Stone Temple Pilots A75 45RPM OR Walmart Splatter Vinyl?

[@PiecesofVinyl]

Sorry - I forgot to post the audio samples! They are in the Description now! 🤦‍♂

[@meckster28]

Great video! Just a heads up, when I downloaded the samples, there was some interesting looping/echoing happening. I think it happened during recording, not sure. I have the 45 of core and just needed one other person to persuade me to get Purple too (despite having the regular version). Thanks for helping me spend my money lol

[@TheFreightOfficial]

So awesome…. AP is KILLING IT with this series…. I agree, the STP titles tik all the boxes for me too!! Love your content man. Thx! 🙌

[@PiecesofVinyl]

I need to get some of the Soul and Jazz editions from this series - waiting on the Wilson Pickett.

[@TheFreightOfficial]

@@PiecesofVinyl yes! I can’t wait for those…. Not sure if you’ve checked others that already came out yet, but I’m telling you, the sleeper of this entire series for me is Hall & Oates “Abandoned Luncheonette”…. I’d never heard the entire record before…. It has amazing east coast soul / pop vibes…. I appreciate you and your taste do much and gotten great advice from you.. Check out the AP 75 Abandoned Luncheonette.” Its insanely great…. 👍

[@kodithebear]

Two of my favourite records too. Amazing.

[@carbo1961]

Just discovered your page. Awesome stuff! Love these albums. Now I'm tempted to get these versions.

[@PiecesofVinyl]

If you are a fan of STP - you will LOVE these no doubt - thanks for checking out the channel!

[@JonathanLeon]

Cool video. I would also recommend Pearl Jam Vs. (2LP 45 RPM Edition)

[@PiecesofVinyl]

It is amazing - Nirvana Incesticide 45rpm is also killer.

[@FleagleSangria]

First, I am all in for samples. Would be much appreciated. Big thumbs up and a yes vote for this. But what I think really is best are blind samples. Takes away the bias more so. Then do a short reveal video later. Seriously, that really is the way to go. Tones down the hype and keeps it real. Btw, Great looking video. Well edited👍🏻 Love STP, have both of these AP 45’s. They do sound very good in comparison to the versions I have (CDs, MOV’s, originals, the 4 lp boxset, Walmart) and that is what matters. Mini rant about 45 vs 33…nothing personal just my thoughts and after having spoken with a few mastering engineers. I have become less and less a fan of 45’s. I have full sets of the MMJ, Fantasy 45 series, Riverside 45, Fleetwood Mac 45, One Steps, UHQRs etc etc. So I do have some experience with them. For one, the presentation is interruptive. But that is not my main issue with these. I have compared many 33’s against the 45’s. For instance, the Mofi Miles Davis titles. Many of the older reissues from the 70’s and a Kind Of Blue from the 90’s are simply better tonally and sound more musical. I have also A/B’d in blind tests more current 33 and 45 reissues of the same titles. FM’s Rumours for example. And found the difference between the 33 and 45 to be marginal. And then there is comparing a 45 with the original 33. For example “Bad Company” S/T. The original UK is better sounding than the recent AP 45. Point? I think the 45 vs 33 is at best marginal in improves SQ many times. What is more important is the mastering. Of course we cannot know this in an A/B blind test concerning these STP titles because there is no 33 counterparts that the same mastering engineer did within the series. You are correct, it really is not fair to say 45 is better than 33 based upon these two titles. The AP 45 may indeed sound best but the conclusion of “45 process sounds better than 33” should not be arrived at by the examples in this video. Album length for one comes into play here. Who is to say that a double 33 would not sound as good? The main reason audiophile companies do 45’s is due to licensing. That really is the bottomline. The rest is marketing as far as the 45 format sounding so much better. At times, depending on who is mastering, the shape of the mastertapes and inability to replicate past engineering 45’s can sound inferior to the best versions on 33. Now there is one caveat here as you mention: Album length. That is the biggest issue many times and here. But even so, they could have split this up on 33 over four sides and with proper like mastering I would venture to say it would be a close call. It is the limitations of vinyl rather than the 45 vs 33 process. But if they are going to split it up might as well do 45. Yet isn’t “Lamb Lies Down On Broadway” AP 45 8 sides a bit goofy? Yeah. Again it is the mastering, freshness of tapes, how well the album was recorded and produced, mastering chain and decisions that are most important. My nickels worth. Thanks for the video and yes these do sound very good. And please do consider putting up unidentified samples in order for folks to truly hear as unbiased as possible. The proof is in the listening. And no better and honest way to conclude than A/B blind. No, the process is not perfect but well done digital rips can be very helpful and always are better than simply opinions without any proof. Hi-rez downloads. And yes, volume matched. It will also prove to many if they line up with this channels conclusions and gain trust to know what you conclude lines up with the subscribers listening tastes 👍🏻👍🏻 I have been pestering Chad for Superunknown for ages. I think he is open to it, but again whether it is possible for various reasons only he knows. Write Acoustic Sounds and voice this title and the Alice N Chains titles. Put that bug in his Louisianna ear!

