ROXY MUSIC - AVALON - FLESH & BLOOD - The Abbey Road Half Speed Reissues Review and Comparisons

In this video, I break out some originals and previous reissues to get a reference on how well these two particular reissues hold up, and give you my subjective opinion on the question.
Order links are provided below. If you are thinking of purchasing either album, using the links provided helps the channel grow.
Roxy Music - Avalon (2022 Abbey Road Half-Speed LP)
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Roxy Music - Flesh & Blood (2022 Abbey Road Half Speed LP)
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Roxy Music - Manifesto (2022 Abbey Road Half-Speed LP)
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Roxy Music: Siren (2022 Abbey Road Half Speed LP)
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Roxy Music: Country Life (2022 Abbey Road Half Speed LP)
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Roxy Music: Stranded (2022 Abbey Road Half Speed LP)
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Roxy Music: For Your Pleasure (2022 Abbey Road Half Speed LP)
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Roxy Music: Roxy Music (2022 Abbey Road Half Speed LP)
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Bryan Ferry - Boys And Girls (2021 Abbey Road LP)
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[@ThePressingMatters]

You know the more I listen to this, the more I like this edition.

[@michaellord9745]

I like the photo of you holding up my two favorite Roxy Music albums. I've purchased all the Roxy half-speed mastered reissues. Listened to both Flesh + Blood and Avalon the last few days and they sound really good. I will say that these two records were quite well recorded to begin with upon their first release so I can't say that I was totally blown away with these new reissues having only listened to them once. But I will say there is no disappointment either. I'll have to do a comparison against my original vinyl releases soon. Everybody knows and loves Avalon, and rightly so. But here's an extra shot of love to Flesh + Blood. The stuffy music critics hated Ferry's covers of The Midnight Hour and Eight Miles High and still hadn't gotten over the fact that Eno had left the band so they decided to trash the album as a whole. Wrong, wrong, wrong!! All of the original Roxy songs by Ferry and Manzanera are a pure delight, and I like the two covers too. Finally, beautiful, top notch, glossy reproductions of all gatefold and single album jackets and inserts along with poly-lined inner sleeves.

[@ThePressingMatters]

Hi Micheal, I'm glad you like the photo! These were my first two and I had the exact same reaction as you. Very impressed with the sound on their own and in comparisons they did hold up very well. I was pleasantly surprised. After hearing the Boys and Girls reissue, I knew they would be at least competent as I thought that one was very close to an original, and while it's almost impossible to top an original of Avalon, this provided an very clear view of what's on the tape and it's an alternative that most fans will want to hear. Packaging was first rate, and the pressings were so quiet. Great to have these versions available along side the excellent originals. Thanks for your comment!

[@ThePressingMatters]

There are some wonderful songs on Flesh & Blood, and it was great to revisit it in this pressing. No Strange Delight is a great deep cut. Love Spin Me Round as well. I love Ferry in this period.

[@ThePressingMatters]

Did you have any repeating tics during the last 5 seconds of the record where the waves are crashing just before fade-out? It's minor but I wonder if there are stampers that don't have it.

[@michaellord9745]

@@ThePressingMatters No issues anywhere on my new pressing, including Tara. I'm quite pleased that I got a 100% blemish free copy. Will be playing my original U.S. pressing this evening to compare against the half-speed master. After listening to it twice now my expectation is that it should edge out my original copy which is in excellent condition. We shall see.

[@SOFAJEDI]

Great video. Love how you were almost lost for words describing Avalon. It truly is a work of art.

[@ThePressingMatters]

Thank you, Mark. I've been mesmerized by this record since the day I first heard it. It's definitely a desert island kind of disc for me. Even more so since I caught the Bete Noir tour and got to see Bryan Ferry's artistry up close. So glad you found the video. Thanks so much for your comment!

[@staggerlee6794]

I have an UK OG of 'Avalon' cut by Bilbo and it sounds absolutely lush. It is so good I can't believe it can be made to sound any better.

[@ThePressingMatters]

I have not heard the UK, but for the original US, I had the same reaction as you. Beautiful, lush sound that it's hard to imagine being topped. It still held the top among what I heard. It's an album I don't mind having other versions of :-)

[@staggerlee6794]

@@ThePressingMatters Don't know if you are into the band Japan but the half speed remaster of 'Exorcising Ghosts' is superb.

[@ThePressingMatters]

@@staggerlee6794 I have never heard the album but I will now check it out! Thanks for the tip!

[@jodygoeler586]

It’s always great to hear your thoughtful and unbiased reviews. Thank you.

[@ThePressingMatters]

Thank you Jody, I appreciate your support. You and the other viewers who always give their thoughts make this all worthwhile. I love the comment section!

[@79mercedes]

I'm of the opinion "if it sounds good it is good" there's good sounding and not so good sounding in both formats so don't pre judge purely on the basis because it's either digital or analogue - give it a good listen then decide!

[@ThePressingMatters]

I agree, and this is a really great sounding edition of Avalon. I don't care how they created it.

[@robertmorgan9205]

I've just bought a copy of Avalon this afternoon from a charity shop here in the UK and, listening to it right now, I'm loving the sound quality....if only all records sounded this good. This pressing is EGHP 50 2302 116 and as someone else posted, it's hard to see that anything could sound much better...although no doubt there will be. The condition of this record is excellent and I've got a few from the same shop recently suggesting they might all be from the same source.

[@ThePressingMatters]

What a great find. One of my favorite records of all time. So many beautiful moments in fantastic sound.

[@robertmorgan9205]

@@ThePressingMatters Scott, this wasn’t one of my £1 pick-ups, this cost me a whole TEN POUNDS!😮😄

[@ThePressingMatters]

@robertmorgan9205 Even so, a bargain!

[@robertmorgan9205]

@@ThePressingMatters oh yes, I’m not complaining.

