidence? We’ll leave you to draw your own conclusions.
The most common problem with Ronstadt records from the ’70s is grainy, upper-midrangy sound. The average copy of Heart Like a Wheel, the album that followed this one, is pure transistory grain on most copies, making it practically unlistenable.
The average copy of Don’t Cry Now, though not quite as bad as HLAW, shares many of its shortcomings. The smooth copies that still have plenty of presence, life, energy and top end extension are the ones that really get this music sounding RIGHT.
Further Reading on the subject of Half-Speed Mastering
If you are still buying these modern LPs, take the advice of some of our customers and stop throwing your money away on Heavy Vinyl Pressings and Half-Speed Mastered Records.
People have been known to ask us:
At the very least let us send you a Hot Stamper pressing — of any album you choose — that can show you what is wrong with your copy. And if for some reason you disagree that our record sounds better than yours, we will happily give you all your money back and wish you the best.
To learn more about records that sound dramatically better than any Half-Speed ever made (with one rare exception, John Klemmer’s Touch), please consult our FAQs:
Below you will find our breakdown of the best and worst Half-Speed mastered records we have auditioned over the years.
- Half-Speed Mastered Disasters
- Half-Speed Mastered Mediocrities
- Half-Speed Mastered Winners
- Half-Speed Masters – The Complete List
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