Yes it is Impex. It has the gold “Impex” seal on the outer PVC envelope and the limited edition number. It just seems a lot in price for very little. I would have expected at least a tip on sleeve and an insert with some pics/info.
Its imported by one of my favourite shops so a large portion of the price will be import and shipping. Even so Its 38USD over the pond so it’s still not a cheap record.
Read about this a few days ago. A fire at a California Vinyl plant will put a big dent in records.
There’s a thread about it on here from a few weeks ago;
Analogplanet’s Best Reissues of the Decade!
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Very sad along with the Universal Studios fire that destroyed precious master tapes.
I think we’ve had a previous thread on this…
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I see what you mean. That doesn’t look like a tip-on jacket.
It isn’t!
The small print on the back of the sleeve says manufactured for Impex by Sony Music, maybe that explains the flimsy sleeve
Btw according to Discogs there are two different masterings for the Linn Hats LP but similar price values.
I have an Impex copy of MIles Davis ESP and it also says manufactured by Sony and doesn’t have a tip-on jacket. It was highly recommended when I got it and I thought it sounded good, though it’s a while since I put it on.
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Hi Clive, I would say the sound is good but not particularly noteworthy in this case. I just felt the overall package is nothing better than a “standard” mainstream vinyl release.
That said I have been buying a lot of Music Matters, Tone Poet & Analogue Productions recently which are great sounding and a quality package.
When I had a subscription to the Music Matters 33rpm series, which have lovely gatefold Tip On’s and pressed at RTI, as are Impex, were coming in at around £50 a pop with shipping, occasionally more if I was unlucky to cop for customs duty.
So maybe on reflection I’m being a tad curmudgeonly regarding the Impex.
I had a listen to my ESP Impex and it is very good although I have nothing to compare it with. I found Michael Fremer’s favourable review of it and he said that the original recording had flaws. I cannot remember where I got it from and how much it was - maybe it was distributed in the UK. I haven’t pursued some of those recent jazz reissues which have to be imported as they are so expensive. At least we are now getting some Blue Notes properly produced and pressed and released in the UK for reasonable prices.
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Yes the Blue Note Tone Poet series particularly which are made to the same spec as the Music Matters. AAA mastered by Kevin Gray, Heavy card gatefold Stoughton tip on sleeve, plated and pressed at RTI but widely available at 30 - £35.
The BN 80 series at around £20 are good value but I think the Tone Poet are worth the extra. The BN80 are still AAA mastered by Kevin Gray and plated at RTI but to reduce cost are pressed in Germany at Optimal with a cheaper basic sleeve.
http://www.bluenote.com/tone-poet-vinyl-series-2020/
Ironically, I have only bought one of the Tone Poet issues and side 2 was in a terrible state - possibly scraped coming out of the pressing machine or something. Anyhow I did get a replacement which does sound superb. I do think the BN 80 series are excellent, especially for AAA production. I am certainly expecting to get some more BN80 and Tone Poet issues.
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Sorry to hear that Clive RTI quality control is usually very good. The BN80’s pressed at Optimal are a bit more variable.
Btw I probably should have mentioned that they are all mostly AAA but some of the later recordings eg Cassandra Wilson are sourced digitally as that is how they were recorded.
Richard, Thank You for always helping anyway you can, it’s appreciated! Dean.
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I recently bought the 50th Anniversary 2LP 45rpm reissue of The Band.
I was a little bit disappointed with the previous Music From Big Pink anniversary reissue, mainly because of the remix, but also because I felt my EMI Millennium LP sounded rather better too. However, in this case, great as the EMI100 reissue undoubtedly is, I think this anniversary reissue may have the edge. Either way, it’s a fabulous sounding pair of LPs of a wonderful record. Highly recommended.
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Richard, I’m glad you like it. I thought it sounded very good when I got it in January. I’m still mulling over what to do about Big Pink in the light of your experience.
Just bought the boxset. Played 3 of them, they’re all perfectly pressed and not a single pop heard.
I’ve compared Regatta, Outlandos and Synchronicity to my 2007 Japanese uijy-9004, uijy-9026 and uijy-9029, which I class as my best references. The boxset is a little sweeter and has the faintest amount of more detail, but the overall sound doesn’t compare. The Japanese pressings play much more lively, open and instruments better separated. The bass guitar is more forward, dominant, real, crisp, plugged-in…It’s a shame, but it seems you can’t have everything.
Still glad I bought the boxset though.
Interesting Count. I don’t know the Japanese issues you refer to. I do know that the first two beat my UK issues - not hard really as Regatta in particular looks like one of the worst pressings I’ve ever seen. I also have the Vivante reissue of Outlandos though, and that’s great but haven’t done a close comparison.
I have the Nautilus (Nautili?) issues of Zenyatta and Ghost in the Machine, but haven’t compared either to the new ones. I do think though that the standard Sterling GiTM and Synchronicity are about as good as it gets, the former in particular being a favourite.
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