[@jasonwhiton174]

I no longer have my original pressings, but Flesh + Blood, Avalon, and Boys and Girls were my most listened-to albums between 1985-1986 :)

[@ThePressingMatters]

I too loved all three and Bete Noir (and Manifesto.) The reissues are very good, with a very slight preference for originals.

[@zukispur5493]

I slow down some of that house music stuff (audio technica AT LP 1240) can get some of it to sound OK🌚 can also pitch up some male slow jams to sound female funky🌚

[@davidmorgen4558]

My copy of roxys Flesh & blood is Red vinyl. ... Ive never played it I bought just for the novelty of the color vinyl .. its nice to have the lyrics sheet as welll.Dont ! dont fell to bad if youre copy dosent include them ..E.G records pulled the same thing with the newer King Crimson Titles when they were Reissued on vinyl Such as( Disipline & beat )It might be best to stick with Japanese audiophile labels if in Dought?...BY the way king crimson Supported roxy Music when they toured for the Excellient Disipline album.....I Do think there good!

[@ThePressingMatters]

I believe the lyrics are on the inner card sleeve with the new one. I do like KC Discipline a lot too.

[@fidelios_frequency]

Glad you made this video. Avalon is one of my all time favorite records. I have an original US, Simply Vinyl, SACD & 2015 box set version (cut by Showell). They all sound great but I prefer the original US. The 2022 reissue uses the same digital source as the 2015 version. Miles Showell confirmed it through a tweet indicating he re-cut the 2022 version on his new equipment and that it sounds better (than the 2015) but “not massively so”. The 2015 box set versions have tip-on glossy jackets and the artwork has been cropped differently. I’m guessing these are the same. On Avalon do you notice the medallion on the cloak cropped vs the original? Manifesto artwork was also quite cropped.

[@ThePressingMatters]

Hi welcome back. The original in my opinion as well hasn't been topped. I did find much to like in the new cut, but in close listening what stood out to me was the difference in the clarity of the vocals. The extra clarity takes a bit of the magical glow away and give a clearer picture of the vocal. I prefer the original in this point, as it is a bit softer and adds to the dreamy effect. The medallion shot is cropped making the medallion appear larger, black is much better, and the frint is a bit more saturated to violet in the clouds. Title type is resized and repositioned. I think the new one looks absolutely stunning, and the gloss really does kick it up a notch.

[@fidelios_frequency]

@@ThePressingMatters I might have to get the 2022 version myself to compare. Also noticed that comparing the 2015 version to the original and SV, the chain link is completely blacked out. I think they darkened the image too much.

[@primeanalogrecords]

Damn Scott! You were exactly right about the stigma on use of digital files! I went on a small rant about that myself with my video about Music On Vinyl! Not all pressing are audiophile quality but I think Abby Road Studio does a good job! Too much tungsten light on the artwork and that is really important to me as I am a pro photographer! I love my Boys and Girls original pressing. Recently got a Country Life from Friday Music(I think) that was decent but certainly not audiophile quality!

[@ThePressingMatters]

Ive pretty much written off Friday Music unless another mastering engineer is involved. They seem to have evolved into just producing average sounding color vinyl. A shame as they get good titles to listen r. I will check out your MOV video and urge all my viewers to check out your channel!

[@primeanalogrecords]

@@ThePressingMatters Yea I think they are making records there to be played on Crosley turntables if you can call it that! Haha

[@sidesup8286]

A lot of people think half speed mastering as more of a modern process. London records released hundreds of classical records known as London Bluebacks, and they were half speed mastered. They were also early stereo. The year this series of FFSS classical records started? 1958. The FFSS CS series went from 1958 to at least 1962, half speed mastering each title. The one from this series I play at least several times a year (usually around the Xmas holidays) is the complete Tchaikovsky Nutcracker conducted by Ernest Ansermet and The Orchestra De La Suisse Romande. There weren't many Nutcrackers lps in Stereo to choose from.back then, but this was not only THE one, but 60+ years later, out of now hundreds of different choices, it's still one of the best performances and recordings of the worlds favorite ballet music, and the only Xmas music some stodgy old people will listen to.

[@ThePressingMatters]

I didn't know that the London Decca were half speed, I don't think I've ever read that before. My first recollection of the term was early MFSL and Stan Ricker. I know a few people criticize it, and I'm not sure if they are actually hearing mastering eq choices or artifacts of the half speed disc cutting process. I think it's been unfairly maligned in recent years. With Abbey Road, the issue is compounded by the fact that they are from digital files in most cases. People tend to criticize the half speed process when they may actually be hearing deficiencies in the source files. I agree with you on the Ansermet Nutcracker. The one that all others must be judged by.

[@ThePressingMatters]

I wonder if you could clear something up. I understand analog half speed mastering - tape at half speed and lathe at half speed. But how is a digital file run at half speed?

[@sidesup8286]

@@ThePressingMatters I am not thinking that the digital stream itself is half speed mastered, but I could be wrong. I first heard about London Bluebacks being half speed mastered from the London Blueback book by Robert Moon, which was able to be ordered 3 to 4 decades ago by mail. There is also a write up on Wikipedia on half speed mastering, which is cool & they mention about the London's. Years ago I went into one f those things where I try to find the best performances of certain classical pieces. The Nutcracker was one if them I did that with. I went through about 50 different Nutcracker recordings. Andre Previn's two different Nutcracker performances, spaced years apart might be the most likeable. They have a less serious perspective and Previn brings about the playfulness and humor in the score very creatively. The U.K. EMI pressing of the first Previn was the one on the Absolute Sound Super Disc List. For me its about a 12 way tie after the Previn's and some of those, some people might even like as well as the Previn(s). Depends on your mood actually. Some of the later London's with Lanchberry conducting are really emotional & Stanley Black's version on London Phase 4 is surprisingly great. They are what I call Suite+, meaning much more than just the Suite but not nearly a complete Nutcracker. There are Jazz versions; Duke Ellington did one. There have also been piano performances. A pianist who learns the Nutcracker who gets deeply into the score would make a great conductor of the music. Michael Pletnev was one such pianist and his Nutcracker (with orchestra) on CD is superb. Anatole Fistoulari and Georg Solti both had a great touch with the music, as did Leonard Slatkin conducting his fine St. Louis Symphony Orchestra in that acoustic perfect monster Powell Hall.