[@PiecesofVinyl]

wow thanks for the spirited reply! I did provide samples in the description - I will consider doing the blind A/B stuff in the future - though pbthal aka the vinyl Archivist on KZbin already does this - but - how do these samples sound? If I provided these samples in blind tests - would you get a good idea of which is better? Thanks for your time!

[@utp216]

STP - Core (Atlantic 75 Series) on my system is right at the top of best sounding record in my collection. I’m still listening through Purple but so far Core is the best IMO.

[@ConcertBuddie]

You are 100% correct: the AP75 Core > Purple. They knocked it out of the park on the former, fell short on the latter. Plus, no one really mentions this series used to have laminated jackets up until Core came out. More cost cutting in Salina 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@PiecesofVinyl]

Interesting. I didn’t know that - this is my first of the series. I would have thought they would have been laminated. It was odd to me they weren’t but I didn’t think about since other things I have from them aren’t either. But now I want it laminated!

[@booieaguilar4792]

I don't know not one thing about this band lol. BUT, since you told me about that Sam Cooke record from acoustic sounds, I've been browsing through the website and I can't go on there and write down a new want from them. Great video as always, and much love brotha man

[@PiecesofVinyl]

Its so crazy to me that people have never heard of some of these bands - you could not walk into a mall or ANY store that played for like 5 years after these came out and not hear one of these songs. The Crow is actually a good movie - Brand Lee (Bruce Lee's Son) he died while filming it.

[@booieaguilar4792]

@@PiecesofVinyl my dad was never into rock music so I didn't know who a lot of rock bands were till later in life. But after your video yesterday, I did stream one of those albums by STP. It pretty good, I just really have to broaden my taste in rock music lol. I do have a thing for death metal, which is insanely different lol. Always great talking with you brotha man, much love.

[@stephenbucedi3051]

This is awesome!

[@christopher.cordova]

The reason for the significant sound difference simply comes down to the mastering and the AAA source, not the 45rpm format. Those Walmart pressings are mastered from digital files, and are not mastered by RKS. You would be surprised how good CDs can sound if the source was the master tape and also mastered by someone significant, for example, the AP SACD counterpart. With a good cartridge $, inner groove distortion isn’t a problem if it’s properly set up. Thanks for the video!

[@PiecesofVinyl]

I really enjoy the 45rpm format - however the mastering alone probably isn't the only difference - I know cramming these longer records designed for the CD era onto single LPs is a problem - they probably would sound just fine on 33 - but need to be split over 2LPs - I have another record from Jon Scofield (A Go Go) recorded in 2003 - and repressed by third man (last year) - and it sounds HORRIBLE - way too low volume - should have been spread over 2LPs - and I would have paid more for that!

[@JimmyV1530]

Great post, just found your channel, new follower now...

[@PiecesofVinyl]

Thanks! Hope you like the other content!

[@luceous567]

with most of the albums you mentioned how they were mastered from master tapes, were likely recorded on something known as DAT (digital audio tape) it was a very popular format in the late 80s and early 90s

[@PiecesofVinyl]

Right. I wasn’t sure if this was recorded to ADAT or not. I recorded a couple records using that when I was like 15. Terrible studio but it was fun.

[@R3TR0R4V3]

I have both of those Walmart pressings, the super deluxe editions, and these AP 45's.. The APs totally smoke everything. No contest. These surely are the definitive versions, despite having to flip sides more often. 👍 Edit: the Nirvana and Pearl Jam 45rpm cuts are awesome too.. Just picked up Vs on Amazon for about $27 shipped. Just can't beat it! 😎 I'd kill for some Soundgarden though!

[@PiecesofVinyl]

Good to hear about the deluxe versions. I almost got those right before these were announced.

