'However good
to the ears CDs may sound, vinyl remains the perfect medium to listen to music'
is what I initially wrote when I started this section a few years back. I don't
want to launch again into an audiophile dissertation here and readily agree that we, old
vinyl collectors, will remain a bit biased each time the subject is tackled
because we also love the artwork of the record labels and the pic sleeves, the general
'feel' of the platters, etc. True, there was a time, in the early digital age,
when these ears would feel the warmth and dynamics that were generally missing
from most CDs ; they were also able to count the clicks and pops that appeared
even on vintage unplayed albums or on more recent high definition virgin vinyl
! Still, there was music which sounded, if not better at least as good, on CD
(The Beach Boys for instance) but it seemed to me that vinyl always had the
edge.
As of this writing (April 2019), things have changed considerably. While there's
more vinyl available than ever and top quality pressings from established companies
like Mobile Fidelity, Sundazed, Speaker's Corner, Ace, Classic Records,
Analogue Productions and others keep pushing the already high standard of analog
to even greater heights, digital mastering has come of age, producing shiny
discs which reach another level of brilliance culminating with the arrival of
XRCDs, SHM-CDs and SACDs (not to mention DVD-As). The sound is now generally
so good that the question of 'what's better' is not so prominent as it used
to be. BUT, at the same time, analog equipment has improved considerably and, to these ears, vinyl still has the edge !
Having said that, those old 78s, 45s and LPs from the forties, fifties and sixties will
simply keep blowing your mind - if in nice condition and pressed without too much hiss or other defects.
True enough, no piece of vinyl can be quite perfect, however even in lesser condition, there's still so much SOUND to enjoy inside
those grooves ! Especially in 45s as far as I'm concerned - but it would be the same with 78s which I do not especially collect although their sound just leaps at you as John Tefteller would put it (even more so when they're made of vinyl), and their labels are not amputated by a big hole like 45s. In a way, 45s were to 78s what CDs are to LPs - more convenient, less bulky, less fragile - but, unlike CDs, still with that full analog sound. I'm talking singles here, because there are also 45rpm EPs which contain generally four tracks but with a drop in fidelity most of the time.
Collecting records is a sickness, said Val Shively, and he's right. Collecting 45s is all the more crazy because the hobby has long been spoiled by bootleggers more than all other formats. Reproducing a rare record so that it can be made available to most of us can be understood but at least without trying to fool the collectors with exact reproductions of the label and dead wax markings, and passing them for originals - at a price, to boot ! Those 45s have a goldmine of info buried in run-off grooves at the end of the record which are of great help to ascertain whether a record is an original or a counterfeit. But a lot of factors enter the equation and I strongly suggest that you invest in Lou Silvani's fabulous book from 1991, 'Collecting Records', available on his Times Square Records web site, to avoid being too often disappointed.
I will list (alphabetically by artists) and discuss many of the singles and EPs that grace my collection - outside of those by artists
who are already featured elsewhere on my site. For each of'em, one or more pictures are
displayed, sometimes linked to 30 seconds of music to savor. Of course, picture sleeves and/or other inserts will be shown when existing and available. Matrix numbers and other useful information for serious collectors will be included.
A special section dedicated to original company sleeves will appear under the letter 'X'.
Click the letters in the columns on the left and right sides and have fun !!
© Paul Vidal * Privas, France * 2019 - 2024