[@ThePressingMatters]

@@sidesup8286 I missed out of the Moon book when it was generally around. I'd love to find a copy of that as I collect all of the series he covers. I think you really nailed the noteworthy performances. A lot of people have a fondness for Dorati's Mercury performance as well. I think he did a remake of it on Another label in the early "70's as well.

[@sidesup8286]

@@ThePressingMatters I wouldn't mind finding the Robert Moon book myself. It's ultra rare. I'm also looking for the book by former Stereo Review cartoonist Charles Rodrigues. It's called Total Harmonic Distortion and it's definitely a collectible, as it gets $100 or more sometime. Dorati did an early mono Nutcracker for Mercury with the Minneapolis Symphonny. Wilma Cozart Fine says it sounds more expansive than the more well known stereo one he did with the London Symphony on the same label. Some other blue ribbon ones in mono include Sir Thomas Beecham and Igor Markevitch. Sir Adrian Bolt also did a truly great one. The Dorati one in stereo is a fast paced one and one ideal for using for ballet practice rehearsals. Dorati did record another Nutcracker with Bernard Haitink's Amsterdam Orchestra. I have a CD here of a Suite+ Nutcracker with Mravinsky conducting (not to bet confused with Markevitch) which I haven't played yet. Mravinsky's vintage Tchaikovsky performances of the Symphonies is considered the finest interpretations of all time by some. There is a trimming of the tree track of The Nutcracker playing in the background of an hour long Alfred Hitchcock TV episode, which sounds like the best one ever to me, but it would probably be impossible to find out what version it is. The competing early stereo version to the Ansermet was the one on Westminster with Rodzinsky conducting. The triangle player goes completely wild with his instrument on the early trimming the tree track, which for me makes it the weirdest readings of that track. The cover of that album is my favorite Nutcracker cover through. The Ansermet is one of the finest complete Nutcrackers. Among the best suites is the one with former cellist Rostropovich conducting. The Charles Dutoit one is considered by some as the best sound quality one. I blew a tweeter years ago on the dynamics of the Girgiev conducting one. I will never play that again without taming its dynamics by under recording it with a tape recorder.

[@davidlg0478]

Hi Scott, I have a large number of Abbey Road half speed masters, including all the Roxy Music reissues and Bryan Ferry reissues. They all sound great on my system and I am really happy with them all. The recent half speed remaster of the best of the Police sounds really great also. A couple of so called audiophile channels seem to be biased against these reissues before even listening to them which is a pity. Enjoyed your video.

[@ThePressingMatters]

Thanks, David! I appreciate your comments. Well I did see one 'review' of this and the person hadn't even heard the new pressing! Automatic bias. I approach this kind of thing with an open mind. I was careful not to declare a 'winner' as they are all great, slightly different but equally valid. I would feel bad if people avoided these because of a preconceived notion instead of hearing with your own ears on your own system. Some will prefer one over the other and that ok. This pressing celebrates the album and puts a great sounding edition in pristine quality for the public. As I said I love all three!!

[@ThePressingMatters]

Now since the Roxy canon is done, I hope they move on to Bryan's post Boys and Girls records. Some real gems there and rare on vinyl. I vote for Mamouna!

[@MrCranberran]

I'm still waiting on my half-speed Avalon but I agree completely that the half-speed Police album (Ghost in the machine) is excellent - absolutely no complaints. The Stones' Sticky Fingers on the other hand was disappointing, but then I've always found Stones' releases 'dirty', with a very muddied, distorted sound.

[@ThePressingMatters]

@@MrCranberran I'm going to try The Who Tommy next. My only copy is a Japanese issue. Perhaps it will be bettered! I will let you know next week!

[@ralex3697]

@@ThePressingMatters It’s average, I own it but part of the instrumental parts get very congested. A clean original copy is far superior

[@KRAZEEIZATION]

I own originals of both and Avalon is awesome. I find the 1/2 speed makes pressings boomy and kills treble. Flesh + Blood should have been a gatefold so I can see the three girls together. Avalon is 40 now! 1982-2022, the cover was shot in Ireland. I saw your review on Discogs!!

[@ThePressingMatters]

I've heard that before but honestly it wasn't the case with these - on my system. I was pleasantly surprised how nice a listen these are, particularly Avalon. No, they don't top an original but are excellent sounding reissues.

[@zukispur5493]

Ivan chin. Studio one. Kingston Jamaica.🌚

[@jrgenholteng1529]

The one i have of Avalon is: Super Deluxe EGHP 50 2302 116, no barcode. That´s all i know about mine. I also have one from gz vinyl this one i´m not so happy with. HDCD is good. I would love this from Analogue Productions 45rpm vinyl.....

[@ThePressingMatters]

I'd love that too! I do think the half speed is well done, just missing the mark compared to the US original and I assume the Uzk one you have.

[@sidesup8286]

Remember when we were kids. As soon as we got 10 cents together, we'd go out and buy another pack of baseball cards. The gum that came with it was usually stiff and stale, but it was secondary. There were always certain star players whose cards didn't show up too frequently. It was the baseball card company's way to get you to keep buying more and more packs of cards. Why is it that certain vintage half speed titles just don't turn up that often? You'll find 20 CBS Mastersound Born To Runs for every Harvest by Neil Young on Nautilus. Or 15 CBS Mastersound Touchdown by Bob James for every copy of Bob James: One. With its ominous looking cover. The Mastersounds I understand were made from digital copies of master tapes. The Japanese Mastersounds sound a lot better. Mobile Fidelity when it was starting, allegedly went to CBS to license about 20 titles for half speed mastering. They showed their market research results to CBS executives. After thinking it over CBS decided to do their own half speed masters, as they were benefited by Mobile Fidelitys market research. Gee thanks for all that market research dude! CBS liked bright sound and it showed in their products. A few employees of CBS even got together and came out with a line of phono cartridges back then. They called the company Micro Acoustics. You guessed it; they were very bright sounding.

