One of our good customers recently wrote us an especially touching letter about two debut albums we share a love for: Led Zeppelin’s and Jeff Beck’s.
We thanked him and he replied with these additional thoughts. He started by referencing a post I had sent him entitled Professional Skateboarder Danny Way on Flow.
Dear Tom,
Reading this article, I thought, “That’s exactly what I was thinking. That’s because his reflections align with the concept of the “functioning mind”—as described by the Indian sage Ramesh Balsekar in his teachings on the “functioning mind” and the “thinking mind.”
My origins in audio lie in the resonant “hum” I felt filling the entire concert hall during classical performances, and in my high school days, when I was completely immersed (a state of self-forgetfulness) in Jimi Hendrix’s “Purple Haze,” Blue Cheer’s “Summertime Blues,” and The Mamas & the Papas’ “California Dreaming” as they played through a cheap tube radio.
Later, I formed a jazz-rock band and played drums. When I was really in the zone (a state of self-forgetfulness), my hands would move naturally and unconsciously, executing intricate techniques. But when I couldn’t get into the groove, I’d become preoccupied with my technique and timing, my hands wouldn’t move as I wanted, and the exhilaration of playing would vanish into the distance.
From these experiences, I came to believe that the essence of music lies in whether or not one can achieve a state of immersion and self-forgetfulness.
I built up my audio collection, discovered The Absolute Sound in the late ’80s, and became obsessed with collecting Harry Pearson’s TAS List—but most of those records ended up gathering dust on my shelf after just two or three listens. That’s because I couldn’t immerse myself in them.
I spent days wondering why I couldn’t get immersed and found them boring, even though they were said to sound good. Then Fred Kaplan, Michael Fremer, Frank Doris, and others began publishing articles on matrices, stampers, mastering, and cutting, and I found myself sinking deeper and deeper into the quagmire of labels like “true original” and “first pressing”… (laughs).
From the ’90s onward, I also got deeply into remasters from MFSL, AP, Classic, and others, but after listening to each one just once or twice, they never made it back onto the turntable. I was content just to own them, seeking the praise of audiophiles, but I couldn’t stand having records I never even listened to taking up space on my shelves, so I sold off my entire collection in early 2000.
Since then, I’ve bought a few new ones but sold them off right away. The only one left is a copy of “Waiting For Columbus,” one of MFSL’s very earliest releases.
The reason I wanted to share my excitement with you this time is that the WHS transported me into a state of immersion and selflessness. And it did so instantly, plunging me right into the space where Rod and Jeff were.
As my life draws to a close, receiving this ticket to heaven from Tom feels like nothing short of divine providence.
I am neither a psychologist nor a religious believer. I am an active healthcare professional who will soon turn 80.
Sincerely,
Nobu
P.S.
As I mentioned before, I currently have moderate hearing loss and use the hearing aid feature of Apple’s AirPods Pro 3 as needed. Of course, I don’t use it when listening to vinyl.
Due to this hearing loss—a natural result of aging—I was about to give up, thinking I could no longer appreciate the true value of great-sounding records. In fact, my favorite records had begun to sound dry and distant, as if they had nothing to do with me.
That was when I discovered Better Records and got my hands on a Hot Stamper. For the first time in years, I felt like I was sitting on a lotus flower in Nirvana. The A+++ side, in particular, broke through the moment the needle hit the groove.
What I really want to say is this: “For audiophiles who have given up on their audio life due to hearing loss, a White Hot Stamper pressing might be the only saving grace to brighten their discouraged hearts.”
Dear Nobu,
I could not be more pleased with how happy our records made you. This is what we live for here at Better Records!
Thanks for expressing so beautifully the deep feelings you experienced when playing the music you love. I know exactly what it means to be obsessed with good sound and good music. I have spent all of my adult life chasing both. I am so glad to hear that I was able to help you find some of the sound you were looking for.
Best, TP
P.S.
Please replace that MoFi pressing of Waiting for Columbus with a Hot Stamper the next time we have something on the site. I love that album to death and to this day play it regularly. It was one of the last MoFi’s I parted with, and it wasn’t until 2017 that we managed to crack the code, but eventually the real thing won out and made clear to us all the shortcomings of the remaster that had been hiding in plain sight.
Further Reading
- Obsession is the best predictor of audio evolution
- Nobody like us existed in the record world of the 90s
- Here are some records we think have no business being called Super Discs