Hot Stamper Pressings of the Music of The Grateful Dead Available Now
[This is a letter from many years ago, probably close to fifteen. It is very unlikely that any copy on the Burbank label would win a shootout now. We have made a great deal of audio progress in the years since we sold the reissue copy we discuss below. Some advice on helping you to do the same can be found here.]
Hey Tom,
I was extremely surprised when I received my WD Hot Stamper. I was expecting an olive (green) Warner Brothers original (I have one) – and this one is the “floral” later label. I’ve read your comments long enough to know it’s the sound, not the label, which dictates quality. Was quite surprised either way! But I shouldn’t have been….
And what a lovely sound! The harmony vocals on “Uncle John’s Band” are so much clearer, sounding like three distinct voices (my peasant original was dark and gritty in comparison); being able to actually hear Micky’s rhythmic contributions to the track, it sounds like a full band, really grooving and live.
The pedal steel on “Dire Wolf”! I could go on and on.
Anyway, great stuff, liked it so much had to write a letter!
Kyle
Kyle,
The person who listened to your copy did not know what label it had. It got the proper sonic grade because no bias could enter into the proceedings, and that is the revolutionary approach we developed for judging records.
But there is nothing revolutionary about it. Scientists have been using blind testing for more than a hundred years!
All we did was incorporate good testing protocols into our record shootouts, and voila, you have Hot Stampers that really are hot and Better Records that really are better.
Sometimes the green label copies win shootouts and sometimes the Burbank label copies win. [As we said above, the originals will win shootouts, even though the second label copies can do very well.]
Thanks for your letter,
TP
Further Reading
- New to the Blog? Start here
- More Hot Stamper testimonial letters
- Some customers find their Hot Stamper pressings are a revelation