[@ThePressingMatters]

Yes I remember all that! Collect 'em all!" I still have that completest collector mentality. Of course it's music first. You will find my next video interesting I think.

[@sidesup8286]

@@ThePressingMatters Will be looking forward to it!

[@jameshogg11]

I got a Near Mint OG UK pressing of Avalon last month for £6 in the used bin at my local record store. That was one of my favourite finds so far. No idea how the sound compares with other pressings but I'm happy with it ☺

[@ThePressingMatters]

James, that's an absolute treasure! This album really needs to be in NM condition. Quiet surfaces are a must. My original US IS QUIET TOO BUT THIS NEW PRESSING IS MOST QUIET AT ALL. It could embarrass many a One Step or UHQR for pressing quality and silent surfaces.

[@jameshogg11]

@@ThePressingMatters I'm tempted to get the half speed master of 'For Your Pleasure' because OG copies of that don't appear often, but there's so many other records I 'need', the list never ends! 🙂

[@ThePressingMatters]

@@jameshogg11 I have a reissue of For Your Pleasure on Virgin Records. The jacket and sleeve are great, and although I don't have anything to compare it to, I don't recall the sound to be anything to write home about. Of course my system was different at that time, I'll need to revisit it. It's stamped MASTERED BY CAPITOL, which doesn't give me confidence but I'll let you know.

[@achn2b]

I have a UK and US pressing, and while the UK is really sparkly and glistening, it's a bit bass shy when compared to my US pressing. I prefer the US. Gonna have to pick up this half speed master.

[@ThePressingMatters]

I've heard that mentioned before - one might assume the UK was automatically better, but apparently the US is a bit more fleshed out and warm with a deeper bass response. I think you'll love the reissue if you love Avalon. It's a good one.

[@ThePressingMatters]

Hey everybody, if you get this (Avalon) listen through til the last waves crash at the end of side two. My copy has three light tics in the last 5 seconds, which normally wouldn't bother me but at that point of the whole experience I wanted it perfectly quiet like the rest of the disc. I tried a second one and the repeating tic started earlier.

[@chrisknowlton9460]

Hello. It's part of the recording. I noticed it when playing it on CD a few months ago. I thought the disc was to blame but I have three CD versions. Weird I never noticed it before.

[@ThePressingMatters]

@@chrisknowlton9460 i have not noticed it on other versions and when I saw your comment, I played the Spotify track and found no clicks. Also my first copy had it louder and longer than the second. I'll doublecheck my original but I can't imagine it's on the master.

[@ThePressingMatters]

@@chrisknowlton9460 Testing an original press now... I did not hear it. Perhaps we're not referring to the same thing. On the Abbey Road Pressing there is a repeating tic that coincides with the same spot for three revolutions. It's got to be a pressing defect, because of the nature and timing. I'm sure BryanFerry wouldn't leave a tic in the closing moments of his masterpiece. Others also said they got copies that were clean throughout Tara.

[@chrisknowlton9460]

@@ThePressingMatters I dont own vinyl but I enjoy these videos. I have the CD remaster, the original UK CD, and USA CD of Avalon. I heard the clicks on at least two of them as I wanted to compare. Who knows why. But since 99.95% is perfect I can forgive a blip of imperfection! 😎

[@tturner12341]

Avalon I love. Plus I love Bryan Ferry solo as well.

[@ThePressingMatters]

Hi Terry, I am a big fan of Avalon and the following three or four albums from Bryan Ferry. I hope they get to reissuing some of the rarer ones like Taxi and particularly Mamouna

[@ThePressingMatters]

I saw Bryan on the Bete Noir tour in NY. Very memorable show and an absolute thrill for me. Love that album too. I did a review way back in the early days of the channel for Boys and Girls. I was just getting my feet wet then, it's a bit rough shall we say.

[@tturner12341]

@@ThePressingMatters I thought about making a channel myself. Because I have a very unique collection of music. But, I pretty sure a lot of people won’t be interested in my taste in music. Most people are into classic Rock and jazz. Which I never really liked. But, maybe. We shall see.

[@ThePressingMatters]

@@tturner12341 I can tell you Vinyl is a very small niche as it is, if you are covering more esoteric stuff, it may be hard to gain traction. I'd say do it for fun and interacting with the community. That's my favorite part. I've met some great people and get to talk with many others. If you want to make money as well, it's a bit difficult to make anything significant in my experience.

[@preservedmoose]

This is the same as the Mofi issue, in my opinion, in that it is deliberately deceptive. The marketting is clearly trying to trick people into believing they are all analogue. Mofi have the "Original Master Recording" for original tape (or master when digital) and "Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab" when from a tape copy. Yet there is, mostly, a digital step. They still sound great, of course, but it is deliberately misleading. Miles Showell converts to digital to perform the half speed mastering process, a contentious process in reality (ask Kevin Gray). I mean, if he has the original tapes then why not cut it normally and keep it all analogue? Anyway, I'm glad you like them.

[@ThePressingMatters]

It's true, and I hope recent trends toward absolutely transparent labeling for sourcing and mastering will become standard. Craft OJC, Rhino Hi Fi, AP, MOFI are now quite clear about it, but Abbey Road is still playing games. I do like these reissues as well as Boys and Girls and Manifesto, but make it clear for the consumer. Not everyone has time to dig for an interview or through a forum thread for answers.

[@johntyndall1373]

Good video, Scott. The Flesh + Blood original cover is closer to the Abbey Road version.