[@papoosee]

Can you make a video on the Zoom F3, and steps of getting the audio samples? I want to get into getting audio samples as well for comparing pressings, as I think this is the only way to really hear the differences, but i'm not sure how to get good audio samples, level match, etc.

[@PiecesofVinyl]

I too am struggling with this - I can certainly make a video doing what I am doing - but I dont know if it's the most accurate. The best setup would be two identical turntables and a mixer to be able to quickly A/B them.

[@pervertedalchemist9944]

Stone Temple Pilots' first two albums have been reissued on vinyl a few times before this. In fact, I remember seeing a repress of "Purple" as far back as 2013.

[@PiecesofVinyl]

Right - there are Walmart editions out there that came out in 2022 as well as others - but none of them as far as I know are on either 2 LP or 45rpm vinyl - or are pressed from the Original Master tapes. The deluxe edition of Core is on Multiple LPs but I think that is just for Bonus Material.

[@ryanhale1654]

Woww! MAn that is so badass!

[@crazyprayingmantis5596]

If i remember correctly the CD of Core sounds pretty bloody good. I don't want 2lp 45rpm versions of anything, not a fan of flipping

[@PiecesofVinyl]

It's not that bad! The CD is probably great - I ended up selling mine back in the day.

[@michaelrogers8126]

Just an FYI the Core reissue from 2020 was re- master by Chris Bellman and I think sounds very good. A solid pressing. And the Atlantic 75 clear 33 rpm of Purple was remastered by Bernie Grundman and also sounds good and is a good value at $25 Just my opinion. The 45 rpm may sound better but the 45 format I think breaks up the flow of the record too much.

[@R3TR0R4V3]

I have both and it is night & day... No contest. I wouldn't snooze on this new 45 cut version. ;)

[@Davidicus-m8c]

hey rocco,i have both those STP albums, that you have from wal-mart,, the core, the vocals are too low,you really have to crank the volume, sounds like the newer atlantic 75 sounds a lot better, and the purple album, that walmart sold,that sounds good to me.

[@PiecesofVinyl]

I actually thought Purple sounded worse than Core on the Walmart editions - I agree about the vocals. You should def. check out the A75 versions - you will enjoy them!

[@paulgusztak4177]

Longer albums have to be cut quieter or the music simply won't fit on the disc. I don't have a problem with that, the music always drowns out the noise floor except on the ultra quiet passages. The "tightness" of the kick drum on Core is a production / engineering choice and I'm not a huge fan of the sound. There's a slight "gated" sound to the snare drum, a remnant of the ultra horrible hair metal days. (Too much hair spray seeping into the brains of the recording engineers!) Purple is hands down the second best rock album of the 90's, following closely on the heels of Superunknown. I would kill for an AP cut of Superunkown but no way in hell would I buy a 45 cut of it LOL. Superunknown might be the best recorded / produced rock album of all time, but just like Purple, I feel the original CD mastering might suffer from just a little bit of compression (though nowhere near as bad as some - like STP's No. 4 for instance) On a technical side note, I was chatting with my neighbour who used to be a recording engineer, and he said even digital recordings that are compressed to shit will sound better on vinyl. Why? It's not possible to cut a record at the offensive loudness of the digital mastering. If you do, the stylus wouldn't be able to track the groove and it would be skipping constantly.

[@Portekberm]

The mov of purple is decent..

[@Bound2glory]

Love the Core 45rpm Atlantic release. Very underwhelmed with Purple however.

[@PiecesofVinyl]

There was def. a difference but it still sounds way better then the single Lp.

[@Bound2glory]

@@PiecesofVinyl I'm sure. There is a another guy who's been commenting on this topic all over KZbin that swears the OG Purple transparent release of Purple is superior

[@analoguecity3454]

My Walmart color vinyl of "core" was really really noisy, even after a clean! I guess ill have to deal with it!

[@PiecesofVinyl]

Or - you could get this new one! 😈

[@vinylreckoning]

Got rid of the splatter and got the analog productions pressing. Best decision

[@PiecesofVinyl]

I am going to gift the splatter versions to someone as well! I really enjoyed your scavenger hunt video recently!

[@vinylreckoning]

@@PiecesofVinyl thanks dude!

[@davepounds8924]

I’m not sure we needed a 60 dollar 45 RPM for a grunge band like STP The original records sounded good and I’m not sure the type of music they do needs a 45 RPM audiophile release

[@PiecesofVinyl]

I’m not sure I agree with you.