Hot Stamper Pressings of Folk Rock Albums Available Now
In our recent shootout, all our best copies had very similar numbers and letters in the dead wax, which doesn’t happen all that often but does from time to time.
This album does not have a single set of stampers that always win, but it does have a set of very similar stampers that always win. All of the best stampers can only be found on the Green Label original pressings, if that’s any help.
What We’re Listening For On Summer Breeze
Here are some of the things we specifically listen for in a vintage Folk Rock record. Our hottest Hot Stamper copies are simply doing more of these things better than the other copies we played in our shootout. The best copies have:
- Greater immediacy in the vocals (most copies are veiled and distant to some degree).
- Natural tonal balance (many copies are at least slightly brighter or darker than ideal; those with the right balance are the exception, not the rule).
- Good solid weight (so the bass sounds full and powerful).
- Spaciousness (the best copies have wonderful studio ambience and space).
- Tubey Magic (without which you might as well be playing a CD).
- And last but not least, transparency, the quality of being able to see into the studio, where there is plenty of musical information to be revealed in this sometimes simple, sometimes complex and sophisticated recording.
Further Reading
If you would like to run your own tests on the Folk Rock records you own, we make that easy. Here are some other titles that are good for testing these qualities, many with specific advice on what to listen for.
- Records that Are Good for Testing Ambience, Size and Space
- Records that Are Good for Testing Bass and Whomp
- Records that Are Good for Testing Correct Tonality and Timbre
- Records that Are Good for Testing Midrange Presence
- Records that Are Good for Testing Transparency
- Records that Are Good for Testing Tubey Magic