[@ThePressingMatters]

Thanks John, I'm glad someone answered that. I got so used to the 'red' version I had forgotten what the original looked like!

[@Raskolnikov1863]

Great review!

[@ThePressingMatters]

Thanks so much, I appreciate the feedback! Do you have any of these records, original or otherwise? I'd love to know what you think about them.

[@dank.6942]

Great video, thanks for the effort. I love Roxy Music. I will say that the Abbey Rd. Half-speed series definitely earned some of the criticism. To me, it's not the half-speed process, I would never blanket the process with criticism, because I have some old "super disk" titles that sound incredible. However The Stones releases by Abbey Rd. were shockingly bad. I didn't hate ALL the Marley titles I got, but over all, not awesome... That said, I blame Abbey Rd. for those, not the half-speed process.

[@ThePressingMatters]

Hi Dan, thank you for watching and commenting! I don't have too many but I have heard about the poor sounding Rolling Stones titles and mixed reviews on the Marley, Police, etc. The last I did try was the Sade Box which I felt was surprisingly good. Of course there will be certain pressings that will top some of these and I was not implying that these top all other pressings. I do still prefer my original Avalon for these extra little bit of magic, but at least in the case of these Roxy and most of the Sade, these are valid alternatives. As with everything, it's a case by case basis, and with a larger sample I guess that would be called hit or miss. I do think these two are great sounding, very competent efforts, while admittedly not the last word on either title. My small sample of the series was much better than I was led to believe - that's the point I was trying to get across. Thank you so much for your comment, and sharing your experience with the titles you've tried from the series. I appreciate your perspective.

[@dank.6942]

@@ThePressingMatters awesome. I value and respect your opinion. ...and "valid alternatives" make up a huge portion of my collection! 🤣👍✌️

[@ThePressingMatters]

Dan, I meant to ask you about the Bob Marley reissues. I'd love to try one and would love to know your recommendation.

[@MrLovell1971]

Awesome review Scott I still need to seek out a clean original U. S promo I do have the Simply Vinyl man it sounds awesome my buddy came over I played it he couldn’t believe it was Simply Vinyl but I believe you I’ll get a copy of the promo . Flesh and blood I have a first press Japanese press I’m happy with and I’m going to check out the new half speed take care . Lovellandrew

[@ThePressingMatters]

Just so you know the jacket is the only thing that indicated a promo. The record looks the same as a general release, the MASTERDISC stamper on one or both sides is the ticket.

[@charlesgund4812]

I preferred the Simply Vinyl version I have to the first Japanese edition and the first UK edition with Arun in the deadwax. The SV just had more warmth and punch. The original Uk does have an ‘airy’ sound but was lacking bass imo…

[@ThePressingMatters]

Thank you Charles for that information. I'm going to do some further listening, as I really thought all have different strengths. I'm glad you were able to confirm about the original being light on the low frequencies. On the original, Bryan's voice is bathed in a glow, where it's clearer on the new one. The Simply Vinyl does strike a nice balance. Now I'm going to play that one tonight!

[@ergloo6660]

Agree re Avalon but why not hunt for a good 1st UK press mastered by Robert Ludwig, sounds stunning. On my system even the best "digital records" sound a bit lifeless, stopped buying the Abbey Road 1/2 speed remasters as when I did a side by side comparison the difference in sound quality was staggering, BUT that's to my ears on my system and after a lot of time listening to many of the variants, "you pays your money and makes your choice". Why is this important? A practical example, I was never a fan of Lou Reed's Transformer having some modern reissue/remasters and CD's then I got a minty 1st UK issue wow! Vicious now leaps forward and just grabs you, a thing that does not happen on any other version I own, they're just too polite! Keep going your getting quiet good at this KZbin thing! 👍

[@ThePressingMatters]

Hi, welcome back, I do have no doubt that like my US press by Ludwig, the UK is a stunner. With this review, I would never say the half speed tops the best pressings. I like to bring attention to currently available reissues and this being one of my favorite albums, curiosity got the best of me. Upon further extensive auditioning I had a definite preference for my original, a touch more magic, though with slightly less detail that the new one. I meant to imply that the new one, though admittedly not the last word in Avalon, surprised me that it was a competent, viable, and desirable alternative for Avalon fans, or those that prefer a new pristine record. Have you compared your copy of Transformer to the Speakers Corner. I have not but I did review the reissue and found it had the sound you describe. Love to know if you've done that comparison. Thanks so much for your perspective, always appreciated.

[@taralewis9916]

Unless it says from original first generation analog source tapes used for mastering in the 70's, then it's digital

[@ThePressingMatters]

Yes, Miles was very transparent about that in this statements over the years, unlike the misleading hype sticker!

[@sidesup8286]

The Scheherazade is a perfect example of the choice dilemma of better sound vs. better performance. The Reiner versus the Beecham might be "way better sound" versus "somewhat better performance." I usually go with the CSO version. As good as the Fielder/Wild American In Paris is, it not only made the TAS list but HP's Baker's Dozen (cream of the crop with an exceptionally natural sound asterisk), the RCA reel tape is way better. Here the choice isn't between the LP versus tape, here the choice is more between the Fiedler/Wild and other performances of the music that I can think of where the reading and performance of the pieces are better, (usually teamed with Rhapsody In Blue), including the Bernstein, which is very very different. Sometimes if you upgrade, lets say to speakers with a better crossover, you will give higher marks to certain performances due to what now sounds like better timing. It is nice to have different versions of the same music, if the music is a favorite. There used to be lots of guides to the best classical music recordings on LP or CD. They would describe in fair amount of detail how each performance sounded. Their wonderful descriptions made you want to try all their favorites. I don't think they ever said "This is the definitive version." They just laid it out on the table what each recorded performance was about and why they considered it exceptional.

