Talking Vintage Gear & My Favorite Pressing of Led Zeppelin IV

I'm still re-discovering how different records sound with the new (to me) vintage Klipsch Cornwall II's in my listening room. Today's video spotlights an amazing and recommended pressing of Led Zeppelin's fourth album.
Monarch Pressing Plant Video: • The Pressing Plants 10...
George Peckham Mastering Engineer Video: • 5 "Must-Have" Porky/Pe...
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[@ConglomerationCat]

Oh thank you, thank you for making me pull my Pecko Duck pressing....my wife and I are listening to it as I type this. Amazing power and dynamics. I only play it on special occasions. This is one of them. Thank you for making this video. Always loved your channel.

[@jeffreylind3739]

Great video, Tim. Glad to see your running your new speakers through their paces and enjoying it. I have three different LZ IV pressings, the Monarch Pecko Duck/GP/AT you have(NM), the first Japanese pressing (NM), which came with a cool star shaped promo gift tag, another insert to buy other records and the original Sound Sound Rock Age 7 OBI strip. More recently, I purchased a super clean UK Atlantic Plum copy (EX+), which deserves all the acclaim it gets. However, I also have the Atlantic pre-recorded 7" reel to reel 7 1/2 IPS tape, and that blows them ALL away. The sound that comes from the reel tape gives me shivers, it's that good. I haven't done a shootout with the 3 versions I have, but going from memory I'd say the UK, US then Japanese- and all give an extremely good listen.

[@TheAgeOfAnalog]

I have a NM 71 Santa Maria Pecko cut that sounds HUGE. It’s a keeper.

[@Donjasoni]

Yes, great pressing for sure

[@MelindaMurphy]

I have that Pecko Duck pressing as well and it's glorious. Your speakers and music room look incredible. I enjoyed your discussion about Led Zeppelin. When the Levee Breaks is a favorite of mine as well. Enjoy your fresh turkey and happy thanksgiving. ♥️

[@Universityofvinyl]

Thank you kindly!

[@michaelrogers8126]

I have a SRC copy from 1977 in very good condition. According to discogs GP also did this one. Sounds great. Nice to have a AAA cut in collection to go along with my 2014 Page remaster ( which I think is excellent too)

[@Sinnsonido]

I have what is probably a 1974 Peckham / Piros cut, also in excellent sound that can still be found cheaply in the wild, but as you say condition is a key factor, considering many copies of IV have been absolutely hammered at this point....

[@conkretedesign]

I have the 1971 Presswell pressing Pecko/Pecko duck AT/GP

[@MODAC]

Mine is a 1971 first Porky/PECKO DUCK PRC Indiana pressing

[@brianmedeiros6845]

I have it based on your reviews. My wife makes dinner sets this video up for me Lol She knows what makes me smile 😊

[@Universityofvinyl]

You kids seem to have a fantastic relationship! Happy Thanksgiving - hope it's a great one.

[@jasonarsenault3791]

I want whatever pressing is the best for Levee Breaks😂 Great work Tim. Keep them coming

[@bubby372]

I just scored a VG++ Led Zepp 4 Pecko/Pecko Duck Presswell at a Brimfield Mass. Flea Market. Sounds amazing.

[@Universityofvinyl]

I’ve always wanted to go to that flea. Congrats

[@matthewtapley2765]

Great album and video! Congratulations on 10,000 as well. You’re one of the best 👏🏻. Have you seen any of JCM Led Zeppelin stories’ videos on KZbin? He’s a wealth of information and takes many deep dives on the band and solo stuff. Well worth checking out

[@Universityofvinyl]

I will check it out - thanks much!

[@mahabkhatib9377]

Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy your special turkey that trumped Aja! Lucky me being a vegetarian/pescatarian I get to spend it on vinyl (overspend), lol. I have the MR/Peckoduck/PR/Porky, great sound even with a lot of surface noise. I bought the 75 Atlantic clear version, pretty disappointing for me. Actually, I didn’t expect much from it, knowing the limitations.

[@ConglomerationCat]

Have you ever noticed that towards the end of Four Sticks before the fade out that the volume swells up? No other pressings have that.