[@ThePressingMatters]

Good points for sure, and you know years back I came across an edition of High Fidelity Records in Review, which was a hard bound annual compilation of that years releases and the reviews that appeared in the magazine. I liked it so much I collected the entire series, started in 1958 if I'm not mistaken. That's a great non audiophile centric resource for reviews that focus on classical records from a performance standpoint.

[@ThePressingMatters]

I do have a nice collection of the 7.5ips tape releases of the Living Stereo titles, but my tape deck needs an overhaul or replacement. They're not cheap anymore!

[@sidesup8286]

@@ThePressingMatters The magazine that really packed the reviews rock, jazz, classical was/is Hi Fi News & Record Review from the U.K.. Hundreds of capsule reviews along with full length reviews. I have a secondary reel to reel tape deck, a Revox B77. I found out it was the make/model Laserium used at their shows. The sound was great along with those moving laser images. Laser light is the purest light and its was a delight. I don't think the tape is making contact with the heads when I press play. I read in one of the forums that there is switch or something inside. I forget exactly what they said. I wish I could remember the thread.

[@ThePressingMatters]

@@sidesup8286 So is it operational or needs a repair? I forget what's wrong with mine the Lowly Pioneer 707. Actually used ones are not ridiculously costly today. Under 1,000, sometimes well under. I bought mine in working condition 20 years ago for $180!

[@sidesup8286]

@@ThePressingMatters It lights up, the reels spin as they should on play, fast forward and rewind without difficulty, but the meter needles on playback don't budge, and there was no sound out of the headphone output. I just get the feeling the tape is not making contact with the head, like when any reel deck FF or Rewinds there's something that makes sure the tape doesn't touch the heads and make all kind of sounds while the tape travels at higher speeds. Like it's stuck in that mode after someone was rewinding or something.The good thing about Revox is they are the easiest machines to get parts for; as they were used in recording studios and some still use them, even though digital recording predominates. A77 & then B77 machines were used as backups to Studers in the best recording studios when things were all analog. Pioneer wasn't my favorite company for amps and speakers, but their tape decks were a cut above their amps and speakers. Not that far from semi-professional quality. I have about 4 reel decks. One is a Pioneer 1020L. It plays back in both stereo and quad but does need a new tape tension arm.

[@sidesup8286]

That London started half speed mastering their CS 6000 series of classical Lps in the 1950s, doesn't mean that they were the first or that the 1950s were the first decade of half speed mastering. Who knows how far it goes back. Many things audio would surprise you. For decades every record was a Direct to Disc record before we had tape recorders. There were stereo music transmissions over the airwaves in the mid 1920s. I read where the electrostatic transducer dates back to the late 1800s. There was always a fascination for audio, as it is one of our two primary senses. I have a feeling that more lps were half speed mastered than were labeled or mentioned as such. Half speed mastering is technical, and many probably didn't want to go through the effort of explaining it, and it might not have been mentioned. I never seen anything that came with London records that mentioned anything about it. Robert Moon had info and literature that the public didn't have, or he was close to the actual process I presume. RCA and Mercury were Londons biggest competitors. With the Blueback lps there was a little written speech on the inner sleeves giving advice on how to care for your records. I always marvel that if you see a used Blueback lp, a Living Stereo lp & a Living Presence lp, the Blueback always has the far better chance of being in great condition. RCA half speed mastered some of their original Living Stereo titles from decades earlier and called them the .5 series. Many collectors quipped that it was a good name for them, as they are about half as good as the tube cut originals. I bought some Living Stereo SACD's and for the first time noticed that a major non-audiophile record company made mention of the brand of cables that they used to master them. RCA in the literature that is with their SACD discs say that they used Siltech brand cables. Cables are starting to get their due respect; finally.

[@ThePressingMatters]

I remember that quip about RCA's .5 series from an issue of TAS. I miss that old TAS. I was a fervent reader if TAS until the digest size was abandoned. Once HP left it was over for me! Good times!

[@ThePressingMatters]

By the way, where I am, the Bluebacks are usually found in poor condition compared to RCA. I've found I sometimes prefer the late Stereo Treasury UK pressings on some of these, after the update of the cutting equipment, the better, more pure vinyl, and new mastering engineers. Many of these have black print in orange rather than silver and a G for the mastering engineer in the deadwax. I forget his name. The tapes were not that old at that point and some good work was done in this period.

[@sidesup8286]

@@ThePressingMatters Its just the opposite here, the Bluebacks are like box sets, they turn up in nicer condition than the RCas & Mercurys. Are you familiar with the U.K. Nimbus Super Cut half speed masters? You had to order them with an order form that used to be published in Hi Fi News & Record Review magazine. They half speed mastered Rickie Lee Jones, Kind Of Blue, Desperado, Hissing Of Summer Lawns, some Little Feat, Mysterious Traveler by Weather Report etc. Really rare. The Sweet Thunder half speeds are very rare too but not anywhere near as rare. Frampton Comes Alive on Sweet Thunder half speed is exceptional for sound. High end audio had a voice with Harry Pearson, now it has none. Some of the ones that try to be a voice are very disturbing. Their latest thing seems to be saying they're having a big equipment giveaway in order to increase their subscription rate, but they don't say who won when its over, and there are not any thank you comments, that I've been able to see. They use deceptive sensationalism in their headings often too. Those are our voices now. The world keeps getting crazier and crazier and crazier.

[@ThePressingMatters]

@@sidesup8286 So true on the state of audio journalism. Glad I got to enjoy that era. I've never had a Nimbus Supercut that I can recall. I'm sure they are something special..I've got a lot of the Direct to Discs, and early Audiophile pressings from that era. I've found a vast majority of the Living Stereo, Mercury and London catalogs, usually it was at thrift stores etc. I don't think I ever paid the collectors price for any but a few. That was back when so many were dumping vinyl collections.

[@sidesup8286]

@@ThePressingMatters I did the same thing on the early stereo classical LPs. Even going so far as to travel from east to west coast, stopping in countless big, medium and smaller size cities to see if there existed places that people were not wise to the value of Living Stereos/Presence and London/Deccas. Where you could find them left and right. I never found any such place, but did find places that were much easier to find them than others. Where maybe there were a few collectors of them in that town, but they were not as frequent or as thorough in their search to snatch them up. I ended up at one time with over 1,000 of those types of records. I ended up selling about a half of them to a guy who resold them and knew people who would pay a lot for them. It's a shame that their value isn't near what it once was, but some titles can still gets a more than decent price. I have never found LSC 1806, Witches Brew or the Royal Gala box set, which as you may know has another Ansermet performance of The Nutcracker among other music. I have also never found the rarer cover version of Overture Overture; I've always found the version with upright rectangles on the cover. Never found Stereo For The Joy Of It (classical). Some titles just elude you. I knew an old guy who was collecting LSCs for near 60 years and the one he couldn't find was the Copland with Morton Gould conducting. I have a nice copy of that and also on SACD. I also never found the one which included a conductors baton, (at least a copy with the baton still with it). I didn't find a great condition copy of Gershwin American In Paris with Earl Wild, until my 13th copy. It's not always unlucky. I mostly tried finding them at Thrift Shops also.

[@vinylrulesok8470]

Interesting Scott. I've bought 2 Brian Eno Abbey Rd half speed pressings and they were disappointing. My UK OG Avalon is one of my favourite LPs and sounds amazing but I might chance my arm with the ARHS of Flesh & Blood as I sold my OG many years ago

[@ThePressingMatters]

I didn't go for the Eno LPs and I'm glad I didn't. If you don't have Manifesto, I can highly recommend the half speed. That one came out great too, I think slightly better than Flesh and Blood. I've been quite impressed with the last three Roxy albums in the series.

[@vinylrulesok8470]

@@ThePressingMatters If that's the case I may go with your recommendation haha !!!

[@ThePressingMatters]

@@vinylrulesok8470 or get 'em both! Really you can't go wrong on the last three!

[@vinylrulesok8470]

@@ThePressingMatters steady on Scott, I do have bills to pay as well haha!!!

[@ThePressingMatters]

@@vinylrulesok8470 Yeah me too, I'm eating peanut butter and jelly so I can afford my habit LOL

[@stuartgonsal8443]

Great review. I don't own Avalon so will go with the new half-speed master.

[@ThePressingMatters]

That or a clean original will do nicely. I found them very close, and it's nice to have the half speed for a new silent copy.

[@stuartgonsal8443]

@@ThePressingMatters Thanks. How do I find a clean original? Discogs is flooded with versions. Would love a steer on this please 🙂

[@ThePressingMatters]

@stuartgonsal8443 This is the issue with the original pressing hunt. It's generally thought that the first American pressing sounds best, a bit warmer than the UK. I think it's essential to get a silent copy of this for maximum effect which is why I do like the new reissue. It's everything you could want for this with even a touch more clarity. I don't think you'd be disappointed in the least with it. Some may always argue for an original and the best ones have a touch more magic around the vocals. If the reissue is still around at retail it's a no brainer, give it a try. If you can find a trusted seller that has a NM original US (or UK) for a reasonable price go with that. The record sold very well, and you might just stumble upon one in a shop. They are not rare.

[@stuartgonsal8443]

@@ThePressingMatters OK, thanks for the advice. Btw you previously gave me advice regarding the reissue of BF's Boys & Girls and I absolutely adore it.

[@ThePressingMatters]

@@stuartgonsal8443 If you loved that then just get the Avalon reissue. They are both superb. I think you'll love it!

[@AndrewBell]

I hope you've been well. Which is the best pressing in your opinion and why? Is the Abbey Road half speed the best? Thanks!

[@ThePressingMatters]

Hi Andrew! I'll have to do another listen as I've done some system upgrades since shooting this video. I thought at the time the original offered just a touch more natural sound in the vocal. However theAbbey Road offered astonishing clarity while retaining most everything that made the original so great. To me great surfaces are essential for this record. If you can get an original in top shape that would be my recommendation. If not, the Abbey Road is fantastic in its own way. As I said I could be very happy to live with any of the three I covered. I'll try and do some more listening on my new set up and get back to you with an update. These remarks are concerning Avalon. For Flesh and Blood I preferred the Abbey Road over the Simply Vinyl. Also if you haven't seen it, I covered Manifesto from the Abbey Road series and went crazy over it. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eqKWXqWnbZeWd8U

[@AndrewBell]

@@ThePressingMatters What a thorough and thoughtful answer, thanks! I bought the Abbey Road Avalon and had a great evening listening to it. Hard to imagine 'more than this!' I look forward to hearing about your findings

[@ThePressingMatters]

@@AndrewBell You're welcome, Andrew!

[@AndrewBell]

@@ThePressingMatters I'm also curious to hear how your collection consolidation is going - 5,000 records is a daunting task!

[@ThePressingMatters]

@@AndrewBell Oh you know about that! Well it stalled on one end. The going out pile now totals six boxes of about 50 LPs each - if you saw the videos, you know most is flea market stuff, and I added a box of full length operas. So, easy right? Problem is they are still in my garage lol. I must take a weekday and donate those to the thrift store. I was going to have a garage sale and I still may but no one will want those (even though I apparently did for a dollar each!) On the other end, I have been cleaning and resleeving my favorite LPs. New Vinyl Storage Solution inners and outers. These are being placed in the same kind of boxes and are in a separate part of the house temporarily. This forces me to play something I haven't heard in a while and decide to clean it and keep or consider selling it. These are more valuable LPs. I gotta speed this up! Thanks for the reminder!

[@joemorgan4740]

Hi scott great video im about to play avalon half speed now I’ve researched flesh and blood at the record store as didn’t see it Friday as they misfiled it . Il let you know what i think cheers take care joe

[@ThePressingMatters]

Hi Joe, thank you, and I am anxious to hear what you think of it. Please let us know!