[@Universityofvinyl]

Gotta recheck that…

[@ConglomerationCat]

@@Universityofvinyl it's literally right before the fade out, especially Jimmy's riff...it just seems really extra aggressive.

[@JeffersonDD]

Great Video Tim!! I actually just found that monarch porky in the wild for like $19! It was pretty dirty but cleaned up to VG / VG+ :). Good luck with the Turkey!

[@Universityofvinyl]

Thanks Jefferson - nice seeing you today on the stream. I'm expecting smooth sailing with this year's Turkey operation. Safe travels to NYC.

[@JeffersonDD]

@@Universityofvinyl Great seeing you as well!! Hope you have a great Holiday!

[@audiotomb]

My second table is a Thorens TD125 with an SME 3009 arm The Classic is very nice - clear, dynamic The 2014 is terribly eq’d and closed off do not bother The Piros is a great cut Can’t recall if I own a plum. Think so I only like one song on side 1. Battle for Evermore So moving

[@VintageDCVinyl]

2020 I am crate diving in Allentown. Usual 101 strings and Montovanni. I go to these 3 thrift stores regularly and it is usually nothing. One day I go in, flip through the 2x crates with maybe 120 lps. Junk-junk-junk-junk-junk- 10 Years After- Monkees. Woah. Hold on. I look and there is a slug of 20x lps all Classic Rock Era. I do not get detailed and pull inners and check. I grab the entire batch and take it to the counter. 99 cents single. 1.99 double l.p. Get home, start to clean them. New inner. New outer. File. There is a Dave Mason Live double l.p.. I pick it up. It is too heavy. A 3rd record is in here. 1st l.p.. Dave Mason record 1. 2nd l.p. Dave Mason record 2. 3rd l.p. Pull it out. No inner just bare against the other vinyl. I see the colors of the unmistakable green-white-red of Atlantic vinyl. My heart rate increases a bit. I pull it out further. Atlantic logo and then... The iconic 4 graphics pop up for a label for Untitled/ ZOSO/4. I let out an audible yelp. I grab my 120x magnifier and check the deadwax. Yep. Clear as day "Porky Pecko duck". PR presswell. I holler. I clean it and this is VG++ No deep scratches from sliding next to Dave Mason for 45+ years. No inner or outer obviously. Sounds AMAZING. This now sits on my rarities shelf in its own box. 66 CENTS.

[@Universityofvinyl]

Score!

[@mrcdufay]

Thanks for the interesting history! I have a NM Monarch Pecko / Porky Duck '75 repress. Sounds good to me but I've never heard a 1st pressing, so can't compare. Anyone have on opinion on this pressing? I know what I'll be playing tonight. Saw Zep in '75. The best!

[@Universityofvinyl]

I've heard there is little to no difference in the Monarch Pecko Broadway vs. later Rockefeller Center labels -- enjoy!

[@thomaslytle5519]

I have a NM copy of that ‘71 Monarch pressing of Zep 4 with runouts Pecko/Pecko Duck. It sounds Absolutely Amazing. I went though probably 5 different pressings before I finally found this one. Monarch Zeppelin pressings are Fantastic period. My ‘74 Monarch George Piros pressing of Zeppelin 1 sounds every bit as great and even more detailed than my Ludwig hot mix of Zeppelin 2, which is also a Monarch press. And yes my hot mix has RL and SS on both sides.

[@chrisguygeezer]

What TT, cartridge, phono amp, pre and power amps please

[@Universityofvinyl]

Thorens TD 145, Nagaoka MP 200, McIntosh MA 6100 with built in phono stage

[@chrisguygeezer]

@@Universityofvinyl nice vintage gear

[@russcoughenour8254]

Would love to know in what ways the Klipsch Cornwall II's outdid the A200's. I've thought about making that change myself, although I have the BA A400's

[@Universityofvinyl]

Still forming opinion but initial reaction - effortless room filling sound with more mid range detail and incredible bass response

[@Universityofvinyl]

Imaging and soundstage details also great

[@robertendsley8312]

Japanese 1976 is the definitive pressing. Beats my 1971 Monarch. Greater detail.

[@latheofheaven]

You know, I do happen to have I believe it is the 2nd Japanese pressing of Zeppelin II. WOW! Now that one is dynamic, let me tell you. With the sound swirling about the room during whole lotta love, WOW again! That personally is my 'Go To' for II I don't have a double 'RL' so I can't speak to that, but the Japanese sounds pretty damn good! I did have a chance recently to get a 1st Japanese pressing of VI, Physical Graffiti. And, it too is supposed to be one of the best ones. But, on my system it just seemed to lack the power and punch of my later Sam Feldman pressing which does sound really good when you crank it way up 😁

[@latheofheaven]

I have the Classic Records Zeppelin I, V, & VII. And, they do sound great. I just happened to stumble across them about when they came out not really knowing what the hell I was doing. So, I was anxious to get the Classic Records IV. Well, I did score one from a Steve Hoffman Member in Canada for a really good price 3 or 4 years ago. BUT... when I played it my immediate reaction was that it did NOT sound very good! So, I took out my like new Porky/Pecko pressing... And, yep, it totally blew the Classic away. What a disappointment after hearing the others. But, thankfully I was able to sell it for about what I paid for it shortly thereafter for about $140 or so (now the damn thing is going for double that!) So yeah, fully agree with you Tim that the early Porky/Pecko sounds great! TBH, I don't remember if mine is a Monarch or not, I'll hafta check. The one that is tough to get a good sounding pressing of is VI, Physical Graffiti. I have a Sam Feldman pressing that is NM and really cranked up I think it sounds pretty good. But, the darn thing has songs from all over the place, so that is a hard one to pin down, and I am DEFINITELY not going to gamble on another Classic Records pressing! But, from what I've heard and read, the Classic is not necessarily the best one. One fellow on the SHF with an incredible system (probably worth well over $30,000 or so) stated that in his opinion the Sam Feldman was pretty good. He also stated that the 1st Japanese pressing was very good. I did have a chance to score a NM one, but I didn't like it compared to my Sam Feldman pressing. Mine just had WAY more weight and punch to it. Heh, I figured that there was no way you would be able to play the audio 😁 I also have another NM pressing of IV, but I believe it is a later pressing, perhaps from a more 'tired' stamper because it doesn't sound as good as the Pecko pressing.

[@91pastor]

Very strange that one side has PECKO DUCK and AT/GP??? George Peckham and George Piros??? Can anybody explain it?

[@Sinnsonido]

Regarding Physical Graffiti, I have the Japanese 1st issue and the Sam Feldman cut. I have also heard the Classic Records reissue and the original UK cut. The original UK pressing might have the best tonal balance out of all of them, but audio quality for this album is all over the place, and I think anyone looking for a bass monster with this record is gong to be a bit disappointed.

[@latheofheaven]

@@Sinnsonido Yep, afraid so... That's great that you have those so that you can comment on the differences! But, FWIW, on my system (2 tall multi-driver open baffle dipole line arrays with 13 drivers a side, driven by an Ayon Orion II all tube Class 'A' integrated amp, with 2-15" dipole woofers driven by a Crown 2502) the Sam Feldman really cranked up kicks some pretty serious @ss! I think that is likely the best I'm going to get, and the vinyl is pristine so that helps 😊

[@91pastor]

How come one side has two mastering credits... Pecko Duck (George Peckham, UK) and AT/GP (US)??? Just curious.

[@Universityofvinyl]

Peckham mastered in the UK and Piros in the US “ratified” the cut

[@91pastor]

@@Universityofvinyl Never, ever heard that happening before and I have been into the deadwax info for decades!

[@Universityofvinyl]

@@91pastor there are several threads on this subject on the Hoffman Forums - “From what I've read, its actually cut by George "Porky" Peckham. Apparently the stampers were "approved" by George Piros by adding his initials.

[@thefleshexperience]

George Peckham is a member of one of the FB groups I’m in and has liked a few of my posts where I’ve complimented his “Porky Prime Cuts”! It certainly made my day. 😂 He’s a legend for sure. His career has gone from George Harrison - All Things Must Pass to Zeppelin IV to Buzzcocks to Aphex Twin and many many incredible others in between. ❤

[@Universityofvinyl]

Nice!