[@joemorgan4740]

@@ThePressingMatters hi Scott I’ve listened to avalon and have to concur with you fantastic half speed mastering can hear lits I haven’t heard before and super quiet pressing good old optimill Germany its my go to copy now . Next up in a few days is flesh and blood when I collect it lol I might check out country life as well . Take care and thanks for sparking my interest . Joe

[@ThePressingMatters]

@@joemorgan4740 Hi Joe, glad you tried this incredible mastering. It's very well done. Thanks for letting me know your experience with it. This can help others reading the thread to pull the trigger. Next one I've been evaluating is The Who's Tommy, review coming in a day or two!

[@ceejaydeesoozaa]

WOW YOUR AVALON PROMO LOOKS BRAND NEW. VERY WELL PRESERVED

[@ThePressingMatters]

Yes I am very fortunate to have it in such nice shape.

[@incamera1457]

Not sure. Listened to the new Flesh and Blood last night. The bass slam that is integral to the rhythm appears relatively anaemic. The upper frequencies seem clattering and distracting with Ferry getting overpowered by the undergrowth. The bass/drum/Ferry axis that was the heart of the sound is less compelling.

[@ThePressingMatters]

Hi, I respect what you're saying, and I wish I had had an original as reference vs. the Simply Vinyl. They were pretty similar, and I did feel that Flesh and Blood wasn't as impressive as Avalon. I've always felt that way. The sonic effect you mention was evident on Side Two, and on the busier tracks in general. I still found much to like, but not having an original for reference, it was impossible to recall just how it sounded. Commenting on Avalon was much easier, as I had all three and several originals. Thank you for your take on it. Did you get Avalon and find the same thing?

[@tturner12341]

I want a copy and I want a copy of Grace Jones Night Clubbing. Because I had a original copy but, long lost.

[@ThePressingMatters]

That is a great one, and shouldn't be too difficult or expensive to find. I have a US and German pressing. Never did a close comparison.

[@tturner12341]

So what copy of Avalon should I get again?

[@ThePressingMatters]

In my opinion, if you can find a minty or near mint US or UK original, I'd grab that. It does possess a certain magic that the half speed can't guide convey. The Simply Vinyl is probably more expensive and while very good, an original is probably preferable. If you can't find either for a reasonable price and you don't have a copy the new one will get you there too, though with extra clarity that you may not even notice. I was surprised how good the new one is and I'm glad to have it as an alternative.

[@tonynewman1694]

How are you getting on with your Hana SL Scott ?

[@ThePressingMatters]

Hi Tony, coming along in the break in. Past 35 hours now. Still trying to figure out the best loading and it been fun having the Nighthawk to dial in settings on the fly. I have pretty much decided to alter my internal phono stage to 400 to match the Hana. I must like the Hana a lot, cause it a bit of a pain to do it. Soldering, resistors etc. It's really sounding great in that range through the external. Thanks for checking in on me!

[@user-ki8ee5jx3p]

HELLO IF YOU HAVE MUSIC ALBUMS OF MUKESH.MOHAMMAD RAFI.LATA MANGESHKAR. KISHOR KUMAR. AND OTHER ORIGINAL INDIAN RETRO MUSIC ALBUMS WHICH WE CAN EXCHANGE IN DIGITAL FORMAT - IN BOLYWOOD FILES AND MAGAZINES.

[@ThePressingMatters]

No I don't have that music.

[@sidesup8286]

There isn't anything near a consensus out there concerning who the best audio company is. Those of you out there all have ideas on which ones impressed you with a particular item or two. Nominate any speaker company or any amplifier company or a turntable company as the best, and you'd get all kind of arguments from naysayers. I can think of only one company that made anything audio that was generally considered and accepted as the best. What they made is tubes and the company is Telefunken of Germany. You would think that any company that made anything considered the best would be so heralded and everyone would be flocking to hear the equipment they built; especially their tube amps, using of course their very own tubes. Except for their tubes, in which they were the acknowledged world leader, Telefunken equipment must have flown under the radar. You don't see much Telefunken equipment on the used market. I can proudly say that I was not someone who ignored their products. Their tubes were not the best out of sheer.luck, they were the best because they knew how to do things and built things like they should have been built. Anything from amplifiers to reel to reel tape decks, to even console stereos with turntables. You know, those big furniture things from the 1960's/70s with a flip up top and speakers built in on each side. One of those fooled me into thinking I was listening to tubes one time; until I looked inside. Not a tube anywhere to be found. For my headphone listening I use a vintage Telefunken integrated amp. Best I've heard, and I've heard many. Telefunken might be the best audio company ever. So glad I really took an interest in them.

[@zukispur5493]

The best audio company ever" according to the ears of whom? Statement is is bold as it is broad

[@robertwands9185]

dude why arent you playing thie most entertaing music from 72 thru75 do you know they are beginnning a 50th anniversary tour I was at thier "Stranded " album concert in Baltimore In 1974 and I will be at that 50th annniversary tour in Austin tx on Sept.21

[@ThePressingMatters]

Robert, I love all eras of Roxy Music and have seen Bryan on two tours. I'm simply reviewing the just released reissues that happen to be Flesh & Blood and Avalon.

[@ralex3697]

I don’t think Miles Showell is a very good engineer nor is Steven Wilson. It’s just digital on vinyl, nothing more. Simply Vinyl are awful. Speakers Corner are great. Analogue Productions are great. Music on Vinyl are average. Mobile Fidelity are overpriced and primarily digital. Impex are great. So still lots to choose from

[@ThePressingMatters]

AP is my favorite reissue house, they use the best engineers. I did want to check out Avalon Half Speed only because it is a favorite album, and though I prefer the original, it was very good. Have you heard it? Or no digital to vinyl for you?